With SNK still hard at work on the next proper Metal Slug, the company behind the NeoGeo has found a rather lovely way to celebrate 30 years of its famous run & gun series. Called Metal Slug Ultimate Collection, this new compilation gathers very nearly the whole history of the franchise in a single box, and throws in one especially rare curiosity: a Location Test version of the first Metal Slug, never officially released. Better still, SNK has teamed up with M2, the acknowledged specialists in arcade classic re-releases, to deliver something suited to players of today. Here's the lowdown.
Ten games, including one extremely rare build
SNK is announcing ten titles in total, with the mainline entries running from the first Metal Slug through to Metal Slug 7, plus Metal Slug Advance on Game Boy Advance. The full list is Metal Slug (1996), Metal Slug 2 (1998), Metal Slug X (1999), Metal Slug 3 (2000), Metal Slug 4 (2002), Metal Slug 5 (2003), Metal Slug Advance (2004), Metal Slug 6 (2006) and Metal Slug 7 (2008). But it's the tenth title that's likely to catch the eye of collectors and NeoGeo devotees: the Location Test version of Metal Slug, a development build that was never officially put on sale.
In the arcade world, a Location Test is a still-in-development version placed in a limited number of arcades to gather player feedback ahead of the final release. A full-scale beta, in other words. Until now, this version of the first Metal Slug was known only through a handful of screenshots and snippets published in magazines at the time. According to the details SNK has shared, this particular build stands out for gameplay restricted to the combat vehicle. A genuine historical curio that gives the compilation extra appeal for anyone who already knows the mainline games inside out.
So what else is in there?
Metal Slug Ultimate Collection will include several features aimed at making the experience more comfortable, notably quick save, quick load and rewind. Players will also be able to measure themselves against others via online leaderboards, while Score Attack and Time Attack modes will keep sessions going well beyond the original campaigns.
A Combat School mode is present too, to ease newcomers in. Already used in several entries in the series, it lets you get to grips with Metal Slug's controls and mechanics before tackling the franchise's notoriously demanding levels. Finally, the compilation will feature a substantial gallery mode with logos, artwork, documents and other material covering the various entries. Enough to turn this Ultimate Collection into a little museum dedicated to the series' 30 years.
SNK hasn't announced a price for the compilation yet, but we do know that Metal Slug Ultimate Collection lands in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
