Metal Slug Anthology

"Wii Wept for Joy When Wii Played This!!!!!!"

OVERALL SCORE:10/10: This Game gets a 10/10 in overall points. Kind of fitting since this was made for Metal Slug's 10th Anniversary. I would first like to say if you are a fan of the series, you might as well stop reading this and buy it now. You are wasting precious slugging moments listening to me break down its particulars. If you are still reading, I assume you are new to the series.

CONTENT:10/10: Metal Slug Anthology for the Wii includes all 7 games for Neo Geo hardware that were released. (MS, MS2, MSX, MS3, MS4, MS5) for Neo Geo MVS, And also includes the newly released Metal Slug 6 which is the first Metal Slug to utilize the newly adopted Atomiswave platform that SNK/PLAYMORE is migrating its newest titles to. Also includes lots of artwork (which really is gorgeous) musical tracks from the game, and an interview with the creator (presumably the newer creator Playmore.)

GRAPHICS:10/10: Metal Slug is a 2D side scrolling warfare based shooter. It didn't invent the genre. It didn't even reinvent the genre. If you have played Contra for NES or SNES then you understand the style of gameplay. What endears Metal Slug to its fan base is its colorful and hand drawn artwork which creates many memorable characters, especially bosses and enemy characters. It also adds the ability to get into "Slugs" or vehicles from time to time to put a little extra hurt on the enemies. All the graphics are faithfully and perfectly recreated here. Metal Slugs 1-5 are exactly as you will remember them. I have heard some reviewers say that Metal Slug 6 doesn't look any better than 1-5, but I can tell a clear difference. The backgrounds/foregrounds are smoother and less pixelated, and it features some nice zoom/scrolling effects which would not have been possible on the older hardware. The main character art in MS6 does appear to be lifted from the older games and has been smoothed out only minimally. This does nothing to detract from the graphical beauty of these games. It was always the substance of the art that made Metal Slug graphics stand out, not the capabilities of the hardware, and that has not changed.

MUSIC/SOUND EFFECTS:5/10: The audio was never the strongest point of this series and though some do feature moody spooky music or jamming mock-rock soundtracks, the audio tends to blend into the background of the gameplay very quickly. Some of the voiceover effects are also not too good and sound more "echoey" than they did in my Neo Geo MVS cabinet. I'm still not sure what the announcer is saying when I pick up the weapon that appears to shoot something that looks like a penguin with a roller skates in its belly. Nevertheless, all the sounds are there, nothing has been removed. It gets the job done.

STORY/GAMEPLAY:10/10: Story? “Kill the bad guys, save the Earth.” There hasn't been a more classic storyline since “Stomp the mushroom, save the Princess.” No audible dialogue is featured but many in game and mid level animations hold together enough cohesion of a story line. The gameplay is as fast and furious as you would expect a Metal Slug to be. Again, nothing new here as they are perfect ports of the originals, but there is no noticeable slowdown anywhere. There are some SLIGHT loading times in-between levels but we are talking mere seconds here and you get a cute little animation of the Metal Slug vehicle 001 creeping across the bottom of the screen as it loads. It didn't detract from the pumped up pace at all, as it was only mid level. Two things were added to the series that it sorely needed! One - the ability to SAVE your game in mid level! Sure we all love to slug it out to the bitter final boss fight, but realistically sometimes you gotta put that puppy down and answer the doorbell or something. I found I left my copy of Metal Slug 3 for XBOX on pause for hours at a time when I had to go do errands so I wouldn't have to replay a particularly difficult level. Well no more! One "State Save" is supported and will bring you exactly right back to where you were when you continue the game! Two-INFINITE CONTINUES!!!! Although Metal slug 4 and 5 had a infinite continues on XBOX, MS 3 did not. It is considered to be the most challenging of the series and as such was very frustrating with limited lives for those of us that don't have deity like Metal Slug abilities. I searched and searched to no avail for cheat codes for unlimited lives on Metal Slug 3 for XBOX. No luck. Not even a gameshark could help me. WELL FINALLY I can see the ending for Metal Slug 3 thanks to Infinite continues. Don't worry though. If you are a true Slug expert and like the extra challenge the game does support limiting your number of continues to make it a more "console-like" experience.

