Metal Marines

Did You Know?

• The PC Master Edition released by Mindscape in 1996 gave characters voices and changed the GUI.
• Damien McFerran of Nintendo Life gave the Wii Virtual Console version a 7/10 score.

Gameplay

The player must construct offensive and defensive structures to attack enemy territory while protecting their own. Every structure except the I.C.B.M. silo occupies a single map square. Bases are the most important building; the player builds three before starting an operation, and the enemy may have one to three per mission. Bases cannot be rebuilt, and losing all player bases results in a Game Over. Destroying all enemy bases allows advancement to the next operation. Missiles are the standard long-range weapon, costing 4K energy and damaging a 3x3 area; they can be upgraded to double missiles costing 8K energy. Both sides can launch up to four missiles per attack. Anti Air Batteries defend against enemy missiles and transport ships, with a starting 50% hit chance; a missile requires one hit to destroy, while transports need eight. They can be upgraded to double launchers. Metal Marines are robots used for attack or defense. The standard Gunner-I has 40 HP and deals 8 damage per attack; the upgraded Gunner-II has 60 HP, deals 9 damage, and moves faster. Only three Metal Marines can be selected for attack via transport aircraft, and only three defend at once. They have three weapons: Normal Gun (100% damage to Marines and Gun Pods), Anti Metal Marine Rifle (150% damage to Marines, 50% to Gun Pods).

Plot

The game is set in 2117, two years after a cataclysmic Antimatter War. The player leads a military force whose main unit is the Metal Marine, a 16-meter high, 93-plus ton mecha. The PC and SNES versions have minor gameplay differences, notably the plot. In the PC version, the player controls a commander of the United Earth Empire, a futuristic United Nations, opposing the dictatorial Zorguef's force. After conquering all space colonies, Zorguef targets Earth. In the SNES version, the player commands the Space Colonies Allied Forces, an alliance of independent space colonies, taking the battle to Earth under Zorguef's empire to save oppressed humans and secure the colonies' future. A special Master Edition of the PC version released by Mindscape in 1996 added voices, a changed GUI, and improved sound and warning effects. Both versions consist of 20 missions to regain conquered territories. The game uses an isometric style for building and an aerial grid style for attack planning. In the PC version both players can attack simultaneously; the SNES version permits only one attack at a time.