Metal Slug – The original SNK classic

This product review is based on the reissued version of the game. Due to changes in the media and the passage of time, minor factual differences may occur between the original retail product and the version featured in the review.

The review that follows is intended as a reference for how well the game has stood the test of time, not for evaluating the ratings it might have received based on the original release date.

The original arcade action classic from SNK

Some of you may not know Metal Slug game yet. It is, in fact, one of the most cartoonish and exciting run and gun games ever made. Developed by SNK, the game was a hit on Neo Geo arcade consoles in the 90s thanks to its amazing visual style, tons of explosions, outrageous enemies and weapon options, and most importantly, the fact that it never took himself seriously. Metal Slug was a lot of fun to play, especially co-op with a friend, and the formula of intense action combined with great humorous illustration quickly led to a long series of sequels.

Metal Slug tells the story of a world at war, where two military factions - the regular army and the rebels - fight for world domination. Early on in Metal Slug, we learn that the Rebels have just dealt another devastating blow to the regular military, capturing their top-secret weapons research facility and taking the prototypes of a new series of tanks (the titular Metal Slugs). The two lone soldiers, Marco and Tarme, must storm the rebel strongholds, recover the stolen slugs, and finally take down the leader who started all this madness.

However, the plot plays a rather minor role once the action kicks in, and you're more concerned with blowing up everything in sight than why you're doing it. You start out simple, with a single foot soldier, armed with a conventional pistol. But pretty soon you destroy the first wave of enemies, find an upgrade for your weapon, destroy another wave of enemies, find another upgrade, dodge a bunch of bullets, die a few times, continue the game on the screen, and then repeat the whole thing. process.

It's chaotic and a lot of fun. And even better than destroying enemies with an upgraded rocket launcher, flamethrower or large caliber machine gun when you get one of the real metal bullets.

After all, hijacked tanks appear fairly regularly in all phases of the game, and when you find one you can always jump in and take a ride. The tank's armor protects it from the one-hit kill rule that applies when walking, and its attack capacity is also increased. Each slug is armed with an "any direction" blaster to hit smaller enemies and a more powerful cannon to deal more damage to larger bosses. Tanks can even be sacrificed kamikaze-style if you press B and A at the same time: your soldier will jump and the slug will dash forward and self-destruct, dealing severe pain to all enemies in the area when it explodes.

So, given the timeless appeal of the design (and the robust controls), the only thing that might deter you from buying this classic game right away is the fact that it's recently been available at a lower price point in anthology compilations and remakes. This difference should affect those who have already bought the Anthology and don't want to shell out even more money just because it's authentic.

Verdict

metal slug – is probably the most prominent action game ever made on the Neo Geo. It's a great game to play alone, and even better when played with a friend in co-op. So bite the bullet. Clean out the fridge, shell out the money, and take down some insurgents with your Slug.