Metal Slug – Super Vehicle-001

Developer: Nazca     Publisher: SNK    Released: August 7, 1997     Genre: Action

The early years of the Neo Geo saw a fairly diverse lineup of arcade titles that covered most genres. When combined with the system’s horsepower SNK’s games looked a cut above what we had at home. But it was not so good that I would rob a bank to afford a $600 Neo Geo. I’ll be damned if the fighting game renaissance didn’t make that sound appealing for a hot second though. But if fighting games were the main selling point for the Neo Geo Metal Slug would be the other. Metal Slug was a welcome respite from the never ending stream of fighting games on the system and a great action game in general. The PlayStation version retains the action but loses a little something in the conversion.

Metal Slug is known for its detailed art and exquisite animation. It was definitely beyond the SNES and Genesis, leaving the upcoming 32-bit systems as the only reasonable way to play them at home. How has the PlayStation version turned out? All things considered they have done a good job. There are a good number of animation frames that are missing as well as slowdown. But as a whole the game still looks fantastic. The biggest concession is the mid-level load breaks in every stage. At first it only happens once but later stages stop two or three times to load. It is less than ideal but does not break the game.

As an action game Metal Slug is Contra on steroids. The game has a large variety of power-ups that drop literally every few seconds from POWs. The heavy machine gun is the most common, to the point it almost should have been the default. It lacks power but has rapid fire and can be shot in sixty-four directions which is awesome. The rocket launcher is very powerful but has the lowest ammo and appears at points where its power is needed. The flamethrower is strong and the funniest; the animation of soldiers burning never gets old. My personal favorite is the shotgun which is possibly the strongest weapon in the game. Sadly it is rare but oh so worth it when it drops.

The titular Metal Slug is an armored tank you can commandeer. The Metal Slug appears in almost every level and is pure awesome on wheels. Its Vulcan cannon covers a nearly every attack angle and is very strong. In addition its artillery shells trivialize boss battles. The tank runs on gas which also serves as a faux life bar. Gas can be replenished and with skill you can ride the Metal Slug through an entire level.

That won’t happen on the first run however. As the first game in the series Metal Slug shows restraint. The action is heavy and consistent but not above the 16-bit Contra titles. What has changed is the level of spectacle. Everything blows up in a shower of debris including large chunks of the background. You will destroy everything just to see it fall apart in beautiful chunks.

The other difference is that Metal Slug feels like a fully realized world. The Neo Nazi forces are more than just generic soldiers, they exhibit certain behaviors. Some are cowards while others are aggressive.  You frequently come across them going about their daily lives oblivious to your presence. At the start of mission two you find many relaxing on the European front. Mission five drops you in an Eastern European town, presumably in the morning. The soldiers aren’t ready as they attack you from in their homes, lending the game a comedic tone. That sense of humor gives Metal Slug personality that the majority of its action contemporaries do not have. Even though the story in the series goes to some extremely ridiculous places no one cares since it is so entertaining.

Despite the array of weapons Metal Slug is still an arcade game and as such is pretty tough. You can set starting lives and but have limited continues. Most will burn through them by the midpoint the first few times. At six levels though Metal Slug falls on the short side. You will keep returning to ogle the pretty graphics but the journey is still brief. The PlayStation version has an additional Combat School mode and Another Story, both of which offer brief challenges that test your skill at the game. They add some replay value but I would have loved an additional level or two.

In Conclusion

The PlayStation version of Metal Slug is not the most ideal but is still serviceable. It loses some of the majesty of the arcade but retains the gameplay. Not the best 2d action title on the system but still solid overall.