Metal Slug 6

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Metal Slug 6

Developer(s)	SNK Playmore
Publisher(s)	Sega
Release date(s)	February 24, 2006 (JP) 2006 (US)
Genre(s)	Run and gun
Mode(s)	Single player, 2 player Co-op
Platform(s)	Arcade
Input	8-way Joystick, 5 Buttons
Arcade cabinet	Upright
Arcade system(s)	Atomiswave, Playstation 2
Arcade display	Raster (Horizontal)

Metal Slug 6 (メタルスラッグ 6, Metal Slug 6^?) is a run and gun video game for the Sammy Atomiswave arcade platform. It was released in 2006 and is the latest game in the Metal Slug series. There was a PS2 port in September 19, 2006. It is also featured in Metal Slug Anthology for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. Metal Slug 6 is the first main game in the franchise not to run on SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware. Metal Slug 6 was advertised as the "Final Mission" on Japanese posters, which suggests this as the final game. However due to the series success it is unlikely.

Metal Slug 6 is both a departure and a return of sorts for the series. Whereas Metal Slug 4 dealt with technological and cybernetic themes and Metal Slug 5 possessed a paranormal motif, Metal Slug 6 returns to the Rebel-Martian alliance featured in Metal Slugs 2, X, and 3, but on a much broader scale. Rather than repeating the previous games' events of the Martians breaking the alliance and the Rebels assisting the player in turn, the player now teams up with the Rebels and Martians to combat an even greater threat.

Utilizing the power of the Atomiswave platform, SNK Playmore has added graphical effects like shadow and camera zoom, as well as some cleaning up and animation addition to some sprites. In addition to this visual update, the sounds of the announcer, soldiers and hostages have been re-done, and new sound effects and music are also present.

1 Gameplay
2 Characters & Abilities
3 New vehicles and Slugs
4 Ports
5 External links

[edit] Gameplay

There are now two modes of play the player can choose from right at the beginning: Easy and Hard. Easy mode lowers the difficulty of the game and changes the player's default weapon to the Heavy Machine Gun (that, like the pistol it replaces, has infinite ammo); however, the game ends just before the fifth and final mission. Also, when you continue after dying, you get a bomb icon instead of the Heavy Machine Gun icon

As with previous installments, Metal Slug 6 adds a number of new pseudo-vehicular Slugs (including a cart-toting Donkey Slug resembling a Zumbooruk, the subterranean Slug Digger, and a Slug Gunner Prototype) as well as a new weapon, the Zantetsu Sword [Z], which allows the player's melee weapon to emit lethal energy waves that are easily able to neutralize enemy firepower.

New techniques are now present as well, activated through certain button combinations. By pressing C and D simultaneously, characters can now throw away one gun powerup's worth of ammunition, to give to the other player or simply discard altogether. A and D, when pressed at the same time, call forth a secondary melee attack. Conversely, the sliding technique from Metal Slug 5 has been removed.

Metal Slug 6 introduces a new play mechanic dubbed the Weapon Stock System. Two gun powerups can now be carried at the same time. By pressing the Atomiswave's E Button, players can switch between the two weapons, or simply put them both away in favor of the default weapon. When obtaining a new weapon powerup, it will automatically occupy the inactive slot (or, if both are holstered, replace the less recent weapon of the two.)

The score is now multiplied by powers of 2. The faster the speed at which enemies are killed, the higher the power, as a meter at the bottom of the screen shows. When it says "Max" enemies will drop coins for an extra high score. It is quite helpful when progressing through the game.

[edit] Characters & Abilities

With the coming of Metal Slug 6, the number of playable characters has expanded for the first time since Metal Slug 2; the original team of Marco Rossi, Tarma Roving, Eri Kasamoto and Fio Germi is joined by newcomers Ralf Jones and Clark Steel of King of Fighters and Ikari Warriors fame.

As a series first, each playable character now possesses his or her own unique attributes. The amount of ammunition received from weapons, defensive ability of vehicles, and running speed vary from person to person, each of whom possess a special ability:

Marco: His default weapon (Pistol on Hard, Heavy Machine Gun on Easy) has twice the ordinary strength.
Tarma: While riding in or on a Slug, durability and the effects of power-ups are doubled; additionally, the vulcan cannon's power is increased by 50%. He also is capable of using Vulcan Fix when on or in any vehicle.
Fio: Begins each mission or extra life with the Heavy Machine Gun (on Easy mode, she begins with the Big Heavy Machine Gun from Metal Slug X and 3). Weapon supply is also increased by 50%.
Eri: Receives twice as many grenades upon starting or resupplying. When throwing, she can aim in a specific direction using the joystick.
Ralf: Melee attack speed is doubled, at the expense of weapon and grenade supplies being halved. He can also use the special Vulcan Punch attack, melee strikes capable of damaging vehicles. Can take two hits from most attacks before losing a life. Cannot be fought in the final mission.
Clark: Utilizes the Super Argentine Backbreaker, a special technique that, used properly, can net exorbitant sums of points. He also gains temporary invincibility while doing so. Cannot be fought in the final mission.

Vulcan Fix is activated by holding down the A button, which will fix the direction of the vulcan cannon while firing automatically. Ralf and Clark's special abilities are activated by holding UP on the joystick and pressing A and D simultaneously. When all 4 missions are completed on Easy mode the game says "To be continued", meaning that the game must be played on Hard mode to continue with the final mission.

[edit] New vehicles and Slugs

Both the Metal Slug, Type-R Metal Slug, Slug Flyer and a Slug Gunner prototype make an appearance in the game, as well as some new ones that become quite useful.

Donkey Slug: Basically a donkey mounted with a vulcan gun. Its similar to the camel slugs of Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug 3. Of course, like all animal slugs, the donkey provides absolutely no protection to the rider. Later on in the level, the Donkey Slug acquires a two-wheeled out-house cart mounted with a Metal Slug cannon that replaces the player's grenade with metal slug cannon shots, which supplies the rider with virtually a slower Metal Slug.

Slug Digger: A multi purpose subterranean digger as well as a copter, which makes it the third flying vehicle in the Metal Slug series. It has retractable drills on the left, right, and bottom sides, which are used to drill into the earth, and sports two vulcan cannons, which can also be used to drill through things by firing bullets into the dirt. The slug is used in the final mission to dig into the alien's lair. The players can't hop out of the slug, neither can they perform the metal slug attack with it. If the slug digger is destroyed, the player inside is killed and another slug digger comes down in its place, with the previously fallen player inside. Its cannon shot is a mine that stays in place until an enemy touches it or if it is shot.

[edit] Ports

The PS2 version of Metal Slug 6 came with features:

Art Gallery - Concept Art of Metal Slug 1 to 6.
Sound Gallery - Music from Metal Slug 1 to 6.
Game Options - Including difficulty, lives, and violence setting (on: red blood and gore for morden soldiers and for new aliens, their gore stays on the ground shortly before disappearing.) Two cheats can also be unlocked: Infinite ammunition and bombs.
Combat School - A modified version of Arcade Mode where skills are tested.

Metal Slug Anthology also boasts similar features, but does not have the Combat School.