Metal Slug Anthology

Simple, accessible videogames that anyone can pick up and play: that’s what we’re told the Wii’s all about. But in truth, these types of games have been around for decades and didn’t magically materialise with Nintendo’s new wave of games consoles. One of the finest simple games emerged in 1996; when most of the world was getting to grips with intricacies of new 3D games like Super Mario 64 and Tomb Raider, a small Japanese developer by the name of Nazca put together a beautiful-looking 2D shooter that would use only three buttons. The idea was that the attractive graphics and simple controls would lure in the gamers while the addictive gameplay would keep them coming back for more. The game, of course, was Metal Slug: six epic levels of run-and-gun action with gorgeous animation, incredible sprite work, massive screen-filling bosses and the Slug itself, a resilient little tank that could defy logic by jumping around the place like an armour-plated Mario.

The game became an underground sensation in the arcades, Nazca was absorbed into SNK and, over the next ten years, a further six arcade sequels were made, each one retaining the core values of attractiveness, addictiveness and simplicity. So when we heard that SNK was bundling all seven of its core Metal Slug games onto one Wii disc we couldn’t help but get a little bit excited. Apart from the Street Fighter games, Metal Slug is probably the best 2D arcade series ever made and its accessibility surely makes it perfect for Nintendo’s new focus on pick-up-and-play gaming... doesn’t it?

Sadly not. Unfortunately, SNK seems to have been struck by the same disease that plagued early third-party supporters of the DS, as it has chosen to throw in as much Wii Remote functionality without stopping to think about whether they improve the game or not. Ironically, this means that most of the seven different control schemes actually make Metal Slug less accessible than it was in the arcades. Four of the control schemes are, to be frank, complete garbage. Each of these either tacks on motion controls that destroy the twitch nature of Metal Slug’s gameplay or confusingly distribute the action buttons across both the remote and nunchuk, making control far too confusing. We recommend that Metal Slug players use either the remote in its ‘NES’ configuration or simply stick to a traditional GameCube controller, although even these fail to do the job perfectly. The horizontally held remote comes close as the D-pad works well in a twitchy ‘bullet hell’ fire fight, but SNK’s inexplicable decision to make the player shake the remote to throw a grenade makes it difficult to lob the powerful bombs whilst also avoiding enemy bullets. The GameCube pad, meanwhile, rightfully uses regular action buttons for the game’s three basic moves – jump, fire and grenade – but only allows movement to be controlled with the analogue stick, meaning that the tight digital precision of the arcade game is lost.

Such control issues are inexcusable as there is absolutely no need to enforce them. The Wii Remote has more than enough action buttons to handle Metal Slug without having to shake it about and there’s absolutely no reason why the GameCube controller’s D-pad couldn’t have been employed: a fact that’s bitterly confirmed by the D-pad’s use during the pause menu. Furthermore, it’s a little disappointing that SNK hasn’t made use of the Wii’s Classic Controller: a pad that seems tailor-made for Metal Slug.

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