Whip. and Lock-On Laser. Type C: Spread Shot, Fireball. and Lock-On Thunder. Type D: Lightning, G.Bazooka, and Heaven Laser. Type E: Drill Shot, Reflect Laser, and Fairy Laser. Type F: Ripple Laser, GV Laser, and Variable Weapon. There are a total of seven stages in the game. Like Shattered Soldier, the four initial stages can be played in any order and be replayed anytime for higher grading. The fifth stage can only be selected by clearing the first four stages, while the sixth and seventh stages are only available if players maintain an above-average grade overall. There is a difficulty setting in the options menu, and playing on Easy difficulty grants players 30 lives to beat the first four missions, but on this difficulty, it is impossible to view the game's ending. Normal mode offers players 5 lives and 7 continues to complete the game's seven missions. Neo Contra also marks the return of the time limit from some versions of the original Contra games, with the last third of the sixth stage granting the player such to complete the mission. Unlike the timed missions in the original Contra where the player loses one life once the time limit drops to zero, the entire game is over once the player is unable to complete the last part of the sixth stage within the said time limit. Plot Neo Contra takes place during A.D. 4444 when the Earth has been transformed into a prison planet, home to criminals and political rebels. From this underworld society rises a new order called "Neo Contra". This government quickly showed its true colors, as it has other plans than bringing back normal civilization. Carrying out this new threat are four renegade Contras (elite warriors), who are called the Four Elite, united under the command of mysterious Master Contra. Thus, Bill Rizer is partnered with Genbei "Jaguar" Yagyu, a samurai, and the two are sent to Earth to deal with the Neo Contra threat. After defeating the Four Elite, the heroes discover the truth behind "Neo Contra", which is a facade for "Project C", a plan to create half-human AI from Bill Rizer's DNA, as an ultimate weapon, which is now Master Contra. Bill Rizer himself is just a clone of the original one, a side-objective of "Project C". With the help of Mystery G, an elder Contra operative, the heroes managed to defeat Master Contra