Game Boy Advance

Metal Slug Advance

Since 1996, Metal Slug has been one of the shining achievements in the realm of 2D. In its 10+ installments, it has continually raised the bar for gameplay and visuals in the way that Metal Gear Solid and its successors have for 3D titles. It has been to action/platformers what Guwange and DoDonPachi were to shooters. And while some allege that the climax of the Metal Slug series was the venerable third installment, and the SNK-produced sequels are inferior, Metal Slug Advance may be the game that rekindles faith in the franchise.

Jeżeli szukasz strzelaniny starego typu, oferującej krótką, lecz niezwykle wymagającą rozgrywkę, to Metal Slug Advance jest grą stworzoną właśnie dla Ciebie. Cudowna oprawa, dziesiątki bonusów i sekretów poukrywanych na całej długości każdego z poziomów oraz wyśrubowany poziom trudności powodują, że pozycja ta wystarcza na bardzo długo. Fanów serii nie muszę przekonywać, a i skusić powinni się ci, którzy nigdy nie zasmakowali tego tytułu. Jedna z najlepszych gier na GameBoy Advance, bez dwóch zdań.

What with the outstanding gameplay, the longevity of playing the beautiful levels over and over and the cracking sound effects, I say get Metal Slug Advance! It may be the greatest 2D shooter to hit the Advance, before the next-generation handhelds are grabbed by our grubby, sweaty and rather worn out paws.

Metal Slug Advance proves that great things come in small packages. This is an ideal Christmas gift. It might even top the list of best GBA games in 2004.

All in all, though, Metal Slug Advance is a really good game. Its gameplay, at heart, is pure Metal Slug. Sure, some things have been altered. There's now a health meter and unlimited continues. But the game is still quite challenging, and if you're a completist it's no doubt harder than previous games. The graphics and sound are amazingly good, really showing off the power of the GBA (or perhaps the age of the Neo-Geo, by this point -- either way, it looks and sounds fantastic). If you're not afraid of some challenge, don't hesitate to give this game a go. It's definitely one of the best 2D action games to hit the GBA in a good long time.

Metal Slug Advance is a wondrous product and one that nobody ever thought would be possible on the GBA, considering the amount of detail packed into the arcade and home console versions. But SNK has somehow brought the arcade home without leaving anything behind. If you are a fan of Konami's Super Probotector then you will adore this. If you are just a casual action fan, you will still probably be amazed by this...

Whether it's the arcade or the NGPC, Metal Slug was always a highly entertaining game and I'm pleased to report that its conversion to the GBA has been seamless retaining everything that was great about the series. In fact the whole thing works so well you'd swear it was originally designed for the GBA platform. Forget your puzzles, mini games or key collection, this is an all out action fest and as soon as you're dropped into the next area you become a target for seemingly everything around. We were pleased to learn that this is a completely new game so even if you do own or have played any of the above there are still more than enough reasons to shell out for this version. On the downside (for some anyway) the game can get very tough and if you're not a shooter fanatic then this probably isn't the best place to start. For everyone else, strap yourself in to quite simply the best arcade shooter that the GBA has ever had. Don't take our word for it either, go and get it now!

Metal Slug Advance est un titre qui n’a pas à rougir face à ses mythiques aînés. Il permet de se replonger avec délice dans le passé, tout en étant un épisode inédit, et de faire connaître aux plus jeunes d’entre nous un genre de jeu qui se fait de plus en plus rare. Pour le fan « aware » de la série, certainement un must have sur GBA. Pour les autres, un très bon jeu sentant bon la nostalgie…

Metal Slug Advance only has five missions, but they're jam-packed and a lot longer than some missions in past Metal Slug games. To put it plain and simple, Metal Slug Advance is one of the most entertaining Game Boy Advance games of the year, and if you even find the game easy enough to beat it quick, you'll want to keep going time and time again to improve your skill. Metal Slug Advance is the perfect game for gamers looking for a challenge or any sense of nostalgia.

Though it was far from an unexpected move, it was a dark, sad day in June 2000 when SNK packed up its NeoGeo Pocket Color and skedaddled out of the handheld market. The company had a huge line-up of games thanks to its NeoGeo arcade cabinets, and the NeoGeo Pocket Color system was, at the time, the only way to score portable versions of these awesome titles. On that system, SNK created two "spin-offs" of its Metal Slug shooter, mimicking the arcade series' adrenaline-rush game design in the 8-bit color format; the system couldn't exactly offer the same graphics and sound of the arcade editions, but the programmers definitely worked in the title's look and feel regardless.

Everything about this game screams retro, from the graphics to the sound to (most obviously) the type of game itself. And some aspects of it are ridiculous and annoying (lack of a quick save, card collecting). However, the levels are tuned perfectly, the graphics have a lot of hidden polish to them and the overall package is more a labor of love than just a cash cow capitalizing on nostalgia. Just be aware that this is an old type of game - a Metal Slug game, after all - and you shouldn't be let down by it.

Metal Slug Advance isn't a watered-down conversion of one of the NeoGeo console's classic Metal Slug games, but rather, it's an original offering developed specifically for the Game Boy Advance. The same graphics, audio, and run-and-gun design that made the NeoGeo games so beloved were used to fashion together five brand-new levels for the GBA version, and a new card-collecting quest was incorporated into the mix to extend the game's overall longevity by giving players a few new weapon and tank upgrades to play with. The result is a great, action-packed shooter deserving of the Metal Slug name.

