I. Game Background
1.1 World Setting
The story of "Metal Slug" takes place in the near future of 2028. An ambitious former Regular Army general—General Donald Morden—launches a global military coup. His "Rebel Army," possessing overwhelming firepower, quickly seizes several major cities, plunging the world into war.
Facing this sudden crisis, the Regular Army deploys its elite special operations unit—the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force. Captain Marco Rossi and Lieutenant Tarma Roving are ordered to infiltrate enemy lines, traversing jungles, ruined cities, snowy canyons, and military bases to dismantle the rebels' core strength and storm General Morden's fortress to crush his conspiracy.
Players control these two elite soldiers, shooting, jumping, and throwing grenades across war-torn battlefields. You will also have the chance to pilot the game's most iconic vehicle—the SV-001 "Metal Slug" tank—a compact yet devastating super-vehicle that gives the game its name.
1.2 Development History: From Irem to Nazca
The birth of "Metal Slug" is inseparable from a "talent migration" in Japanese arcade history.
Its actual developer, Nazca Corporation, didn't appear out of thin air—its core team came almost entirely from the veteran arcade manufacturer Irem. These developers had previously worked on titles like In the Hunt and GunForce II, giving them deep expertise in side-scrolling shooters. However, as Irem began scaling back its arcade business in the mid-1990s, this group chose to leave and form their own studio.
Key team members included:
- Takashi Nishiyama – Producer, a pioneer of fighting games who also worked on the original Street Fighter.
- Kazuma Kujo and Meeher – Co-game designers.
- Atsushi Kurooka – Lead programmer (later joined PlatinumGames).
- Takushi Hiyamuta – Composer.
- The art team included Akira Ooyabu, Kazuhiro Tanaka, Kenji Okui, and others.
The initial concept was far from the final product. The early prototype, titled Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001, didn't feature soldiers; players controlled the tank itself. The gameplay was slower, the atmosphere darker, and the levels shorter. After a lukewarm reception at a test in Osaka and a showing at the September 1995 AM Show (Amusement Machine Show), publisher SNK requested significant changes.
SNK's advice was crucial: add more platforming elements, let players control soldiers instead of just tanks, and extend the game's length to appeal to home console players. The Nazca team followed this advice, ultimately creating the "Metal Slug" we know today—a masterpiece that blends Contra-style fast-paced shooting with a unique hand-drawn comic aesthetic.
The game officially launched on SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade board on April 19, 1996, quickly becoming a hit in arcades worldwide. In Japan, it ranked 7th on the June 1996 arcade earnings chart; in North America, it reached the top ten for arcade revenue that year.
II. Character Profiles
The original "Metal Slug" offers two playable characters. While they play identically, they have distinct backstories.
2.1 Marco Rossi — Captain of the Peregrine Falcons
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Rank | Captain |
| Affiliation | Regular Army - Peregrine Falcon Strike Force |
| Hobby | Microcomputers |
| Dislikes | Conspiracies and betrayal |
Marco is the captain of the Peregrine Falcons, an elite soldier with a brilliant tactical mind and extensive combat experience. Born into a military family, he underwent rigorous training from a young age and is one of the youngest field-grade officers in the Regular Army.
2.2 Tarma Roving — Loyal Lieutenant
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Affiliation | Regular Army - Peregrine Falcon Strike Force |
| Hobby | Motorcycle customization |
| Dislikes | Seeing friends get hurt |
Tarma is Marco's most trusted comrade and lieutenant. The two have shared a deep bond since their time at the military academy. Tarma is straightforward, reliable, and an expert in heavy weapons and vehicle operation, serving as an indispensable source of firepower on the battlefield.
In the original "Metal Slug," both characters handle exactly the same. Starting with Metal Slug 2, subsequent titles introduced female characters Eri Kasamoto and Fio Germi, along with gameplay differences such as ammo capacity and vehicle durability.
III. Controls
3.1 Basic Controls
"Metal Slug" uses a standard 8-way joystick + 3-button layout:
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| A | Shoot |
| B | Jump |
| C | Throw Grenade |
3.2 Universal Character Actions
| Action | Input | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Move | ← → | Move left or right |
| Crouch | ↓ | Duck to avoid bullets (some projectiles can be dodged) |
| Shoot Up | ↑ + A | Fire directly upwards |
| Diagonal Shoot | ↖↗↙↘ + A | Fire in the corresponding diagonal direction |
| Jump | B | Jump over obstacles and low attacks |
| Jump Shoot | B → A | Fire horizontally while in the air |
| Drop Down | ↓ + B | Drop down from platform edges |
| Grenade | C | Throw a grenade in an arc for area damage |
| Melee Attack | A (when close to enemy) | Use a knife for high-damage melee combat |
3.3 Vehicle Controls (Metal Slug SV-001)
| Action | Input | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cannon | A | Fire tank shells; high damage, infinite ammo |
| Vulcan Gun | Hold A | Continuous fire from the tank's Vulcan machine gun |
| Jump | B | Tank jump; low height but can dodge some attacks |
| Grenade | C | Throw large grenades in an arc |
| Eject | A + B | Abandon the vehicle; the tank explodes, causing area damage |
| Crouch | ↓ | Tank crouches (supported in some titles) |
When in the tank: You gain extra protection. When hit, the tank takes damage (starts smoking/deforming) before being destroyed, rather than the player dying instantly. The tank is your most important survival asset.
