Metal Slug is a run-and-gun classic that triple-dips into over-the-top bombast and spectacle at every available opportunity. It’s like if Michael Bay rewrote Contra from the ground up while applying the framework of a slapstick comedy. This is a game absolutely filled to the brim with personality, memorable set pieces, and blazing non-stop action.
One of the first things that immediately leaps off the screen when you fire up a game of Metal Slug is the absolutely gorgeous, iconic sprite work and pixel art. Every level in the game is richly packed with attention to detail. Enemy soldiers and freed POWs react in various exaggerated and comical ways to your onslaught. Environmental damage to structures causes them to explode in glorious fashion. But in the midst of all these ostentatious set pieces, this is also a game that rewards you for paying attention to the small details happening around you; incidental in-jokes, visual gags, and Easter eggs are all commonplace. Character and equipment designs are also top notch. Many of the design cues seem to come from WWII-era military technology, though more broadly I think we could call Metal Slug an early example of Dieselpunk motifs. The equipment ranges from run-of-the-mill tanks and planes, helicopters based on famous the Apache and Hind-D models, to full on fantastical monstrosities that look like the result of Hayao Miyazaki having developed a military fetish rather than a biding love of pastoral Japanese landscapes.
Beneath the eye candy though, we find that Metal Slug rides on a foundation of strong gameplay as well. Two direct comparisons really jumped out for me. Mechanically I’d say that Metal Slug draws a lot inspiration from the Conta series. The responsive multi-directional shooting and weapon power-ups seem to pay tribute to the seminal Contra classics. It’s not necessarily perfect recall; among other things Metal Slug doesn’t feature diagonal shooting (or at least not while on foot), which actually would have been nice to have in several instances. That being said, adhering too closely the mechanics of Contra would likely have robbed Metal Slug of its own unique identity. In terms of non-stop action and pacing, I was often reminded of Gunstar Heroes which was the other point of comparison. Much like Treasure’s run-and-gun classic, Metal Slug adheres to a solid philosophy of ‘never a dull moment’. New challenges are thrown at you constantly, and most frequently from several directions at once.
Special mention must be given to Metal Slug’s namesake vehicle, the SV-001 (Super Vehicle), more commonly known as the Metal Slug. The combination of on foot and in-vehicle combat is the final key component to Metal Slug’s unique identity. Essentially the Metal Slug acts as the game’s ultimate power-up being as it exponentially increases your firepower, and naturally allows you to take more damage (when on-foot a single hit will kill you). While piloting the Metal Slug you actually can fire diagonally, the only catch being that your direction of fire changes much more slowly (and is much more closely linked with your direction of travel). The game even features a kamikaze move in which you can jump out of the tank and send it careening into enemy forces for major damage, sacrificing your tank in the process. It probably goes without saying that you’ll want to hold onto your tank as long as possible though, as it really does impart massive gameplay advantages.
I can find very few criticisms with Metal Slug. It’s an arcade game of course so there are certainly sections of the game designed for the express purpose of gobbling your quarters. That’s pretty much any arcade game though as that’s how they were financially viable as a medium. Secondly as I’ve mentioned there are certain sections where the ability to fire diagonally (on-foot) would have been a boon, but there again, it might have made those sections much easier than intended, so it’s a very minor observation really.
Ultimately it goes without saying that Metal Slug is a legend within the ranks of the run-and-gun armed forces, and if it hasn’t already been made perfectly clear, there are many great reasons for that. Metal Slug took some of the best foundational elements of the genre and melded them with a completely unique personality and approach. Highly recommended for anyone interested in, er … running and gunning, as for well as for all action gaming aficionados in general. Now get out there and play it! Dismissed!
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