Ich liebe diese Serie! Metal Slug gehört zu den besten Jump&Shoot-Serien, die jemals erschienen sind. Umso erfreulicher, dass Playmore nun eine GBA-Fassung in den Handel bringt, die den großen Spielhallenbrüdern in nichts nachsteht. Das fast perfekte Gameplay und die tolle grafische Präsentation machen MS zu einem Freudenfest für Actionfans. Die vielen Hintergründe sind zwar teilweise aus den Vorgängern bekannt, haben aber nichts von ihrem Charme verloren. Vor allem die vielen kleinen Details und liebevollen Animationen konnten mich überzeugen. Wenn dann noch eine kleine Prise Humor dazukommt, ist der Actionfan fast wunschlos glücklich. Aber eben nur fast. Aufgrund der Sammel-E-Cards ist die Motivation, das Spiel immer mal wieder in den Schacht zu werfen erstaunlich hoch. Durch den hohen Schwierigkeitsgrad kommt aber manchmal Frust auf. Außerdem hätte ein größerer Umfang nichts geschadet. Für GBA-Besitzer gibt es dennoch nur eines: zugreifen!

Metal Slug has been around for quite some time as most gamers’ SNK alternative to Contra. The game features side-scrolling 2D shooting action, a pinch of humor, and loads of comic-style artistic flare. This Game Boy Advance edition drops some of Metal Slugs usual elements but holds on to what makes it “Metal Slug.”

It’s a testament to the Metal Slug series that the movement to the Game Boy Advance, a medium known for marginalizing and, ultimately, diminishing the play experience of ported games, has not lost any substantial quality in translation. The run-and-gun, cartoonish action is as abundant and entertaining as ever. With its feel-good combination of shorter missions and play depth incentive (like the cards or mastering the boss battles), there’s no reason anyone with an attention span and a sense of pride wouldn’t want to own this. The only count against it may be it’s ramped difficulty, but that is certainly a matter of taste. Old-school combat flavor, satisfying game design, and a sense of humor place Metal Slug Advance in the annals along with its worthy ancestors.

Metal Slug Advance is an excellent addition to the series, providing quality retro gaming. However, the fact that it makes no real compromises to cater for the modern pampered gamer may work against it at retail, with the difficulty probably being its biggest 'problem'. In the end though, the game is great fun and should find its way into the hands of all GBA owners, assuming they are up to the task.

SNK has done a remarkable job of creating a new Metal Slug experience that feels nearly perfect on the small screen. Frenetic action, great graphics, and classic, refined gameplay are all highlights here. While the lack of multiplayer is disappointing--especially since two-player action has always been an important part of the series--there’s little else to complain about in Metal Slug Advance. Any gamer in search of an involving, straightforward shooter will find plenty to like with this one.

Though there are some who may disagree, this is the best game to play for those who do not have experience with the series. No, it's not the best (not by a long shot), but the easier difficulty level combined with the short length provide an excellent glimpse into what these games have been throwing at gamers since 1996. It's better designed than the Neo Geo Pocket versions, it looks fantastic, and most importantly, it's incredibly fun to play.

In some ways, Metal Slug Advance contains the best of both worlds for fans of the Neo Geo Pocket and arcade Neo Geo Metal Slug games. By combining the visual style and fast-paced 2D run 'n shoot gameplay of the arcade games with the unlockable secrets of the portable games, it attempts to please everyone, and while it comes close, a few setbacks keep it from being the ideal Metal Slug game.

With Konami's Contra series going all 3D on us, fans of classic, 2D run-and-gun style games are becoming more and more dependent on SNK's Metal Slug games. Which isn't a bad thing -- the series is known for its crazed action, outstanding animation, and tongue in cheek humor.

Metal Slug Advance is a great shooter, but a few things about it bugged me. I don't care for the "vertical" designs of some stages, and it sucks when you can't advance because you have to wait for more goons to appear. SNK tried to add some replay value by allowing you to collect "cards", but I didn't find this feature particularly compelling. Still, this is Metal Slug - the most intense shooter on the planet. And fortunately, little was sacrificed to bring it to the Gameboy Advance.

While its old school side-scrolling shooting action may not appeal to younger gamers, an older GBA-playing crowd will appreciate Metal Slug Advance and its high challenge level. But the entire game can be completed in just a few hours, and the card collecting aspect of the game added in to appease the Pokemon crowd does absolutely nothing to increase either the fun or gameplay element of MSA. Okay for a few hours of diversionary shooting action on a plane, train, or automobile ride, but don’t expect MSA to do much more than that.

MSA is certainly a fantastically fun title, and is a credit to SNKP, who have managed (with considerable skill) to bring the distinctive tang of Slug to the masses. Although easier by far than its arcade brethren, at least this means the game has a chance of finding a (mass?) market - a shrewd move by the IP’s new masters. A truly enjoyable extension of a niche franchise, whose sparkly sheen is only tarnished by its chimp deficiency.

All in all, the basic gameplay of Metal Slug Advance is quite entertaining and fun - whilst slightly marred by additions that are rather pointless and donÂ’t add anything worthwhile to the experience. If you're a fan of the series and fancy some carnage in your pocket, you're welcome to apply. Newcomers to Metal Slug may wish to invest in the superior (and somewhat cheaper) Metal Slug 3 on Xbox or PS2.

The Metal Slug series has always been fun and very entertaining. Sadly, Metal Slug Advance is the worst game in the franchise with the stupid health bar, insane difficulty, shoddy frame rate, unknown playable characters, lack of a co-op link mode, and merciless respawning enemies. Longtime fans of the series will be massively disappointed in this new handheld edition. It's definitely time to go play Metal Slug 2 on the Neo Geo Pocket Color.

Metal Slug Advance se détache de ses illustres aînés en apportant des changements finalement malvenus. Trop court et trop facile, il pourra toutefois constituer une mise en bouche avant de s'attaquer à un épisode plus solide.