Play Metal Slug X Online
Release year: 1999 | Players: 1-2 players | Developed by SNK Playmore
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Game Review
When Metal Slug 2 was first released on SNK arcade cabinets in 1998, it cleverly evolved the run n’ gun formula made popular by the original game two years earlier. The sprites were somehow even prettier, the explosions were larger, and the developers added fun new supernatural elements to the experience that broke the Metal Slug series free of its military roots. However, while all of this ambition created the framework of a great game, the shaky technical foundations of SNK’s arcade boards at the time proved too weak to handle such a vision. As such, Metal Slug 2 is infamous for having its fun dampened by a dreadful slowdown that doesn’t necessarily ruin the experience but certainly stands in the way of the game reaching its true potential.
Enter Metal Slug X, a semi-remake of the second game in the series that was released in 1999 and runs on the superior game engine used for Metal Slug 3. The result is a game that can finally see ambition realized, as all the technical errors of the original have been remedied. As such, Metal Slug X stands as one of the absolute best games in the series and should be played by anyone who has an interest in action-packed, arcade multiplayer run and gun games.
As mentioned, perhaps the most important improvement that Metal Slug X brings is the technical enhancements. While Metal Slug 2 would slow things down whenever the action became too much to handle or a large character sprite was on screen, Metal Slug X keeps everything nice and smooth for the majority of the experience. This makes playing through the dynamic levels such a joy, as you never feel held back when shooting down enemies, even with a friend playing alongside you.
However, there are more tweaks and changes to Metal Slug X than just the technical enhancements. The original soundtrack for Metal Slug 2 was already a banger, but the remixed music is of better sound quality and takes these tracks to new heights with exciting new arrangements and additional measures of music. The time of day in each level has also been changed to make them appear more atmospheric and cinematic. Seeing these familiar levels lit in the glow of sunset or by the moon gives them an interesting new flavor that ultimately works better than the original levels.
There are now more power-ups scattered throughout the levels than before, and the vehicle types have also gone through a reconfiguration. There are now also heavier damage alternatives to the heavy machine gun, flames hot, shotgun, laser rifle, and rocket launcher. Players can now be transformed into “fat” versions of themselves from particular enemy attacks throughout the game – while this was previously only available in level 4 of Metal Slug 2. Turning “fat” means that the players deal more damage at the expense of movement speed and is just one of the interesting transformations that are scattered throughout the game.
But at its core, Metal Slug X is still the great game that Metal Slug 2 was, only with some improvements and minor gameplay tweaks. There is still a huge rush as you jump around from Egypt to New York City to the Arctic on your globe-trotting mission. The sheer level of variety in the levels and enemies, and weapons are jaw-dropping for an arcade game and means that the experience stays fresh and exciting from beginning to end.
While it isn’t its own original game, Metal Slug X may just be the best one in the series as it takes all the great ideas from Metal Slug 2 and finally gives them the strong technical foundations that they deserve.
