If you are the angry type of player, STAY AWAY. Otherwise...prepare for the most intense side-scrolling shooter ever.
The first game of the series, Metal Slug, entered the scene in 1996. It became a quarter-nabbing classic in the arcades for its crazy difficulty, overwhelming number of enemies, and extremely humorous graphics and elements. Hey, what's more funny than seeing enemy soldiers sunbathing in their boxers, only to have you knife them moments later? The new releases, Metal Slug (and X) along with Metal Slug 3 were introduced in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Now that Metal Slug 3 has been ported to a console, prepare for some serious action.
Story:
It seems like General Morden still hasn't ended his attempts to turn the world's governments under his rule...even after 2 defeats that left him high and dry in his underwear (literally). Once again, you, along with the Metal Slug Team, must step up and stop this madman once more.
Be warned, though...it appears that supernatural factors have come into play...and it seems Morden has new allies...supposedly.
Gameplay:
Metal Slug isn't your typical game. Actually...well...it is. All you do is simple-run, shoot, annihilate, collect powerups, and hope that next bullet flying from that sniper's gun doesn't have your name on it. One shot, and you're dead. Simple as that. Fortunately, you've got unlimited continues, so newcomers will be saved here, albeit having countless deaths over and over again really dampens the feeling of an accomplishment.
Throughout the game, you'll encounter vehicles you can hitch a ride from. They can range from a simple car with a machine gun and rockets to a prototype walker with one heck of a tank-destroying gun. It is strongly advisable to grab one of these whenever you find them, as you won't die in one hit when you're in a vehicle.
You've got 4 characters to choose from. The first is Marco, the macho hero from the original Metal Slug. Following him is Tarma, his sidekick (if you play with 2 players in the first game) with an attitude similar to his. Then you've got Eri, a female commando with an attitude to match. Finally, Fio, the seasoned and supercute yet somewhat childish soldier, is the last one. It doesn't really matter what character you use-they all function and act the same.
Annihilate all that stands between you in your battle for justice with an arsenal of machine guns, grenades, rocket launchers, RPGs and many more. You'll acquire these via rescuing prisoners (which are worth some nice bonus points if you manage to finish the stage without dying even once) or destroying certain enemies and objects.
Enemies range from small, weak soldiers with pistols and knives to massive flying fortresses ready to turn your character into a burning heap of ashes. This game's got it all-aside from the numerous military units you face, you'll have to face some natural enemies also such as squids, jellyfish, mutant insects, even mummies and zombies. This adds to the humor of the game, because what other game has such a massive variety of enemies!?
Music and Sounds:
I personally didn't really pay attention to the game's music, but some soundtracks are pretty sweet.
The sounds (especially the voices) are really well done in this game. For a 2D game, the scream of an enemy soldier frightened of your presence is one heck of an amusing moment. If you get hit, your character will either utter a grunt or a scream, then drop dead. And who couldn't forget Allen's (the evil Rambo guy) one-liners when he taunts you?
Graphics:
There isn't really much to be said about this section. It's arcade graphics, you know, the ones you see in the arcade cabinets of the late 1990s and early 2000s. I personally don't care about this section as I loved the colorful 2D graphics that made Metal Slug such a charming game, so I guess I don't need to give too much of a lecture here.
Controls:
Instead of using the buttons and joystick as you always do at the arcades, you'll be using the XBox controller here. Won't be too difficult once you get the handling down, that's for sure.
Difficulty:
This is where the game hits hard. REALLY HARD. You've got either 3 or 5 lives, and once you lose them all, you have 4 continues. Lose them all also, game over. You'll have to restart from the very beginning.
Play it safe, and good luck.
Multiplayer:
You can, of course, play a co-op with a friend. With the exception of sharing upgrades, I found the 2 player mode to be much easier as you'll be projecting twice the amount of firepower against your enemies.
In Conclusion:
If you're an avid fan of Metal Slug, run n' gun games, fast paced action, or just simply want to pick up the controller and get straight to the battle, this game is definitely worth a purchase. Angry gamers, however, should stay away unless they have replacement controllers at the ready.
Hah, that was a bad joke. Regardless, if you like any of the above, get this game. Just because this game's colorful and the cast of heroes are cute characters doesn't mean this game isn't a challenging one!