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Metal Slug 3 PS4 Review
When I think run and gun, I think running with a gun. After that, I think the Metal Slug series. We are gathered here today, to review the third in the series, Metal Slug 3.
2D side-scrollers are mostly dead, other than some decent developer folk revitalising the genre with the likes of Cuphead or the occasional revisited game from yesteryear. For the latter, we have Metal Slug 3, originally on the NeoGeo back in the 90s – now on multiple platforms. I’ll be tackling the PS4 version via PS Now.
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To say I’m a big fan of the Metal Slug series would be wrong. Y’see, I came to the franchise quite late and because I was priced out of playing it. What kid owns a Neo Geo? I’m sure my first experience was in my local arcade. Metal Slug, not when I bumped uglies. Needless to say, there have been so many ports, but they weren’t actively promoted in my neck of the woods and I kind of… forgot about it. There’s no real reason why I couldn’t have got this for the PlayStation – even the Wii.
RECOMMENDED
Cut to the chase, and I saw that Metal Slug 3 was available to download via PS Now. My internet connection is better than average, but not enough to rely on streaming, I opted to download it and have a ‘quick game’. Sure, Metal Slug 3 is an instant starter – no faffing about other than choosing a character and getting stuck into the shooter action.
Nothing To Do With Solid Snake
In a nutshell, this run and gun series follows the heroes Marco and Tarma, from Peregrine Falcon Strike Force (say 20 times fast), in a battle against the wrong ‘un, General Morden and his army. The General is on the verge of taking over the world with sheer force, notably with his mobile tank unit, the Metal Slug.
In each series, you choose one of the characters, blasting enemy soldiers and vehicles in a side-scrolling 2D adventure. With Metal Slug 3, the same formula applies only, spoiler… extraterrestrials are involved. Plus you have a choice of two extra characters – Eri and Fiolina – also special forces, from the group the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S (also say 20 times fasts, saying each letter).
Starting with the first mission (there are five in total), you’re parachuted on a beach lobbing grenades at monster hermit crabs. It begins as it means to go on. Your character will plod from left to right, shooting anything that moves, collecting power-ups along the way. Power-ups in Metal Slug 3 are literally that as you get anything from a super shotgun to a rocket launcher, though the ammo is limited.
Once used up, or if you lose a life, it resorts to the standard gun which has infinite ammo. Included in your arsenal are bombs – superb for crowd control and bosses – and a knife for close up attacks. Sticking things with pointy objects is my favourite, and as contact with enemies doesn’t kill you (though they do bite back with their own melee attacks), I like to get nice and snug with them – then shank ’em!
Enemies approach from all over the place, and they’ll be ballistics galore. There is no ‘block’, but you can manoeuvre about accordingly and try to pre-empt their attacks as they all follow a system. Your weapon doesn’t just shoot ahead as you can aim diagonally and shoot directly up or down on a respective platform.
Infinite Scores Within A Square
Metal Slug 3 is effectively mayhem. As there is so much going on, and it’s an arcade game, goals are point-based – gotta get the highest score! This can be done by killing bad guys but also rescuing hostages along the way. Simply walk up to them and hit attack which releases them from their restraints and in return, award you with a power-up. Be it a big bastard gun or a refill on grenades. Metal Slug 3 can also be played as a co-op to help bring in that high score, but if you’re looking to rank on the available online leaderboards, the settings need to be in default.
Without jumping back into the game, I think you have about five lives to start with then once they’re up, you use a credit as you would have in the arcades. Just don’t put any coins in your console, schmuck. When you die, you can select a different player. I don’t believe they have any perks to them, so just choose the one you like the look of or randomise it as I did. There’s no random button, just use your thumbs, baby. I could get to stage three or four without using a credit (pretty chuffed with this), but stage five got hairy.
If you’re a purist like me (ish) and keep the ratio to 4:3, you can change the bezels(?) either side of the screen to show Metal Slug 3 artwork or photos of women (or men) in bikinis. That isn’t true, but if you want to, perhaps cut out from a magazine and tape them to your TV. Worked for my friend that isn’t me.
‘ave It, You Sluuuuug!
Hands down, this is one of the best looking 2D games I’ve ever played – more so when it first came out and why I so wanted a Neo Geo at the time. It hasn’t aged – this is precisely the type of game I would play in the arcade, shoving my pocket money down the slots of the cabinets in the attempt to finish a level.
There isn’t really any excuse why I couldn’t have played this sooner as it came out on the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Wii, the fridge – most appliances. I just got swarmed with all the other titles and forgot about this. If you haven’t played the series or just want a walk down memory lane without physically having to walk, I highly recommend giving this a go. I haven’t played it on the Switch but would assume it’s perfect, what with it being portable. The game code shouldn’t be too taxing on the system either.
Disclaimer: Like any veteran says “You weren’t there, man”. Well, I was there for the arcades, and as I said near the beginning, I’m sure I played this in the arcade back in the day. Regardless, I played games like Metal Slug 3, and this is pure nostalgia. Even if you’re only just fresh out of school or an egg, give this a go – it’s so much fun. If you’re skilled, I think you can finish in less than an hour or so.
My recommendation is via PS Now. As of writing (13:30), it’s about £8.99 – that’s 24 Gil – for a month. Alternatively, get it on the Switch which is most likely that price for the game, but totally worth it. Additionally, Bitmap Books’ Metal Slug: The Ultimate History book is out now. I don’t get any rupees to plug it, just spreading the love as it’s near the top of my list. Roger.
