Metal Slug: A Legendary Run and Gun Game Series
If you are a fan of action-packed shooting games, you have probably heard of or played Metal Slug. This is a Japanese multimedia franchise and run and gun video game series that has been around since 1996. It is known for its fast-paced gameplay, colorful graphics, catchy music, hilarious humor, and challenging difficulty. In this article, we will explore what makes Metal Slug such a great game series, how it evolved over the years, and how you can enjoy it today.
What is Metal Slug?
The history and development of Metal Slug
Metal Slug was originally created by Nazca Corporation, a company formed by former employees of Irem, the developer of another famous run and gun game series, R-Type. Nazca Corporation merged with SNK, a well-known arcade game company, after the completion of the first game in the series. SNK continued to develop and publish the subsequent games in the series until 2001, when it went bankrupt. Since then, the rights to the franchise have been acquired by various companies, such as Playmore, Ignition Entertainment, Atlus USA, Namco Bandai Partners, Dotemu, and SNK Corporation (the current owner).
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The gameplay and features of Metal Slug
The gameplay of Metal Slug consists of run and gun elements as well as shoot 'em up mechanics. The player controls one or two soldiers who fight against a rebel army, aliens, zombies, mummies, and other forces intent on world domination. The player can run, jump, crouch, shoot, throw grenades, melee attack, and use various vehicles and weapons to clear the stages. The game is divided into missions, each with a different setting, enemies, obstacles, and bosses. The game also features branching paths, hidden items, bonus stages, and multiple endings.
The main characters and vehicles of Metal Slug
The main characters of Metal Slug are Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving, two members of the Peregrine Falcon Squad, an elite unit of the Regular Army. They are joined by Eri Kasamoto and Fio Germi from the Sparrows Intelligence Unit in later games. Other playable characters include Trevor Spacey, Nadia Cassel, Ralf Jones, Clark Still, Leona Heidern, Walter Ryan, Tyra Elson, Roberto Nicola, Gimlet, Red Eye, Hyakutaro Ichimonji, Rootmars (as a secret character), Allen O'Neil (as a secret character), Abigail (as a secret character), Whip (as a secret character), Heidern (as a secret character), Clark Still (as a secret character), Ralf Jones (as a secret character), Leona Heidern (as a secret character), Tetsuyuki (as a secret character), Nathalie Neo (as a secret character), Alisa Stewart (as a secret character), Vita (as a secret character), Nova (as a secret character), Morden (as a secret character), Oguma (as a secret character), Beatriz (as a secret character), Ashley (as a secret character), Rocky (as a secret character), Whip (as a secret character), Heidern (as a secret character), Clark Still (as a secret character), Ralf Jones (as a secret character), Leona Heidern (as a secret character), Tetsuyuki (as a secret character), Nathalie Neo (as a secret character), Alisa Stewart (as a secret character), Vita (as a secret character ), and Nova (as a secret character).
The vehicles of Metal Slug are called Slugs, and they are usually armed with heavy weaponry and have special abilities. The most iconic Slug is the Metal Slug, a small tank that can fire cannon shells, vulcan bullets, and drop landmines. Other Slugs include the Slugnoid, a bipedal walker with dual cannons and jet boosters, the Slug Flyer, a fighter jet with missiles and vulcan guns, the Slug Gunner, a mecha with a gatling gun and a laser cannon, the Slug Copter, a helicopter with rockets and machine guns, the Slug Driller, a drill tank with a flamethrower and a drill attack, the Elephant Slug, an elephant with a vulcan gun and a trunk attack, the Ostrich Slug, an ostrich with a vulcan gun and a kick attack, the Camel Slug, a camel with a vulcan gun and a spit attack, the Donkey Slug, a donkey with a vulcan gun and a jump attack, the Turtle Slug, a turtle with a cannon and a shell attack, the Slug Mariner, a submarine with torpedoes and vulcan guns, the Astro Slug, a spaceship with lasers and bombs, the Slug Digger, a digging vehicle with missiles and drills, the Slug Mobile, a car with machine guns and nitro boosters, the Slug Armor, an armored suit with missiles and punches, the Slug Gigant, a giant robot with rockets and punches, the SV-001 Type-R (Metal Slug), an upgraded version of the Metal Slug with homing missiles and drop shots, the SV-Camel (Metal Slug), an upgraded version of the Camel Slug with homing missiles and drop shots, the Rootmars Slug (Metal Slug), an alien creature that can fire lasers and spit acid balls, the LV Armor (Metal Slug), an upgraded version of the LV Armor with homing missiles and drop shots.
