<s>
is	O
a	O
1996	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
arcade	O
video	O
game	O
originally	O
developed	O
by	O
Nazca	O
Corporation	O
and	O
released	O
by	O
SNK	O
for	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
MVS	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
eponymous	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
conceived	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
staff	O
who	O
created	O
several	O
titles	O
at	O
Irem	O
that	O
shared	O
similar	O
presentation	O
such	O
as	O
In	B-Device
the	I-Device
Hunt	I-Device
and	O
GunForce	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
core	O
concept	O
during	O
development	O
being	O
a	O
simple	O
but	O
exciting	O
side-scrolling	O
shooter	O
featuring	O
a	O
very	O
easy	O
control	O
scheme	O
and	O
visuals	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
works	O
of	O
Hayao	O
Miyazaki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
garnered	O
positive	O
reception	O
upon	O
its	O
initial	O
launch	O
from	O
players	O
and	O
critics	O
,	O
being	O
lauded	O
for	O
its	O
sense	O
of	O
humor	O
,	O
fluid	O
hand-drawn	O
animation	O
and	O
fast-paced	O
two-player	O
action	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
direct	O
continuation	O
,	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
is	O
a	O
run	O
and	O
gun	O
game	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
Contra	B-Application
where	O
players	O
assume	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
captain	O
Marco	O
Rossi	O
and	O
lieutenant	O
Tarma	O
Roving	O
of	O
the	O
Peregrine	O
Falcon	O
Strike	O
Force	O
,	O
shooting	O
constantly	O
at	O
a	O
continual	O
stream	O
of	O
enemies	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
complete	O
each	O
mission	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Getting	O
hit	O
by	O
enemy	O
fire	O
,	O
colliding	O
against	O
solid	O
stage	O
obstacles	O
or	O
falling	O
off-stage	O
will	O
result	O
in	O
losing	O
a	O
life	O
and	O
once	O
all	O
lives	O
are	O
lost	O
,	O
the	O
game	B-Application
is	I-Application
over	I-Application
unless	O
players	O
insert	O
more	O
credits	O
into	O
the	O
arcade	O
machine	O
to	O
continue	O
playing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
team	O
that	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
several	O
projects	O
at	O
Irem	O
like	O
In	B-Device
the	I-Device
Hunt	I-Device
and	O
GunForce	B-Application
II	I-Application
before	O
departing	O
from	O
the	O
company	O
and	O
forming	O
Nazca	O
Corporation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
first	O
playable	O
during	O
a	O
location	O
test	O
at	O
Osaka	O
and	O
later	O
showcased	O
to	O
attendees	O
at	O
the	O
1995	O
Amusement	O
Machine	O
Show	O
from	O
September	O
13	O
to	O
15	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
first	O
released	O
by	O
SNK	O
for	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
MVS	I-Application
arcade	O
system	O
on	O
April	O
19	O
,	O
1996	O
and	O
later	O
for	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
AES	I-Application
on	O
May	O
24	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
July	O
5	O
the	O
same	O
year	O
a	O
Neo	B-Device
Geo	I-Device
CD	I-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
,	O
featuring	O
a	O
"	O
Combat	O
School	O
"	O
mode	O
that	O
allowed	O
players	O
to	O
revisit	O
previously-played	O
missions	O
with	O
new	O
objectives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Between	O
April	O
and	O
August	O
1997	O
,	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
versions	O
developed	O
by	O
SNK	O
and	O
Ukiyotei	O
respectively	O
were	O
released	O
only	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
software	O
market	O
was	O
being	O
dominated	O
by	O
polygon-based	O
games	O
,	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
conversions	O
for	O
Saturn	B-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
were	O
selling	O
well	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
motivating	O
SNK	O
to	O
produce	O
ports	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
retain	O
all	O
animations	O
frames	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	O
original	O
,	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
used	O
newer	O
compression	O
techniques	O
,	O
inter-level	O
loading	O
and	O
the	O
1	O
MB	O
RAM	O
expansion	O
cartridge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
release	O
was	O
available	O
in	O
two	O
revisions	O
;	O
1.002	O
and	O
1.005	O
,	O
which	O
included	O
some	O
minor	O
bug	O
fixes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
ports	O
feature	O
"	O
Combat	O
School	O
"	O
mode	O
from	O
the	O
Neo	B-Device
Geo	I-Device
CD	I-Device
release	O
while	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
features	O
a	O
new	O
mode	O
,	O
"	O
Another	O
Story	O
"	O
,	O
consisting	O
of	O
plot-based	O
minigames	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
art	O
gallery	O
featuring	O
concept	O
art	O
(	O
characters	O
,	O
vehicles	O
,	O
weapons	O
,	O
levels	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
port	O
was	O
announced	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
development	O
but	O
was	O
never	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2006	O
,	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
included	O
alongside	O
its	O
arcade	O
sequels	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
Anthology	I-Application
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
,	O
PC	B-Device
in	O
2009	O
(	O
as	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
PC	B-Device
)	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
in	O
2020	O
by	O
Limited	O
Run	O
Games	O
,	O
being	O
an	O
emulated	O
iteration	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	O
original	O
without	O
additional	O
game	O
modes	O
or	O
content	O
featured	O
in	O
previous	O
home	O
releases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1	O
for	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
being	O
re-released	O
by	O
D4	O
Enterprise	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2010	O
,	O
a	O
version	O
by	O
M2	O
for	O
the	O
NEOGEO	B-Device
Station	I-Device
service	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
SNK	O
Playmore	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
a	O
wireless	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
by	O
DotEmu	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
is	O
available	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
20	O
pre-loaded	O
games	O
with	O
the	O
Neo	B-Architecture
Geo	I-Architecture
X	I-Architecture
and	O
was	O
also	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
25th	O
Anniversary	O
Humble	O
Bundle	O
,	O
released	O
in	O
2015	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hamster	O
Corporation	O
re-released	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
between	O
