well if you're unsure and want to try out the metal slug games without paying for the anthology, i suppose this game is worth a download. but anyone with more than a passing interest in the games would have bought the Anthology already.

"Hi kids, want REAL controls?" "YEAH YEAH" "THEN FORK IT OVER :twisted:"

Still buying em. PSP version had the controls, but no co-op (Only have 1 PSP).

This game really brings back some good memories of scrounging around the arcade for quarters that people dropped and playing this religiously. Unfortunately downloading (or owning the anthology in my case) won't bring the joy of people crowding around the machine to watch.

Top-notch stuff, it's better than Contra!

Advantages Anthology:

• Nearly all games for a fair price (if you'd buy all on VC it'd cost probably 5600 Wii Points, 4800 without X)
• Galleries
• You can use some Wii Fetures (shake wiimote for using bombs :rolleyes)

Disadvantages Anthology:

• No Classic Controller support, and the most of the newest NEO GEO pads are Classic Controlelrs, not Gamecube...

I have Anthologies on the wii, they removed the flashing screens and blood. I was sad.

Nice!!!! im gettin' this.

Nice to still see you around here, Shriyu. Having my North American copy of Anthology, the enemies still bleed in the first game. But yes the flashing hit detection was removed due to Nintendo's order...

Don't forget this is also going to be on the SNK Arcade Classics disc that is coming out later this year, along with 15 other SNK games. And I bet the new disc will have classic controller support. I'll just pick up the later Metal Slugs off of the VC

i just played this in arcades few weeks ago. Its great

Wait a minute so the European version is blood free? Very retro of nintendo ): . I hope the european virtual console version is faithful to its neo geo counterpart.

I played the Anthology and it had the blood. Is that just a change for the Europe edition?

So, now that's been released...
Does it run at 50Hz only, in Europe?
Does it allow to turn blood on/off, or any other options?
Does it have the original music, or is it from the Neo-Geo CD version?

Erm, no idea, no the blood is always on, yes you can change difficulty and lives, no idea, sounds the same as always to me.

Mint game, love it, love it, LOVE IT! Just beat it in co-op with Panda, had a blast, can't wait to do it again

I've Just put on my UK PAL copy of Anthology and played MS1-6, the blood is present and correct on each, no sweat here. Although, it's could always be different for other parts of Europe.

I've just checked my (Spanish) copy of MSA and it's also included...

Do you have endless with credits? Or is there a limit?

....I have the Anthology and it's fun. Blood showing or not showing doesn't change the fact that you can enjoy the game regardless.

How is the easiest difficulty on this?

Ok so there still is blood in the UK version of the game. Thanks you guys.

Kaeru, no you don't get infinte credits... Technically that is. How it works is, that the game lets you save when you run out of credits and when you load it back up you get full credits again.

Short, it's pretty easy, but there are multiple difficulties

No probs Slang

Isn't is smarter to buy the anthology?

Price wise, maybe, fun wise, depends on if you like the most retarded control setups ever with no classic controller support.

The game runs at 50Hz, wich is disappointing. Also, no flashing hit detection (why?) , but luckily the blood is still present...

"Price wise, maybe, fun wise, depends on if you like the most retarded control setups ever with no classic controller support."
It can be controlled quite nicely with the GameCube controller, even if you need to use the analogue.

If you download this and like it, you may want to consider the Anthology. I personally like Metal Slug 3 the best, but they are the same mostly. The graphics and music are excellent. If you enjoy Contra or Gunstar, you owe it to yourself to play this game. Enjoy:)

Wait, am I right in saying the VC version has blood? I'm not really a gore fan but from what I played of it on GameTap I thought the blood worked with the game pretty well, good news that.

I absolutely loved what I played of this, so once I get points I'll definitely download it. At last, a Neo Geo VC game I want!

This does look great, and could take my cherry a couple of ways... I'm a Metal Slug virgin and I've never played a NEO GEO game before either, lol..

Thanks DEMON, but I think I'll just wait for one of the later Metal Slugs.

If we get anymore, that is.

Can we have information listed as standard on vc-reviews as to whether these games are properly converted (i.e. not 50Hz) or not? That'd really help. Oh and although Metal Slug Anthology exists, the controls are broken basically; unworkable Wiimote control schemes, no Classic controller support, and analog-only GCN pad controls. Awful.

