<s>
is	O
a	O
Japanese	O
multimedia	O
franchise	O
and	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
video	O
game	O
series	O
originally	O
created	O
by	O
Nazca	O
Corporation	O
before	O
merging	O
with	O
SNK	O
in	O
1996	O
after	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
first	B-Application
game	I-Application
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spin-off	O
games	O
include	O
a	O
third-person	O
shooter	O
to	O
commemorate	O
the	O
10th	O
anniversary	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
and	O
a	O
tower	B-Application
defense	I-Application
game	I-Application
for	O
the	O
mobile	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
created	O
for	O
Neo-Geo	B-Application
arcade	O
machines	O
hardware	O
(	O
MVS	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
Neo-Geo	B-Application
home	O
game	O
consoles	B-Device
(	O
AES	O
)	O
hardware	O
,	O
the	O
original	O
games	O
have	O
also	O
been	O
ported	O
to	O
other	O
consoles	B-Device
and	O
mobile	O
platforms	O
throughout	O
the	O
years	O
,	O
with	O
several	O
later	O
games	O
created	O
for	O
various	O
other	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Peregrine	O
Falcon	O
Squad	O
,	O
a	O
small	O
group	O
of	O
soldiers	O
who	O
fight	O
against	O
a	O
rebel	O
army	O
,	O
aliens	O
,	O
zombies	B-Application
,	O
mummies	O
and	O
various	O
other	O
forces	O
intent	O
on	O
world	O
domination	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
leads	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
run	O
in	O
and	O
use	O
melee	O
attacks	O
to	O
take	O
down	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
enemies	O
at	O
once	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
quickly	O
defeat	O
enemies	O
that	O
can	O
take	O
plenty	O
of	O
damage	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
mummies	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
starts	O
with	O
only	O
a	O
simple	O
semi-automatic	O
handgun	O
(	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
and	O
7	O
used	O
a	O
fully	O
automatic	O
handgun	O
in	O
place	O
of	O
the	O
stock	O
semi-auto	O
first	O
used	O
in	O
every	O
game	O
including	O
a	O
spin-off	O
)	O
;	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
progresses	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
pick	O
up	O
new	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
system	O
was	O
implemented	O
with	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
carry	O
and	O
switch	O
between	O
the	O
handgun	O
and	O
two	O
other	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SV-001	O
(	O
SV	O
being	O
an	O
abbreviation	O
for	O
"	O
Super	O
Vehicle	O
"	O
)	O
or	O
'	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
 '	O
is	O
the	O
main	O
vehicle	O
of	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
(	O
and	O
the	O
home	O
version	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
X	O
onwards	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
playable	O
character	O
Tarma	O
can	O
lock	O
the	O
Vulcan	O
cannons	O
into	O
one	O
position	O
and	O
fire	O
continuously	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
games	O
typically	O
have	O
6	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
exceptions	O
are	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
5	I-Application
and	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
,	O
which	O
have	O
5	O
,	O
and	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
7	I-Application
,	O
which	O
has	O
7	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
code	O
to	O
disable	O
this	O
censor	O
within	O
the	O
BIOS	O
of	O
the	O
Neo-Geo	B-Application
hardware	O
both	O
on	O
the	O
arcade	O
and	O
home	O
ports	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	B-Application
game	I-Application
's	O
story	O
involved	O
the	O
Peregrine	O
Falcon	O
(	O
PF	O
)	O
Squad	O
,	O
a	O
small	O
but	O
skilled	O
team	O
of	O
soldiers	O
serving	O
under	O
the	O
Regular	O
Army	O
's	O
special	O
operations	O
division	O
,	O
who	O
fight	O
against	O
the	O
army	O
of	O
General	O
Donald	O
Morden	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
prevent	O
a	O
massive	O
coup	O
d'état	O
and	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
a	O
New	O
World	O
Order	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beginning	O
with	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
2	O
,	O
the	O
PF	O
Squad	O
also	O
battles	O
an	O
alien	O
threat	O
to	O
Earth	O
(	O
the	O
Mars	O
People	O
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
several	O
other	O
supernatural	O
threats	O
including	O
yetis	O
,	O
zombies	B-Application
,	O
ambulatory	O
Venus	O
flytraps	O
,	O
giant	O
crabs	O
,	O
and	O
mummies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
returned	O
to	O
the	O
plot	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
three	O
installments	O
,	O
bringing	O
back	O
Morden	O
's	O
Rebel	O
Army	O
and	O
the	O
Mars	O
People	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
7	I-Application
has	O
less	O
outlandish	O
elements	O
with	O
the	O
Mars	O
People	O
replaced	O
by	O
an	O
alternative	O
universe	O
of	O
Morden	O
's	O
Army	O
with	O
futuristic	O
equipment	O
and	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Major	O
Marco	O
Rossi	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Takenosuke	O
Nishikawa	O
in	O
NeoGeo	B-Application
Battle	I-Application
Coliseum	I-Application
and	O
by	O
Kenta	O
Miyake	O
in	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
Heroes	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Shooting	I-Application
)	O
and	O
Captain	O
Tarma	O
Roving	O
were	O
the	O
only	O
playable	O
characters	O
in	O
the	O
first	B-Application
game	I-Application
,	O
and	O
each	O
was	O
reserved	O
solely	O
to	O
the	O
first	O
and	O
second	O
player	O
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
four	O
are	O
typically	O
considered	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
quintessential	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Game	O
Boy	O
Advance	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
features	O
two	O
new	O
characters	O
specific	O
to	O
that	O
title	O
:	O
PF	O
squad	O
trainees	O
Cadets	B-Device
Walter	O
Ryan	O
and	O
Tyra	O
Elson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
King	O
of	O
Fighters/Ikari	O
Warriors	O
characters	O
Colonel	O
Ralf	O
Jones	O
and	O
Second	O
Lieutenant	O
Clark	B-Application
Still	I-Application
have	O
appeared	O
