The first Metal Slug game was released by SNK way back in 1996. Back then, games were considered to be a lot more relentless. Commonly, a single hit would result in a character's immediate death. The Metal Slug series was not much different in this respect, but also upped the stakes with multiple enemies trying to take you out with dangerous projectiles.
During an interview at the Tokyo Game Show with DualShockers, SNK's Game Division Deputy General Manager Yasuyuki Oda reflected on the challenging nature of the Metal Slug series, while at the same time asking if modern fans would actually be happy with a reboot containing such ruthless mechanics:
If we rebooted Metal Slug in some way, would they [gamers] be happy with the same “one hit you die” mechanic? Do gamers today think we should put it out that way?
He followed up with a comment about the potential difficulties rebooting a franchise like Metal Slug, and how SNK would love to restart many of its other series as well:
We have people asking for Garou [Fatal Fury], people asking for Art of Fighting, people asking for Last Blade, people asking for Metal Slug… We would love to do all of them for obvious reasons. There are always discussions going on, but whenever we get down to it and we start talking about Metal Slug we start thinking, is it ok to put out a game like that nowadays?
What do you think about this? Would you like to see a Metal Slug reboot? Would you prefer a modern game that doesn't have as much hand-holding as other releases nowadays? Do you like seemingly impossible games or would you rather easier ones? What SNK series would you like to see rebooted? Tell us below.
[source dualshockers.com]
Comments 40
It certainly chewed coins when I used to play it at timezone, but 99% of my time with the series has been under emulation where lives are meaningless as you just spam the credit button.
I think a Metal Slug reboot would work best with a B-movie aesthetic. Sort of like Earth Defense Force.
Dark souls, monster hunter, Furi, and over 9000 indie ultra-hard platformers are running around today.
I pretty sure the modern audience can take a one-shot death mechanic.
Yeah, definitely something that can be decided with difficulty options. I'd love a new Metal Slug and the Metal Slug anthology on Switch as well.
I understand that "seek to be liked" for modern generations is something very difficult as it was 20 - 30 years ago, but, I think they should remember how their games became popular first, ""being as they are"", without needing to "be in the trend", and in fact, many games are popular for that, even the games of "today".
Yes make it just like the old ones. They were awesome for a reason.
For me it has always been about the balance, if the in game deaths feel cheap and unrewarded then whats the point?, video games are made to be fun not aggravating. Just as a game that is to easy then where is the victory and stimulation in that ?
I never dared to try one and beat of the Metal Slug games(same with Contra)they look so difficult,but I hear the Switch and PS4 versions have infinite lives,so I might give it a shot someday.
One Hit you die was never a problem even back then for this franchise since you have unlimited continues and also re spawn in the same place with invulnerability, i played this games to death in the Arcade and PS1 and I still have the PS2 collection, Advanced in gba and 7 on DS
In conclusion while this games look from the 8 and 16 bit era with unfair mechanics, limited lives, lack of check points etc they are not and don't feel like that, in my opinion Metal Slug is one of the best game franchise ever
Give me infinite continues.
Just make it optional.
The game needs to be accessible for less skilled players but also offer a decent challenge for those that want it.
Options menu
Chill Mode
Hardcore Mode
OG Metal Slug Mode
@shonenjump86 But they have infinite continues
1-hit kills are brutal, but in the arcades it's all about the coins.
An ideal compromise would be something you can toggle on and off in a sub-menu before playing. The 1-hit option could be called 'old school balls to the wall' or something with a special unlockable for doing it the old way in a potential reboot or continuation. But for home users, there's a reason we needed the 30 lives Contra code. 1-hit kills at home are a huge frustration without access to extra lives. Whatever they do, it's gotta be pixel art.
Just add credits/infinite continue options. The purists and og fans will stick to the classic way, and newcomers can ease themselves in. Everyone wins. Just give us more Metal Slug please. It's one of my favorite franchises.
