Nowadays, a game that can be played with infinite credits, but in the time of arcades, swallowing coins is almost a hobby… Metal Slug!
Aside from the fact that the game in question is 2D pure action, the attractiveness of the rich visuals in the background is still dazzling despite all the years that have passed, I think it would not be a wrong determination. Because it is difficult to capture such a beautiful atmosphere in the games released in those years.
So let’s not make it any longer.
Today we’re going to talk about Metal Slug, whose difficulty has turned the nerves of a generation upside down, but which is also a joy to play.
Ancestors of the Metal Slug Series
Gun Force 1 (1991)
This is GunForce!
More precisely, the first game of GunForce.
Gun Force 2 (1994)
This is GunForce’s second game.
There is also another underwater game called In The Hunt, which is the game that is most reminiscent of the Metal Slug series among what you see!
In The Hunt (1993)
I showed you these games specifically because each of these games can be called the ancestor of the Metal Slug series at some point.
These games were developed before April 19, 1996, before the first game in the Metal Slug series hit the shelves. If you look carefully, each of these games has similarities from the Metal Slug series. In particular, the game called In The Hunt, which I have just mentioned, is almost immediately the same as Metal Slug in terms of the colors they use, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Metal Slug series is an alternative game that takes place under water.
Towards the end of the 90s, some friends working in the company named Irem, which developed these games, agreed among themselves and founded a new company called Nazca Corporation. The only thing the company wants is to be able to achieve here what it could not achieve in İrem. For this reason, all heads will come together and roll up their sleeves for a new game. Beforehand, it is decided that the game will be a shoot em up again, but what they will do must pass GunForce. The game, which was probably developed in 1-2 years at most, was released on April 19, 1996, as we have just said.
Metal Slug Story
Don’t say if it would be the story of a 2D arcade game, this series really has a background story, although it is not so cool.
This is General Donald Morden! This brother of ours, whose army is reminiscent of the Nazis, declares war on the whole world at the head of a large rebel force called Rebellion. The opponent of the Rebellion army is the Regular Army. Regular Army is the common force of all the world’s states rather than the cliché of America or x one state being the hero we are used to from the games. Their aim is to ensure an absolute peace on earth and, of course, to neutralize General Morden and his rebel army.
The panic of the Regular Army triggers Major Marco and Lieutenant Tarma of the Peregrine Falcon of the Rebellion. Subsequently, Morden’s forces begin a great battle that knows how to end. The main theme of the Metal Slug series is briefly like this.
On the other hand, this war between Rebellion and the Regular Army is a great war that continues on land, in the air, at sea and even in space, in short, on all fronts. Especially the part of these areas in space is quite remarkable.
In the finale of the first game, one of the miserable soldiers of General Morden, who suffered a great defeat, folds a letter in which we do not know what is written in it, builds an airplane and throws it with all his might. While the names of all the employees who contributed to the production and broadcast on the screens slide softly from the bottom up, our paper plane glides in the same way. In the finale of these images, which lasted about 3 minutes, the paper plane rises towards the sky and then the game ends with a huge Game Over screen.
Although it is not known exactly what is written in this letter, it is said that the place where the plane is going is space, because the main enemy of the second game is not General Morden, but aliens!
When you think about it, to be able to tell a story without any dialogue or even a bubble of speech. And doing something like this in the ’90s really deserves applause.
Metal Slug Series
Metal Slug 2 (1998)
After the success of the first game, Metal Slug began to spread from language to language, which was carried to home consoles as well as arcades. Nazca employees, who also have a well-established name like SNK behind them, think that it would not be bad to make a sequel. Not so long but only 2 years later, when the dates show February 23, 1998, the second game in the Metal Slug series is released.
In terms of gameplay and visuality, it is almost the same as the first game, but it is home to a number of improvements.
First of all, two new characters named Eri and Fiolina have been added to the game. The laser weapon was presented to the players, and while the vehicles that could be ridden in the first game were only tanks, the camel was brought to the second game.
Is it over?
Of course, it’s not over!
Apart from the aliens in the part where I tell the story of the game, I think there are mummies designed for a little fear, and even the fact that breathing the gas left by these mummies turns the player into a mummy. The fact that characters are obese when they eat a lot is also a feature that comes with Metal Slug 2.
Although General Morden gives up the collar in this game, he has been abducted by aliens before. As a player, an alliance is formed with Rebellion, albeit temporarily. Morden is subsequently captured.
Metal Slug 3 (2000)
When the calendars show March 23, 2000, Metal Slug series begins to dominate the market again with its third game. The mummy mechanics in the second game evolved into zombies with this game, and likewise the player turns into a zombie if exposed to a gas.