December	O
2016	O
and	O
March	O
2017	O
under	O
their	O
Arcade	B-Application
Archives	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
recently	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
international	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
mini	O
,	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
Arcade	I-Application
Stick	O
Pro	O
plug	B-Device
and	I-Device
play	I-Device
game	I-Device
device	O
and	O
the	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
MVSX	O
table	O
top	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
garnered	O
positive	O
response	O
upon	O
its	O
initial	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
,	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
versions	O
hold	O
a	O
84.50	O
%	O
,	O
68.33	O
%	O
and	O
80%	O
respectively	O
on	O
the	O
review	O
aggregator	O
GameRankings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Famitsu	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
SNK	O
Best	O
Collection	O
"	O
re-release	O
of	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
sold	O
over	O
8.064	O
copies	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	B-Device
port	O
sold	O
156,631	O
digital	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
heavily	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
unfair	O
difficulty	O
and	O
one-hit	O
deaths	O
,	O
remarking	O
that	O
playing	O
through	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
requires	O
an	O
inordinate	O
amount	O
of	O
quarters	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Neo	B-Application
Geo	I-Application
AES	I-Application
version	O
's	O
lack	O
of	O
an	O
option	O
for	O
limited	O
continues	O
means	O
players	O
of	O
all	O
skill	O
levels	O
can	O
complete	O
it	O
in	O
a	O
single	O
sitting	O
,	O
with	O
no	O
motivation	O
to	O
play	O
again	O
or	O
improve	O
one	O
's	O
skill	O
at	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePros	O
Major	O
Mike	O
agreed	O
that	O
the	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
version	O
suffers	O
from	O
low	O
longevity	O
,	O
with	O
too	O
few	O
levels	O
and	O
a	O
complete	O
lack	O
of	O
replay	O
value	O
,	O
and	O
also	O
criticized	O
the	O
slowdown	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
Mike	O
approved	O
of	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
music	O
,	O
and	O
arsenal	O
of	O
weapons	O
,	O
and	O
summarized	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
soldier-slamming	O
,	O
side-scrolling	O
,	O
tour	O
de	O
force	O
that	O
dwarfs	O
recent	O
side-scrolling	O
Neo	O
shoot-em-ups	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
strongest	O
platform	O
offerings	O
like	O
Cyber-Lip	B-Application
and	O
Top	O
Hunter.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
conclusion	O
,	O
Knight	O
regarded	O
the	O
title	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
side-scrolling	O
shooters	O
on	O
Neo	B-Operating_System
Geo	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
port	O
was	O
well	O
received	O
for	O
being	O
a	O
faithful	O
arcade	O
conversion	O
but	O
critics	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
not	O
work	O
without	O
the	O
1MB	O
RAM	O
expansion	O
cartridge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
reviewer	O
from	O
Next	O
Generation	O
reviewed	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
port	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
end	O
,	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
is	O
not	O
a	O
game	O
players	O
will	O
really	O
obsess	O
over	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Readers	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
Magazine	O
voted	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
iteration	O
an	O
8.6305	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
score	O
,	O
ranking	O
at	O
the	O
number	O
185	O
spot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
reviewer	O
of	O
NowGamer	O
criticized	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
conversion	O
for	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
replay	O
value	O
aside	O
from	O
Combat	O
School	O
mode	O
,	O
however	O
he	O
praised	O
the	O
gameplay	O
for	O
being	O
fun	O
in	O
short-term	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
was	O
re-released	O
on	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
in	O
2008	O
,	O
IGNs	O
Lucas	O
M	O
.	O
Thomas	O
scored	O
it	O
8.5	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
and	O
awarding	O
it	O
an	O
"	O
Editor	O
's	O
Choice	O
"	O
badge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
praising	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
,	O
Whitehead	O
was	O
critical	O
of	O
the	O
port	O
,	O
criticizing	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
support	O
for	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
,	O
in	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Slide	O
To	O
Plays	O
Andrew	O
Podolsky	O
commended	O
the	O
iOS	B-Application
release	O
for	O
being	O
an	O
enjoyable	O
and	O
fast-paced	O
arcade	O
shooter	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
its	O
visual	O
presentation	O
,	O
but	O
recommended	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
3	I-Application
instead	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
more	O
simple	O
,	O
shorter	O
and	O
lack	O
the	O
gameplay	O
features	O
compared	O
with	O
later	O
entries	O
in	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
148Appss	O
Carter	O
Dotson	O
heavily	O
criticized	O
the	O
iOS	B-Application
version	O
for	O
its	O
control	O
scheme	O
but	O
praised	O
its	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
replay	O
value	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
Lifes	O
Damien	O
McFerran	O
praised	O
its	O
graphics	O
and	O
humor	O
,	O
although	O
McFerran	O
noted	O
that	O
its	O
overall	O
simplicity	O
compared	O
to	O
later	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
series	O
may	O
be	O
seen	O
as	O
a	O
shortcoming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
spawned	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
six	O
sequels	O
,	O
a	O
remake	O
and	O
four	O
spin-offs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Marco	O
Rossi	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
tag-team	O
fighting	O
game	O
NeoGeo	B-Application
Battle	I-Application
Coliseum	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
developers	O
have	O
also	O
created	O
games	O
similar	O
to	O
Metal	B-Application
Slug	I-Application
such	O
as	O
Demon	B-Application
Front	I-Application
,	O
CT	B-Application
Special	I-Application
Forces	I-Application
,	O
Alien	B-Operating_System
Hominid	I-Operating_System
,	O
Commando	B-Application
:	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
Disaster	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Mercenary	B-Application
Kings	I-Application
.	O
</s>
