Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Metal Slug 7
View on WikipediaThis article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (September 2013) |
| Metal Slug 7 | |
|---|---|
Nintendo DS Cover art | |
| Developer | Noise Factory[a] |
| Publishers |
|
| Director | Nobuhisa Shinoda |
| Producer | Keiko Iju |
| Artist | TONKO |
| Series | Metal Slug |
| Platform | Nintendo DS |
| Release | |
| Genre | Run and gun |
| Mode | Single-player |
Metal Slug 7[b] is a run and gun video game developed by SNK Playmore for the Nintendo DS. It is the seventh and final title in the main Metal Slug series. It marks the first game in the main series that would be released without an arcade version. The game was released in 2008 for Japan on July 22 and North America on November 28 by Ignition Entertainment.
Story
[edit]Several years following the events of Metal Slug 4, 5, 3D and Advance, the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force, the SPARROWS, and the Ikari Warriors are once again on a search for General Morden and his army, this time on a giant island landfill that has been converted into a military fortress, in order to stop his latest coup d'état. After having his newest weapon crushed by the heroes, Morden receives unexpected help when a time portal opens up and high-tech soldiers from the future appear to pledge their support. With their advanced technology, Morden is able to further fortify his base, but the heroes push forward despite the incredible odds.
At the very end, the heroes are able to destroy the time portal and cut off the Rebel Army's suppliers. Morden escapes in a giant mechanical Kraken and confronts them over a lake of molten lava. After a long and arduous battle, Morden is defeated and his weapon begins to sink into the lava. The heroes capture Morden and escape via helicopter, but he escapes when the Martians attack the helicopter. The final scene shows the heroes chasing Morden and his men off into the sunset.
Gameplay
[edit]There are seven levels and three difficulties: Beginner, Normal and Hard. Metal Slug 7 uses the Nintendo DS touchscreen as a map of the level, making it easier for the player to look at the level and where to get power ups or captured prisoners. The usual weapons make their return from the series including a new weapon called "Thunder Shot", which fires a homing electric blast to the enemy.
Soundtrack
[edit]The music in the game was composed by Toshikazu Tanaka, following on from his work on Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and Metal Slug 3D.
Metal Slug XX
[edit]| Metal Slug XX | |
|---|---|
| Developer | SNK Playmore |
| Publishers | PSP Xbox 360 SNK Playmore PlayStation 4/Windows SNK Corporation |
| Series | Metal Slug |
| Platforms | PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | PSP Xbox 360 May 19, 2010 PlayStation 4 Windows January 31, 2019 |
| Genre | Run and gun |
| Modes | Single-player, Multiplayer |
A revised version of Metal Slug 7, titled Metal Slug XX,[c] was released on December 23, 2009 in Japan and North America on February 23, 2010 by Atlus USA for the PlayStation Portable. This version of the game features additional content, including co-op multiplayer and downloadable content. Metal Slug XX was released on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 on May 19, 2010;[1] it was made backwards compatible on Xbox One on November 12, 2015.[2] The PlayStation 4 version came worldwide in May 2018. Metal Slug XX was released for Microsoft Windows via Steam in January 2019.
Reception
[edit]| Aggregator | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DS | PSP | Xbox 360 | |
| Metacritic | 70/100[3] | 67/100[4] | 61/100[5] |
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DS | PSP | Xbox 360 | |
| 1Up.com | B−[6] | N/A | N/A |
| Edge | 6/10[7] | N/A | N/A |
| Eurogamer | 7/10[8] | N/A | 6/10[9] |
| Famitsu | 28/40[10] | 29/40[11] | N/A |
| Game Informer | N/A | 6.75/10[12] | N/A |
| GamePro | N/A | N/A | |
| GameRevolution | 3/10[14] | N/A | N/A |
| GameSpot | 7.5/10[15] | N/A | 6/10[16] |
| GameZone | 7.6/10[17] | 7/10[18] | N/A |
| IGN | 7/10[19] | N/A | 6.5/10[20] |
| Nintendo Power | 7.5/10[21] | N/A | N/A |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | N/A | 7/10[22] |
| Pocket Gamer | N/A | N/A | |
| PlayStation: The Official Magazine | N/A | N/A | |
| Teletext Gamecentral | 6/10[25] | N/A | 6/10[26] |
Metal Slug 7 and the PSP and Xbox 360 versions received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3][4][5] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of two sevens, one eight, and one six for the original Metal Slug 7,[10] and 29 out of 40 for the PSP version of Metal Slug XX.[11]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Metal Slug XX". SNK Playmore. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ "Xbox One Backwards Compatibility: Available games". Xbox.com. Microsoft. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
- ^ a b "Metal Slug 7 for DS Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "Metal Slug XX for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ a b "Metal Slug XX for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ Barnholt, Ray (November 13, 2008). "Metal Slug 7 Review". 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Edge staff (October 2008). "Metal Slug 7 [JP Import]". Edge. No. 193. Future plc. p. 102.