The weapons and power-ups of Metal Slug
The weapons of Metal Slug are mostly firearms that can be obtained by destroying crates or rescuing prisoners of war. The default weapon is the handgun, which has unlimited ammo but low power. Other weapons include the heavy machine gun (HMG), which fires rapidly but has limited ammo; the shotgun (SG), which fires powerful blasts but has short range; the rocket launcher (RL), which fires explosive rockets but has slow reload; the flame shot (FS), which fires flames that can ignite enemies; the laser gun (LG), which fires piercing lasers that can bounce off walls; the iron lizard (IL), which fires remote-controlled missiles that can crawl on walls; the enemy chaser (EC), which fires homing missiles that can track enemies; the drop shot (DS), which fires bouncing balls that explode on contact; the super grenade (SGD), which fires grenades that have larger blast radius; the two machine guns (2MG), which fire two HMGs simultaneously but have limited ammo; the Zantetsu sword (ZS), which slashes enemies with a sword that can deflect bullets; the thunder shot (TS), which fires electric bolts that can stun enemies; and the stone (ST), which throws stones that can knock down enemies. The weapons can be upgraded by collecting the same weapon type multiple times, increasing their power and ammo capacity.
The power-ups of Metal Slug are items that can enhance the player's performance or provide extra benefits. They include the bullet-proof vest, which reduces the damage taken by bullets; the fire bomb, which creates a large explosion that damages enemies; the gas mask, which protects the player from poison gas; the medal, which increases the score; the food, which restores health; the prisoner of war, who gives a weapon or a power-up when rescued; the monkey, who follows the player and helps with shooting; and the mystery crate, which contains a random item.
The enemies and bosses of Metal Slug
The enemies of Metal Slug are mostly human soldiers, but also include animals, mutants, aliens, robots, and supernatural creatures. They have different weapons, behaviors, and abilities depending on their type and rank. Some enemies can be captured or befriended by the player, such as the mummy, the yeti, the crab, and the hyena. The enemies also have different reactions and expressions when they are hit or killed, adding to the humor of the game.
The bosses of Metal Slug are large and powerful enemies that appear at the end of each mission or stage. They have more health and firepower than regular enemies, and often require a specific strategy to defeat. Some bosses are vehicles or machines that can be damaged by destroying their parts, such as the Tani Oh (a giant tank), the Shoe & Karn (a pair of helicopters), and the Rugname (a flying saucer). Other bosses are living beings that can move around and attack with various methods, such as the Huge Hermit (a giant crab), the Allen O'Neil (a muscular soldier), and the Hi-Do (a flying fortress). The bosses also have different personalities and dialogues that reveal their motives and backgrounds.
Why is Metal Slug so popular and influential?
The graphics and animation of Metal Slug
One of the most distinctive aspects of Metal Slug is its graphics and animation. The game uses hand-drawn pixel art that is rich in detail, color, and style. The game also uses fluid and realistic animation that gives life to the characters, vehicles, and environments. The game has a unique aesthetic that combines realistic military elements with cartoonish humor and fantasy elements. The game also has a lot of visual effects, such as explosions, blood splatters, smoke trails, sparks, flashes, shadows, and weather effects. The game is widely praised for its graphics and animation quality, which is considered to be one of the best in the genre.
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The music and sound effects of Metal Slug
Another important aspect of Metal Slug is its music and sound effects. The game uses a variety of musical genres and styles to create an immersive and dynamic soundtrack that matches the mood and theme of each stage. The game also uses a lot of sound effects to enhance the gameplay and atmosphere of each scene. The game has a lot of voice samples that are used for the characters' dialogues, grunts, screams, laughs, taunts, and death cries. The game also has a lot of ambient sounds that are used for the background noises, such as gunfire, explosions, vehicles, animals, nature sounds , and music. The game is widely praised for its music and sound effects quality, which is considered to be one of the best in the genre.
