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Metal Slug Anthology

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7.5 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 38 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 14 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: SNK Playmore

Developer: SNK Playmore

Genre(s): Shooter, Action, Compilation

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: December 14, 2006

Summary

SNK Playmore, in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of their classic arcade franchise Metal Slug, releases the greatest array of Metal Slug titles ever assembled for the Wii including Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, and Metal Slug 5. The METAL SLUG COLLECTION is a "perfect translation" of the arcade classics and features Wireless support for intense two-player action. [SNK Playmore]

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Next Level Gaming

The presentation and controls are lacking, but the rest of the package really stands out due to the gameplay department.

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Gaming Age

If you have never played Metal Slug but love 2D games like Contra, this title will provide unlimited game play for you too.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

It's not motion-sensing genius but Metal Slug doesn't have to be. It's the craziest, most action-packed shooter ever and there's room for games like this outside the Virtual Console. [Apr 2007, p.87]

Game Chronicles

I personally had a blast playing through it and even if it is just a compilation of some older games, it’s better than some of the games that developers are throwing out there for the Wii.

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GamingTrend

At Forty dollars this compilation is worth every penny for seven arcade perfect translations.

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Play.tm

Although the basis for gameplay is almost unchanged from the beginning of number one to the final dregs of number six, Metal Slug never loses its grip on you, forcing the player to concentrate on the action unfolding on every inch of the screen at all times.

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AceGamez

Aside from a few minor grievances, Metal Slug Anthology serves up one of the finest videogame compilations ever created and is without question worthy of a place in anyone's collection.

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VideoGamer

A worthy addition to any Wii owner's game collection. It may be unusual, insistent on clinging to a long-gone gaming era, and incredibly hard at times, but by including every major Metal Slug game, is without doubt one of the finest platform shooter titles yet released.

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Nintendojo

The Wii controller is decidedly a bit unwieldy for traditional Contra-esque play.

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Thunderbolt

All of the games retain their arcade-based charm, sans the small fortune of quarters you’d have to spend after getting killed for the twentieth time.

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ZTGameDomain

If you have ever been a fan of this series or simply a fan of arcade shooters in general; then there is no reason not to buy this compilation. While you could probably blaze through all seven games in a day or two; you will never grow tired of ripping through them over and over with a buddy in the co-op mode.

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Armchair Empire

The Wii version of the Metal Slug Anthology is somewhat less than ideal, primarily due to the control snafus...Still, you can get used to it, and despite tripping over itself, Metal Slug Anthology is a tremendous deal for your money, and is definitely worth checking out for anyone into chaotic old school mayhem.

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Nintendo Power

Fans of classic, side-scrolling, 2D action will love Metal Slug Anthology. [Jan. 2007, p.108]

Gamer 2.0

Metal Slug Anthology does nearly everything right, however, those without GC controllers may not find a perfect control scheme.

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Worth Playing

All of the arcade greats are here, although it is plagued with load times, arcade-imperfect porting, and unnatural-feeling Wiimote controls. With such a massive collection, there should have been more extras, but with seven games on one disc, it is definitely something that should not be missed by fans.

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NGamer UK

Paradoxical. A celebration of old school and simplicity appearing on a machine capable of so much more. Accept that it won't push the Wii, and it's highly enjoyable. [Mar 2007, p.50]

VGPub

All seven games hold their own without any stinkers to clutter things up. If you’re a fan of the series in any sense, or just a fan of old-school 2D gaming, then you must have Metal Slug Anthology.

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GameZone

A fun, albeit no-frills, collection of one of the most beloved franchises in arcade gaming and a great value for hardcore fans of the series.

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Gaming Nexus

Metal Slug Anthology sets out to compile seven of the best 2D shooters ever released on the Neo Geo. For the most part it succeeds, but why they chose not to offer Classic Control support is anybody's guess!

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GameSpot

The breakneck action of SNK's playfully over-the-top military shooter series still holds up, despite compromised motion controls and additional load times.

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Game Informer

The problem is that no matter which [control sheme] you select, you'll sacrifice functionality - either in maneuverability or how you lob grenades. [Jan 2007, p.107]

eToychest

The nunchuck-only method, which has players tilting the device left and right to move, seems odd, takes some time to get used to, and really just comes off as clunky and inaccurate. The nunchuck/remote combo works well mostly, but aiming with the analog stick can prove bothersome when the action gets heavy.

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Gamer's Hell

Even if you've never played a Metal Slug game in your life, but you do like classic 2D shooters, you won't be disappointed. There is a reason this series has been around so long and when you play through any one of these games you will understand why.

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IGN

These are amazing games, and if you want to own them in any form, now’s a good chance to do that. Just don’t expect a grand fanfare when you boot the game up. It’s basically seven titles for $40 bucks. No more, no less.

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Games Master UK

An entertaining and generous blast from the past, but that's all that it is. [Apr 2007, p.70]

AtomicGamer

Overall, the Metal Slug games are great, and Anthology's biggest plus is that all seven games are here. Beyond that, don't expect much.

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Gamestyle

A healthy package of games, then, but we were expecting more in the realm of additional content.

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Games Radar (in-house)

Wii games use the Wii controller brilliantly. Old arcade games simply don’t, and shoehorning them into the latest innovation/gimmick feels awkward and robs the game of its fun. Dig out an old GameCube controller – that’s the difference between enjoying Metal Slug Anthology or simply remembering how much fun it used to be.

