Metal Slug
A Japanese run and gun series with a cult following.
htomari · CC BY-SA 2.0
Metal Slug is a Japanese run-and-gun video game series and multimedia franchise. It was first created by Nazca Corporation, which merged with SNK in 1996 after finishing the initial game. The series follows the Peregrine Falcon Squad, a small soldier unit battling a rebel army, aliens, zombies, mummies, and other world-domination-seeking forces. Over time, the franchise gained a small but devoted cult following, known for its distinctive visuals and slapstick humor. Spin-offs include a third-person shooter for the 10th anniversary, several tower defense games, and a turn-based tactics title. Originally built for Neo-Geo arcade (MVS) and home (AES) hardware, the early games were later ported to other consoles and mobile platforms, with later entries created for various systems.
In gameplay, run-and-gun mechanics are central, with later releases adding shoot-'em-up elements. Players face many enemies and can pick up powerful weapons. Unlike most run-and-gun games, touching an enemy triggers a melee attack instead of damage, and the player’s melee can be useful in certain situations, but it is not stronger than most shots—for example, mummies in Metal Slug 2 require multiple hits and are more effectively dealt with using weapons or distance. Players start with a simple semi-automatic handgun (Metal Slug 6 and 7 used a fully automatic one), and can pick up new weapons one at a time, replacing the previous. When ammo runs out, the unlimited handgun returns. Metal Slug 6 introduced carrying and switching between the handgun and two other weapons. Grenades are limited and replenished via found ammunition.
The SV-001 "Metal Slug" is the main vehicle: a small, cartoonish silver-gray tank with caterpillar treads. It has a cannon firing limited powerful bombs and twin vulcan cannons with unlimited tracer bullets. The tank can jump and crouch; crouching opens a hatch for throwing grenades, independent of the cannon’s ammo. Bombs are replenished with ammunition boxes. The vehicle can run over infantry or perform a suicide attack, where the driver jumps clear and the tank explodes on the target. It takes three direct hits before destruction, with a warning to eject. An enemy chaser variant has a shield that must be destroyed first. Later, these specs changed to any vehicle with a vulcan cannon and a role-suited cannon variant; some vehicles only provide vulcan cannons (
- field
- Video game series and multimedia franchise
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Run and gun gameplay, unique visuals, slapstick humor, and the SV-001 'Metal Slug' tank
- creator
- Nazca Corporation (later merged with SNK)
- first_release
- Metal Slug (first game in the series)
Lore & Background
The Metal Slug series was originally created by Nazca Corporation before merging with SNK in 1996 after the completion of the first game. The games focus on the Peregrine Falcon Squad, a small group of soldiers who fight against General Donald Morden's Rebel Army, aliens known as the Mars People, and various supernatural threats including zombies, mummies, and yetis. The first game's story involved the Peregrine Falcon Squad preventing a massive coup d'état and the creation of a New World Order. Later games introduced characters from the Sparrows Unit and featured additional threats such as ambulatory Venus flytraps and giant crabs.
Reader's Guide
Metal Slug is significant as a Japanese run and gun video game series that originally debuted on Neo-Geo arcade and home console hardware. Its gameplay combines run and gun elements with powerful weapon pick-ups and a unique melee attack system where contact with an enemy allows for a melee strike rather than causing damage. The series is known for its SV-001 'Metal Slug' tank, a small cartoonish vehicle armed with a cannon and vulcan cannons. Spin-off games include a third-person shooter, multiple tower defense games, and a turn-based tactics game. The franchise developed a small but passionate cult following due to its unique visuals and slapstick humor. Over time, the original games were ported to other consoles and mobile platforms, with later games created for various other platforms. The series typically features six levels, with exceptions having five or seven levels. In Western versions, blood was censored to show sweat, though a code could disable this censor within the Neo-Geo hardware BIOS.
Did You Know?
- The SV-001 tank's 'SV' stands for 'Super Vehicle'.
- In Metal Slug 6 and 7, the player starts with a fully automatic handgun instead of the semi-automatic handgun used in earlier games.
- General Donald Morden appears in every game except Metal Slug 5.
- The Mars People are aliens that resemble squids and use tentacles for movement.