The humor and references of Metal Slug
Another distinctive aspect of Metal Slug is its humor and references. The game uses a lot of comedy and satire to create a fun and lighthearted tone that contrasts with the serious and violent nature of the game. The game also uses a lot of references and parodies to various pop culture and historical topics, such as movies, TV shows, comics, games, celebrities, events, and myths. Some examples of humor and references in Metal Slug are: - The soldiers' exaggerated expressions and reactions when they are hit or killed, such as flying off the screen, spinning around, or exploding into pieces. - The prisoners of war's funny poses and gestures when they are rescued, such as saluting, dancing, or stripping. - The animals' cute and silly behaviors when they are encountered, such as running away, attacking, or helping the player. - The bosses' ridiculous and over-the-top designs and attacks, such as a giant robot crab, a muscular soldier with a machine gun arm, or a flying fortress with a giant face. - The hidden items and bonus stages that are based on various themes, such as horror movies, fairy tales, or sports. - The multiple endings that are based on the player's performance, such as being praised, scolded, or ignored by the commander. - The references and parodies to various pop culture and historical topics, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Alien, Terminator, Rambo, Godzilla, King Kong, Titanic, World War II, Vietnam War, Egyptian mythology, Japanese culture, etc.
The difficulty and replay value of Metal Slug
Another important aspect of Metal Slug is its difficulty and replay value. The game is known for being very challenging and demanding for the player's skills and reflexes. The game has a lot of enemies and obstacles that can kill the player in one hit or cause them to lose a life. The game also has a limited number of continues that can be used to resume the game after losing all lives. The game requires the player to memorize the enemy patterns and locations, avoid the enemy attacks and traps, use the weapons and power-ups effectively, and defeat the bosses quickly. The game is widely praised for its difficulty and replay value quality, which is considered to be one of the best in the genre.
The game also has a lot of replay value due to its variety and diversity. The game has different modes and options that can change the gameplay experience, such as the difficulty level, the number of players, the character selection, the mission order, and the game speed. The game also has different paths and secrets that can be discovered by exploring the stages, such as hidden items, bonus stages, alternate routes, and multiple endings. The game also has different achievements and records that can be unlocked and viewed by completing certain tasks, such as rescuing all prisoners of war, collecting all weapons, defeating all bosses, or finishing the game without dying. The game also has a lot of fan-made content and modifications that can add new features and challenges to the game, such as new characters, weapons, enemies, stages, and modes.
How to play Metal Slug today?
The original arcade and console versions of Metal Slug
The original versions of Metal Slug were released for the Neo Geo arcade system and home console. The Neo Geo was a 16-bit platform that had superior graphics and sound capabilities compared to other systems at the time. The Neo Geo also had a unique feature that allowed the arcade and home versions of the games to be identical, using the same cartridges and hardware. The original versions of Metal Slug are considered to be the most authentic and faithful to the developers' vision. However, they are also very rare and expensive to obtain today, as they were produced in limited quantities and have become collectors' items.
The ports and remakes of Metal Slug
The ports and remakes of Metal Slug are versions of the games that were released for other platforms and devices. They usually have some changes and additions to adapt to the different hardware and software specifications and limitations. Some ports and remakes are faithful to the original versions, while others are significantly different or inferior. Some examples of ports and remakes of Metal Slug are: - The PlayStation versions of Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which have lower graphics quality, longer loading times, but also have extra modes and features. - The Sega Saturn version of Metal Slug 1, which has higher graphics quality, but also requires a RAM expansion cartridge to run. - The Game Boy Advance version of Metal Slug 1, which has lower graphics quality, smaller screen size, but also has extra levels and characters. - The Nintendo DS version of Metal Slug 7, which has lower graphics quality, but also has touch screen controls and a new character. - The PlayStation Portable version of Metal Slug XX (an enhanced version of Metal Slug 7), which has higher graphics quality, but also has a co-op mode and downloadable content. - The iOS and Android versions of Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, and Defense (a tower defense spin-off), which have touch screen controls and online features, but also have microtransactions and ads. - The Steam versions of Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, and Defense, which have higher graphics quality, online features, and achievements, but also have some compatibility issues and bugs.
