Metal Slug Anthology

January 26,2007 - The Metal Slug series is ten years old, and SNK is celebrating with the ultimate Metal Slug collection for hardcore and casual fans alike. Metal Slug Anthology incorporates some new control schemes via the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck along with a more traditional option. SNK seems to have all the right pieces for a great Metal Slug compilation, but did they complete the mission?

Seven games for the price of one; there has to be a catch, right? No, it’s for real. Metal Slug Anthology includes Metal Slug 1 through 6 along with Metal Slug X. Completing each game earns you tokens that can be used to purchase extras like art galleries, music, and an interesting developer interview that Metal Slug fans won’t want to miss.

The games themselves are great, but the biggest focus of this collection is the six new control schemes to get in your Metal Slug groove. Two of the schemes only use the Wii Remote, three include the Nunchuck, and the last option uses a GameCube controller. Unfortunately, for those without GC controllers, none of the Wii control schemes work just as well. However, one of the control schemes, called “Nunchuck Control Stick,” works pretty well, while the “Wii Remote” and “Nunchuck Only” configurations are decent ways to play. Just stay far, far away from the two options that use tilting to maneuver your character. Picking up a Wavebird or wired GameCube controller is the best option for both its ease of use and customizable button mapping.

The games themselves are a blast to play, with Metal Slug 2, X, and 3 being the climax of the series. Before playing any of the games, checking the options is a must. Want a challenge? Choose the limited continues option along with a difficulty to see how far you can get without dying. These types of challenges will be what draws fans to this collection, and while the games themselves aren’t long enough to justify a purchase, playing with friends in co-op or going for the high scores do. Load times are fairly good, with each game taking about five to ten seconds at most. However, in the latter half of the series there’s loading screens between levels, which are a little unusual and distracting to say the least.

Each game looks just as good as they did in the arcades, with maybe one exception. Hardcore Metal Slug fans may notice that some of the hit flashes from the original arcade versions don’t appear here. Yet for the most part it’s nothing that hampers the game’s fun. Enemy sprites tend to be repetitive, with little variation between soldiers in Metal Slug 1 to soldiers in Metal Slug 6. Levels also tend to get repetitive after you realize you’ve been to the same level in a previous game. The main menu makes a rather nice use of Metal Slug art, but load screens are rather cheap in comparison. Picture a black screen with the game’s cover art centered in the middle and a tank sprite sliding across the bottom of the frame. Would an animated tank have been too much to ask, especially when they appear between levels while playing the game?

The music compliments the gameplay effectively, setting the mood and immersing you into the game. Some of the best levels in the series feature equally great music. The soldiers, weapons, vehicles, and the rest of the chaos causing effects are well represented with great sound effects, screams, and other noises that bring the experience to a fever pitch.

Metal Slug Anthology does nearly everything right, however, those without GC controllers may not find a perfect control scheme. Those who have issues with the minimal lack of hit flashes may want to hold out for the PlayStation 2 version, but Wii owners who want some old school action that doesn’t require an internet connection have little reason not to pick up Metal Slug Anthology. Those unfamiliar with Metal Slug should at least give it a rent to see if it’s your kind of game.

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