Metal Slug 1st Mission Review (Nintendo Switch)

by Jim Smale · September 28, 2021

We take our Metal Slug 1st Mission Review all the way back to a time when METAL SLUG 1ST MISSION was first released in 1999 for the NEOGEO POCKET COLOR, with its sequel METAL SLUG 2ND MISSION hitting shelves in 2000.

Metal Slug 1st Mission Review Pros:

Decent pixel art graphics.
119MB download size.
Side-scrolling run and gun gameplay.
NEOGEO Pocket Colour version.
All presented as a playable NEOGEO Pocket Colour console on the screen.
Full touchscreen control.
You can actually play using just the buttons and d-pad of the NEOGEO Pocket.
Seven console skins, well six skins and one without.
Light and dark filters.
Manual rewind slider.
Zoom the screen in and out.
A beautiful game manual that acts as a tutorial.
Can rebind controls.
Five difficulties – kids, easy, normal, hard, and very hard.
Rescue POWs for bonus power-ups.
Food restores health.
Big boss battles.
Use many vehicles.
Multi-layered levels.
Arcade presentation.
Looks fantastic.
Four-way shooting control.
Supports analog and d-pad for movement.
Excellent animations.
Can quickly and easily swap between weapons and grenades.
In-game cutscenes.
Proper classic.

Metal Slug 1st Mission Review Cons:

A lot of slowdowns.
Only a handful of skins.
No online leaderboards.
Little replay value.
Controls are clunky in regards to tanks as you have the move turret and movement all on the same stick.
Difficult.
No history or bonus materials.

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