😂 😂🤣 I can tell from the comments that nobody really play this games because this games are not about difficulty they are about the fun experience even if it has 1 hit die, since you have unlimited continues you can push your way through this games not matter how bad you are, this games don't really need difficulty otherwise they can become frustrating but for crazy masochist they can try to beat it with one life if they want
@PhilKenSebben But the classic way has unlimited continues
I like these games because they are bonkers. Crazy levels and enemies. That is still very appealing and entertaining.
The “one hit you die” is a separate issue. The arcade difficulty can be moderated to a more accesible level, at least as a beginner difficulty setting.
This is not an arcade game anymore. I appreciate an energy bar.
Granted, I have the Metal Slug Anthology and have unlimited credits on there, but some levels and bosses take like 10 credits in a row. Yeah, come on Metal Slug pros, rant on me, but I have the deepest respect for anyone that gets through any of the Metal Slug games in under 10 credits.
Your "lives" pretty much are your energy bar in Metal Slug, so I think it's fine so long as the game is balanced right. Metal Slug 7/XX were still fun, so...just don't screw it up, and I'm sure it'll still have a noteable audience. However, whatever they do, they should do something new while holding to the core of the series. I'm not saying that just to make it relevant to a new audience, but also as someone who already has access to every other entry in the franchise. It does get kinda same-y, so something to shake up the formula would be welcome, so long as the end result is still fast-paced, bombastic, and difficult-but-fair.
If a faithful, modern-day Metal Slug is successful it will be because the right studio made the game (one like Lizard Cube for ex.), not because the player died after a single collision.
My issue with very tough arcade games on console, like this, is that I sometimes use the infinite continues so frequently that I stop even caring about dying. That removes the challenge aspect. Adjustable difficulty so that the game is tough for me, but doable with a limited number of lives, would be preferable.
@GKO900 yeah, I know. I just meant for them to keep it if there is gonna be new game that’s all. I remember back on the original Xbox for Metal Slug 3 once you used a continue you had to start at the very beginning of the stage regardless where you died. I hated that, and I don’t wanna go back to that route.
@SKTTR Last time I beat Metal Slug 3 it took me about 65 credits!
@Masurao Which is why the Hamster versions come with modes like "See how far you get in 5 mins" or with a set difficulty and lives, complete with online leaderboards as well as achievements/trophies for those modes so you still have to know the best tactics and try and try again for the best score or at the very least the achievements/trophies.
Well i like the sound of where this is possibly going and the 'other franchises' bit. All of these once huge companies sitting on piles of incredible IP's need to do somethign about it.
@shonenjump86 Weird, it might be an Xbox thing because in the PS2 version when you died you can just select a new character if you wanted and keep going from the same spot even the arcade version it's the same, I don't think there is a game in the franchise that force you to restart the level
It would remove all the fun for me...Vehicules are here for a reason after all and dodging bullets is thrilling.
The smartest way to approach it would be increasing movement, like adding a dash, slide or a wall jump.Adding a bulletproof vest or a ---> portable shield <--- for example, which is already in the game you know...Refining and testing patterns to death too.
It never felt unfair except on some boss,and the respawn mechanics, doesn't force you to restart the level from the beginning...
To me that's BS PR at its finest...
But no, "Modern developpers" 😏 are lazy bums and are clearly unable to take five minutes to think and improve gameplay.
Instead of giving you more tools to deal with difficulty they prefer to remove it completely,out of fear of upsetting players.
To me it's a bad habit, stop dumbing down my games !!!! 😑
Modern gamers have no hands or something ? Or maybe they like to be treated as little snowflakes ?
I find it insulting for them,the new generation has amazing gamers,but we all know modern audience here simply means casual player, and i don't say that in a derogatory way.
Just have the option, give the player more weapons when they die (sort of like they did with the last Metal Slug games)
The only metal slug game I remember that had health in it was The metal slug release on GBA. I remember there being some weird adventure type Metal Slug game on PS2, but I know nothing about that one.