Were any of the sequels released on the Neo Geo (so hopefully they'll get to the VC)? Just played it for the first time and it's awesome!

ICE

Say what? Why didn't anyons tell me that?

6 is Arcade and Anthology only. Hopefully 6 and 7 will get Wii Wared though

BTW, ever play Metal Slug Advance? Terrible game

Thanks Drake!

Fair play the neo geo did go a long time.. 2004 it last was Discontinued i think.. And the Metal Slug games finished of on the neo geo back in 2003 as MS5. At 2003 i really was not thinking about 708 Mbit graphics.. at this point, i was too busy on my ps2..

Anonymous X

I think this will be 50hz as the only other Neo Geo game I downloaded was and had borders (magician lord) it looks like they can't be bothered. I agree that its also a little silly that this site has now deemed it unecessary to bother telling us anymore if games are 50/60hz. I read one of the guys awhile ago defending this decision by saying that not enough people care or understand. Exactly the reason why those who do care and understand should be eductating those who don't I would have thought.

Incidently does anyone know if the GC Hori pad works with the anothology as I'm sure that by holding one of the buttons down you can make the D pad on that become the analogue or digital control?

The borders are even worse in most NES games because much of the screen is already taken up by informations like points, health and so on. In the end this makes the main game really small.
The Hanabi edition of Ninja Gaiden was an huge improvement over all other NES games I had seen so far. Why can't they all be like that? Why?

Nostalgia!

CopyofCopyX, they could all be like this, but people are too lazy to do anything positive about it.
We all know online petitions don't work but how about a kind of online loss counter where people can register which VC games they DIDN'T Buy because of this issue and a counter to track lost profits for Nintendo, perhaps when they see those minus euros and pounds they'd realise the mistake they made.

Hey, anybody know if this allows use of GC controllers? Or does it require the CC? It doesn't go on the Wiimote, or does it?

My only concern is does this title suffer from the same issues with component video output as Top Hunter? If so..... I'll not be downloading it.

It's pretty inexcusable that some games have those sort of issues. I love classic games, but I just don't love them enough to keep two sets of cables dangling around cluttering up my entertainment center even more than it already is or a have second TV hooked up.

Pretty good games this week. None that i plan on getting, but definately not shovelware

Well if I wanted this style of games, would I not just download Contra for a better experience?

And does the anthology package on Wii include Gamecube controller support?

Yes I believe it does

@sportymariosonichybrid: No, because Metal Slug is better than Contra.

If you like Metal Slug 1 wait till you see how wacky the rest of the series becomes.

This game looks interesting, and I might look into it. However, one thing I'd like to know is its size. I don't have much room left, and I'm trying to make every page count. Is there any good reason why this isn't listed with every review? I mean, you had to download it to review it, so you should know its size.

I believe that every region has a different size for some reason and that's why they don't put it on this site.

I just want to know if this is a more faithful emulation than the Anthology version. More particularly, the wonky scaling and lack of flashing when hitting some bosses.

"If you are ever in doubt the Wii Shop confirms the block size to you before you download it, easy to check yourself"

No, it confirms the maximum amount of blocks the game will take. The actual size is usually much smaller.

This is a true classic of the side scrolling shooter. The art direction is amazing, and the gameplay is challenging but fair. If you've never played Metal Slug, then you really need to download this. The classic controller allows you to play this game in a much better fashion than the Anthology controls. This is one of my personal favorites in the run and gun style shooter, and the 2D graphics are some of the best ever.

Hmm in a strange dilemma i dunno if i should download this or just get the Anthology version. The only reasons i want to download this is that the game has a better control scheme and i kinda prefer playing classic games in my Wii memory over playing them over a disc.

By "better control scheme" they only mean "D-pad instead of GC joystick". Metal Slug Anthology is nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be.

Difficulty-wise how does this compare to Contra III?

i enjoy very much this game my favorite level is 5

As a "casual" gamer who is not going to sit around for more than an hour a session, I can't get through these friggin' games fast enough! So one Metal Slug is perfectly good for me.