The spin-offs and related games of Metal Slug
The spin-offs and related games of Metal Slug are games that are based on or inspired by the Metal Slug franchise. They usually have different genres and styles from the original run and gun games, but also have some similarities and connections. Some spin-offs and related games are official products made by the same developers or publishers of Metal Slug, while others are unofficial products made by fans or other companies. Some examples of spin-offs and related games of Metal Slug are: - Metal Slug Advance, a Game Boy Advance game that is a side story to the main series, featuring a new character and a card system. - Metal Slug 3D, a PlayStation 2 game that is a 3D action game with a new story and characters. - Metal Slug Anthology, a PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Nintendo Switch game that is a compilation of the first seven games in the series. - Metal Slug Attack, a mobile game that is a tower defense strategy game with online features and microtransactions. - Metal Slug Infinity, a mobile game that is an idle role-playing game with online features and microtransactions. - Metal Slug Code: J, an upcoming mobile game that is a run and gun game with 3D graphics and touch screen controls. - Gun Force II (also known as Geo Storm), an arcade game that is a run and gun game with similar gameplay and graphics to Metal Slug, made by Irem before Nazca Corporation was formed. - In the Hunt (also known as Kaitei Daisensou), an arcade game that is a shoot 'em up game with similar gameplay and graphics to Metal Slug, made by Irem before Nazca Corporation was formed. - Blazing Star, an arcade game that is a shoot 'em up game with similar graphics and sound to Metal Slug, made by Yumekobo (a subsidiary of SNK) after Nazca Corporation merged with SNK.
Conclusion
Metal Slug is a legendary run and gun game series that has been loved by millions of fans around the world for over two decades. It is known for its fast-paced gameplay, colorful graphics, catchy music, hilarious humor, and challenging difficulty. It is also known for its variety and diversity, as it has many different versions, ports, remakes , spin-offs, and related games. It is a game series that can appeal to anyone who enjoys action, adventure, comedy, and nostalgia. If you have not played Metal Slug yet, you are missing out on one of the best game series of all time. You can play Metal Slug today on various platforms and devices, such as arcade machines, consoles, computers, mobile phones, and tablets. You can also play Metal Slug with your friends and family, as most of the games support co-op multiplayer modes. You can also join the Metal Slug community online, where you can find more information, tips, guides, reviews, fan art, fan fiction, mods, and more. Metal Slug is a game series that will never get old or boring, as it always offers something new and exciting to discover and enjoy.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Metal Slug:
Q: How many games are there in the Metal Slug series?
A: There are 14 main games in the Metal Slug series: Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7/XX, 1st Mission, 2nd Mission, Advance, 3D, Attack, and Defense. There are also several ports, remakes, spin-offs, and related games.
Q: What is the best Metal Slug game?
A: This is a subjective question that depends on personal preference and taste. However, some of the most popular and critically acclaimed Metal Slug games are Metal Slug 1, X, 3, and XX.
Q: What is the story of Metal Slug?
A: The story of Metal Slug is a parody of various military and sci-fi tropes and clichés. The main plot revolves around the conflict between the Regular Army and the Rebel Army, led by General Morden. The Regular Army is aided by the Peregrine Falcon Squad and the Sparrows Intelligence Unit, while the Rebel Army is allied with various factions and forces, such as aliens, zombies, mummies, cults, pirates , and ancient civilizations. The story is mostly told through cutscenes, dialogues, and endings, and it is often humorous and nonsensical.
Q: How to unlock the secret characters in Metal Slug?
A: The secret characters in Metal Slug are usually unlocked by performing certain actions or fulfilling certain conditions in the game. For example, to unlock Rootmars as a playable character in Metal Slug 3, the player has to complete the game without using any continues. To unlock Allen O'Neil as a playable character in Metal Slug 6, the player has to rescue him from a Rebel base in Mission 2. To unlock Abigail as a playable character in Metal Slug XX, the player has to complete the Combat School mode with at least 10 medals.
Q: How to get the best ending in Metal Slug?
A: The best ending in Metal Slug is usually obtained by completing the game with a high score and a high rank. The score and rank are determined by various factors, such as the number of enemies killed, the number of prisoners of war rescued, the number of items collected, the number of deaths, and the time taken. The best ending usually shows the player being praised and rewarded by the commander and the other characters, while the worst ending usually shows the player being scolded and punished by the commander and the other characters. 44f88ac181
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