Metal Slug Advance

"Advanced.. into our palms"

Any seasoned arcade gamer would know that the Metal Slug series was one of the best and most popular side-scrollers in arcades. With fast-paced action and adrenaline rushes, it appealed to easily anyone. Now, Metal Slug has returned, in a smaller, yet equally enjoyable form - the GBA. That said, comparisons to the arcade version are inevitable.

This time, you have to ravage through war-themed levels against an army out to destroy you. Metal Slug never had any serious story lines, and this shouldn't be an exception. The lack of plot is made up, however, but the exhilarating game play and concept of the game.

Much of the game play has been kept from the arcade version, except for a HP bar since there aren't any coins to slot in for "Continues". While this shows that there's much effort being put into maintaining a good level of its original idea, it would make anyone feel that there's a certain "lack of variation". Even most of the weapons have been kept. There's an arsenal of weapons to gain throughout the levels, which are interesting and fun to play around with, from rocket launchers to laser beams. Rescue hostages and they'd give you bonuses, which could range from anything. My only complaint would be that even on "Normal" difficulty, the sheer number of enemies makes this game awfully challenging and tough, sometimes way too much. And once you die, you'll have to restart that stage all over.

The graphics and sound effects haven't changed much over the years. Everything - from the rattling of guns, to when obtaining a new weapon - sounds familiar. This would certainly make any old fan of the game beam with joy as it would transcend him or her back to its original arcade days. The graphics look very cartoon-ish, not much different from the original. But this is to its advantage. To make something cartoon-ish out of serious themes like war is no mean feat, and should be very much applauded.

Being a side-scroller with basically no solid storyline, this can be replayed over a hundred times. Relish every moment as you cross different terrain in the stages, and obtain new weapons. The game is so enjoyable that it's fun even completing the same missions all over again, instead of being tedious.

Metal Slug Advance is a must-have for any fan of the series. For players new to the game, an instant liking would most definitely be taken. What stopped me from giving it a higher score was that I could see a lot of potential for improvement. The game play concept could be modified a little to introduce something new. However, what it is now is actually a rather good port. Once you get your hands on it, be prepared for hours of non-stop action and thrill.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/21/04