Earlier this year, SNK Corporation’s Chairman, GE Zhihui, announced the development of a brand-new Metal Slug entry for consoles. Little else has been said of the project since then, but at least fans of the long-running franchise now have some idea of when the title will launch. The action-shooter will come to consoles on an unspecified date this year.
SNK Executive Director Se-Hwan Jeon recently announced the news. In doing so, the mobile game’s progress received an update of its own. It’s a 2D side-scrolling card-style project, set to launch as early as this year. This particular title, which has reached 80 percent completion, will roll out on mobile via Android and iOS platforms. Furthermore, SNK’s Metal Slug mobile game is completely unrelated to the mobile adventure that’s currently in the works at Tencent.
Historically run and gun games, Metal Slug as a series dates back more than 20 years. Its first launch, simply dubbed Metal Slug, hit the Neo Geo MVS arcade system in 1996. The rung and gun title eventually made its way to a variety of home consoles, including PlayStation 1, PS2, and the PS4 via Metal Slug Anthology’s 2016 port.
Since the early days, the Metal Slug franchise has experimented with other genres. For example, a third-person title, Metal Slug 3D, released exclusively in Japan in the mid-2000s. A tower defense game, aptly titled Metal Slug Defense, hit mobile platforms in 2014, before being ported to PC via Steam in 2015. The strategy entry gained enough momentum to at least warrant the release of a sequel, Metal Slug Attack.
