Super Probotector

Four stages are side-scrolling ( top ) while two are played from an overhead perspective ( bottom ). Contra III is a side-scrolling run and gun game akin to the series' predecessors. Players take on the role of commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean fighting off an alien invasion on Earth. It can be played in single-player or a two-player cooperative mode.

There are six stages in total; four are side-scrolling while two are presented in an overhead perspective using the Super NES's Mode 7 rendering mode. In the side-scrolling stages, the player progresses by running, jumping, and shooting at enemies. In the overhead stages, the player navigates across the stage to find and destroy predetermined targets. The stages each feature unique controls, giving the player the ability to rotate the screen to navigate.

All stages have a boss at the end and occasionally a mid-stage boss. The player will lose a life by touching enemies or their bullets, or falling down a pit. The player is equipped with two machine guns that can be swapped at will and upgraded with power-ups . These power-ups are typically dropped from flying pods and include alternate shot types: homing missiles, torpedoes, a flamethrower, a laser, and a spread shot.

Picking up a power-up will replace the shot type of the gun equipped, and losing a life will result in losing the power-up from the gun equipped. Bombs and a temporary barrier shield may also be dropped. The player has limited bombs, and using them will damage all enemies on the screen. The player can also perform a spinning jump, firing both guns in an aerial somersault.

However, during this move, both of the player's weapons will be at risk of being lost upon losing a life. The Japanese version of the game is easier than the other ones thanks to having unlimited continues and the final boss appearing when it is played on normal difficulty.