Metal Slug 2[lower-alpha 1] is a run and gunvideo game developed by SNK. It was originally released in 1998 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform as the sequel to the 1996 game Metal Slug. The original version of the game had extensive slowdown and performance issues, eventually leading SNK to release a modified version in 1999 titled Metal Slug X: Super Vehicle-001 (メタルスラッグX). It has been ported to the Neo Geo CD, PlayStation, Virtual Console, iOS and Android, and to the Wii, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2 (as part of the Metal Slug Anthology). The game added several new features to the gameplay of the original Metal Slug, such as new weapons, vehicles and the ability to transform the character. It received generally positive reviews. It was followed by Metal Slug 3 released in 2000.
One of the new weapons, the laser, being used on the Mars people
Gameplay in Metal Slug 2 is similar to the previous game; the player must shoot constantly at a continual stream of enemies in order to reach the end of each level. At this point, the player confronts a boss, who is usually considerably larger and tougher than regular enemies. On the way through each level, the player can find numerous weapon upgrades and "Metal Slug" tanks. The tank is known as the SV-001 ("SV" stands for Super Vehicle), which increases the player's offense and considerably adds to their defense.
In addition to shooting, the player can perform melee attacks by using a knife and/or kicking. The player does not die by coming into contact with enemies, and correspondingly, many of the enemy troops have melee attacks. Much of the game's scenery is destructible, and occasionally, this reveals extra items or power-ups.
During the course of a level, the player encounters prisoners of war (POWs), who, if freed, offer the player bonuses in the form of random items or weapons. At the end of each level, the player receives a scoring bonus based on the number of freed POWs. If the player dies before the end of the level, the tally of freed POWs reverts to zero.
Metal Slug 2 introduces the ability for characters to transform during the course of the game. As well as doubling the number of available player characters from two to four, Metal Slug 2 introduces in-game characters to help the player in battle. The first is Hyakutaro Ichimonji, a prisoner who, when rescued, will fight alongside the player, throwing Hadouken balls at enemies, or roundhouse kicking them if they get within melee range. Another character is Sgt. Rumi Aikawa, an army supplier who lacks a sense of direction, earning her the title "The Wandering Ghost"; she carries a huge, overstuffed backpack and drops random items for the player to collect (more are dropped if the backpack is shot or cut).
Plot
Two years have passed since the end of Metal Slug, when Capt. Marco Rossi and Lt. Tarma Roving of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force defeated and killed the evil General Morden, who had staged a coup d'état against the worlds' governments. Various factions sympathetic to Morden have been in operation, but are considered insignificant. They have begun to act in unison, and army intelligence concludes that the only way this could happen is if Morden is still alive and is attempting a new coup.[1] Rossi (now a Major) and Roving (now a Captain) are sent to once again battle Morden. They are accompanied by two members of the Intelligence Agency's Special Ops Squad S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S.; Sgt. Eri Kasamoto and Sgt. 1st Class Fiolina Germi.
As the levels unfold, it is revealed that Morden has formed an alliance with aliens in an effort to facilitate his plans (the previous game ended with one of Morden's soldiers sending a paper airplane into outer space). In the final mission, however, the aliens turn on Morden, attacking his troops and taking him prisoner. An ad hoc alliance is formed between the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force and General Morden's army to combat the greater alien threat. After a long battle, they succeed in defeating the alien mother ship. As the ship explodes, Morden falls to the ground, strapped to a solid iron plate. While his soldiers celebrate his survival, the plate loses its balance and crushes him. The game ends with Rossi, Roving, Kasamoto and Germi celebrating their victory.
Metal Slug X screenshot, depicting a battle against Dragon Nosuke.
An upgraded version of Metal Slug 2, titled Metal Slug X, was released in March 1999 for the Neo Geo MVS. The game used a modified version of the engine from Metal Slug 3, which eliminated the slowdown problems of the original. In addition to increased difficulty, Metal Slug X introduced several changes to gameplay and presentation:
Much of the music has been remixed or altered.