This is the game I REALLY wanted when I realized I had to get either Gunstar Heros (I see the quality, but hate the game) or Contra III (Gunstar Heroes won based on web ratings...bad move, that one). Thank goodness Metal Slug is finally on the VC. LOVE IT! GO SNK! RAH RAH RAH!! SNKKKK!!!!

As for the controls, the Anthology is not that bad (friend rented it, so I have played it...shaking for a grenade is not the end of the world).

Oh and NeoGeo STILL does not run in 480p. Shame, shame, SNK. N*E*S through N64 games work in 480p, for goodness' sake...SNK, fix your emulator! I am tired of swapping cables on my Wii to get it to work with the discrete prog/interlaced inputs on my projector!

Ok i got this on anthology and i can confirm that this is one sweet game. The sequals are probably better but this is still very good fun.

Oh and for those asking i found this easier then Super Probotector
since i keep getting stuck on the begining on normal difficulty and on metal slug i can get up to the final level.

Awesome game. Great fun. Incredible art direction and graphics.

Love the series, best run-and gun ever made, the detail (especially on an HD tv) is amazing. Metal Slug 3 (or whichever had the zombie level with vagina aliens @ the end) is the best. MS 5 had an awesome soundtrack as well.

If you love this game, get Metal Slug Anthology, available on PS2, PSP and Wii.

yay! one of the few NEO-GEO games I actually care about! . Awesome game, especially w/ a buddy, and great graphics! But since SNK classics collection released recently with metal slug on it, i feel a bit jipped.

BTW does anyone know how to free POWs? I cut their ropes and take their power-ups, yet when I finish the level, the game tells me I didn't save any. Is there something I'm not doing?

To answer your question Mr. Cheez, if you die in the level then you lose any POW's you'd collected so far in the level. It's a pretty hardcore game.

THANK you. So the guy with the Diddy Kong avatar lied, or didn't know what he was talking about. About time I got an actual correct answer to that question.

Makes sense, as I do tend to die a lot in levels...

I would buy this again if I didn't already have the Anthology.

this game is awesome, so much fun to play

Is the co-op simultaneous in this game? Or is it the same thing like Donkey Kong Country, that you have to take turns? I'm getting this game either way, though=)

It's at the same time.

Metal Slug is a brilliantly animated game, full of character and humour, its a slow run and gun game but well worth a few plays. The later games were genious, this one is still pretty amazing but missing some of the later games tweaks. If Nintendo would lower prices even on special offers I'd recommend this easier, but at a high price compared to the compilation, I'd wait for a later MS game to get into it..

The best Neo Geo game I have ever played.

I was tossing up buying it on VC for ages and saw the anthology at the shops for $30 (12 pounds) so I bought that instead. Looking forward to playing it tomorrow after work

"To answer your question Mr. Cheez, if you die in the level then you lose any POW's you'd collected so far in the level. It's a pretty hardcore game."

And adding to that, if you save (as in, get them counted up at the end of the game) 10 or more POWs, you get a 100000 point bonus. If you want a good score, you pretty much have to beat the entire thing without dying.
The SNK Arcade Classics version has an achivement for getting a million points, which pretty much requires getting such point bonuses from 4 levels... pretty tough.

I have this on the Anthology. Good stuff . . . somewhat style-over-substance, in my mind, but a great game to get AFTER Contra 3 and Gunstar Heroes. Unlike those two, however, Metal Slug is all macho without the acrobatics; it's more about having a quicker trigger-finger than the bad guys' rather than dodging dots, which is really unique to games prior to its time.

id get it but im buying the metal slug anthology instead

Oh, gods, this game rocks in co-op, I play it sometimes with my brothers and it's total fun. Of course if someone wants the whole series in one place and does not mind wierd controls (you can't use the Classic Controller in the disc release AFAIK), the Anthology is the way to go, but otherwise - Metal Slug for VC is worth it's 900 points I think. And aside from it's playability, it also includes some of the best 2D graphics I've ever seen, both technically and artistically.

So, kind people of Nintendolife, is it this or Metal Slug 2? If i was to go with only one, which one should i get? Thinking of redeeming some Wii points soon.

Totally worth the 900 points. I bought it, and beat it awhile ago with a friend. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes a challenge, and shooting everything in sight.

Absolutely fantastic. WAY better than contra, since I can actually beat this.