3.4 Weapon System
| Weapon | Icon | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Handgun | — | Default weapon; single shot, lowest damage |
| Heavy Machine Gun (H) | H | Rapid-fire weapon; significantly increased fire rate, the most common upgrade |
| Rocket Launcher (R) | R | Fires straight rockets; explosive area damage, excellent against armor and bosses |
| Shotgun (S) | S | Close-range area attack; wide spread, great for clearing mobs |
| Flame Shot (F) | F | Sprays fire; continuous damage, high short-range output |
| Iron Lizard (I) | I | Fires armor-piercing projectiles along the ground; pierces multiple enemies |
IV. Mission Walkthrough & Boss Strategy
The game consists of 6 Missions, each with distinct environments, enemy configurations, and mechanics. Below is a complete guide.
Mission 1: Villeneuve Mt. System
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | Dense jungle, waterfalls, cliffs, and a crashed large gunship |
| BOSS | Tetsuyuki – A crashed gunship converted into a stationary fortress |
| Strategy | Boss attacks include arc energy shots and side lasers. Crouch to dodge lasers, jump to avoid energy shots. The Metal Slug tank appears for the first time near the river. Rescue the hidden POWs near the waterfall for a Rocket Launcher—it helps immensely in the boss fight. |
Mission 2: Ronbertburg City
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | City streets, high-voltage towers, bridges, and cargo trains |
| BOSS | Hairbuster Riberts – A giant bomber piloted by General Morden himself |
| Strategy | The mid-boss is a Di Cokka turret on a rooftop. The final boss has multiple phases: 1) Missiles from below; 2) Bouncing bombs; 3) Soldiers firing heat-seeking missiles; 4) Morden firing rockets. Crouch under the high-voltage towers to pass safely. The Shotgun is excellent here. |
Mission 3: Kőrthehirt Valley
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | Snowy cliffs, small rebel bases, and stone fortresses |
| BOSS | Allen O'Neal (Mid-boss) + Tani Oh (Giant siege tank) |
| Strategy | Allen uses machine gun fire, grenades, and melee; keep your distance. Tani Oh has two side turrets (Gatling/Mine modes) and a main laser. Destroy the side turrets first, then focus on the main cannon with rockets and grenades. Watch out for rolling snowballs. |
Mission 4: Ridge 256
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | Desolate Death Valley, bars, trenches, bunkers, and caves |
| BOSS | Shoe & Karn – Two tanks attacking from opposite directions |
| Strategy | They alternate attacks with fireballs and tracking missiles. Focus fire on the bottom/right tank (Karn) first; the remaining tank will become stationary. Protect your Metal Slug tank until the boss fight. |
Mission 5: Gerhardt City
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | A besieged city—commercial district, residential area, rebel strongholds, and bunkers |
| BOSS | Iron Nokana – Giant armored vehicle with rocket launchers, energy shots, and flamethrowers |
| Strategy | Two phases: 1) Rockets and energy shots; 2) After the tires flatten, the body rises, revealing a flamethrower. Shoot the center windows of buildings to destroy them and release POWs. Use vehicles as cover. After defeating the boss, sprint to escape while dodging turrets and missiles. |
Mission 6: Straits of Traven
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Setting | Cliffside bridge, underwater submarine section, enemy airfield—the longest mission |
| BOSS | Hi-Do – Morden's personal gunship with Gatling guns, tracking missiles, and carpet bombing |
| Strategy | The Iron Iso turret blocks the path. After Morden destroys the bridge, you fall into the water and board a submarine. Use the sub's fixed machine gun to shoot paratroopers. The final boss, Hi-Do, has varied attacks: ground strafing, tracking missiles (can be shot down), and carpet bombing. Keep moving, prioritize clearing missiles, and focus fire with rockets and grenades. After defeating Morden, the Peregrine Falcons complete their mission. |
V. Tips & Advanced Strategy
5.1 Survival Tips
- Keep moving: Standing still is the fastest way to die. Enemies swarm from all sides; mobility is more important than extra shots.
- The tank is your second life: It provides extra health. If it starts smoking, jump out before it explodes to use the invincibility frames.
- Don't hoard grenades: Throwing a grenade grants brief invincibility frames—use them to survive being surrounded.
- Rescue POWs: They provide points, weapons, and items. POW counts reset if you die, so aim for no-continues for high scores.
- Weapon Priority: S (Shotgun) for close-range clearing; R (Rocket) for bosses; H (Machine Gun) for general use; F (Flame) for short-range burst.
