Metal Slug Anthology (2006)
Nazca Corporation, Noise Factory, SNK, SNK Playmore
PlayStation 2 · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation Portable · Wii
4.12 from 245 ratings
525 members have it in their collection · 14 playing now · 99 backlogged · 82 wish listed
How long? Main story 7h (from 1 logged playthrough)
Details
- Developers
- Nazca Corporation, Noise Factory, SNK, SNK Playmore
- Publishers
- SNK, SNK Playmore
- Genres
- Arcade, Shooter
- Themes
- Action, Comedy, Warfare
- Franchises
- Metal Slug
- Series
- Metal Slug
Release dates
- Dec 14, 2006 (Full Release) (North_America) PlayStation Portable, Wii
- Feb 09, 2007 (Full Release) (Europe) PlayStation Portable
- Feb 20, 2007 (Full Release) (North_America) PlayStation Portable
- Feb 22, 2007 (Full Release) (Japan) PlayStation Portable
- Mar 27, 2007 (Full Release) (North_America) PlayStation 2
- Mar 30, 2007 (Full Release) (Europe) Wii
- May 05, 2007 (Full Release) (Japan) PlayStation 2
- Jul 06, 2007 (Full Release) (Europe) PlayStation 2
- Dec 27, 2007 (Full Release) (Japan) Wii
- Aug 19, 2015 (Digital Compatibility Release) (Japan) PlayStation 3
- Jul 05, 2016 (Digital Compatibility Release) (North_America) PlayStation 4
- Sep 20, 2016 (Digital Compatibility Release) (Europe) PlayStation 4
Related
In this bundle
- Metal Slug (Apr 1996)
- Metal Slug 2 (Jan 1998)
- Metal Slug X (Mar 1999)
- Metal Slug 3 (Jan 2000)
- Metal Slug 4 (Jan 2002)
- Metal Slug 5 (Nov 2003)
- Metal Slug (Apr 1996)
- Metal Slug 2 (Jan 1998)
- Metal Slug X (Mar 1999)
- Metal Slug 3 (Jan 2000)
- Metal Slug 4 (Jan 2002)
- Metal Slug 5 (Nov 2003)
- Metal Slug 6 (Feb 2006)
Featured in lists
Rating distribution
5 stars
82
4 stars
120
3 stars
37
2 stars
2
1 star
4
Community All Reviews Statuses
Review tylerisrandom 4/5 · Feb 25, 2018
My exposure to Metal Slug prior to this anthology consisted of a few games as a kid on a Neo Geo MVS system in a local mini-golf place, and a bit of time playing Metal Slug: 1st Mission on my Neo Geo Picket Color. While I'm not a fan of shooters in general, what drew me to the game was …
My exposure to Metal Slug prior to this anthology consisted of a few games as a kid on a Neo Geo MVS system in a local mini-golf place, and a bit of time playing Metal Slug: 1st Mission on my Neo Geo Picket Color. While I'm not a fan of shooters in general, what drew me to the game was always its cartoony style. When I die in a Metal Slug game (which is very often), it's almost always accompanied by laughter rather than frustration.
I played this anthology via the PS4 release. Some of the games I played solo, others co-op with my wife or my brother. We always made liberal use of the "infinite quarters" one gains by playing a home port of a console release. Because our experience wasn't really "arcade accurate" in that regard, and also because I don't know how the games in this release compare to others, I've chosen to consolidate my reviews of the games therein to this compilation.
Metal Slug (★★★)
The original and still very fun. Most of the core Metal Slug ingredients are present. The only reason I don't score it higher is that it's really outshone by its sequels.
Metal Slug 2 (★★★★)
Takes everything I liked about the original and dials it up a notch, especially toward the end. This is the first that really injects a sense of surprise in terms of what gets thrown at you.
Metal Slug X (★★★★)
This one uses the Metal Slug 3 engine to "remix" Metal Slug 2. Both 2 and X have pros and cons, and I have a hard time choosing which is the better execution of the same idea. I've heard 2 can experience more slowdown than X, so maybe play 2 solo and X with a friend?
Metal Slug 3 (★★★★)
Regarded by many as the best in the series, this game manages to out-crazy its predecessors. I'm not sure I liked it any more than 2/X, but it continues the trends introduced there in fun and surprising ways.
Metal Slug 4 (★★)
The only game in the anthology that underwhelmed me. The sprite work remains beautiful and it's got some cool new weapons, but I found myself dying in ways I considered pretty cheap compared to other games in the series, and the waves of enemies felt repetitive to me. The final boss was also pretty "meh" compared to the previous titles, with a clumsy epilogue sequence that feels tacked on. A quarter-eater with only a modest payout at the end.
Metal Slug 5 (★★★★)
Metal Slug 5 ditches some of the more B-movie themes that have been a hallmark since 2/X, but in doing so it managed to surprise me in really fun ways, building up to a final boss that's really unique to the entire franchise.
Metal Slug 6 (★★★)
This game's visuals make it the easiest to play cooperatively, with an "animation cel" feel where the backgrounds seem softer and more painterly than the foreground sprites. But an otherwise solid experience is bogged down by a final mission that feels almost like it's trolling the player (particularly a downward mining section that requires you to shoot in the opposite direction you move, with sluggish controls for switching those directions). If playing co-op, don't feel bad about choosing "easy" mode... you'll experience the best the game has to offer.
Overall
This anthology is a great way to experience the history of the franchise, with only 7/XX (released for DS and Vita) missing. Having "free play" mode by default makes it a fun and easy game to spin up with a friend when you're in the mood for some cartoon mayhem. The series' quarter-eating arcade roots and this anthology's modest bonus content keep it from being a five-star experience, but it's hard to argue with a set of seven games that typically cost $7.99 each on their own.