It feels like there’s little to no wasted time in Metal Slug. Every bit of every level, every room, feels like it’s offering something new, a different layout that is constantly testing you in a new way. No redundant hallways of the same guys that blur together and go on too long. I’ve heard some people be critical of the enemy variety but between the different tanks, planes, helicopters, bosses, and just how much the soldiers can do (darting at you, knifing, tackling you, throwing grenades at random times and angles, using a shield to stop shots that force you to get close or wait, jumping on your Slug to slow you down so you have to shake them off, dropping mines, getting under cover) I don’t think it lacks variety at all, quite the opposite. I also appreciate how the spectacle rarely takes control out of your hands and is integrated into gameplay. Destroying buildings and parts of the environment is something you do yourself on your own terms, and it can have interesting effects on the level design. The levels themselves just generally have a great degree of interactivity and is always giving you something to do or think about.

While Metal Slug is mostly about routing and deciding where/when to use resources, there’s a good bit of randomness, especially in the bosses. They’ll actually do different attacks depending on your position but throw little curveballs a decent amount. It means, at least for most of them, you can never get too comfortable, and it also helps make the fights feel more dynamic and the bosses more alive.

If I had any criticism for Metal Slug, it’s that the scoring doesn’t feel that thought out. Actually playing for it isn’t fun because it relies on long, boring milking strategies and there’s not much of a tangible benefit to it because it doesn’t give you any extends. But it also doesn’t get in the way so it’s very inoffensive. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t always like going for the 10 prisoner bonus.

Metal Slug is a top tier run and gun and top tier arcade game that is at the perfect length. Anyone who likes games like these should play it if they already haven’t.