We do like nice surprises, and the drop of Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack on the Switch eShop has been a welcome arrival this week. Out now globally, this combines two Neo Geo Color titles in one, as you can see in the trailer above.
If you search Metal Slug on the eShop you get a whole lot of results, with 6 archives ports from Hamster covering the Neo Geo mainline entries - including Metal Slug X. Coming out originally on the less powerful but undeniably cool pocket system, 1st and 2nd Mission offer a rather different look but the same core gameplay ideas.

This freshly released double pack costs $14.99 / €14,99 / £13.49, but it is worth noting that both of these games are already in Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1, a compilation of ten rather fun games that we liked a lot in our review. That's an ideal all-in-one option at $39.99 / €39,99 / £35.99 if you haven't yet explored the Neo Geo Pocket library on Switch, but with this fresh Metal Slug bundle now available most of that compilation can now be bought separately on the eShop if you want to pick and choose.
Are you tempted to grab this bundle on the Switch eShop?
Comments 28
it seems a bit expensive for what looks like a gbc game
$15 is a bit much.
$16 can get you Arcade Archives Metal Slug 1 and 2, and those have online leaderboards with local co-op.
Good news for those who had already bought some (or all) of the Neo Geo Pocket Color titles and then had to see how a collection was announced and with added exclusive games. Well, there have to be options for everyone. I for one prefer the collection because I didn't buy any of the games, but I salute this particular release for those who will take advantage of it.
Wow at the price and people wonder why so many turn to ROMs. These games paid for themselves ten times over and the work needed to make them playable here is not in this price range. Ridiculous
I love these two games. The full pack is the best value (especially as it can be found for £30 or under physically) but these two are each easily worth as much as most Arcade Archives releases.
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a better pick in my opinion, the fighting games included there are incredible.
@BionicDodo I wish I could, but it turns out the physical version is a Game exclusive in Spanish territories, and that people is known for high prices (and unsealed "new" games, but that's a story for another day). Not even in Amazon can I find it. Of course I could buy it from Pix'n Love, but the price there is higher and with shipping.
@Moroboshi876 I don't know where exactly you are, but is it possible to order it from Amazon in another country? I recently ordered something from Amazon Germany to be delivered to the UK and it worked out far cheaper (including shipping etc) than ordering the same item from UK Amazon would have.
@BionicDodo That idea crossed my mind, and I've purchased games "imported from" in my local Amazon before, but this particular one seems to be a somewhat limited release, so I'm afraid I won't be that lucky. I'm from Barcelona, Catalonia, by the way.
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Sheesh, one of the few times I can say "kids these days" and I hate using that dumb phrase.
I paid $30-40 each when these came out in 1999 and 2000 and they are still worth that price today IMO.
These are waaaay better (IMO) than the actual arcade Metal Slug games.
I got my physical copy coming sometime this year.
Highly recommended!
@TurboTEF same here and 100% agreed.
@Stocksy Stop whining and just don’t buy them then. The price REALLY isn’t that bad.
@Gwynbleidd they’re not GBA games.
Every time some retro game is re-released in any form there has to be a percentage of people whining. Just don't buy them, really.
There are a lot of people here that love retro games and are happy to see them re-released at prices extremely more affordable than before.
@Gwynbleidd worse? How many times these games have been rereleased? Oh, yeah, this is the first time and they are games from an obscure platform that just a few were able to play on it's days, so you should be grateful that they rereleased them when literally no one thought this could ever happen.
@CharlieGirl I'd prefer $10 but I still think it's worth it.
@Stocksy Actually not really, at least not in the US. Neo Geo Pocket sold poorly in the states. I think they should be $5 each but I'm not surprised they are getting for $7.50.
Completely unexpected but a nice surprise. I've played both (might own both or just the first) and they are good. Might pick it up onc. I check which of the two games I own
@GumbyX84 🤔 It isn't, you yourself just implied that.
@TurboTEF Agreed. But what if this about a physical version? If it a Japanese exclusive?
@CharlieGirl How? I can wish it was cheaper but still think $15 for the two games is worth it.
@Gwynbleidd They aren't justifying the price or "satisfaction" based on the fact that it's never been rereleased. These are good games and the fact they are being released in am offical capacity is great.They are actually deepet than the arcade games and offer more replaybility. If you've never played these before than you can't say they aren't with the money. You are just basing your opinion on the fact that the game is old and you can emulate it for free, which some people don't want to do. did you complain about the price of the Shantae rereleases?
@TurboTEF "one of the few times I can say 'kids these days' and I hate using that dumb phrase."
I'm in my 30s, I was in high school when NGPC was new, and I stand behind the statement that $15 is too expensive for two 8 bit games on Switch, especially when there are better offerings for a fairer price.
Things like this are why the 'kids these days' are moving to emulation.
I actually enjoyed these NGPC iterations more than the mainline entries back in the day, so it's great to have them available for purchase. Not remotely as challenging as the "real" Metal Slugs, mind you, but easily worth $7.50 apiece. I especially loved the alternate paths through the campaign and seeing elements of Metal Slug 2 and 3 reinterpreted as a 16bit platforming shooter. Very cool if you're into "demakes".
I think I’m better off getting that collection of Neo Geo Pocket games instead.
@chipia It pretty much is a GBC game.
That is, the NeoGeo Pocket was a GBC competitor.
So much so that some insensitive bootleggers wasted NO TIME in copying one of the NGPC Metal Slug games to GBC and rebranding it a 9/11 game, seen on the Internet just months after the actual event.
@CharlieGirl Very true, the ACA ones are definitely better value right now.
tbh I'd probably prefer to grab these ones. I imagine the difficulty is more balanced since they're not designed to gobble the player's quarters.
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