since	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
,	O
and	O
their	O
King	O
of	O
Fighters	O
teammate	O
Leona	O
Heidern	O
is	O
available	O
as	O
an	O
extra	O
downloadable	O
character	O
for	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
XX	O
,	O
a	O
revised	O
edition	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
7	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
General	O
Donald	O
Morden	O
is	O
the	O
main	O
antagonist	O
of	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
appears	O
in	O
every	O
game	O
except	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
5	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
apparently	O
mends	O
his	O
ways	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
,	O
as	O
he	O
(	O
or	O
Rootmars	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
player(s )	O
'	O
chosen	O
route	O
)	O
rescues	O
the	O
player(s )	O
after	O
they	O
are	O
knocked	O
off	O
a	O
wall	O
by	O
an	O
explosion	O
caused	O
by	O
the	O
alien	O
end	O
boss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
army	O
is	O
the	O
main	O
force	O
of	O
opposition	O
in	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
games	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
exception	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
5	I-Application
and	O
6	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
commands	O
the	O
Rebel	O
Army	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
4	O
he	O
was	O
thought	O
to	O
be	O
behind	O
the	O
Amadeus	O
Terror	O
Syndicate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
once	O
again	O
returns	O
to	O
his	O
roots	O
of	O
attempted	O
world	O
domination	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
7	I-Application
,	O
this	O
time	O
with	O
the	O
help	O
of	O
the	O
Rebel	O
Army	O
from	O
the	O
future	O
,	O
also	O
being	O
the	O
final	O
boss	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
since	O
the	O
original	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
main	O
characters	O
,	O
General	O
Morden	O
appears	O
in	O
various	O
SNK	O
games	O
as	O
a	O
cameo	O
,	O
especially	O
in	O
the	O
SNK	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
Capcom	I-Application
:	I-Application
Card	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
Clash	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Allen	O
O'Neil	O
,	O
a	O
sub-boss	O
,	O
appears	O
in	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
except	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
5	I-Application
and	O
6	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
returns	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
7	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Allen	O
's	O
son	O
,	O
Allen	O
Jr.	O
,	O
appears	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
Advance	I-Application
as	O
the	O
recruits	O
 '	O
drill	O
sergeant	O
but	O
later	O
reveals	O
himself	O
as	O
a	O
double	O
agent	O
for	O
the	O
Rebel	O
Army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mars	O
People	O
are	O
aliens	O
that	O
are	O
in	O
a	O
plot	O
to	O
take	O
over	O
Earth	O
in	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
2	O
,	O
they	O
appeared	O
as	O
enemies	O
near	O
the	O
climax	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
their	O
mothership	O
appearing	O
as	O
the	O
final	O
boss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
appear	O
again	O
in	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
abducting	O
Morden	O
and	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
Regular	O
Army	O
in	O
the	O
final	O
level	O
(	O
whichever	O
one	O
the	O
player	O
uses	O
will	O
be	O
abducted	O
)	O
,	O
only	O
for	O
the	O
Regular	O
Army	O
and	O
Morden	O
's	O
army	O
to	O
take	O
the	O
fight	O
to	O
their	O
mothership	O
and	O
defeat	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
their	O
leader	O
Rootmars	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
6	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Mars	O
People	O
,	O
Morden	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
his	O
rebel	O
army	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Ikari	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
,	O
join	O
forces	O
with	O
the	O
Regular	O
Army	O
to	O
fight	O
a	O
new	O
alien	O
invader	O
who	O
feeds	O
on	O
the	O
Mars	O
People	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
X	O
they	O
appear	O
as	O
enemies	O
early	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mars	O
People	O
also	O
are	O
the	O
first	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
series	I-Application
who	O
appear	O
in	O
a	O
fighting	O
game	O
:	O
first	O
in	O
SNK	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
Capcom	I-Application
:	I-Application
SVC	I-Application
Chaos	I-Application
as	O
a	O
hidden	O
(	O
but	O
playable	O
)	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
in	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
Battle	I-Application
Coliseum	I-Application
as	O
an	O
unlockable	O
playable	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
aspect	O
of	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
series	I-Application
was	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
simple	O
,	O
but	O
exciting	O
side-scrolling	O
shoot-em-up	O
game	O
with	O
an	O
very	O
easy	O
control	O
scheme	O
(	O
one	O
joystick	O
and	O
three	O
buttons	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
same	O
team	O
that	O
created	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Neo-Geo	B-Application
previously	O
created	O
several	O
games	O
for	O
Irem	O
which	O
have	O
very	O
similar	O
graphics	O
and	O
gameplays	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
GunForce	B-Application
(	O
1991	O
)	O
,	O
In	B-Device
the	I-Device
Hunt	I-Device
(	O
1993	O
)	O
and	O
Gunforce	B-Application
2	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
of	O
the	O
stock	O
sound	O
effects	O
and	O
sprites	O
from	O
Irem	O
and	O
The	B-Application
King	I-Application
of	I-Application
Fighters	I-Application
titles	O
were	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anticipating	O
the	O
collapse	O
of	O
SNK	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
Playmore	O
was	O
launched	O
in	O
August	O
2001	O
,	O
which	O
became	O
known	O
as	O
SNK	O
Playmore	O
in	O
2003	O
,	O
the	O
year	O
after	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
4	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
