Metal Slug 3

by Snk Playmore U.S.A.

Product Features

• Collect weapons and shoot it out with 20 single-player missions, across 5 deadly multiplayer maps
• Fight the forces of evil in South American deserts, underwater bio-labs and other exotic locales
• Journey into outer space to encounter the vile mastermind Morden in his stronghold, facing zombies, giant crabs and other freakish monsters
• Use all kinds of intense weaponry - Everything from handguns and grenades to power-up guns and cannons
• Find alternate routes and new stages with Crossroad Entrances on each level

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001HAI3G
• Item Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: May 25, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,938 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Metal Slug 3 In the latest installment of the Metal Slug saga, this shooter takes you into a mystery as monsters are sighted and livestock disappear. Join Tarma, Eri and Fio in an battle that builds in momentum to incredible violence and blazing firepower! Control a wide range of attack vehicles -- from the Metal Slug itself to the Camel Slug, Rebel Armor, Ostrich Slug and more

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, May 12, 2004

By 

Tarma (jax florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Slug 3 (Video Game)

Finally metal slug 3 is getting an affordable state-side release. its been available on th aes for quite some years now. 5 has just been released. its a straight up port of the arcade version with minor tweaks. its going to have added levels and newer music. As usual you star as either Tarma, Marco, Fio or Eri. It has many fun old levels with many new ones. the gameplay is as solid as it ever has been and just as fun. the braching paths let you play through the same level a different way. again its the co-op that makes the game truly awesome. teamin up and kickin butt in all its glory. you cant go wrong with this game.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly the old-school thrill we've all been looking for..., June 27, 2004

By 

Asher Lawson (Old Saybrook, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Slug 3 (Video Game)

"Modern" games have reached, of late, a level of complexity both admirable and dreadful. The obvious effort and attention to detail required to produce such titles is worthy of respect, but also of criticism. Many of the current chic trappings with which newer games are adorned lead only to, or are in themselves, distractions. An involving and complex story line, highly-detailed graphics and sound, elaborate controls and objectives - all of these are positive and rewarding, but also lead to a less visceral, less pure experience. They are, in some measure, less game-like.

As a result, it is a great relief to know that straightforward, old-school games like Metal Slug 3 are still available on mainstream systems.

Metal Slug 3 can be summed up, like the rest of the series, very simply: You shoot stuff. As an essentially traditional shooter, with both side-scrolling and top-down levels, any gamer can jump right in without instruction. Waves of comical enemies assault you in various ways, and you are tasked with eradicating them using a variety of amusing weapons and vehicles, from a basic handgun to a laser, from a camel to a helicopter - it's a time-worn game play concept with which everyone is familiar. However, as it is a traditional shooter, no one can master all the levels easily. As you advance through the levels, or 'Missions' as they're styled in the game, the action becomes faster and more complicated, and more frustrating as well. Unlike many other games, though, it is a pure kind of frustration that only a traditional, over-the-top arcade game can deliver, and it feels satisfying. Never is the player truly discouraged from conquering the game; he is only spurred to improve his coordination and planning until victory, which any dedicated player will inevitably achieve. In this way, Metal Slug 3 is an incredibly rewarding game, never feeling hopeless, but never feeling cheap. The deceptively simple dodge-and-shoot game play is wonderfully fun, always keeping the pace and never getting boring.

Now, by styling Metal Slug as a simpler, no-frills game when compared to other X-Box titles, am I advocating backward evolution? Hardly! Everything Metal Slug does, it excels at. The graphics, while 2D , are beautifully realized. The sprite animations are smooth and detailed, and possessed of their own character and emotion. The weapons each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and their own fun effects, and the game offers plenty of opportunity to mess around with them. The sounds are of a lower quality than you'd expect from a CD-based title, but there's charm in that as well: the game retains 100% of its character in the translation from the Neo Geo arcade system to the X-Box.

Control is simple, there is a primary fire and a secondary fire button, jump, and movement is accomplished with either the left thumb stick or the D-pad. The simplicity of the control, combined with the simplicity of the concept and the ferocity of the action can't be beaten.

A single gripe: X-Box Live wasn't really utilized effectively, which is a shame. The potential for wild four-player Live action is there, but the developers settled for a simple high-score ladder, which is amusing in it's own way, but not what it could have been. This small letdown in no way detracts from the fun quotient of the game, however, it simply represents a missed opportunity for an amusing bonus.

Though a relatively new game by genre standards, Metal Slug 3 is a purebred return to the fast-paced, white-knuckled, high-score obsessed days of arcade craziness that once were, and I couldn't be happier for it. Here's to enthusiastically awaiting 4&5, due out later this year.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great 2D Shooter For Oldschool Gamers, June 7, 2004

By 

Sinless Knight "S. Knight" (Virginia Beach, VA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metal Slug 3 (Video Game)

If you are the owner of an SNK neo-geo system, then chances are you've either owned, played, or spotted some of the earlier installments of Metal Slug in some shape or form (if not this one). To those who haven't, just look at it as being SNK's answer to Konami's "Contra." SNK has finally decided to port one of their 2d classics over to the xbox gaming console.

The player is given the option of choosing one of four characters (two males and two females) to drag along into battle through five immense stages. Five immense solid 2d stages. No 3D (2.5D) influences whatsoever. This is classic 2d shooting at it's finest.

The player can choose to go into battle alone (one player game) or can also have a friend tag along (two player game with shared continues) for an even greater challenge. During gameplay, the player/s will collect several crucial weapons (firearms) to help them through battle. Rescue fellow hostages and be rewarded with vital items (rescuing hostages also adds to bonus points once having finished completing a stage).

The game's difficulty is tough (I must admit) it's no cake-walk. Player's may find themselves constantly replaying certain stages in order to complete. Since the game does force the player/s to restart the stage he/she die on all over again from scratch when they've lost all their lives (no checkpoints) even if the player/s have continues left. This may come as an annoyance to some, given the fact that continues are limited. However, there is a save feature which lets players replay stages over (stages they've completed in general) so if all continues are lost, they can replay the stage they were just on from the title screen.

Metal Slug 3 offer replay value in the sense that when having finished completing a game mode, others will soon be accessable. Why only four stars? It all comes down to the simple fact that Metal Slug 3 isn't a game for everyone. Fans of high polygon-count titles, tremendous graphics, etc., may not find themselves at home. Metal Slug is a game that's mainly aimed towards the oldschool 2d veterans of fast-actioned arcade platformers. Classic 2d shooter at it's best. Just don't expect to be too blown away.