The September Nintendo Direct showcase was packed full of remakes and remasters, though one of those joining the pile that we are rather excited about is Contra: Operation Galuga, which will be updating the 1980s NES classic for Switch in early 2024.

The updates applied to this one seem really quite impressive. Perhaps most noticeable is the remastered visuals and graphics which are looking particularly tasty, but you combine that with new stages, enemies, bosses, an updated weapons system and co-op for two players in Story Mode and four players in Arcade Mode, and we'd say publisher Konami is onto something special here.

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This one will see you playing as elite commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean — have names ever been more macho? — as you attempt to take out the evil Red Falcon group who have occupied the Galuga Islands. What follows appears to be a lot of shooting, running, climbing and overall action — basically, Contra's back.

You can find a full list of features and get a look at some screenshots from the game's eShop page below.

Key Features:
•The original run-'n'-gun game is back, reimagined and more action-packed than ever!
•Attack aggressively across eight explosive stages! Infiltrate the jungle, ascend the waterfall, speed through an enemy base on a hovercycle, and more!
•Multiple playable characters with distinct abilities!
•Epic, screen-filling boss battles!
•New and fan-favorite weapons, now with stackable upgrades and incredible Overload abilities!
•Multiple difficulty options and a wealth of extra content

We still don't have a precise release date for this one, but the window of 'early 2024' has us hopeful that we will hear more information over the coming months.

What do you make of the return of Contra so far? Let us know in the comments.