- ^ Parkin, Simon (March 4, 2009). "Metal Slug 7". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Reed, Kristan (July 15, 2010). "Download Games Roundup: Remake Special (Page 2)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ a b Klein, Kevin (2008). "Famitsu - review scores". Pure Nintendo Magazine. Pure Media, LLC. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ a b "メタルスラッグXX [PSP]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Vore, Bryan (April 2010). "Metal Slug XX Review (PSP)". Game Informer. No. 204. GameStop. Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Herring, Will (March 16, 2010). "Metal Slug XX (PSP)". GamePro. GamePro Media. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Card, Ben (December 5, 2008). "Metal Slug 7 Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Todd, Brett (December 16, 2008). "Metal Slug 7 Review". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Todd, Brett (May 27, 2010). "Metal Slug XX Review (X360)". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Aceinet (November 26, 2008). "METAL SLUG 7 - NDS - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Hopper, Steven (March 18, 2010). "Metal Slug XX [PSP Review]". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Bozon, Mark (November 13, 2008). "Metal Slug 7 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ Buchanan, Levi (May 20, 2010). "Metal Slug XX Review (X360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ "Metal Slug 7". Nintendo Power. Vol. 236. Future US. Christmas 2008. p. 80.
- ^ "Metal Slug XX". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. August 2010. p. 79.
- ^ Erickson, Tracy (December 4, 2008). "Metal Slug 7 (DS) [Import]". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Review: Metal Slug XX". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 31. Future plc. April 2010. p. 79.
- ^ Hargreaves, Roger (February 2009). "Metal Slug 7 (DS)". Teletext Gamecentral. Teletext Ltd. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Hargreaves, Roger (May 2010). "Metal Slug XX (360)". Teletext Gamecentral. Teletext Ltd. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
External links
[edit]Metal Slug 7
View on GrokipediaDevelopment and release
Development
Metal Slug 7 was announced in the September 2007 issue of Famitsu magazine, marking it as the first mainline entry in the series to launch directly on consoles without an initial arcade version.[8][9] Developed by SNK Playmore, the game represented a significant shift for the franchise, moving away from the Neo Geo arcade hardware that defined earlier titles toward the portability of the Nintendo DS. This transition allowed for a more accessible platform but required the team to adapt the series' signature run-and-gun mechanics to the DS's constraints, including its dual-screen setup and limited processing power. The top screen handled core gameplay, while the bottom touchscreen displayed an interactive map for tracking player position, items, prisoners, and boss locations, enhancing navigation without disrupting traditional controls. Production challenges centered on preserving the visual fidelity and fluid action of arcade predecessors, with developers making graphical concessions to fit the handheld's resolution and performance limits while aiming to deliver comparable quality.[10][11] Key design choices included reusing core elements from Metal Slug 6, such as the six playable characters with their unique abilities— like Marco's rapid fire and Clark's enemy-throwing for score multipliers—and the combo-based scoring system to maintain series continuity and depth. At the same time, the team introduced seven entirely new missions, fresh weapons like the Thunder Shot, and vehicles such as the linkable Slug Trolley and heavy-firepower Slug Gigantus, expanding tactical options within the familiar framework. These decisions balanced innovation with nostalgia, ensuring the game felt like a natural evolution.[10][11] The development of Metal Slug 7 occurred amid the series' broader evolution following SNK's 2001 bankruptcy, after which Playmore acquired the intellectual property and rebranded as SNK Playmore in 2003 to revive key franchises. Under this new entity, the company shifted focus from arcade-centric releases to console and handheld ports, with Metal Slug 6 in 2006 serving as a precursor that tested character-specific mechanics on home systems before the DS-exclusive seventh installment. This period solidified SNK Playmore's role in sustaining the run-and-gun legacy through adaptive production strategies.[12][13]Release