A new announcer.
Many stages have the time of day changed. Instead of individual levels being set at either day or night, the stages can take place at dusk, twilight, or sunset.
It is now possible for the player character to become fat by collecting food items in every stage after Mission 2; in the original game, the obese transformation was only possible in Mission 4.
All levels have increased enemy count, new enemy placements, different enemy characters and new boss placements.
Vehicle types and locations are different.
There are more power-ups, POWs, and items (particularly food) in each mission. These items are often hidden.
Many environmental elements have different reactions when shot, such as exploding with unexpected results or randomly spewing out items or enemies.
Stronger versions of the heavy machine gun, flamethrower, shotgun, laser rifle, and rocket launcher are available. Each deals more damage than their normal counterpart, has a different appearance and a wider (or longer) area of impact. If the player happens to be fat while using these heavier weapons, they appear differently and can cause even more damage.
Several new weapons are included: Stones, Iron Lizard, Enemy Chaser, Super Grenade, Drop Shot, a new Golden Metal Slug, which is available in Mission 3, and the Armor piercer, available in Mission 4.
Added Fio's death sound (in Metal Slug 2, she uses Eri's).
New enemies are added or replaced, like the Mummy Dogs.
The original art for Metal Slug is shown at the end of the game while the credits are rolling, instead of the black screen used in Metal Slug 2.
Later releases
Home versions of Metal Slug 2 were released for the Neo Geo AES in April 1998,[2] and the Neo Geo CD in June as well.[2] The Neo Geo CD version features a "Combat School" mode (similar to the CD-ROM based versions of the previous game) where the player can play new versions of previously-played missions with new objectives.
Metal Slug X was ported to the Neo Geo AES in May 1999 and the PlayStation in January 2001.[3] The PlayStation version was released in North America and PAL regions by Agetec and features the same "Combat School" mode featured in the Neo Geo CD versions of the first two games.
In 2006, Metal Slug Anthology (titled Metal Slug Complete in Japan) was released for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and PSP. This compilation includes the original Metal Slug, and all of its arcade sequels (including Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X) up to Metal Slug 6. The games are emulated versions of the originals, with none of the additional game modes or content introduced in the other home versions.
The AES version of Metal Slug 2 was released in October 2008 for the Wii Virtual Console.[4][5]
Both Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X were also included in Metal Slug Collection PC, which was released in Europe in 2009. In 2013, versions of both games were released for iOS and Android.[6][7][8][9]
The original arcade version of Metal Slug X became available on Nintendo Switch via ACA Neo Geo in 2017.
Upon their initial appearance, both Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X received generally positive reviews. Many of the subsequent ports and re-releases have received mixed reviews. For example, the iOS version of Metal Slug 2 holds an aggregate score of 77% on GameRankings, based on 5 reviews,[10] and 76 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 6 reviews.[12]
When Metal Slug 2 was released on the Virtual Console in 2008, IGN's Lucas M. Thomas scored it 7.5 out of 10. He was highly critical of the slowdown (a common criticism of the game when it was first released, and one of the major selling points for Metal Slug X), but praised other aspects: "It's still a pretty solid game on its own, and there's no denying it's both hilarious and filled to the brim with great run-and-gun action".[19]Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead scored the game 7 out of 10, criticizing the price: "The Metal Slug Anthology collates seven games from the series on disc, and can now be bought for just over twice the price of this solitary offering. If you like frantic blasting and silly humour then I heartily recommend you seek out Metal Slug. Just don't feel obliged to do it via Virtual Console".[15]
Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell scored the 2001 PlayStation version of Metal Slug X 8 out of 10. Although he felt the game was somewhat dated by current PlayStation standards, he concluded that "Metal Slug X is a fan-pleasingly simple update to the MS series, and to the rest of us it's the best game of its kind on the PlayStation".[16]Game Revolution's Johnny Liu rated the game a B, writing "as there are fewer and fewer good Playstation games, let alone a quality port. You could do much worse these days".[17]GameSpot's Ryan Davis scored it 8.2 out of 10, writing: "What really separates Metal Slug X from the rest of the crowd is its tongue-in-cheek presentation. For example, enemy soldiers laugh when you die but shriek in horror when they realize you've come back. Or when a certain midboss is defeated, his corpse falls off the screen and is devoured by a giant killer whale. This skewed sense of humor, combined with its frenzied gameplay, gives the game a unique flavor and makes it one of the best side-scrolling shooters out there".[18] It was nominated for GameSpot's annual "Best PlayStation Game" and, among console games, "Best Game No One Played" prizes.[26]
Scott Steinberg reviewed the PlayStation version of Metal Slug X for Next Generation, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "a derivative but instantly endearing military shooter that earns its stripes".[20]
In a retrospective review, Neo-Geo.com scored Metal Slug X 10 out of 10: "Metal Slug X is different enough in many small ways that if you're a completist, you'll still want MS2 in your collection. However, if you're simply looking for the best-playing game of the two, Metal Slug X outshines its closely related cousin with a simple formula of "more, more, and more". This really is 2D action gaming at its finest".[21]
Commercial performance
In Japan, Game Machine listed Metal Slug 2 on their April 1, 1998 issue as being the third most-successful arcade game of the month.[27]Game Machine also listed Metal Slug X on their May 1, 1999 issue as being the seventh most-successful arcade game of the month.[28]
The PlayStation port of Metal Slug X sold 95,103 copies in Japan,[29] and 69,035 copies in the United States,[30] for a total of 164,138 copies sold in Japan and the United States. The later PC port of Metal Slug X sold 229,374 digital copies worldwide on Steam,[31] for a total of at least 393,512Metal Slug X copies sold for the PlayStation and Steam platforms.
Notes
↑ Japanese: メタルスラッグ 2, Hepburn: Metaru Suraggu 2, also known as Metal Slug 2: Super Vehicle-001/II at the title screen
Related Research Articles
The Neo Geo, stylized as NEO•GEO and also written as NEOGEO, is a ROM cartridge-based video gaming system released on April 26, 1990, by Japanese game company SNK Corporation. Designed as both an arcade system board and home video game console, the Neo Geo was marketed as the first 24-bit system; its CPU is actually a 16/32-bit 68000 with an 8-bit Z80 coprocessor, while its GPU chipset has a 24-bit graphics data bus. It was a very powerful system when released, more powerful than any video game console at the time, and many arcade systems such as rival Capcom's CPS, which did not surpass it until the CP System II in 1993. Neo Geo hardware production lasted seven years; it was succeeded by Hyper Neo Geo 64.
SNK Corporation is a Japanese video gaming and interactive entertainment company. It was founded in 1978 as Shin Nihon Kikaku by Eikichi Kawasaki and began by developing coin-op games. SNK is known for its Neo Geo arcade system on which the company produced many in-house games and now-classic franchises during the 1990s, including Aggressors of Dark Kombat, Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, The King of Fighters, The Last Blade, Twinkle Star Sprites, and World Heroes; they continue to develop and publish new titles in some of these franchises on contemporary arcade and home platforms. Since the 2000s, SNK have diversified from their traditional arcade focus into pachislot machines, mobile game development and more recently character licensing.
Metal Slug is a 1996 run and gun arcade video game originally developed by Nazca Corporation and released by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the first installment in the eponymous series. Set in 2028, players assume the role of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force soldiers Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving on a fight against the Rebel Army led by Donald Morden and overthrow his coup d'état to prevent a New World Order.
Blazing Star is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Yumekobo and published by SNK in 1998 for the Neo Geo arcade and home systems. It is a follow-up to Pulstar (1995) and features side-scrolling action similar to its predecessor and different ships with varying characteristics. It was made less challenging than its predecessor, and the graphic quality was improved upon.
