It remains to be seen how many Neo Geo titles HAMSTER will ultimately bring to the Switch, but there's been no sign of the publisher slowing down in recent times. This has ensured that a good range of titles are available, but it has resulted in some that are surplus to requirements. There’s little reason to download Fatal Fury 2 when the Special update is also available, and now Metal Slug 2 becomes a game to skip in favour of its updated version: Metal Slug X.
At its core this is the same globetrotting game as Metal Slug 2, providing frantic run and gun action and featuring humorous character designs and detailed background art. Four characters are available to choose from and the challenge can be tackled solo or in co-operative two-player mode. Vehicles (tanks, planes camels) pop up every now and then allowing for an alternative way to blast away at the bad guys and rescue the POWs . A number of changes have been made to the game, however, with the biggest one being the reduction in slowdown.
The original version of Metal Slug 2 suffered frequent slowdown, sometimes slight, other times the action would slow to a crawl. It was quite off-putting and reduced the enjoyment the game provided. Slowdown is still present in Metal Slug X, but it doesn’t happen as often nor is it as extreme. There’s a dip in performance should a lot of activity be occurring on screen, but overall this is a much smoother experience.
There are other changes too, including colour palette differences to the stages; the opening mission takes place at night rather than during the day for instance. The opening stage also sees you fighting different enemies; the original had local thugs, but here a number of them have been replaced with soldiers. Additionally the end of level boss is taken from the first game, with the one that featured in MS2 being used as a mid-level boss in a later mission.
Elsewhere there is an increase in enemy numbers, a few new ones (like mummified dogs!) and the surprising foes that turned up at the end of the original game now make their presence known much earlier. This makes for a tougher, more chaotic adventure but there are new weapons to help you out, including the Enemy Chaser (homing missiles) and the Iron Lizard - a wheeled weapon that will scuttle along the ground towards your enemies. Powered up versions of weapons are also available, which come in very handy if you find yourself surrounded.
Energized, adventurous music and a variety of explosions and screams enhance the onscreen chaos, with the action entertaining throughout by providing a variety of different dangers for you to contend with. Soldiers may run or jump at you, ride bikes or just stay put; some shoot, some lob grenades at you. Tanks take time and/or precious grenades to get past and other times you’ll be hopping over rockets as you blast at the hovercraft below. Aircraft and helicopters attack from the sky, requiring you to run around shooting above, whilst avoiding the fire they rain down on you.
The game can get very tough, but a visit to the options menu will allow you to change the difficulty (eight settings) and adjust the number of lives available. Unlimited continues removes the challenge from the game, but you can always limit yourself to how many you use. For an enforced challenge there are the usual ACA Hi score and Caravan modes that work particular well here. With only one credit to try and beat the game, Hi Score requires you to be less reckless than you might otherwise be, whilst Caravan sees you trying to work out how best to rack up that score as you attempt to move up the online leaderboard.
Conclusion
The original version of Metal Slug 2 suffered horrendous slowdown, and whilst Metal Slug X doesn't completely fix the problem it reduces it enough for the quality of the game to shine through, with bright (recoloured) cartoony visuals and great music enhancing the frantic gameplay. Some enemy changes increase the difficulty, but this is offset somewhat by the inclusion of new weapons. Show restraint with your use of credits and the game can be very challenging with numerous attacks coming from all directions. If you just want to see events unfold, however, additional credits are just a button press away. The ACA Hi Score and Caravan modes work well with this game, adding to the replayability, but it's also enjoyable to replay the regular arcade mode. Whether you've handed a Joy-Con to a friend or are playing solo, Metal Slug X provides quality "fun and gun" action.
Comments 30
I wish there were more Neo Geo Metal Slug games on the Switch.
They really should take a leaf out of the book of the Mutant Mudd's Collection and release all these Metal Slug games as a collection. There was a collection on the Wii. We all know why they're not doing that though.
oh look, another neogeo game... zzzzZzzzz
@JHDK Well...there IS Metal Slugs 4 and 5. But since those were done by a different company after the bankruptcy, they're not the same quality.
@Agramonte They're coming out once a week until they're done, whether you like it or not. That's HAMSTER's plan. And there's still over 100 they could feasibly release without licensing issues. So sit back, relax, and prepare to be very sleepy.
May as well open a "NeoGeoLife" site soon enough. They'll end up releasing them all on Switch so you'll have a library of Neo Geo reviews if you choose to review em all NL. XD
@SLIGEACH_EIRE True, but it seems there's more money to be made selling them 1 by 1 these days. There's hardly many retro compilations these days compared to 10 years ago (PS2 and PSP had tons for example). While we did have Rare Replay a few years ago, I think a part of that was Microsoft/Rare having no plans to remaster the rest of the Rare back catalogue much like Perfect Dark and Banjo on 360....