Origins & Corporate Lineage
Metal Slug was born from Nazca Corporation, a Japanese studio that developed the franchise as a run-and-gun video game series. The first title was completed just before Nazca merged with SNK in 1996, meaning the series' corporate identity shifted almost immediately after its inception. The original games were built specifically for SNK's Neo-Geo arcade hardware (MVS) and the Neo-Geo AES home consoles, giving the franchise a hardware-specific pedigree during its formative years. Over time, the series expanded well beyond its Neo-Geo roots. The original titles were ported to a variety of other consoles and mobile platforms, while later entries in the lineup were developed natively for different systems entirely. This broad platform presence helped the franchise reach audiences far beyond the arcade cabinets where it first made its mark, cementing its place as a multimedia property rather than a single-hardware curiosity.
Combat Philosophy & the Metal Slug Tank
The series redefined the run-and-gun formula by replacing the standard touch-and-die rule with a melee combat system. When a player's character makes contact with an enemy, instead of taking damage, both sides gain the chance to swing a melee attack. The player's melee strike hits far harder than any ranged shot, encouraging aggressive close-quarters play and allowing a single swing to clear clusters of foes or rapidly chip down tough enemies like the mummies in Metal Slug 2. The franchise's signature vehicle, the SV-001 Metal Slug, is a small silver-gray cartoonish tank on caterpillar treads. It carries a cannon that fires limited powerful bombs alongside twin vulcan cannons with unlimited tracer rounds. The tank can jump, crouch to open a top hatch for throwing grenades, run over infantry, and even perform a suicide ram where the driver ejects and the tank explodes on impact. It survives three direct hits before a warning prompts the player to bail out.
Narrative Evolution & the Peregrine Falcon Squad
The first game cast the Peregrine Falcon Squad, a small special-operations unit under the Regular Army, against General Donald Morden's rebel army in a bid to stop a coup and the birth of a New World Order. From the second installment onward, the scope widened dramatically: the squad faced the Mars People, an alien invasion, alongside supernatural threats such as yetis, zombies, walking Venus flytraps, giant crabs, and mummies. Metal Slug 5 deliberately stripped these outlandish elements, pivoting toward a modern guerrilla-warfare tone while retaining only a whisper of the series' quirky humor and a single paranormal final boss. Metal Slug 6 swung back to the formula of the first three games, reviving both Morden's Rebel Army and the Mars People. Metal Slug 7 took a different tack, replacing the aliens with an alternate-universe version of Morden's forces equipped with futuristic weaponry. The cast also evolved, with Eri Kasamoto and Fio Germi joining the original duo of Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving from the second game onward.
Cult Following & Franchise Expansion
Rather than achieving mainstream blockbuster status, Metal Slug cultivated a small but fiercely dedicated cult following, driven largely by its distinctive cartoonish visuals and relentless slapstick humor. This passionate fanbase helped sustain the franchise well beyond its Neo-Geo arcade origins. The series spawned a range of spin-off titles that stretched into new genres: a third-person shooter created to mark the franchise's tenth anniversary, multiple tower-defense games, and a turn-based tactics entry. The original games were ported across numerous consoles and mobile platforms over the years, while subsequent mainline titles were developed natively for a variety of systems. Western arcade and console releases censored blood, replacing it with sweat, though a hidden BIOS code on Neo-Geo hardware allowed players to restore the original presentation. This combination of genre experimentation, cross-platform availability, and a devoted community ensured the franchise remained a recognizable name in gaming long after its arcade heyday.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who originally created the Metal Slug series?
The franchise was developed by Nazca Corporation, a smaller Japanese studio that completed the first game and then merged with SNK in 1996. SNK went on to publish and continue the line under its own banner.
Who are the main characters in Metal Slug?
You play as members of the Peregrine Falcon Squad, a small elite soldier unit tasked with stopping a rogue rebel army and, in later entries, a rotating cast of threats like aliens, zombies, and mummies. The squad is led by the player's chosen protagonist, typically a soldier or a female operator.
What is the SV-001 Metal Slug tank?
It is the iconic armored vehicle that gives the series its name, a heavily armed tank the player can summon and pilot during missions. The tank became the franchise's visual signature and has appeared in nearly every mainline entry as a key power-up.
What makes Metal Slug stand out among run-and-gun games?
Beyond standard shoot-'em-up mechanics, the series leans heavily on exaggerated slapstick comedy, over-the-top enemy designs, and a distinctive hand-drawn visual style that set it apart from other arcade shooters of the era. This combination earned it a dedicated cult following even as the run-and-gun genre faded.
Are there Metal Slug games besides the main arcade titles?
Yes. The franchise expanded into spin-offs including a third-person shooter released for the series' 10th anniversary, multiple tower-defense titles, and a turn-based tactics game. These side entries let players experience the same characters and humor through different gameplay mechanics.
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