Twinkle Star Sprites is a competitive vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game created by ADK and published by SNK in 1996. It was ADK's last production for the Neo Geo. Two players are each in separate, side-by-side, vertically scrolling levels. Combinations of shots and timed power-ups damage the other player. These attacks also serve as counters to the opponent's attack.
Metal Slug 4 is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo console/arcade platform created by Mega Enterprise along with Noise Factory and Playmore. It was released in 2002 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform, and is the fourth game in the Metal Slug series. Two years later, Playmore published Metal Slug 4 for consoles.
Metal Slug is a Japanese multimedia franchise and run and gun video game series originally created by Nazca Corporation before merging with SNK in 1996 after the completion of the first game in the series. Spin-off games include a third-person shooter to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the series and a tower defense game for the mobile platform. While originally created for Neo-Geo arcade machines hardware (MVS) and the Neo-Geo home game consoles (AES) hardware, the original games have also been ported to other consoles and mobile platforms throughout the years, with several later games created for various other platforms. The games focus on the Peregrine Falcon Squad, a small group of soldiers who fight against a rebel army, aliens, zombies, mummies and various other forces intent on world domination. Over the years since its debut, The franchise developed a small, but passionate cult following due to its unique visuals and slapstick humor.
Samurai Shodown II, known in Japan as Shin Samurai Spirits: Haōmaru Jigokuhen, is a 1994 fighting game released as the second entry in SNK's Samurai Shodown series. Like the original Samurai Shodown, the sequel was initially released for the Neo Geo arcade and home system.
Metal Slug 3 is a run and gun video game developed by SNK. It was originally released in 2000 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform as the sequel to Metal Slug 2/Metal Slug X. The music of the game was developed by Noise Factory.
Metal Slug 5 is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo created by SNK Playmore. It was released in 2003 for the MVS arcade platform and is the fifth game in the Metal Slug series. The game was developed by Noise Factory/SNK Playmore, after Korean company Mega Enterprise had directed Metal Slug 4. It was the last Metal Slug released on the Neo Geo.
Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad is a run and gun arcade game developed by Saurus and published by SNK in 1998 for the Neo-Geo arcade and home platform. It has no connection with the first Shock Troopers game. 2nd Squad was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console service in the North American region in 2012. SNK Playmore released it for iOS, Linux and Windows via Humble Bundle and Steam in 2016.
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum is a fighting game designed for the Atomiswave arcade board developed and released by SNK in 2005. The game features characters from several SNK and ADK titles. Subsequently, a PlayStation 2 version of the game was released in Japan, North America, and Europe. The Xbox Live Arcade version was released worldwide on June 9, 2010. In 2020, a homebrew conversion was released for the Dreamcast.
Metal Slug Anthology is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PC and the Wii. The Wii version boasts different controller configurations, most taking advantage of the Wii Remote, with the Japanese version supporting the Classic Controller and all regional variants supporting the GameCube controller. The game also marks the return of SNK Playmore as a third-party developer for a Nintendo console since the SNES era.
Neo Turf Masters is a golf video game by Nazca for the Neo Geo, released in 1996. This is also one of the first two titles by Nazca, the other being the popular Metal Slug before being acquired by SNK.
Baseball Stars 2 is a 2-player baseball sports arcade game released by SNK in 1992 for the Neo-Geo console. A less detailed console version was released for the NES by Romstar the same year.
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy is a side scrolling arcade beat 'em up platform game developed by SNK for the Neo Geo in 1994. It was also released on the Neo Geo CD, and the Wii Virtual Console. The game has been re-released as part of SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1, on May 1, 2008, and in the ACA Neo Geo series on PlayStation 4 on January 10, 2018. Its development team consisted of former Irem staff members.
SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 is a video game compilation created and published by SNK which includes sixteen Neo Geo games. The compilation was released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and the Wii. In Australia, it was only released on the PlayStation 2.
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↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No.561. Amusement Press, Inc. April 1, 1998. p.21.
↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No.586. Amusement Press, Inc. May 1, 1999. p.17.
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