Metal Slug Advance
"Intense arcade action-combat"
The cult favorite Metal Slug series has finally hit the Gameboy Advance, under the moniker Metal Slug Advance. The game retains some of the classic elements found in the Metal Slug formula, and also some new elements as well.
Visuals:
The graphics are probably the best part of the game. They�re very good, and are about on par with the Neo-Geo graphics. The animations on the sprites are pretty good, and the backgrounds look cool too.
Sounds:
The music is decent. It�s not groundbreaking by all means, but it�s just� there. The sound effects are pretty good. Shots from your gun are appropriately loud. And that famous Metal Slug announcer is here too, saying things like �Shotgun!�
Gameplay:
Metal Slug Advance certainly plays like its arcade and console brethren in most respects. Your main objective is still to get from the start to the end of each level, blasting through various enemies and fighting the obligatory boss battle at the end of the stage. However, a few things have changed, and these modifications are questionable. First of all, your character now has a life bar. Once your life meter runs out, the game is over, and you must restart at the checkpoint. This can definitely get frustrating. Why weren�t lives/credits used instead? Another glaring flaw with the game are the respawning enemies. If you kill a guy, chances are if you go away from the spot where you killed him at, then go back to it, you�ll probably see the same exact guy there.
New to Metal Slug Advance are e-Cards, little cards scattered across the levels that you can collect. Some cards do things such as restore some health, provide a new weapon, among other things. There are over 100 of these to collect. It�s tough collecting all of these, because if you die, you lose all of the e-Cards you just collected in that level. So in order to keep the Cards, you must beat a level without dying. As we all know, it�s no easy task.
Replayability:
The game is fairly short, only spanning five levels. However, completing the game is not easy. In fact, it will take several tries to beat specific levels in the game. Collecting all of the e-Cards in the game adds a bit of replay value to the game, but not too much.
Bottom Line:
Metal Slug Advance, while a bit of a disappointment in some respects, is still a fairly fun shooter--while it lasts.
Final Score: C+
Also recommended...
Metal Slug 3 (Xbox)
Metal Slug X (PS1)
Alien Hominid (GCN)
Did You Know�?
- There were two Metal Slug games for SNK�s Neo-Geo Pocket Color - Metal Slug: First Mission and Metal Slug: Second Mission.
- Metal Slug Advance was originally titled Metal Slug: Cyber Mission.
- There is a Metal Slug title for mobile phones, known as Metal Slug Mobile. It was licensed, but not published nor developed, by SNK.
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Developer: SNK Playmore
Publisher: SNK Neo-Geo
Genre: Shooter
Year released: 2004
Number of Players: 1
ESRB: Rated T (Violence)
Save: Game Pak (three files)
Misc: N/A
Last Updated ::
5/27/2005