Metal Slug 6 features a new "melee weapon" attack and also the ability to hold not one but two super weapons, switch between them at will, or store them away and use your pistol saving the big ammo for the big boss!

CONTROLS:10/10: This is the section I had to know the most about. How would they apply the new Wii control scheme to a game made for a hardware setup that only featured a control stick and 4 buttons? (1 of which wasn't even used for half the series.) Would it feel gimmicky or tacked on? NO! NO IT DOESNT! IT'S GREAT! Although the new MS compilation does not feature the ability for you to customize your controls or button layout, it does feature many different control schemes so you are bound to find something you will like. I will describe my favorite 3 schemes so you get an idea of what I'm talking about here.

1.Nunchuck Control Stick: This name is a little misleading as you actually do very little with the Nunchuck. In this mode you use the Nunchuck to control movement of the player. With the Wiimote in your other hand you use the B (Trigger) to fire your weapon, use the A Button to jump, and make a "throwing" motion to toss a grenade. This mode is the most immersive of the bunch. You really feel a connection with your player. The trigger makes a great tactile response that truly feels as if you are firing a weapon. "Throwing" your grenade feels realistic too. The whole time your hand rests naturally poised above the A button ready for the numerous jumps you will need to pull off. If you trigger finger gets tired, don't worry. The good folks at Playmore have added an Auto-fire option so all you will have to do is pull it and keep it pulled to let lose a deadly barrage of artillery fire.

2.Wiimote (Right hand or left hand option): First of all, let me say I pity left hand gamers. I don't know how you guys make it through life, but Playmore was thinking of you. There is a perfectly viable left-hand option here. In this mode you hold the Wiimote sideways (no Nunchuck) and use it almost like an NES controller. The D-Pad moves you; the 1 and 2 buttons are jump and shoot. Throwing a grenade is supposed to be accomplished by the same "Tossing" motion of the previous control scheme. I found this to be a bit awkward as you had to take your hand off the D pad to pull it off. LUCKILY I discovered that simply shaking the remote vigorously while holding it in its normal position will accomplish the same task, and after that point this became one of my favorite control schemes.

3.Gamecube controller: Not much to explain here, everything is played on a gamecube controller with D-pad movement and button presses for everything else. Good option for a more "classic" console experience, or if you fear trying new things.

4.Other modes: The game also supports a couple of modes based on tilting the Wiimote to move the on screen character. I am obviously not skilled enough to handle the finesse required to pull these modes off. I quickly abandoned them after my character did little versions of "the electric slide" on the screen and then ran full speed into the nearest enemy tank or bullet. I wish good luck to anyone wanting to tackle these schemes.

Overall they have added some really solid methods of doing something old in a brand new way. And if you ever grow weary of the novelty buy a gamecube controller and go "old school."

REPLAYABILITY/DIFFICULTY:10/10: We've been playing these games for 10 years and still aren't tired of them. If that doesn't say it all, nothing I can will. It does feature adjustable difficulty settings with the hard mode being REALLY REALLY hard. Metal Slug bosses go down in Video Gaming History as some of the hardest of all anyway. On Hard difficulty these monsters are bound to lick you a few times. Also the ability to limit your continues and make it a more console like experience will force you to memorize every enemy movement and facet of the game to become a true Slug Expert. Unlockables such as the art/music/interview also add to the Replay factor.

HIGH POINTS/CLOSING COMMENTS: Metal Slug 6 rocks! They are all on one disc! Finally! Its like someone really did tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas! I really feel like I'm slugging it out with the Trigger/motion control. This is a must have for Slug fans or even the Slug-curious.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/18/06