Geek-A-Long
2016 Geek-A-Long: Contra
Jul
Princesscutie nominated Contra to the 2016 blanket saying:
My husband and I are STILL looking for this game to own, but the price is so inflated now =(
Cutie: Have you considered this clock? The cartridge and an NES are pretty pricey these days, but apparently stuff made out of them is way more affordable!
This week I invited my husband to write about his experience with Contra since I can’t hope to match his excitement over the game. When I was designing the square, every time he walked in the room he would suggest something else for the square. Then, when I was knitting it, I tortured him by not telling him what was on it. He kept trying to sneak peeks and I didn’t let him see because I am a yarn tease. I have to take my fun where I can get it. I’ll see you guys back here next week!
When the NES came out, my dad bought one immediately. Unfortunately, he kept it in his bedroom so that my parents could limit the time my brother and I spent playing it. It was tricky when all three of us wanted to play. Switching off boards in Mario Brothers was fine, but we would have to watch the other person play Duck Hunt or Tetris and sit there, jealously waiting our turn. The first game I remember that changed this was Contra. Two players! On the same screen! I had never seen a game that did that before. My brother and I loved to play that game. We would argue about who got which power up next and try to move so that the other player would be killed. The Konami Code took the measly three lives and gave us thirty, which at the time would be spent on the waterfall level. If we were doing well and it was time for dinner, we would pause the game and shut off the TV and swear to mom that we had turned it off. We would then sneak back in and get as far as we could before bed. It was the first game that I played all the way through with another person. We were so proud of the shared accomplishment.
There were sequels to Contra, but most of them are terrible with one notable exception. Contra III: The Alien Wars on the SNES was a game that I could still play and love every minute. While they have released at least twelve Contra games, none of the newer ones have caught on like the original.
Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can download the Contra pattern here. Instructions for both knit and crochet are listed in the pattern. When you’re finished making it, don’t forget to tweet or instagram your squares at me @Doctor_Llama and Jac @jac_attacking or with the hashtag #geekalong!
If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here and a tutorial on crochet here. Want to hang out with other people making the blanket? You can find moral support in the Geek-A-Long group on Ravelry here.
~ Megan-Anne
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
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