Marking this year's 20th anniversary of the Contra series, Konami has announced the first new numbered entry to hit the franchise in 15 years. Tentatively titled Contra 4 and scheduled to release on Nintendo DS later this year, production will be handled by independent developer WayForward Technologies, whose past projects include Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses (NDS, GBA), Sigma Star Saga (GBA), and Shantae (GBC).

Set two years after the events of Konami's 1992 SNES shooter Contra III: The Alien Wars, Contra 4 pits Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Mad Dog, and Scorpion against the vicious Black Viper. Retaining the series' traditional 2D perspective and two player co-op, the game adds new elements to take advantage of the Nintendo DS hardware, such as levels and bosses that span both of the portable's screens and a new grappling hook to aide in the navigation of the taller levels and exploitation of enemy weak points.

While Contra 4 marks the first numbered sequel in Konami's Contra series in over a decade, the franchise has seen a recent surge of activity thanks to the inclusion of the original arcade Contra in Konami's DS compilation Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits, the release of Contra III: The Alien Wars on Wii Virtual Console earlier this year, and last year's Xbox Live Arcade port of the original arcade Contra by Digital Eclipse. Several non-numbered Contra entries have also been released since Contra III, the latest being Konami's Neo Contra on PlayStation 2, which arrived in 2004.