Metal Slug 7 was initially released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on July 22, 2008, published by SNK Playmore.[14] The game launched in North America on November 18, 2008, and in Europe on February 27, 2009, both published by Ignition Entertainment, followed by a release in Australia on October 29, 2009.[7][15] Ignition Entertainment's marketing for the Western releases emphasized the game's portability on the Nintendo DS, its seven new missions, expanded playable characters, and adherence to the run-and-gun legacy of the Metal Slug series.[16] The physical packaging often included promotional inserts such as foldable posters and mini-demonstration discs to highlight these features.[17] The title received an ESRB rating of Teen for blood and violence, and a PEGI rating of 12.[18][19]Story
Setting
Metal Slug 7 serves as a prequel to Metal Slug 4, set in the main series timeline during the Regular Army's recovery after previous conflicts with Morden's forces.[20][4] The narrative unfolds during a period of global recovery after the devastating wars depicted in earlier entries, with rebuilt urban centers and fading remnants of destruction underscoring the fragile peace.[4] To combat the resurgent threat, a coalition of specialized units is mobilized, comprising the elite Peregrine Falcon Strike Force, the intelligence-focused SPARROWS, and the veteran Ikari Warriors, each contributing unique expertise to the operation.[21] Central to the setting is Garbage Island, a remote island used as a dumping ground for industrial waste and now suspected as a hideout for the Rebel Army.[4]Plot
The protagonists of the Metal Slug series, including members of the Peregrine Falcon Squad, SPARROWS, and Ikari Warriors, are assembled after Regular Army intelligence receives footage of a Morden soldier appearing in a television broadcast about environmental garbage issues. This confirms Morden's activity, prompting the team to infiltrate Garbage Island and dismantle his forces.[4] Their mission unfolds across seven distinct stages, where they battle through Morden's army to reach the general and halt his latest coup attempt.[19][22] As the operation progresses, the heroes confront escalating threats from the Rebel Army, navigating chaotic battlefields filled with soldiers, vehicles, and bosses.[23] Throughout the campaign, rescuing prisoners of war (POWs) plays a key role in progressing the story, as the liberated captives offer briefings on enemy movements, supply vital items, and contribute to the lighthearted tone via exaggerated animations and quips.[24] Humorous cutscenes punctuate the action, providing comic interludes that underscore the absurdity of the conflict and reinforce character dynamics without derailing the core objective.[25] The game's resolution features character-specific ending animations that vary by the selected protagonist and reference prior events in the series, maintaining continuity by hinting at Morden's recurring escapes and future threats.[23]Gameplay
Mechanics
Metal Slug 7 retains the classic side-scrolling run-and-gun format of the series, in which players control a soldier progressing through linear levels filled with enemies, utilizing directional movement to advance, jump over hazards, and shoot in multiple directions to eliminate foes.[26] The gameplay emphasizes frantic, precise action, with one-shot kills on most enemies and opportunities to hijack vehicles such as tanks and the iconic Metal Slug mechs, which provide heavier firepower and temporary invulnerability while mounted.[26][27] Controls are managed exclusively through the D-pad for movement and face buttons for primary actions—shooting with the Y button, jumping with B, and switching weapons with R—offering responsive handling adapted from arcade roots without relying on touchscreen input for core gameplay.[27] The Nintendo DS's dual-screen setup dedicates the top screen to the action while the bottom touchscreen displays a scrollable, pixelated level map highlighting power-up locations, hidden items, and prisoners of war (POWs) for strategic planning and backtracking.