- The art of crouching: Crouching dodges many high-altitude projectiles; it's the most basic yet overlooked survival skill.
5.2 Co-op Strategy
- Divide and conquer: One player clears mobs with the Machine Gun, the other focuses on the boss with the Rocket Launcher.
- Share the tank: Two players can ride the Metal Slug (one drives/fires, the other shoots from the top) to maximize firepower.
- Staggered grenades: Take turns throwing grenades to maintain near-constant invincibility frames.
- Revival support: If one player falls, the other can pick up dropped weapons to keep the firepower going.
5.3 Boss Battle Rules
- Observe patterns: Every boss has fixed attack routines; spend a round watching before going all-out.
- Destroy sub-weapons first: Disable side turrets before targeting the main cannon.
- Use eject invincibility: Jump out of a vehicle just before it's destroyed to gain invincibility frames.
- POW supplies: Look for hidden POWs or items dropped by enemies during boss fights.
- Don't fear failure: Arcade games are about "muscle memory." Dying is normal; memorize the patterns to improve.
5.4 Advanced Knowledge
- Eject explosion: Abandoning a smoking tank causes it to explode, dealing massive area damage and providing invincibility frames.
- Weapon management: Don't waste ammo; save powerful weapons for the next boss.
- Hidden points: Mission 2 has hidden items near the bridge that require a "tricky dive" to reach.
- Environmental interaction: Shooting windows, trees, or decorative items often reveals hidden POWs or bonuses.
- Melee damage: The knife attack is extremely powerful—use it on lone, non-threatening enemies to save ammo.
VI. Trivia & Arcade Legends
6.1 The "Reverse Defection"—From Irem to SNK
Nazca, the team behind "Metal Slug," was essentially the entire Irem development staff. After Irem downsized in 1995, these developers left to form Nazca. Their collaboration with SNK is a classic example of a perfect match: Nazca kept their creative freedom, while SNK provided the powerful Neo Geo MVS hardware. SNK eventually acquired Nazca, integrating them as an internal studio.
6.2 The Hayao Miyazaki Influence
"Metal Slug" features a unique visual style: detailed hand-drawn pixel art, expressive characters, and lively enemy behavior. The team was heavily influenced by Hayao Miyazaki. The "mechanical-meets-nature" wasteland aesthetic and the small, life-like details (enemies cooking, chatting, or sunbathing) carry a Ghibli-esque charm that sets the game apart from its peers.
6.3 The original protagonists weren't Marco
In early prototypes, the protagonists were Phil Gene and Michiko Nakajima, who piloted the SV-001 and SV-002 tanks. When the game shifted from a tank-shooter to a run-and-gun, they were redesigned into the iconic Marco and Tarma. Phil Gene is still mentioned in some lore as an "early experimental pilot."
6.4 "The Running Camel"—The most absurd vehicle
While the original only had the Metal Slug tank, the series later introduced camels, ostriches, drill machines, submarines, and even a giant flying Slug. This "anything goes" tradition made the series a legendary "vehicle carnival."
6.5 Why are the rebels so funny?
Unlike most military shooters, enemies in "Metal Slug" have personality. They sunbathe, chat, scream in panic, and fly away in hilarious ways when hit. This "humorous AI" is a signature design choice, inherited from the team's work on GunForce II at Irem.
6.6 A $20,000 Cartridge
The Neo Geo AES home console version (North American release) is one of the rarest and most expensive collectibles in gaming. Due to extremely low production numbers, a complete-in-box copy often sells for over $20,000—the price of a used car.
6.7 A Soundtrack with "Zero Wasted Seconds"
Composed by Takushi Hiyamuta, the soundtrack blends high-energy rock, punk, and military marches. The music perfectly matches the battlefield atmosphere, with the final mission theme, Final Attack, often called the "national anthem of arcade shooters."
FAQ
Q1: How many versions of "Metal Slug" are there? How many ports of the original?
- Arcade: Neo Geo MVS (April 1996, original)
- Home Console: Neo Geo AES (May 1996, high-value collectible), Neo Geo CD (July 1996, added "Combat School" mode)
- Sega Saturn (April 1997, requires 1MB RAM expansion)
- PlayStation (August 1997, added "Another Story" mode and gallery)
- Later released as part of collections on Wii, PSP, PS4, Switch, PC, iOS/Android, etc.
Q2: Does the original "Metal Slug" have hidden levels or endings?
Q3: Can the Metal Slug tank be used underwater?
Q4: Can I play as a female character in the original?
Q5: How many POWs can be rescued?
Q6: Can the game be beaten with one credit on the highest difficulty?
Q7: How can I play the original "Metal Slug" at home?
- Official ports: Purchase "METAL SLUG" on Steam, Switch, or PS4.
- Arcade emulators: Use FinalBurn Neo or MAME (requires owning the ROM).
- Arcade bars: Some retro venues still maintain original MVS cabinets.
- Streaming platforms: Services like Antstream Arcade.
