Mission Start! Metal Slug is the original arcade run and gun classic that spawned an entire 10+ game franchise. Originally released in 1996, this game has seen a multitude of reincarnations over the years; from NeoGeo, to Sega Saturn, then to Playstation, then the Wii, and now finally to Steam. If you're not familiar with the style and format of Metal Slug, I highly suggest that you check out my Metal Slug X review, which outlines what sets this series apart from other arcade/run and gun titles.
As opposed to later installments in the series, Metal Slug is quite limited in the fact that you only have two characters to choose from; fan favorites Marco and Tarma. It is the year 20XX A.D., and General Morden is ready to take control of the world; luckily for the world, you are there to stop him and his Rebel faux-Nazi Forces from taking over. You will do this by slaughtering hundreds of armed forces, and saving dozens of P.O.W.s from them, over the course of 6 missions. The game is indeed short, probably the shortest of the entire series, and it clocks in at a little over an hour. As I said in my Metal Slug X review, it's very important to remember that these titles were coin-grabs back in the arcade days, and even though the original Metal Slug is the easiest of the lot, players at the time were spending hours and dozens of dollars to eventually beat the game. The lack of longevity in this day can easily be forgiven, so long as we remember the past reasons why the game was so short.
A large "gripe" that I've noticed in both Steam reviews and the forums is the "slow down" that this title "suffers". As with the Mega Man Legacy Collection, the slow downs are intentional, and it only happens when there are a large quantity of explosions and enemies simultaneously on the screen. This effect was left in to bring out that true retro feeling, and if you have an in-game FPS counter, you can easily tell that the framerate never drops below 60. When Metal Slug first launched on Steam, it had a fair share of issues that included stuttering and the screen going white, but these issues have since been fixed and the game runs just fine now.
The Steam incarnation of Metal Slug features the original Arcade Mode, where the missions must be completed in one sitting, and Mission Mode, which is essentially a mission select option. There are also leaderboards for your highscore viewing pleasure, and online co-op; though, unfortunately, there is not a local co-op option. While the latter problem may be a turn off for some people, the truth of the matter is that Metal Slug can run on a toaster, so just plug one in and play with your pal online.
No matter which way you turn it, Metal Slug is one of the ultimate arcade classics of the 90's, and it shouldn't be passed up here on Steam. Hopefully, with the right amount of support, SNK and DotEmu will decide to unleash the remainder of the series on this platform; although judging by the amount of reviews and forum activity, the games are getting recognition from their already loyal cult following, rather than attracting new recruits. Nevertheless, if you're interested in a short, but fun and intense arcade shooter, Metal Slug is your game of choice. Save P.O.W.s, kill Rebel Forces and aliens, beat huge bosses, die a thousand deaths, enjoy the lavishly detailed screens, drool over the entrancing soundtrack, grab your weapon of choice, and enjoy yourself to the bitter end. Mission All Over!
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