[26][27] The game offers three difficulty levels—Beginner, Normal, and Hard—that adjust enemy density, aggression, and starting equipment to scale challenge; Beginner mode provides a more forgiving experience with reduced foes and a default Heavy Machine Gun, while Normal and Hard increase enemy numbers and revert to a basic pistol, impacting survival and scoring potential.[26][27] Progression occurs across seven linear missions, with some featuring branching paths that diverge into alternate routes offering different enemy encounters and rewards before reconverging.[28] Scoring emphasizes performance through rapid level completion for time bonuses, chained enemy defeats to build multipliers and release additional coins from defeated foes or destructible environments, and rescuing POWs, who in turn provide items or weapons and contribute to overall points tallied for leaderboards per difficulty.[26] Players collect weapon pickups like the Heavy Machine Gun for sustained fire or the Rocket Launcher for explosive area damage, typically scattered in levels or rewarded by POWs, with limited ammunition that depletes upon use and requires conservation or replenishment to maintain offensive momentum; up to two weapons can be carried and cycled between at any time.[26][28] Character selection introduces minor variations in default loadouts, such as additional grenades or ammo capacity, but core mechanics remain consistent across choices.[26]Characters and features
Metal Slug 7 features six playable characters drawn from the series' lore: Marco Rossi, Tarma Roving, Eri Kasamoto, Fio Germi, Ralf Jones, and Clark Still.[10] These characters offer distinct playstyles through their special abilities, with Marco providing balanced stats for versatile performance across missions, while Ralf excels in melee attacks for aggressive close-range engagements.[20] Eri and Fio emphasize grenade and weapon handling respectively, Tarma enhances Slug vehicle performance, and Clark focuses on grappling techniques, allowing players to select based on preferred tactics.[20] The game introduces new vehicles known as Slugs, including variants like the Slug Armor, Slug Gigant, and Slug Truck for heavy firepower and mobility, alongside staples such as tanks, mechs, and fliers that appear in nearly every level to aid in combat against enemy forces.[20][23] Environmental interactions, such as destroying obstacles or rescuing prisoners of war, yield power-ups and temporary buffs, integrating seamlessly with the run-and-gun mechanics. Unlike previous entries, Metal Slug 7 is strictly single-player, forgoing co-op modes to focus on solo challenges across its seven stages.[29] Completion unlocks additional content, including a gallery mode showcasing artwork and animations.[29] The title retains series staples for its distinctive flavor, featuring recurring enemies like the rotund fat soldiers who comically explode upon defeat, paired with exaggerated, humorous animations such as wide-eyed enemy reactions and bearded POWs emerging from hiding to deliver items.[20] These elements enhance the cartoony aesthetic and provide lighthearted relief amid intense firefights.Versions and ports
Nintendo DS version
The Nintendo DS version of Metal Slug 7 leverages the system's dual-screen design, with the top screen dedicated to the core run-and-gun action and the bottom touchscreen serving as an interactive map to highlight level layouts, power-up locations, and prisoner positions for easier navigation during play.[20][30] Graphics are adapted with 2D sprites optimized for the DS's lower resolution, featuring the series' characteristic parallax scrolling backgrounds and detailed animations to preserve the vibrant, hand-drawn aesthetic on portable hardware.[30][31] The game structure includes seven linear missions, each progressing straightforwardly to a climactic boss encounter, with occasional minor alternate paths for items or secrets but no extensive branching.[32][28] Quick weapon switching between two equipped specials is handled via the R shoulder button, supporting the fast-paced combat suited to portable sessions.[28] Progress is saved automatically upon mission completion, enabling players to resume from cleared stages, while the DS's sleep mode facilitates pausing mid-session for on-the-go play without losing immediate position.[33][34]Metal Slug XX
