NOTE: This was a previous game of the week thread!
Metal Slug:
^ Click for full version
Genre: Platform Action Meg Count: 193 MB Players: 1 or 2 player Released on: MVS/Home/CD
Metal Slug has also been ported to many other consoles including the PSOne, Saturn, PSP and more.
Brief Description:
Developed by Nazca, the Metal Slug series should be a game known to everyone by now. Just in case you haven't played it, it's a run and gun game featuring some of the best animated 2D graphics in any game. Released in 1996 at a time when lots of great quality Neo Geo games came out (KOF 96 anyone?), it still stood out and gained a big fan base... hence the numerous sequels ever since!
Despite being nearly 13 years old, it has aged very very well indeed, other than some slowdown problems! Despite this it is still a must play game for any Neo Geo owner, although AES owners may find it is very expensive nowadays...
Kazuya_UK wrote:
If you are a fan of this style of game, then you need a Metal Slug game in your collection in my opinion... no questions asked.... The later games in this series add things that make the game even better and add some more variety, and also balance the bosses so that they aren't as much of a walkover as the ones here. Even so, I still highly recommend picking this game up if you want an introduction to Metal Slug! If you played one of the other Slugs first and are yet to play MS1, then I still say give it a try as it is still a VERY solid game. Either way, run and gun shoot 'em up fans can't really go wrong!
Videos:
Metal Slug One Credit:
Part 1:
YouTube Video
Part 2:
YouTube Video
Part 3:
YouTube Video
Other Media
Metal Slug music is available in the SNK Jukebox (AST):
I feel like the zombies and sci-fi elements in 2/X and in 3, and all the extra gameplay elements and the overall art style in these games are just not to my tastes - I much prefer the back to basics and slightly more 'realistic' feel of the first game in the series.
While some may say that the seqels offer more variation, I donīt fully agree. In this game series the original installment is still the best (IMO).
There has been a couple of times that I have been seriously considering to buy this in its AES version, but so far the price has been to off-putting to do so...so far...
This game is amazing. Superb graphical design, uniqe style, great fun to play. I personally think that this is the best game in the series.
I don't really care much for being turned into a zombie or mummy, like in the later games. Also, I enjoy the Slug games best when playing with a character "on foot", not in a vehicle, on a camel, or flying, or swimming. Although those are good for variation to a certain degree.
Fave character: Marco
Fave weapon: Heavy machinegun!
The first time I played this game was a demo on a Playstation Underground CD. Just thinking about how long ago that must have been amazes me as the game doesn't feel old at all. I recently played through the Metal Slug Collection on my PSP so I could talk about how, in my opinion, some of the sequels are superior games but when it comes down to it this is the game that started the series. In this game everything was new, fresh, and brilliant. One of the top reasons to love the NeoGeo.
Now this is a game I can relate to: a good ol' action game! I honestly don't remember it being released for the Playstation, hmm. Metal Slug is way better than its sequels, I think. Interestingly, I notice MotM was featured a while back. This means that NGPC games are eligible to be featured too?
PS, I see King of the Monsters has already been featured
AES_Collector wrote:
This game is amazing. Superb graphical design, uniqe style, great fun to play. I personally think that this is the best game in the series.
I don't really care much for being turned into a zombie or mummy, like in the later games. Also, I enjoy the Slug games best when playing with a character "on foot", not in a vehicle, on a camel, or flying, or swimming. Although those are good for variation to a certain degree.
Fave character: Marco
Fave weapon: Heavy machinegun!
Just because the sequels added more to the series, that doesn't necessarily make the sequels better, in my eyes. It is the simplicity of the original that keeps me coming back for more. I actually like running on foot, gunning down the enemy. There's something very human about it. The original concept reveals killing for the dirty thing it is. You know, now that you mention it, I found mummification, and the camel and mech riding in MS2 quite frustrating, above anything else. And to be honest, the more I think about it, the more the later sequels were merely catering to the cult following the series has established over the years. I don't think one needs to play all the way up unto the last game to get the just of what Metal Slug is about.
Didn't care for the machine gun. My fav is the flame shot!
Edited by Tobalman on 02. February 2009 07:14
Not much else you can say really. 2, X, and 3 built on a great game. While the later sequels took away as much as they added.
The original trilogy stands to be the best Run 'n Gun games ever made. Those that deny this do so out of the annoyance of memorizing enemy attack patterns, or go with Contra purely out of nostalgia.
One of my first neo games and one I still consider to be among the best on the neo. I think the fact that, for once, opinion is not divided on the game of the week (11 votes so far and all for "amazing game" is testament to the game's appeal on a basic, primal level. It's freaking awesome.
I only have this Slug and Metal Slug 3. I love Metal Slug 3 - the madness of it and the slickness. I have spent much more time on that one, but there was something very refreshing coming to back to this one. Its more straightfoward and it some ways this makes it better.
On Slowdown - this is unforgiveable in my opinion - why create such a great game and have slowdown in it. If they put as much effort into the programming as the graphics this wouldn't have happened.
I think the Slug games are 2D bitmap artwork at their best, beautiful animation with chracter and humour, and fantastic animation.
I have read some critiscm of the MS series about not being able to fire diagonally (normally), what do people think about this? I think the current system works well but I would like to see a SLug game where you can fire diagonally with all weapons, to see what they would come up with.
I'm sure I read that the persident of SNK like this game so much he bought the developer. Does anyone know if this is true?
"There's a guy on Geometry Wars. I can't remember his Gamertag, but his score is far above anyone else in the world, and it makes me think this person doesn't have a life, doesn't work, and is completely and sickly addicted to this one game."
