Regular: Your standard issue pea shooter. Fires one shot at a time. If you have this weapon then there is a good probability that you will die.

Machine Gun: Hold down the button and you'll unleash a constant stream of bullets. If you have auto-fire on the controller (and every true Contra player should) then this weapon is useless.

Spread Gun: Shoots waves of five bullets that spread outward. The best weapon in the game.

Flame Shot: Shoots rotating fireballs that have big range but aren't very powerful. Hard to see also.

Laser: The strongest weapon that fires a weapon straight forward. Hard to hit enemies with, however.