Metal Slug: 2nd Mission

"Your mission: get this game!"

Once again, I write a review for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. The short-lived powerful handheld has set a standards in the handheld market, ones that GBA will have to do a LOT to surpass. Here we have Metal Slug: Second Mission, sequel to another Metal Slug on NGPC, and a relative to its arcade ancestors. Everything that was the slightest bit wrong with the first was corrected here, to make a splendid arcade port. Metal Slug 2 is fairly easy to get a hold of, on ebay or sites such www.express.com, www.ncsx.com, and www.buyrite.net, and I suggest you make an order before you finish this review...

Graphics: 10/10
DRAMATICALLY improved off the first mission, Metal Slug 2 has MUCH more colors and detail, in characters, ships, backgrounds, and bosses. Many more sprites move on-screen such as clothes, hair, etc. The vehicles have much more animation as well. Metal Slug 2 has much, much more color compared to its predecessor. The weapons fire bright flames, bullets and explosions. Metal Slug: Second Mission is a definite treat for the eye.

Sound 9/10
Fast-paced, the music sets the mood, but it's not very memorable.

Gameplay: 10/10
Metal Slug 2 is a great action, blow 'em up game. It has a save feature, time attack (w/different stages), 100 captured soldiers to save, 40 levels, 2 characters, 3 vehicles, 20+ weapons, and different routes to make it different almost every play. Some of the most fun you'll have on a handheld.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
This is where Metal Slug 2 fails. You'll play it for a while, saving people and playing time attack but after you're done (which'll take about 2 weeks), you end up kinda hating the game. You see, to save all 100 people you have to find EVERY route in the game, and this means playing the same levels over, and over, and over, for no reason. It's extremely tedious. It still has a great time attack mode, and it's fun to shoot thing once in a while, but if you're the kind of person that likes to completely finish their games (like me), you will be too pissed off to do so. The problem is that Metal Slug 2 has too many levels. Metal Slug 1 has around 20, so to find the routes is a little annoying, but this is ridiculous. Just have fun while it lasts.

Overall: 9/10
A visual splendor, with a couple of modes of shooting fun, this game's great for any Metal Slug fan. Just don't expect the fun to last forever, and don't pay over $40.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/12/01, Updated 07/12/01