Not much else you can say really. 2, X, and 3 built on a great game. While the later sequels took away as much as they added.
The original trilogy stands to be the best Run 'n Gun games ever made. Those that deny this do so out of the annoyance of memorizing enemy attack patterns, or go with Contra purely out of nostalgia.
I'd still pick Contra III over Metal Slug 1 though myself, and I played them at around the same time. For me Contra III has the better gameplay, with superior level design, sound effects and art style. I suppose the latter two points are mere opinion on my part, but in terms of the levels I'd say Contra wins over Metal Slug, though the top down stages weren't the best, the others were outstanding
I'm sure many will disagree with me but Contra III is my all time favourite run 'n gun so
I do know that Metal Slug one is a special game to lots of people, but I never liked it that much. I really like Metal Slug 2, X and 3 more than the first (I also really like part 5 and 6). I just find the first one pretty dull to play and look at...the others are more varied in graphics. So personally I think it's both overrated and overpriced.
cthulhu wrote:
I do know that Metal Slug one is a special game to lots of people, but I never liked it that much. I really like Metal Slug 2, X and 3 more than the first (I also really like part 5 and 6). I just find the first one pretty dull to play and look at...the others are more varied in graphics. So personally I think it's both overrated and overpriced.
I can't think of any game that is worth what people are asking for the AES cart!
Possibly inspired by the topic, I've ordered Metal Slug Anthology for the PS2 off of eBay. I've played the early games in the series but not the latter ones - was going to hold out and buy one or two for the MVS when I get it, but I got impatient, just like how I did for KOF 2003, and just picked it up nice and cheap on the PS2.
Very much looking forward to playing it now when it arrives Whether or not I'll enjoy the latter Slugs as much as the first, I don't know.....
RiKo wrote:
I'm sure I read that the persident of SNK like this game so much he bought the developer. Does anyone know if this is true?
My understanding is that Nazca were a completely seperate company and after the success of the first game Snk took them over and I assume at least some of the same people worked on the second game. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here. I've not heard anything specific about the Snk president liking the game though.
Metal Slug is quite simply a masterpiece. Visually it's a work of art. Gameplay is very addictive and couldn't really be any better. The level design is perfect. This game is my personal favourite in the series but ultimately I do think Metal Slug 3 is the best in the series.
I always find if I talk to people who are really into gaming that practically no one has heard of the Neo Geo. Hardly anyone has heard of The King of Fighters or Samurai Shodown but it seems practically everyone has heard of Metal Slug so it's obviously the most famous Neo Geo game.
Edited by merlin on 02. February 2009 17:42
It is indeed one of the finest platformers ever made. The locations of the missions were chosen very carefully and widespread around world: 1. Indonesia, 2. London, 3. Finland, 4. Germany, 5. Slovakia, 6. Southern Africa. The part where the last remaining soldier throws the paper plane which travels everywhere the battle has taken place is quite symbolic. I always prefer Marco to Tarma. My favourite music is the Mission 2 and the Mission 4 tracks. My favourite weapons are the Shotgun and (only found in the Final Mission) the gun cannon. Too many exciting features in this game have been scrapped from the second game, such as tank bosses, the gun cannon, jungle landscape and no convenient ending. I would have liked it at the end of Metal Slug 2, that a last remaining soldier lets go of a balloon which flies everywhere the battle has taken place.
Edited by Will on 03. February 2009 06:31
I'd still pick Contra III over Metal Slug 1 though myself, and I played them at around the same time. For me Contra III has the better gameplay, with superior level design, sound effects and art style. I suppose the latter two points are mere opinion on my part, but in terms of the levels I'd say Contra wins over Metal Slug, though the top down stages weren't the best, the others were outstanding
I'm sure many will disagree with me but Contra III is my all time favourite run 'n gun so
Super Probotector (I root for the cyborgs over the Rambo clones personally) ALONGSIDE Contra: Shattered Soldier (PS2) are my fave run 'n' gunners ever. I prefer them both, over the mighty (MIGHTY btw!) Metal Slug games and indeed the awesome Gunstar Heroes games too. So Mr Vengeance, once again, we are on the same wavelength! HOWEVER, not sure about the Level Design argument, with MS tending to be more realistic and Contra games being alienised and sci-fi. ALSO, I quite like the overhead sections... thought they were pretty well done. The weapons in Contra were kick-ass too! And the soundtrack... And the SFX etc etc
BUT BACK TO THE METAL SLUGS...
Graphically, always stunning IMO! I don't have a preferred character (apart from Ralf or Clark in 6... what a genius idea that was!) and the games I've played the most, due to living in the UK and the games initial availability, are 'X' on the PS1 & '3' on PS2... both the first releases of these games, not on NEOGEO, within the UK, on the stated platforms. Hadn't played '1' properly 'til' getting 'Complete' for the JP PS2. Amazing game! I understand what everyone is saying regarding the gimmicks implemented in the later games in contrast to the earlier games in the series, or maybe even just MS1 specifically (was always a fan of the Harrier sections in MS-1stM on NGPC though... another one of the 1st MS's I played!)
OFF TOPIC SLIGHTLY, but did anyone 'dig' Kaitei Daisensou / In The Hunt for PS1 & Saturn? basically Metal Slug in Submarines? Let it be known Edited by NeoGeoNinja on 03. February 2009 19:45
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is testament to the game's appeal on a basic, primal level. It's freaking awesome.
Whether or not I'll enjoy the latter Slugs as much as the first, I don't know.....
