Metal Slug

The 1996 Neo Geo arcade game that launched the franchise. Soldiers Marco and Tarma infiltrate General Morden's coup army to rescue captured hostages. The iconic SV-001 "Metal Slug" tank is mountable and devastatingly powerful, but easily destroyed. The limited-ammo arsenal spans the Heavy Machine Gun, rockets, flame thrower, and shotgun. Metal Slug is celebrated for its extraordinarily fluid pixel animation, exaggerated enemy reactions, and densely hidden secrets, and it set the visual benchmark for 2D action shooters in the 1990s, establishing the style and tone that defined every sequel to follow.