Before the old-school fans start preaching about the importance of difficulty - when most difficult title boil down to give a title some fake longevity - I'll be that guy and point out that this one game exists.
Metal Slug Advance did away with the single hit point wonder way before this statement was made... because in turn, there was a single life per stage, effectively turning lives into hit points. And a character could only endure three or four.
Metal Slug is one of my favorite franchises. I get more enjoyment playing them with unlimited credits than without. It lets me enjoy the game, its sound, and its graphics even if I'm having a poor day or if I run into a questionable death from something like control issues and slowdown(and dropped inputs). However, I don't think it's fun to just spam credits to get to the end without trying to play well. That's fine for practice though. I prefer to play through the games and improve my skill as I play through multiple times. The arcade versions show you how many credits it took and I enjoy trying to get that number lower. So infinite credits doesn't have to ruin any fun as some people claim.
Several of the Metal Slug games are not really crazy in terms of difficulty. I find the first Slug, Slug 2, Slug X, and Slug 5 are quite fair, with Slug 2 being rather easy. The games are designed to be fair despite the seemingly harsh one-hit deaths. Ultimately, the game design is important. If you want a life bar or three-hit deaths, the game has to be properly designed and balanced for that. There are games that do that. Contra Hard Corps makes an interesting example as the original Japan version is designed to be three hits while it was changed to one for the US at least. That really ups the difficulty since the game was designed to be a little bit more forgiving in its original form.
A new Metal Slug with a 4Player-Option and a new Last Blade in Guilty Gear Xrd Style would be awesome.
As much as I would love a new Metal Slug, wouldn't it be great if SNK collaborate with Konami and make a Metal Slug Contra crossover? The mechanic would work since both series are one hit death and both are fighting alien forces.
More Metal Slug. Have it themed in space. Metal Space Slug. I'll leave the Mic where I found it.
Well, the "Metal Slug" series is still more forgiving than most other games with one hit kills. You get to stand back up almost immediately afterwards right where you died, and then you have three lives per continue, so you could argue that you technically have 3 hits before you die, and even the continues place you right back where you last died.
Compared to other one hit kill games like the "Commander Keen" series, the Metal Slug series is actually rather forgiving with its difficulty, especially since it doesn't feature the same bullet hell style as the "Contra" series.
@AlexSora89 I gave you a like just for linking to tropes on TVTropes. Do you edit pages on there like I sometimes do?
@BulbasaurusRex
I used to, before my username and password stopped working. I was AlexSora89 on there, too. My profile page has since then been abandoned, and it's very, very outdated too.
Linking to Tv Tropes is a good way to synthetically drive the point home, at the expense of clogging up your browser with tabs upon tabs.
I see you mentioned Commander Keen! I have to say this: pwo-poh-peow, zeew-zeew-zeew.
There's nothing wrong with the mechanic, as such, as long as the game isn't unreasonably difficult. You can get far into the first Metal Slug with practice, and Metal Slug 2 is possibly my favourite because it's easier than the others. Not that I can 1-cred either of them.
As long as the challenge presented to players is reasonable, I don't think there's need for a great deal of change.
If it's an option that can be turned off, sure.
Metal Slug was very much a coin muncher, often attacking you from directions you couldn't see or enemies taking far too many shots to die (especially basic zombies and mummies).
One hit kills aren't an issue when most enemies follow the same rules (like in the original Metal Slug) and the things that are hard to kill are tanks and the like. But I think a modern Metal Slug would need to be "fairer", with difficulty that isn't set to take away your coins.
I think modern Metal Slug should be a bit like Broforce.
I do love Metal Slug, but dying and pressing the Insert Coin button all the time feels a bit like cheating and certainly makes the experience shallow, while using real money in a cabinet would be expensive.
Man, I would kill for a new Metal Slug game done in the classic style of games 1 - 5. The world needs more hardcore arcade action.
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