Metal Slug 1–X / 3

When the first bullet fires and hand-painted explosions scatter across the screen, it's immediately clear why Metal Slug is still, decades later, the benchmark for run & gun action. The series that the Nazca studio launched and SNK took over on the Neo Geo hardware brought pixel animation to a level that takes your breath away to this day — every soldier reacts to a hit differently, explosions roll in cascades, and the characters' facial expressions add an unexpected dose of personality to the game.

The gameplay is the essence of arcade fun: you run forward, shoot everything that moves, collect weapons, and free prisoners who gratefully thrust more arsenal into your hands. The pace is merciless, the difficulty classically arcade — get ready for the game to push you to feed the machine „one more credit.“ And that's exactly the point: that addictive cycle of death and the instant urge to try again.

The visuals are the star of the whole series. Hand-drawn backgrounds, detailed animation, and the trademark black humor — from overeating prisoners to absurd bosses — make Metal Slug an audiovisual treat you'll relish even just as a spectacle. Hidden bonuses and alternate paths additionally reward exploring every corner of the levels.

The cooperative mode is invaluable too. Metal Slug is made for two-player play, where you and a buddy cover each other's backs, race for score, and laugh together at the on-screen chaos. It's precisely this sociability that made it a firm fixture of arcades and of later console and digital releases.

Whether you start with the first game, the tuned-up „X,“ or the third installment that many consider the peak of the series, you'll get clean, brilliantly crafted action. It's one of those cases where the word „classic“ fits absolutely precisely.

Why play: The peak of hand-drawn run & gun action with unforgettable animation, humor, and superb co-op — the essence of the very best of arcades.