After previously doing a review for this site, Dave Corn is back with another. This time, Dave is taking a look at Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack on the Nintendo Switch. From SNK (who else?) comes this double pack of ports from one of the studio’s most popular IPs. But is it any good?
First released back in 1999 in Japan on the Neo Geo Pocket, this is the first of two extensions of the Neo Geo’s much-acclaimed Metal Slug series, one that I adore and have done for many years. There is a story here, an evil insider within your military organisation has been selling your secret Metal Slug weapon program (a sort of special tanks ‘n planes) on the black market, to terrorists and foreign military. They have also taken hostages and it’s your job to go in, rescue them and destroy the terrorists and their weapons.
This brings me to the game itself. The first thing to note here are the seventeen missions over the usual five or six (even though there isn’t always a boss fight at the end of each level). Depending on how you make your way through the game, not all the levels will be played. There are two Metal Slug vehicles here that can be used in the game and once the player enters them, you can’t leave, which certainly feels very bizarre, as you will know if you’ve ever played any of the Metal Slug titles before.
The game has some unique touches, there’s the Neo Geo pocket console border around the screen as you play and save states. Plus, there’s also the destruction of the Metal Slugs in the game that, whilst you are using it, sends the player to a ‘prison camp’ where you can only use melee attacks.
Honestly, It’s pretty difficult to recommend Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack to you when you can already buy the original Metal Slug titles for the Switch on the marketplace. If this was the only Metal Slug game available then yes, it would be a case of just taking whatever Metal Slug game you can get.
Playing this on the TV seems pointless it’s a handheld game but the joycons just don’t seem to like this game (this is the first time I’ve experienced this issue). However, the pro controller worked great, in fact, it is one of my favourite controllers ever, but the joycons just don’t like shooting diagonally and feel very stubborn. My honest view on this one is, if you haven’t played a Metal Slug game before, then leave this one well alone. The original console versions are highly superior and much more enjoyable.
As a huge fan of the series, when I got asked to write this review, I jumped at the opportunity. The last review I did was for Cotton Reboot, I loved it and the words just flowed. It’s so much harder when you are handed an IP that you honestly adore and you’re really not enjoying it. How do you handle that? You feel a certain loyalty to a game you’ve loved for years but you can’t help but call out a gratuitous cash-grab when you see it. Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack is like what happens when you order Metal Slug from a site like Wish.com. My advice? Stay clear of this one as redeeming features are pretty hard to find.
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