The current must-buy compilation on the Wii, and a must-buy for fans of games like Contra and Gunstar Heroes.
Good: really all the MS games rock, co-op play, difficulty levels
Bad: frequent load times, games are all short, weak presentation, strange control schemes
Metal Slug Anthology is a compilation of seven games including: Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and Metal Slug 6. If you want to know what these games are like, think games like Contra or Gunstar Heroes. Metal Slug is a sidescrolling arcade shooter that is really frantic and fast paced. SNK has brought a bunch of Metal Slug games to Wii with new controls and some unlockables as well.
I'll start with the control options available for Metal Slug Anthology. There are six different control schemes, and all are available for all the Metal Slug games on the disc. The main control scheme is a basic "hold your Wiimote like a NES controller" style in which you use the D-Pad for movement, 1 button to fire, 2 button to jump, A button for changing weapons, B trigger for Alt. Attack, and you flick the Wiimote to toss a grenade. The second control style in which you hold your Wiimote like a NES controller has you tilting the controller left/right to move, A for Alt. Attack, 1 for grenade, 2 for fire, right on D-Pad to change weapon and up on D-pad to jump.
The next control style is simply using the Gamecube controller. Control stick moves your character, A button makes you jump, B button is to shoot, X button is to throw grenades, Y button is MS attack (MS 4,5,6 only), Z button is to pause, and A+B is MS attack or MS 1,2,X,3 only. Metal Slug 6 has slightly different GCN controls.
The last three control schemes all use the remote and the Nunchuck. One of them is extremely strange in which you hold your Wiimote from the top and use it like a arcade stick. It feels extremely awkward and most players would much rather use one of the more simpler control types. The next control type has most actions done with the Nunchuck except for changing your weapon and your alternate attack which are done with the remote. And finally, the last control scheme uses the Nunchuck for movement and alternate attacks, and changing your weapon and the remote is used for jumping, shooting, and throwing grenades.
Those were the six control schemes and hopefully you got a good idea on what they are like. Some of them are extremely awkward to use, and probably the best is to just use the remote like a NES controller. Each control type you set it to though, has a small flaw. But, even with some control problems once you're used to it, it's easy to control and easy to pick up and play making it an enjoyable experience.
Other than the control schemes, some small changes have been made. The graphics and sound seem the same. The graphics are about NeoGeo quality, which is where most of these games came from. They look pretty good considering the time it came out. Some look about Gameboy Advance or Nintendo DS quality. The detail is really good for a 2D game and even though the graphics are dated, that doesn't affect anything because it's still fun to play and looked great for its time. As for sound, the POW's have small bits of voices, mainly they'll just say "Thank you!" over and over again. I'm not sure if that was added or not. The music is great but nothing spectacular.
Another thing is that the games can be really easy. There are difficulty options available and their is even an option that allows you to have infinite lives. If you're playing on easy with infinite lives, the game seems really easy and is almost boring because there is no challenge what so ever. I suggest you play with limited continues, and then even if it is on easy, it can still get really intense. Difficulty settings, and infinite lives are available for all the games.
Arguably the best part of this game is the co-op play. A friend can jump in the battle and help you out. It's fun because it can make the game quite a bit easier if you're on a tough difficulty setting. Also, at the end of each level it will give each players total amount of points and say which one did better, which will have you trying your hardest to be better than the other player.
As for extras, there isn't really all that much to see besides an art gallery. It all depends on how much you like Metal Slug games and if you like sidescrolling shooters or not. No graphical changes have been made but there are some nice features to be seen in these games and all are fun to play. It's a great Wii game that is also ten dollars less than your average Wii game and is one of the better compilations out there. Not a must buy, but at least a must rent.