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Kombo

Sure, the presentation is poor, and the lack of d-pad support is a real drag; but the individual games are just so enjoyable that I can't help but recommend the Metal Slug Anthology to any fan of the franchise or the run and gun shooter genre.

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Gaming Target

Metal Slug Anthology is another one of those Wii games that tries to get creative with the new controller but just falls flat on its face.

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Game Revolution

The cheeseball presentation doesn’t really do the series justice, but Anthology rocks at delivering Metal Slug games. The arcade-faithful translation should delight fans and purists, putting up a good time and a lot of laughs for you and a friend.

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Console Gameworld

There are so many problems caused by pure sloppiness that it is difficult to recommend it. However, if you are willing to overlook the terrible controls and lacking extras and sub-par interface, Metal Slug Anthology can provide a very rewarding experience.

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games(TM)

The opportunity to play it all over again, along with the unconventional Metal Slug 6 (in its home debut), makes this collection a joy to play through and exceptional value for money. If only its controls were perfect. [Feb 2007, p.120]

G4 TV

Most disappointing is the shoddy way this celebration of all things Metal Slug is presented.

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GameSpy

Here we have a game that compiles seven barely-different shoot 'em up games into one Wii disk, so the only way you're going to like it at all is if you like the original Metal Slug. None of the sequels have done anything particularly different, and every one of them has a ton of throw-backs to the original.

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GamePro

Assuming you have a GameCube controller, these classic games are still a blast to play, but this particular release of them is hardly the tenth anniversary treatment the series deserves. Hopefully one day SNK will get the job done properly.

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NintendoWorldReport

On the one hand, the games included in Metal Slug Anthology are a blast, they're translated perfectly from the arcade, and they're just as fun, over-the-top, and well-designed as they were ten years ago. On the other hand, this is a stripped-down package with no meaningful extras to speak of, its Wii-specific control options are an almost complete bust, and the lack of Classic Controller support is puzzling to say the least.

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RewiredMind

The bottom line is if you can put up with some quirky controls and are a massive fan of the originals then this is probably worth a look. However, if you are a purist and perhaps have a favourite Metal Slug outing, then you should wait for it to appear on the Virtual Console.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 14 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Blue Falcon gave it a4:
You get 7 outstanding games with 2 HUGE flaws. The most noticeable flaw is control. It's poor in game (even with a bunch of different configurations), and in the menu. To advance in the menus you have to press +, A, and 1 buttons in sequence. It's as though each part of the interface was done by a separate person that didn't talk to anyone else on the team. Once you're in a game, the default control has grenades set to motion control. If you've ever played a metal slug, you'd know that these games are hard, and require split second reactions. There isn't time to shake the controller up and down. Fortunately there's 1 control setup that uses the gamecube controller. But with just 3 buttons, it's baffling why they couldn't have used 3 buttons on the wiimote. The second MAJOR flaw is the infinite lives and continues. There's zero penalty for dying, which makes all the games unrewarding. There is an option to turn off unlimited continues, but that's like choosing to let the timer run out after your 3rd continue. Do you have the dicipline to do it? Struggling to see the crazy huge boss in level 3 isn't as exciting if your 5 year old brother can easily get there and beat him without even trying. It's a shame that a great set of games is ruined by 2 easily fixable things.

Simon G. gave it a5:
Metal Slug is Metal Slug. There isn't much to add to this and that's exactly why, if you love this series, you should avoid this version of the game and by the PS2 or PSP versions instead. They wanted so bad to make a Wii game out of it and it simply doesn't work. There are four different Wii controls schemes and none of which really works. The fifth one, using a GameCube controller is best, but to me the PS2 controller suits that type of gameplay better. And why not allow the Classic Controller instead? The good points about the Wii version compared to the PS2 are the rare loading times and the save state feature (which for some unknown reason work for all the games apart from Metal Slug 6). Other than that, you might also want to wait and see if it's going to be release on the Virtual Console when the NEO GEO library will be made available to play with the Classic Controller (honestly this game would've scored higher if controlled with it).

Nick S. gave it a9:
I don't know what everyone is complaining about, I think the controls are great. In particular I like the fact that you just shake the controller to throw a grenade, it makes it far more intuitive. My only gripe is that the Wii control isn't the most ergonomic, and your hands can get pretty sore after an hour or so of solid play. It would be nice just to be able to hold down the fire button for a constant attack, rather than having to push it every time. Other than that, it's a perfect port of the game I enjoyed so much on arcade games in my youth, and a great side scroller. Co-operative play is fun. If you liked the original, this is a must have game.

[Anonymous] gave it a9:
An awesome game with tonnes of entertainment, though maybe it could have been more challenging.

FOJAC V. gave it an8:
Nice Anthology, considering is about 10 years old the animation is good, the difficult levels are challenging, it´s pure old school side scroller mayhem. 100% recommended. Not expect next gen graphics, it's a 10 year compilation!

K Dep gave it an8:
I really enjoyed this game. Getting 7 games in one is always a bonus and the lower price is also a nice perk. I was never a big metal slug player myself, but I was always interested watching the guys in the arcade play for long periods. The game itself is well done and I use the GC control scheme, which isn't 100% great, but the games themselves are grand and are great ports of the old classics. I'd pick it up if you're a fan.

Roger G. gave it an8:
Good old fashioned shoot em up at its finest! Not to mention you get all of the games on one disc!

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Metal Slug Anthology

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What The Critics Said

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