Metal Slug: 2nd Mission review by Jeurja

I have fond memories of Contra. The classic "Konami code" to get 30 lives...the runnin' n' gunnin'...all that stuff. While many a game developer tried to make games in the vein of Contra, few succeeded. Even fewer matched the quality of Contra, let alone improved on it.

I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb and say the Metal Slug series not only matches the overall quality of Contra, but it passes it. Maybe it's the whack-ass 32-bit Contras that make me say this, or maybe I'm simply crazy. But, in the end, Metal Slug is without a doubt one of the best 2D action series ever created.

The Metal Slug arcade games feature incredible animation, great control, and exceptional sound. But how would such an intense game fare on the NGPC? As it turns out, very well.

Metal Slug 1st Mission was damn fine. I bought it (along with King of Fighters R-2) when I ordered my NGPC from SNK USA. It surpassed my expectations of what a handheld version of Metal Slug would be like and made me realize that the NGPC was no little bitch in terms of power.

With Metal Slug 2nd Mission, the quality is just as high, and the envelope's been pushed a bit more. If the first game is a tasty scoop of mint 'n chip ice cream, 2nd Mission is that same scoop but with chocolate fudge, rainbow sprinkles and whipped cream. In other words, take all the good stuff and add to it. Tasty!

GAMEPLAY
Even a village idiot who's been slapped more times than Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena can tell you that the bottom line in any video game is gameplay. If it doesn't play well, it's not worth the price of admission. Thank goodness the NGPC Metal Slugs play just as well as their MVS big brothers. It's rather astounding that SNK was able to capture the feel of the arcade Metal Slugs so well. I still get a little teary-eyed when I think about the greatness of the SNK programmers who were responsible for this little gem. If I could send them a fruit basket, I would. The control is dead on and it's actually been improved a bit from the first game. In 1st Mission, you had to toggle between regular firing and grenades by hitting the option button. In 2nd Mission there's none of that nonsense; the option button simply serves as your grenade button. The downside is you waste a grenade when you pause (you have to hold option for a couple seconds) but WAAAAAH. Only silly little babies who need to be tied up should whine about that. It is also important to point out you do more than just run around: Metal Slug is known for the vehicles you can control. Of course you have your Metal Slug tank, but the game also throws in a submarine and a plane. While some may disagree, I think the sub is pretty lame, the plane is OK, and the tank rocks. I could say more about it, but who needs to provoke carpel tunnel?

GRAPHICS
Sweet glory! 2nd Mission is pretty phenomenal. Yes, indeed. Wow. Damn. Where to start? Animation is tops. Running, crouching, jumping, whatever, it all looks good. The enemies are also pretty cool, too. Besides your dime-a-dozen soldiers, you'll face off against some gigantic bosses that really demonstrate what the NGPC was capable of. The backgrounds are very diverse and show off meticulous artwork. Throw in some nice multi-plane scrolling and you've got a visual treat. Also of note are all the "little things" SNK included, such as the birds that flutter by at the start of some levels. Wow. In the end, the game is not as detailed as the arcade Metal Slugs, but that's to be expected. The arcade games run on a system that's obviously got a bit more power under the hood. Nevertheless, 2nd Mission shows off some rather delicious eye candy in its own right.

SOUND
Ah! The game adds voice when you pick up items. "HEAVY MACHINE GUN!" But at what cost!? Whenever the voice has to yell out what you pick up, the music stops. It's kind of annoying at first, but after a few minutes of playing I didn't really notice. Still, what the hell? It appears the NGPC could not handle having music and voice at the same time (unless it was all jumbled into one sample, like Faselei!'s intro song). Oh well. The music is pretty familiar if you've played any of the Metal Slug games. Not much more needs to be said about it other than I'd rather listen to 2nd Mission's music than what you'd probably heard riding in substance J's car (namely COCK ROCK). As for sound effects...hey, they get the job done. What more do you want? I didn't get overly excited by them, but they're more than blips and beeps.

OVERALL
I'm at a loss for words. With games such as this out for the NGPC, it's a shame that the system didn't take off. Even compared to the best of the Gameboy Advance's games, Metal Slug 2nd Mission still holds its own. If you don't own this game, shame on you. May you be struck down by the storming winds of the video game gods.