Metal Slug XX is an enhanced port of Metal Slug 7, redeveloped by SNK Playmore for broader accessibility beyond the Nintendo DS. It was first released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on December 23, 2009, followed by a North American PSP launch on February 23, 2010, published by Atlus in that region. The title also debuted worldwide on Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on May 19, 2010, with SNK handling publication across platforms.[35][36][37] Key additions include branching paths in several missions, drawing inspiration from the alternate route system in Metal Slug 3 to boost replayability through new objectives, enemy encounters, and mission variants. The game introduces two-player cooperative modes, absent in the original DS release, with ad-hoc wireless support on PSP and online co-op on Xbox 360. Minor adjustments to enemy placements and overall difficulty balance the challenge for console audiences.[11][38] Platform-specific enhancements further differentiate the versions: the Xbox 360 edition supports widescreen display options, including stretched fullscreen and pillarboxed modes to accommodate 16:9 aspect ratios, alongside improved graphics filtering for smoother pixel rendering on HD televisions and integrated online leaderboards for competitive scoring. The PSP version benefits from higher resolution visuals compared to the DS, with refined color palettes and anti-aliased sprites for a crisper look on the portable's screen. Downloadable content, such as the playable character Leona Heidern with enhanced abilities like increased ammo capacity and a special Moon Slasher attack, was made available shortly after launch on both platforms.[39][40][11] In 2018, an updated version of Metal Slug XX was released digitally for PlayStation 4 on May 29 by NIS America, featuring upscaled 1080p graphics, 4K resolution support, redrawn menu art, new borders, and scanline filters, with Leona Heidern included as a default playable character. A PC port followed on Steam on January 31, 2019, published by SNK, incorporating the same enhancements and local co-op support.[41][42]Soundtrack
Composition
The soundtrack for Metal Slug 7 was composed by Toshikazu Tanaka of the SNK Sound Team.[43] Tanaka, who had previously scored Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and Metal Slug 3D, incorporated reused motifs from these earlier entries to maintain continuity in the series' audio identity.[44] The composition features 18 tracks that blend heavy metal influences with military march elements, creating intense action themes through epic, heroic motifs infused with a strong military spirit.[44][45] These tracks emphasize upbeat, fast-paced rhythms using orchestral arrangements that include synths, strings, trumpets, and percussion to heighten the game's run-and-gun intensity.[44] Developed for the Nintendo DS, the soundtrack was optimized for the platform's hardware constraints, employing chiptune-inspired synthesized sounds and dynamic layering to support battle sequences without overwhelming the system's audio capabilities.[44] This adaptation marked an evolution from the arcade-era compositions of prior Metal Slug titles, which relied on more robust hardware for richer instrumentation, toward portable-friendly enhancements that preserved the core energetic style while boosting synth elements for clarity on the DS.[44] Sound effects such as gunfire and explosions are seamlessly integrated with the music cues, complementing the hardcore action and epic boss encounters to create an immersive auditory experience.[44]Track listing
The soundtrack for Metal Slug 7 was first released digitally as the Metal Slug 7 Original Soundtrack| Track | Title | Duration | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barracks -MS7 version- | 0:51 | Character Select |
| 2 | Scrap Island | 3:27 | Stage 1 |
| 3 | Former Master | 0:54 | Demo Before Stage 2 |
| 4 | Coal Mine | 3:33 | Stage 2 |
| 5 | Underground Fortress | 3:01 | Stage 3 |
| 6 | The Waterfall | 3:55 | Stage 4 |
| 7 | Ruins Base | 3:41 | Stage 5 |
| 8 | Snowy Country | 3:32 | Stage 6 |
| 9 | The Beginning Is The End | 3:31 | Stage 7 |
| 10 | Gravestone -MS7 version- | 0:10 | Game Over |
| 11 | The Military System -MS7 version- | 1:02 | Menu |
| 12 | Combat School | 4:09 | Combat School Stage |
| 13 | He Has Been Elevated In Rank | 0:06 | Combat School Fanfare |
| 14 | Beast Of Beat 9/8 | 3:31 | Normal Boss |
| 15 | Assault Theme -MS7 version- | 4:11 | Stage 6 Boss |
| 16 | Final Attack -MS7 version- | 3:25 | Last Boss |
| 17 | Carry Out -MS7 version- | 0:09 | Stage Clear |
| 18 | Melody of my own way | 2:10 | End Credits |
