Metal Slug: 1st Mission review by Torture

So much has been said about Metal Slug already. The series is a Neo Geo classic, and a favorite among many game players fortunate enough to have had time to play it. The Saturn version was very good, and it gave me high hopes for a portable version. But doubts lingered. Just how powerful is the Neo Geo Pocket, and is it enough to handle a fast paced, and graphically taxing game like Metal Slug...and if so, will the sacrifices be too great? Metal Slug has been considered highly impressive on other platforms, so naturally Metal Slug First Mission was perhaps the most anticipated Neo Geo Pocket title yet...and naturally, SNK USA made sure it was alongside the NGP for its official American debut. So, how does Metal Slug stack up on a portable? One word: Phenomenal!

Before I start to rave about how great it is, please note that I do not actually rate the categories or games based on any scale, as there is no such thing as the perfect game, and there can always be improvements made. With that point made, on to the details.

Graphics
The Neo Geo Pocket has received much praise in the past for its visuals, and with good reason. Game like King of Fighters R-1 and R-2 have featured large detailed sprites with great animation. Leading up to the US launch of the system, some sites went on to say that the NGP had to have the best graphics of any portable, and Metal Slug helps to solidify the NGP’s claim to that distinction. The game sports great use of color, to produce some mind blowing visuals. First of all, the game has some very attractive background graphics, like buildings and such. There are some instances where what happens in the background is important. The actual game environments also scream quality. Lots of colors are used to make the rocks and trees and such all look as good as possible. The levels are so varied, that it is pointless to mention all the little graphical touches that stand out in each. SNK kept the quality consistant throughout the game, so that each level has its own charm. A few standouts include jumping through trees, with leaves in front making it hard to see. The Underground water pass features very cool lighting effects. Little touches like that, on top of the nice parallax scrolling, make already attractive levels look even better.

Of course, how can I forget the actual game sprites? Not many colors were used for the characters. Overall though, that is not a problem, espcially since the enemy soldiers and the game vehicles all look very detailed. As usual though, the animation is smooth as we’ve come to expect from the system. Characters and bosses all move smoothly. Staying idle too long causes short animations for the player character. Hostages will wave as you come to rescue them, and they also feature great detail and animation. The actual Metal Slug tank animates very fluidly, as does it’s main gun. The Slug Flyer has a very cool lighting effect when using the vulcan cannon. There is so much more that can be praised, but the important thing to know is that the visuals are vivid and sharp, making Slug one of the best looking NGP games around.

As with any game, there are flaws. Metal Slug suffers from a bit of slowdown. Slowdown, however isn’t a big problem, as it doesn’t happen very often, and things never slow down to a crawl. Slug is a demanding 2d game, so this should not be a surprise. Overall though, slowdown does not really hurt the gameplay.

As for mono support...it is my opinion that Slug looks good on the monochrome Neo Geo Pocket. The game takes a bit of contrast adjusting to minimize motion blur while keeping everything visible, but it can be done. The only problem with black and white for Slug is that since it uses so many colors, the environments and objects don’t all stand out the way they should.

Sound
With every game release, SNK seems to become more proficient with sound. When starting out, there is a surprisingly good representation of a snare drum, which helps create the military atmosphere of the title, before even getting into mission 0. In the actual game, the focus is mainly on the background tunes, which all seem surprisingly good and catchy. The sound effects are all cool, though a bit subdued. The gunshots all sound accurate and they vary depending on who or what is shooting. Overall, the sound works with the rest of the game, and helps enhance the entire package.

Gameplay
Metal Slug is, and always has been part platformer, and part shooter. In the past, the focus has been on the shooting. This time around, Metal Slug First Mission is more platformer than shooter, and it’s obvious right from the start. The most significant change in this direction is the life bar. Originally, in Metal Slug, one hit would kill the player, unless in the actual Slug tank. This change really helps adapt the game to the abilities of the portable machine, as on-screen action does not have to be as intense. The action is still there though, but now there are more platform elements in the mix. More levels feature tough jumps, or sequences where quite a bit of thinking and jumping are required in order to progress. Slug also now has many levels that sport a great deal of vertical scrolling and horizontal scrolling, which is nothing new, but is used a great deal more than I remember. Some levels are self scrolling, which adds another element of strategy to the game. Other levels require switching between sections to proceed. Things like that, among other elements shift the focus from shooting to platform game. All in all, the game made the transition beautifully, as it retains the elements which has made the series great, it just changes the balance.

One of the problems adapting the game was changing the 3 button control system to 2. SNK used an effective, predictable method. The option button changes between guns and grenades(holding option will pause). Since shooting isn’t the focus like in previous games, the switching does not cause problems. The controls are responsive, so all the switching, jumping and shooting usually work as expected.

But this isn’t just a modified Slug. SNK decided to heap on new features. While playing the game, you are taken to the map, to see your progress. After playing through the game once, it’s obvious that there are multiple paths to take, instead of just playing all the levels straight to the end. Some levels are tougher to reach than others, forcing the player to come back through the game many times to see them all. There are also clever sub-levels. Losing in some levels takes you to a prison camp, where you must slash your way out with just a knife. Crashing the Slug Flyer takes you to the wonderful and challenging parachuting sequence. On top of that, some of the actual levels feature multiple exits, leading to different levels. There are also military ranks that can be earned. SNK made it possible to earn credits by collecting coins, instead of just being stuck with the credits you are given at the start. There is also data saving so you don’t have to play through it in one shot.

Overall
As you can see, there is so much to talk about. But, even with all that I wrote, the game has more. As a platform game, it is very fun, and the game has been changed accordingly. As a shooter, it is still very fun, as there is contant action going on. The game isn’t easy either, as there are plenty of tough sequences, and challenging bosses blocking your way.

Graphically, this is one of the best looking games at this point on a portable machine, as it features vivid colors and detailed levels. The sound is very good, and keeps the game moving. The gameplay is solid, making this title a joy to experience.

SNK has done an admirable job in the past with their arcade adaptations on the NGP. Both King of Fighters games were skillfully designed around the abilities of the system, making them play beautifully. The same can be said for the other fighting games, and others. SNK has upheld their reputation for quality with yet another superb arcade adaptation. SNK took a winning formula from the arcade, and adjusted it accordingly to suit the abilities of the portable wonder. SNK added more platform elements, different paths, impressive sub levels, among other things. SNK showed great vision in designing this title, and making the additions to it. As a result, we do not have a scaled down port from the arcade, but we end up with a wonderful new Metal Slug combining the good stuff from the arcade with enhancements that make Metal Slug First Mission able to stand on its own as a great 2d masterpiece. SNK went above and beyond what they had to do to provide a worthwile gaming experience that is not held back by hardware limitations, but instead excels despite them. Metal Slug First Mission is truly a killer game which is easily one of the main showpieces in the Neo Geo Pocket’s current game library.