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Metal Slug Advance

Well it's about time. Since the series Metal Slug debuted in the mid-90's it has traveled from various console to handheld, from the Neo Geo Pocket to the Xbox and Playstation 2, and even more arcade renditions to keep track of. Metal Slug Advance is the first, and could be the only time a Metal Slug game hits a Nintendo branded console/handheld, and I must say, why? Metal Slug Advance is a show of golden age excellence, and we should have seen these games throughout the Game Boy Advance's lifespan, not at the time it's slowly nearing its deathbed.

The concept behind the Metal Slug series is rather simple; you have a gun, you will be rushed upon nearly hundreds of enemies in every level, and although the majority of them only require a single shot to be killed, you must make your way through the level gathering power ups, freeing prisoners of war and defeating the enemies. What sounds like a simple task proves as one of the hardest game franchises in video game history. You may find yourself being attacked by over 10 enemies at one time, dodging up and down to avoid shots and using a combination of attacks to make your way through the levels to the final boss.

What really sets Metal Slug Advance apart from its predeccesors is the implement of an all new health bar, which allows you as the player to be hit multiple times, rather then just once and having to restart the whole game. SNK has also thrown in a card system called "E-Cards", while shouldn't be mistaken as e-Reader cards, are actual cards you can gather while playing the game. With over 100 to collect you have to make your way through the level gathering them up and using them to your advantage. The effects vary, typically just increasing your health slightly, to simple eye candy, or even gun updgrades. It truly is a great idea, and adds onto what would normally be considered an extremely short game.

But the problem is you might play the entire game without managing to get your hands on a single unique card aside from the obvious ones that are given to you. See, they aren't exactly hard to come across, but once you pick one up the only way to keep it is by not dying, which in a game like Metal Slug Advance can be a huge pain. All the cards lie in the areas leading up to the final boss, so you might come into the boss battle with almost half a dozen bonus cards, only to die at the most obvious spot; the boss. Thus because of the games checkpoint system you will start over at the boss, with no E-Cards in your inventory, and you eventually beating the level with no progress made. In the end it acts more as a tedious chore rather then something that just happens along the way.

The addition of the health bar is another fantastic idea that isn't well implemented. The game features a measly 5 levels that will only take around 20 minutes each to defeat. It would be a much harder task if the single shot death was still in affect like in that of the previous versions. Now, if the levels were significantly longer and maybe even more challenging then the health bar would actually do the game wonders - but it doesn't, and it almost makes it feel non-Metal Slug like. Good news is that you have the choice of playing the game on Normal difficulty or Hard mode, which will create a pain in the neck for novice gamers and long time fans of the series.

Regardless of whether you have a hard time getting past the tricky AI, there is no denying the game is short. Metal Slug has always been a memorization game made up of trial and error. As you proceed through the level you may have a hard time, but each time you will slowly get better memorizing the patterns of enemies gun shots and movements. And because each level has around 3 check points it doesn't take long before you make it to a check point, die, and start up further along in the level with a full health bar to stand against the computer's attack power. Had the game given us 10 or so levels, would I be complaining? Probably not, because although each level gives you a bit of variety with alternate paths and new vehicle-centric missions, it really just isn't enough to keep the game going and to come back for. Not to mention the levels which will become quite stale, and fast too.

To coincide with the check points is a new save feature which enables players to beat one level, save and turn off the GBA, and come back another time to begin at the next level, something that is not normally seen in a Metal Slug game. The franchiese thrives at difficulty, in the past if you wanted to quit, when you came back you would start all the way at the beginning having to do it all over again. Now you have infinity lives, infinity continues, so many checkpoints, and the option of saving the game feel too easy at times.

Although what leads up to the boss battle can be somewhat simple, the boss of each level can usually be a huge block in the road, and may take plenty of trials to defeat. But once again, because of the addition of the check point every time you die, you'll be placed right at the bosses heals to take a swing at it once again. Even in Normal class the boss battles can be hair pulling frustrating, especially some of the later ones.

With beautiful graphics to match arcade quality, it truly is a blessing to see this game in handheld form in almost perfect rendition to that of it's other console counterparts. Character models are well done and clearly visible, and the backgrounds add to the appeal, with unique displays for each level and environment. Of course it would have been nice to see SNK and Neo Geo throw in a few 3D effects we've been seeing from GBA developers lately, Metal Slug Advance is no way dated by any means, and is 2D gaming at its best and purest form.

This game gets an N-Philes score of C.

Deep down in the core of the gameplay is still the good 'ol Metal Slug we've come to know, fast paced action that defined the genre "shoot 'em ups". A lot of new additions to the gameplay will be applauded by some, but veterans will see it as a step down rather then any kind of improvment. The E-Card system will add in hours and hours of gameplay, but if you don't have any plans on taking on that mission then you'll be done with the game in nothing short of a few hours. It just doesn't feel like the same series we've come to know, and follows the traits of similar action games of today, rather then the simple style to that of our yester years. It has its fair share of problems sure, but still remains fun.

Posted in: Reviews