THE METAL SLUG SAGA

PAGE 5

THE EPISODES - CONTINUATION & END

Sixth and last episode released on Neo Geo, Metal Slug 5 is this time developed by SNK Playmore. The editor, who probably realized the mistake in leaving a small unknown studio make the fourth opus, has this time made a gameworthy of its ancestors. We find the usual team, namely Marco, Tarma, Eri and Fio, while Trevor and Nadia are missing, probably not to remind the player the disappointing Metal Slug 4. After selecting our characters, we can notice that the music has changed and become more "heavy metal" and it fits perfectly! Speaking of the gameplay, pretty few changes: we still run, pull, shoot and jump but also slide... ​​and this is the first time! It shows very useful to avoid enemy bullets. Graphically, SNK Playmore has made efforts and the game is almost as beautiful as Metal Slug 3! New vehicles are added to the list: Slug Mariner and Slug Flyer, but also the Gunner Slug, a robot equipped with a machine gun on one arm and a blade on the other. As efficient in melee as from a distance! Also present, the Mobile Slug, a small car that jumps very high and is equipped with a machine gun. Newest: a kind of four-legged capsule that spread to the floor and the ceiling in a subway station. It is equipped with a machine gun, and when you press the button to throw grenades, a grapple is propelled towards the enemy. Some new enemies:

Aztec warriors

CT Special Forces

Red Scarf GI's

White-mask men
    

The weapons are almost the same as those of other episodes of Metal Slug, except the Flame Shot and Molotov Cocktails. Metal Slug 5 succeeded in providing a renewal to the series, where episode 4 pretty much failed.

Well, here we come to the end of this article on the fabulous Metal Slug series on the Neo Geo ! Hoping that this short overview has given you some will to play - or replay! - your favorite episodes. Be aware that compilations of the saga were released on recent systems like the Wii or Playstation 2, but other episodes were released too. In particular, there were two games on Neo Geo Pocket: Metal Slug: First Mission and Metal Slug: Second Mission. On Atomiswave, SNK Playmore released Metal Slug 6 in 2006. The game will be adapted later on Playstation 2. It's in 2008 that appeared the last episode of the series, Metal Slug 7. Ignition is the publisher of the game, and it chooses to make the game on the Nintendo DS. Sony players are also entitled to their portable version soon after, Metal Slug XX (pronounced 'double ex') for the PSP released in 2010. These 'non-Neo-Geo' episodes are generally good enough, but are still significantly far from the gameplay and sensations when playing Metal Slug games released on the 16-bits. Metal Slug 6 keeps a certain 'arcade' style, which made the charm of the whole saga, but the episode is pretty unloved by purists.