Gryzor

Gryzor for ZX Spectrum is Ocean Software's one-player home-computer version of Konami's arcade run-and-gun game Contra. The European computer release uses the Gryzor name, while the original arcade game was known as Contra. Ocean developed and published the Spectrum edition in 1987 for 48K and 128K machines.

The mission sends a lone commando through an alien-controlled island base. Play is a fast-moving combination of running, climbing, jumping and shooting through hostile territory, with enemy soldiers, fixed defenses and larger end-of-stage opponents blocking the route. The player must react quickly to hazards while keeping the character moving through the scrolling landscapes.

A basic rifle handles the regular firefights, but weapon capsules provide temporary alternatives. The Spectrum conversion includes rapid-fire, spread and fireball-style weapons, while its weapon set differs from the arcade source in the absence of the laser. Careful positioning matters because incoming fire and environmental obstacles can arrive from several directions.

Ocean retained the broad progression of the arcade adventure, including its stages and boss encounters, but reorganized the journey into three chapters. The result is a longer, multi-part Spectrum campaign rather than a direct screen-for-screen copy, with some enemy variety and audiovisual detail reduced to suit the machine.

Gryzor supports several Spectrum control arrangements, including Cursor keys, Kempston and Sinclair-compatible joysticks, Interface 2, and redefinable keys. Its single-player format and varied input options make the emphasis squarely on mastering movement, aiming and timing under pressure.