is a run and gun

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

developed by

SNK Playmore is a Japanese video gaming and interactive entertainment company. It was founded in 1978 as by Eikichi Kawasaki and began by developing arcade games. SNK is known for its Neo Geo arcade system on which the company established many franchises ...

for the

Nintendo DS The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...

. It is the seventh and final title in the main ''

Metal Slug is a Japanese multimedia franchise and run and gun video game series originally created by Nazca Corporation before merging with SNK in 1996 after the completion of the first game in the series. Spin-off games include a third-person shoo ...

'' series. It marks the first game in the main series that would be released without an arcade version. The game was released in 2008 for Japan on July 22 and North America on November 28 by

Ignition Entertainment Ignition Entertainment Limited, doing business as UTV Ignition Games, was a video game publisher of Indian media conglomerate UTV Software Communications. After The Walt Disney Company acquired UTV Software Communications as a wholly owned subs ...

Story

Several years following the events of '' Metal Slug 4'', '' 5'', and '' 3D'', the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force, the SPARROWS, and the

Ikari Warriors ''Ikari Warriors'', known as in Japan, is a vertically scrolling run and gun video game released for arcades by SNK in 1986. It was published in North America by Tradewest. At the time there were many ''Commando'' clones on the market. What d ...

are once again on a search for General Morden and his army, this time on a giant island landfill that has been converted into a military fortress, in order to stop his latest coup d'état. After having his newest weapon crushed by the heroes, Morden receives unexpected help when a time portal opens up and high-tech soldiers from the future appear to pledge their support. With their advanced technology, Morden is able to further fortify his base, but the heroes push forward despite the incredible odds. At the very end, the heroes are able to destroy the time portal and cut off the Rebel Army's suppliers. Morden escapes in a giant mechanical

Kraken The kraken (, from , "the crookie") is a legendary sea monster of enormous size, per its etymology something akin to a cephalopod, said to appear in the Norwegian Sea off the coast of Norway. It is believed that the legend of the Kraken may h ...

and confronts them over a lake of molten lava. After a long and arduous battle, Morden is defeated and his weapon begins to sink into the lava. The heroes capture Morden and escape via helicopter, but he escapes when the Martians attack the helicopter. The final scene shows the heroes chasing Morden and his men off into the sunset.

Gameplay

There are seven levels and three

difficulties Difficulty or Difficult may refer to: *A problem *Degree of difficulty, in sport and gaming *Counter-majoritarian difficulty The counter-majoritarian difficulty (sometimes ''counter-majoritarian dilemma'') is a perceived problem with judicial revi ...

: Beginner, Normal and Hard. ''Metal Slug 7'' uses the

touchscreen as a map of the level, making it easier for the player to look at the level and where to get

power ups In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chose ...

or captured prisoners. The usual weapons make their return from the series including a new weapon called "Thunder Shot", which fires a homing electric blast to the enemy.

Soundtrack

The music in the game was composed by Toshikazu Tanaka, following on from his work on '' Metal Slug 4'', ''

Metal Slug 5 is a Run and gun (video game), run and gun arcade game for the Neo Geo (console), Neo-Geo, created by SNK Playmore. It was released in 2003 for the MVS arcade platform and is the fifth game in the Metal Slug (series), ''Metal Slug'' series. The ...

'', and '' Metal Slug 3D''.

''Metal Slug XX''

A revised version of ''Metal Slug 7'', titled ''Metal Slug XX'', was released on December 23, 2009 in Japan and North America on February 23, 2010 by

Atlus USA is a Japanese video game developer, video game publisher, publisher, Arcade game, arcade manufacturer and distribution company based in Tokyo. A subsidiary of Sega, the company is known for the ''Megami Tensei'', ''Persona (series), Persona'' ...

for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

. This version of the game features additional content, including co-op multiplayer and downloadable content. ''Metal Slug XX'' was released on

Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (or XBLA) was a video game Digital distribution in video games, digital distribution service that was available for the Xbox (console), Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. It focused on smaller downloadable games from both major publisher ...

for

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...

on May 19, 2010; it was made backwards compatible on

Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...

on November 12, 2015. The

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

version came worldwide in May 2018. ''Metal Slug XX'' was released for

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

via

Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

in January 2019.

Reception

''Metal Slug 7'' and the PSP and Xbox 360 versions received "mixed or average reviews" according to the

review aggregation A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

. In Japan, ''

Famitsu , formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...

'' gave it a score of two sevens, one eight, and one six for the original ''Metal Slug 7'', and 29 out of 40 for the PSP version of ''Metal Slug XX''.

Notes

References

External links

Official website of ''Metal Slug 7''

Official website of ''Metal Slug XX''
* * * {{Metal Slug series 2008 video games Atlus games Crossover video games Metal Slug Nintendo DS games Noise Factory games PlayStation 4 games PlayStation Portable games Single-player video games SNK games SNK Playmore games UTV Ignition Games games Video games about time travel Video games developed in Japan Video games featuring female protagonists Video games set on fictional islands Windows games Xbox 360 Live Arcade games