DS Game Profile: Metal Slug 7

Ah, Metal Slug. When the venerable side-scrolling shooter first appeared in arcades and on the Neo Geo home system in 1996, those rich enough to invest the cash needed to fully enjoy the title were rewarded with pure twitch gameplay that instantly solidified the game’s status as a classic. Now, more than a decade after the orignal release, there have been an amazing six follow-up titles in the series (and even more if you count the various “X” and 3D permutations). The series has been through the usual ups and downs, but perhaps more than any other franchise in gaming history, Metal Slug has kept its core gameplay consistent accross all of the games. Metal Slug 7 will not be the first new title to appear on a handheld: Metal Slug 1st Mission for the Neo-Geo Pocket Color has that proud distinction. However, from the looks of things, Metal Slug 7 for the Nintendo DS will be the first new Metal Slug game in a while to feature all-new levels, gameplay mechanics and enemies. In other words, for die-hard fans of the series, this upcoming DS installment promises to be a must have title even though it is not for a home console.

What? Word on the floor of the Tokyo Game Show is that Metal Slug 7 will play just like we expect (none of this misguided 3D nonsense). That means players will be guiding familiar characters from left to right, mowing down everything in their path with an assortment of guns, grenades, and heat-seeking rockets. New in this installment is a gatling-gun mine car vehicle, added to the old-school favorite tank and submarine types.

Graphics appear to be up to date, with the series’ famous 2D sprites now cavorting in front of pre-rendered 3D backdrops. No support for the lower touch screen is included at the moment, but to be honest, we could care less about touch-screen functionality in a Metal Slug game.

Who? SNK Playmore are the original creators of this franchise, and continue to milk it for all it’s worth. Their capable hands almost ensure that this release will be great (SNK was briefly in bankruptcy and not responsible for the desultory Metal Slug 4 which was botched by a South Korean company).

Where?Unlike some other games in the shooter genre, Metal Slug series enjoys widespread success outside of Japan. Thus it is almost guaranteed that a Western localization will immediately follow the Japanese release.

When? Which brings us to the big question of release dates. Nothing is known as of yet, and the early build shown at this year’s TGS suggests that there is still considerable work to do on the title. We don’t expect to see a North American version before the spring of 2008.

Continue reading to check out some early screenshots and video footage of the game in action.