Still, the Neo Geo sets are out there (There were a few series based ones like KOF and Samurai Shodown too but those are are uncommon/rare), I don't think we all sold our Wii/Wii Us yet, right?
I remember being so excited when I got NeoGeo games running on my 3DS. They weren't perfect but they were playable and that was super exciting.
But now, they're actually sold on the eShop on the HD Switch, and I couldn't be happier. I'm buying up all the classics. It's a crucial part of the retro/VC collection.
@CCore28 No, there is no Metal Slug Collection for Xbox One or PS4. There was a collection about 10 years ago on PS2, PSP and Wii (with no Classic Controller support, which ruined the Wii version.)
Glad I waited on MS2 a while back... will certainly add this after Mario has run out of gas this winter!
My favorite in the series, I'll pick this up eventually.
@masterLEON Well, I guess I'll need the rest anyway with the lineup of games coming up in the next few months 😀
@masterLEON @JHDK I know some people don't like Slug 5, but I think it's great. It's much different than Slug 4, and much better in my opinion. There is a new slide move that takes some getting used to and some may not like.
Metal Slug X is one of my favorites and, perhaps, the one that gets the most things right(Slug 3 goes overboard in spots). I don't limit my credits, but I do try to play well. I'd track my credits, but the game does that for you. I always try to do a bit better each time, so the challenge is there. I think it's best to give people such choices.
I wish hamster would release 3bout count and windjammers.....I'm getting bored waiting!
@CCore28 That is the PS2 game, released on the PS4 (not X1) in the PS2 classics range, not a compilation of the ACA NeoGeo releases.
I've never played a Metal Slug game. I'd love to try one on original hardware and a CRT, but that's never going to happen. I'll certainly buy one of the games on Switch when I eventually get one.
@JaxonH Do you mean that a 3DS can play fairly some NeoGeo roms? o_O The least advanced ones, I presume? (no SvC for example)
Was it the 3DS or n3DS?
how many times are they going to rehash this garbage? it was fine 10 years ago, but considering our political climate? I find these games GARBAGE and seriously tone-deaf.
I think SNK is intentionally trying to muck up the Switch. Too many stupid releases from a company long in the tooth.
Lovin' these Neo Geo classics so much, keep em coming! Also, for an even more arcade feel pick up the Hori Real Arcade stick for Switch. Pure click-ety-click-ety awesomeness
Still have the collection on Wii plugged into my CRT. It plays fantastic (other than the grenade controls). A really fun series with truly great animation
@GravyThief You could just play the Wii Anthology Collection or the Wii Virtual Console releases on a CRT, seeing as the Neo Geo ran on original arcade hardware.
@CCore28 Were you paying attention? That was a PS2 port on the PS4, not a current gen release. Nintendo would have to do the same thing with the Wii version of the release, which would furthermore have to be reworked due to the motion controls that that version of the game has, not something Nintendo is going to bother to do with such a niche release.
@frogopus I love the sarcasm there.
@frogopus
well you just slapped me good lol
@BulbasaurusRex the problem with the Anthology collection on Wii is that it will be 480i, not 240p, so not ideal (I should have been more specific).
However I did look into the Wii VC releases and it seems you can set Wii VC to a 240p mode which I never knew about. I'll be trying that as I have the RGB cable for the Wii so should look pretty impressive.
Still have not bought any neo geo games on my switch... still do not intend to.
The perfect system to play SNES games on the go finally comes around, nice big screen, and can play on the tv when i get home... But no SNES games. No GBA games. No GBC games. No NES games.
Neo geo games. Not even nintendo, not why I bought a nintendo switch.
Could be the perfect system. I have high hopes for the VC whenever it is finally announced in whatever form. As long as it includes the snes games we all want how can they go wrong? But Nintendo, so who knows.
I remain hopeful. About as hopeful i will ever see secret of mana 2 and mother 3 in english.
@NintendoRob1977
Frequently amazed by the people going 'Meh Neo Geo games', whereas most retro game enthusiasts can't get enough of them. The Neo Geo was one of those consoles I just wasn't able to get as a kid (too expensive) so I'm delighted that the Switch has received so many quality ports. Keep 'em coming, I say.
I recently bought the Metal Slug collection games on Wii just to avoid having to buy them on the Switch. While I appreciate these games coming on the Switch, it's just not financially sound for me to buy them individually like that when having the collection on the Wii.
Glad for those getting to experience this on the go with the Switch. Must be nice.
@SegaBlueSky Yep all I ever saw when I was younger was cut down versions on the SNES and Megadrive - there wasn't really any decent Neo Geo conversions until the Saturn came along but even they needed memory carts to help them run properly.
Now I've got a Switch I can grab a few for old times sake.
@WiltonRoots Yeah I was the same way although I did find the Fatal Fury games on the Genesis to be very playable ports. Of course nowhere near as spectacular looking for the time but very competent none the less. I remember there being SNK games on thes SNES too but don't remember which ones.
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