I recently did a review of another SNK game and I mentioned in the review that I’m amazed that we can squeeze the massive SNK arcade games onto a disc. Well now I’m even more surprised with Metal Slug 7. Not only does the game fit onto the tiny DS cards but this is a brand new game in the Metal Slug series. For old-school gamers this is an unbelievable combination that we never would have imagined back when the first Metal Slug game came out in the arcades. But how does this intense arcade 2D action shooter work on the DS?

For gamers that have never played Metal Slug before imagine an arcade shooter with a sense of humor that gives you a classic nerve-bending arcade experience. The humor is based on the animations and the over-the-top weapons and enemies you fight in the game. The action is as intense as any 2D shooter you might have played before that left you breathless when the screen fills with bullets or weapon fire. I always thought of Metal Slug as SNK’s version of Contra but with a sense of humor and with a cartoon-style visual flair.

My first comment about Metal Slug 7 is this game really does duplicate the same gameplay experience seen in the previous Metal Slug games. The screen might be smaller but the action is just as intense and breathtaking as an arcade game. Slug 7 tries not to compromise the gameplay because you’re playing on a DS. This game will keep your thumbs busy with the screen filling up with an insane amount of action at times.  All of the trademarks from the previous Slug games return from vehicles, POW’s to rescue to the insane animations of the enemy soldiers. Slug 7 stands out as a shining example of how to do a 2D side scrolling shooter for the DS.

Even though the gameplay is still the same classic style that is the trademark of a Metal Slug game some changes had to be made since this is a portable game. First off, the game is short: there are only seven missions in the game. You have nine continues you can use before the game is officially over. Secondly, the game saves your progress. You can resume at the last level you played or any of the previous stages already completed. This allows you to sit down and finish the game is a very short amount of time. The later stages are difficult but having nine continues and being able to start from any stage still gives you the upper hand. So while the gameplay is classic the difficulty is more modern, as in easier.

As far as other modes Metal Slug 7 is limited to just the single-player mode and the Combat School mode. Combat School can be described as a training mode without a tutorial. Each drill in Combat School is a mini mission that you have to finish with a certain criteria. For example, the Target Elimination missions have you tasked with taking out all of the enemies in the mission. The more enemies you take out the higher the score you will earn. Item Collection missions will have you collecting as many of the items dropped by the POWs or enemy soldiers.  The ultimate goal in Combat School is to earn enough points to go up in rank status from Recruit to General of the Army. Besides Combat School the game does offer a leader board for your scores in the single player game and a list of the POW’s you’ve saved as well.

Visually the game is just as beautiful and detailed as the classic Arcade versions. The only difference is the game is now on the tiny DS screens. Metal Slug 7 only takes up the top screen which can present a problem for the overall gameplay. The game will fill up with bullets, enemies and explosions which will make it hard to see everything happening. There is only so much real estate space available on the DS screen so when this game gets heated you will probably find yourself getting hit without any warning. But the game still looks incredible and I only noticed a few seconds of slow down when the action got really intense.

Metal Slug 7 is a SNK fans dream come true simply because we get a new game in the Metal Slug franchise. Granted many hardcore fans probably wish it would have come out for their Neo Geo home system but that isn’t practical anymore. Instead, we get a game that lives up to the Metal Slug standards, just adapted to a portable system. This means we get a save feature, plenty of continues and ultimately a shorter game. Even then Metal Slug 7 is still a gem for gamers that grew up playing the Metal Slug series years ago.

Gameplay: 8.5
Vintage 2D side-scrolling shooting action that will keep your thumbs burning to catch up with the action on the screen.

Graphics: 7.5
The visuals are just as breathtaking and detailed as any of the other Metal Slug games. Unfortunately seeing all of the action on the small screen is a challenge at times.

Sound: 7.0
The game even sounds like a classic Metal Slug game. The same vintage sounding over the top sound effects and voice-overs are still here.

Difficulty: Easy
If you want to make Metal Slug 7 more like an arcade game make sure to start off on Mission 1 every time.

Concept: 7.4
The game does try to throw in some new ideas for Metal Slug. The touch screen allows you to see a map of the level you’re on. Unfortunately stopping to move the map isn’t recommended since the enemies almost never stop coming. The Combat School mode allows you to talk, more like flirt, with your drill instructor by talking to her to get some personal information from her.

Multiplayer: N/A
Yes that is correct; no Multiplayer at all is included in Metal Slug 7.

Overall: 7.6
If you’re a Metal Slug fan you owe it to yourself not to miss Metal Slug 7. Almost everything about the game is a true 'Thank You letter to all of the fans that still cherish the series. If you’re a moderate fan of the series then you will still enjoy the game but probably be upset at how quickly the game is over. I say put it back in your DS and play it again. There is always something happening on the screen that you haven’t seen before, well at least not enough in my opinion.