There was a camel in the second game, and the team that says let’s put an elephant in the third one really adds an elephant to Metal Slug 3. The gameplay time is one click longer than the first game. You get on the plane, you get on the helicopter. If you take a look, you’ll find yourself fighting your own clones.
In summary, Metal Slug 3 offers a full experience just like the previous game Metal Slug 2. No matter where you look at it, these three games of the series are another beauty, another head. But the games from now on will not suffer the same fate as these games.
Metal Slug 4 (2002)
Although Metal Slug is a very successful production in its own right, time passes quickly. Especially the new generation consoles bring a different perspective to the gaming industry. For example, in the years when Metal Slug 3 was released, Sony has already released the PlayStation 2 console. While the gaming market is full of 3D graphics, Metal Slug inevitably loses its former popularity. There is no sale of arcade machines as before.
As such, SNK officially gives its bankruptcy.
Many brands such as The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury are sold at auctions. During these difficult days, the team that developed Metal Slug has also disbanded.
While all this is happening, the game that has not aged for years will have to embrace other hands. The fourth game in the series begins to be developed within the body of Korea-based Mega Enterprise. Two characters from their previous game, Eri and Tarma, are eliminated. He is replaced by two new characters, Nadia and Trevor.
This time, his story is based on an alien invasion but also on the battle against a cyber virus that threatens the entire world’s military computer system. Our heroes will save the world again, and will be the seeing eye and the hearing ear of the innocent.
However, this and all similar innovations cannot appeal to players in general. Metal Slug 4 is not a bad game, but unfortunately it has not been able to capture the atmosphere of the old games…
A year later, a beautiful development takes place.
Metal Slug 5 (2003)
In the early 2000s, SNK founder Eikichi Kawasaki takes back the company and restarts as SNK Playmore. The Eri and Tarma characters released in the fourth game developed by Mega Enterprise are made selectable again. Thus, the most original group of the series is reunited.
In the fifth game, there are neither aliens nor General Morden, at least in part.
This time the main enemy is a mysterious mask-wearing man and his ancient masked army. The story begins with the theft of a disc containing the diagrams of the metal tanks and a lot of intelligence information of General Morden, and the plot is shaped accordingly.
Metal Slug 5 focuses on supernatural powers rather than a theme of technology and science fiction compared to the old games of the series. For example, the demon in the gigantic boss battle in the finale proves this information.
Metal Slug has indeed made a solid return to its roots with its fifth game. Review scores are quite high, and most of the reviews are in the positive direction. The tools used in the game are creative and humorous, just like in the old games. For this reason, it will not take long for the sequel to arrive.
Metal Slug 6 (2006)
Metal Slug 6, which met with game lovers on February 24, 2006, adds 2 more characters that can be played in a way worthy of its name. These characters are Ralf and Clark, who come from another SNK game, The King of Fighters.
As a story, there is an alien invasion again, but this time the battle of our heroes will be with a superior race.
There are also a few innovations that Metal Slug 6 brings to it. One of these innovations is the ability to carry more than one weapon. When the character gets the Heavy Machine Gun, he can switch to his main weapon again if he feels like it. Then, for the first time, a difficulty mode was added to the game. Players can play the game either in Easy mode or in Hard mode.
At this point, the Metal Slug series is already a difficult game, we cannot pass without saying what kind of a head Hard mode is.
Metal Slug 7 (2008)
The seventh and final game of the series debuts once again in 2008. The characters named Ralf and Clark, whom we know from the previous game, also show themselves here.
The story is set 2 years after the events of Metal Slug 4. Our main villain is again General Morden, but the theme of time travel, like sending an army from the future, enriches the story.
A new one has been added to the challenges added in the previous game, making the game playable in both Beginners mode, Normal mode and Hard Mode. In summary, this is how it works in the Metal Slug series.
Finale
Although mobile games such as Metal Slug 3D (yes, they really did such a thing), Metal Slug Defense, Metal Slug Attack and similar games that I did not mention in the article, this distinguished series has unfortunately lost its former popularity. Even the new generation consoles are ported, but I think it is not very popular due to the generation difference.
We are longing for this series, which is known very, very well by the generation that can be considered dinosaur like me, let’s end our video by saying please make another game.
Of all the games I’ve described, I think the best for me is Metal Slug 3 dear friends. You can mention your favorite Metal Slug series in the comments.
If you want to watch this article as a video, let’s take you below.
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Take care of yourself, stay healthy.
References;
tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Slug
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Slug
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irem
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Corporation
metalslug.fandom.com/wiki/Regular_Army
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