Metal Slug: 1st Mission review by Sashimi X

Graphics - 9.0 / 10.0
From the moment you turn on the NGPC, you know this game is going to be a graphical masterpiece and true to the Metal Slug name, this version is just as good as it's "big brother" versions. The animation is simply amazing for a portable system. From the beautifully animated Slug Tank to the animation of the POWs, the graphics are simply top-notch. The explosions aren't as detailed as the "big brother" versions, but they do the job just fine. There is some slowdown when there are a lot of bullets flying (mostly when you're using the machine gun, the Slug Tank's machine gun, or the Vulcan cannon on the Slug Jet), but show me a game with as much detail, animation, and action going on that doesn't have slowdown. =) One other thing, unlike other portable systems, their does not appear to be any motion blur so you're not wondering if what you're seeing is a bullet or bat. =)

Sound - 7.0 / 8.0
Well, what do you expect from a portable game? I don't expect much so I'm not disappointed with the 8-bit sound. The sound effects do the job and for the most part, they sound like machine gun fire and explosions. The music is pretty much standard portable gaming fare; though the flare drum is done well and it left me with that military feel to the music.

Control - 10.0
Wow! The NGPC is simply amazing when it comes to control! SNK sure did their homework when designing this little piece of joy because movement of your character (whether it be the man, Slug Tank, or Slug Jet) is simply an easy task and this leaves the mishaps and such to a matter of skill. =)

Gameplay - 9.0 / 10.0
Okay, it seems they have turned this baby into a platform / action game killing machine because it has combined both genres for an all out skill-fest! Unlike Metal Slug (I would include Metal Slug X, but I haven't played it...yet), the game isn't entirely shooting-based; that is, there is much more exploration / platforming to do than the "big brother" versions of Metal Slug. Also, the Slug Tank and Slug Jet are now much more than just vehicles that you can acquire and use for parts of a stage. Each time you jump into either vehicle, you are given an entire level dedicated to the vehicle! Okay, you might be wondering, "what happens if I run out of fuel? Do I get to jump out? What happens?" The answer is simple, much like real war, the enemy captures you and you're sent to the POW camp where your objective is to escape. =) Is that cool? Also, the Slug Jet has a mini-game of sorts for when you are shot down / run out of fuel; you eject and then you have a counter that counts down to zero. You simply have to hit the A button at the exact moment that the timer reaches zero, but when the timer reaches 3-2 seconds, it disappears and you have to actually keep counting in your head. Sounds simple, but you'll find out what also lies in store for you while you're falling towards Earth. ^_^ Hehe

Overall - 9.0 / 10.0
I'd give it a perfect ten, but I need to leave room for improvement for the next mission. ;) Hehehe. Simply put, if you're a fan of Metal Slug, you will *not* be disappointed by the NGPC version. If you're a fan of shooting and platform games, you might want to give this one a look.