OSAKA -- Why isn't the Metal Slug series as well-known as *Contra *in the United States? Sure, Contra came first but Metal Slug took that basic gameplay concept and threw in wonderfully animated sprite-based graphics as well as a sense of humor.
Perhaps it's simply a case of diminishing returns. 2007's Contra 4 on the Nintendo DS was hard as hell, but the overall experience was exactly what its fans were hoping for. By contrast, Metal Slug 7 on DS managed to screw with the formula by abandoning cooperative play. The graphics were ill-served by the downgrade to the small screen, too.
Metal Slug XX (pronounced "double ex"), a PSP version of Metal Slug 7, looks to correct those mistakes, starting with the return of multiplayer mode. I got my hands on the game at the recent Games Japan Festa.
The visuals definitely look much nicer on the console's wider screen: The version I played was resized such that I did not notice any signs of cropping or stretching to account for the increase in pixels.
That said, a PSP screen is still an awfully tiny viewing area when you consider how much is happening on screen in a Metal Slug game. Besides the army of enemies and their various projectiles, Metal Slug XX is full of the little touches that make this series so distinct.
Vehicles don't merely explode and disappear, they break down first and then explode in a burst of animation. Food that is left unclaimed will rot after a few seconds. The giant serpentine drill machine that stands guard over the end of Level 1 has countless moving parts, and each segment of the machine is its own individual sprite.
Taking in all of that visual information can be a challenge, especially when you're expected to fight your way through rather than simply watch.
Although all of the basic button commands are easy to figure out, one element of the controls also left me a bit confused. The classic shoot, jump and grenade buttons are all there, and the shoulder buttons handle weapons swapping, but I couldn't figure out how to activate Ralf's Vulcan Punch. Likewise, I have long since forgotten how to exit the tank or set it to self-destruct. I suspect it's a combination of buttons I neglected to try, but the triangle button seemed to do nothing.
Metal Slug XX looks terrific and felt very comfortable, if a bit cramped, on the PSP. Even if I had finished the DS original, this port would warrant a second go-round if for no other reason than the multiplayer. As any Metal Slug (or Contra) player can tell you, run-and-gun shooters are much more fun with a partner.
The game comes out in Japan on December 23, with a probable U.S. release in 2010.
Image courtesy SNK Playmore
