Retro Sundays

Metal Slug is one of my favorite arcade based series. There used to be a Metal Slug SNK machine in the corner store in my hometown. I used to spend tons of quarters to beat it in a single sitting. I remember being quite young, must have been around 10 years old. There was also a pool table in this back room of the corner store, lots of the local teenagers hung out, playing pool. I because so go a Metal Slug, that the other kids would pay for my quarters, to help them get farther in the game. It was impossible to get far on your own.

The infamous Super Vehicle

Well the Metal Slug series has been around since 1996 as a SNK produced, Nazca developed arcade machine. It's a classic run and gun story, and the fun factor is very high. I fucking couldn't tell you a thing about the plot or story of the game. Player one plays as Marco Rossi, he is the only character I can remember out of the four. It is clear who the enemies are and it is your job to shoot them in the face, anyway possible. Along the way, are prisoners of war which you can free, in return they grant you bonus items or weapon up grades. Let's not forgot about Metal Super "Super Vehicle", a controllable tank that has a gun turret and a cannon.

They are ridiculous

Metal slug is a 2d left to right side scroller. The objective is to blast your way through hordes and hordes of enemies to get to a boss battle. Enemies include various types of foot soldiers, tanks, mobile artillery, aircraft, boats, armored personnel carriers and more. One thing I really like about this series, was when you didn't come in guns a blazing. The enemies are usually doing leisure activities like; sunbathing or cooking over a fire, often they are startled to see you. The bosses are over exaggerated monstrosities of death. Mostly they are a big ass tank or plane, that has tons of killing power. Sometimes it is enemy character like the boss of the third stage is a big black guy with a chain gun.
 

Nom Nom Nom Braiiinssss......

Metal Slug get high praise for its humor, and fluid hand drawn animation. Metal Slug was so successful, that it spawned six squeals. The squeals come on a varied amounts of ports ranging from arcade machines to the new Metal Slug 7 on Nintendo DS and Playstation Portable, released in 2008. The series in my mind played well and added new vehicles, weapons and enemies including aliens, mummies and zombies. With Metal Slug 2 came some character transformations, like get fat and slow when you eat to much food, or turning into a zombie in the zombie level.

I'd tap that...

I love Metal Slug and I think you should too. Metal Slug Anthology is availible for Playstation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS and a swear I have seen it on X box. There is a good deal now Playstaion Network right now. If you are a Playstation exclusive member you can buy it for 5.99. So go out there and get a copy. Hell, go out and get the newest on as well, it is not included in the anthology.