Combat School (Cynthia)

The Combat School is a special mode present in Metal Slug 7 and Metal Slug XX. Cynthia is the instructor for both games.

Enrollment and Discharge

Unlike previous Combat Schools, the player is automatically enrolled to the school. The player cannot enter their own name nor information. The player also cannot discharge from the school unless they delete their data.

Once enrolled, the player can either enter a challenge or have a full conversation with Cynthia. Holding X (DS), Y (Xbox 360/One) or Triangle (PSP/PS4) hides the first menu/conversation dialogue box.

Challenges

The player tackles a set of challenges from a specific mission. Depending on their performance, they earn a rank (S, A, B, and C) and points depending on the rank. The points are locked to the challenge and are given to their maximum amount. Incomplete missions are colored grey, complete missions are green, and S-ranked missions are gold.

When starting a new game, the Mission 1 challenges are unlocked by default; the rest appear once each mission in the Main Mission are completed. Likewise, the Survival Mode of Metal Slug XX is unlocked by beating all missions in one go on Normal or Hard (deaths and continues notwithstanding).

Target Elimination

The player is tasked to clear the entire mission. In types A and B, they are given the ability to hold infinite ammo.

• Type A: Given three lives to complete the mission. An S Rank requires no deaths.
• Type B: Under one life, they must clear the mission as fast as possible.
• Type C: Same as Type B, however the player can only use their handgun, grenades, and special attack.

Base Assault

The player is dropped in the boss arena and is tasked to destroy the mission's boss. In types A and B, they are given the ability to hold infinite ammo.

• Type A: Given three lives to destroy the boss. An S Rank requires no deaths.
• Type B: Under one life, they must destroy the boss as fast as possible.
• Type C: Same as Type B, however the player can only use their handgun, grenades, and special attack.

For Base Assault 6C, due to the ruling that only handguns, grenades, and special attacks can be used, the player fights the Rebel Gigant on foot rather than on the Slug Gigant, placing the player at a major disadvantage.

POW Rescue and Item Collection

The player is tasked to rescue the maximum amount of P.O.W.s or collect almost to every item (including weapons) in the mission. Some P.O.W.s and items are hidden within the background. The challenge ends before entering the boss arena.

Item Collection challenges are exclusive to Metal Slug 7.

Survival

Exclusive to Metal Slug XX, the player is tasked to complete the entire game under one life under new rules:

• The player is given infinite ammo for any weapon they grab.
• The player keeps their current weapon and grenade/fire bomb supply when moving to the next mission.
• With the exception of the Slug Gigant, no Slugs are present.
• The Enemy Chaser, Zantetsu Sword, and the Thunder Shot are unavailable.
• The player cannot stock two weapons at once, revert their weapon to the standard pistol, nor toss the weapon away.
• All characters lack their special abilities.

The further the player travels the more points they earn, but giving the final blow to the Kraken guarantees the maximum amount of 700 points (the same amount as the seven Item Collection challenges from 7).

Once reaching the Super Devil (GS) rank, a red Mobile Satellite hovers over the player. The red MOBS has infinite ion bolts but will self destruct permanently (within a playthrough) after collecting a special weapon.

Special Training

The player is tasked with unique challenges set in specific locations. The challenges are as follows:

	1A: Dodge the falling garbage within the time limit.
	1B: Quickly destroy all of the garbage.
	1C: Collect the items (including the weapons) inside the garbage. Despite what Cynthia says, time is not a factor on getting a higher rank.
	2A: Quickly destroy the MH-6S Masknells.
	2B: Shoot the balls into the two minecarts. Constantly shooting the minecart removes it for a few seconds. In XX, there are fewer balls.
	2C: Transport the ball across the railway system and let it land on an empty minecart. In XX, the character shoots the ball with the Slug Trolley.
	2D: Shoot the minecart to catch the falling balls. Using a bomb on the minecart moves it farther. In 7, a coin pops out a few seconds before the ball appears.
	3A: Keep the ball on air until the lift moves all the way up the incline. Laser Drones occasionally cling to the lift to disrupt progress.
	3B: Shoot or punch the lift to move it. Any maggots on the lift slows it down.
	3C: Survive the elevation. The lift slows down when Rebel soldiers and Laser Drones are on it.
	3D: Destroy as much maggots as possible. Knife attacks gives higher points than shooting them.
	4A: Collect the falling fish. Contact with the mushrooms reverses the players controls.
	4B: Keep the balls on air.
	4C: Kill the Man Eaters, Chariot hives, and Flying Killers using only melee attacks.
	5A: Destroy the Pods.
	5B: Keep the ball on air while keeping aware of the Rebels and their vehicles.
	5C: Earn many points in the time limit by staying on air.
	6A: Survive the onslaught while in the Slug Gigant while eliminating the Rebel forces. Shooting the aircraft with the Vulcan gives more points than slamming them with the claws.
	6B: Eliminate as many Rebels within the time limit while jumping off the sinking snow. The player turns into a snowman when fully submerged. Melee attacks gives greater points than using a weapon. In XX, the Future Rebels are the targets.
	6C: Dodge the sled. More points are given depending how close to the sled the player is prior jumping. In XX, three sleds have to be jumped over.
	6D: Similar to 6A, except the Slug Gigant lacks its Vulcan and shockwave cannons. Stomps are needed to remove the Rebel soldiers.
	7A: Cross the obstacle course. In XX, the player starts closer to the lava, and mushrooms jump at the gaps.
	7B: Destroy the Rebel forces while keeping check on the sinking floor. In XX, the time limit is lowered, and a different enemy set is present.
	7C: Collect the items while keeping check on the sinking floor. Touching the frog makes the player automatically jump three times. In XX, exploding mines and mushrooms are also present.

Maximum Point Rundown

Challenge	Type	M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6	M7
Target Elimination	A	110	110	110	110	120	120	120
	B	140	140	140	140	180	180	180
	C	200	200	200	200	200	200	200
POW Rescue		100	100	100	100	100	100	100
Item Collection (7 Only)		100	100	100	100	100	100	100
Base Assault	A	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
	B	120	120	120	120	120	120	140
	C	180	180	180	180	180	180	200
Special Training	A	100	100	100	100	100	100	120
	B	100	100	100	100	100	100	120
	C	100	100	100	100	100	100	120
	D	-----	100	100	-----	-----	100	-----
Survival (XX Only)		700

Ranking Table

Points in bold changes Cynthia's behavior and dialogue towards the player. Hitting the GA rank grants the option to marry Cynthia, but her overall dialogue (from the LCL rank) is unaffected by either decision.

RANK	MS7	MSXX
Recruit	0	0
PVT	20	200
PFC	40	400
CPL	100	800
SGT	200	1,200
SSG	400	1,600
PSG	700	2,000
MSG	1,000	2,400
SGM	1,300	2,900
W01	1,600	3,400
CWO	2,000	3,900
2LT	2,400	4,400
LT	2,900	4,900
CAP	3,400	5,400
MAJ	4,000	5,900
LCL	4,600	6,400
COL	5,400	6,900
BG	6,200	7,400
MG	7,100	7,900
LG	8,000	8,400
GEN	8,900	8,900
GA	10,000	9,300
GS		10,000

Trivia

• Special Training 3D's area is the only location not to appear in Metal Slug 7's Main Mission. Said area is incorporated in Metal Slug XX as Mission 1's alternate route.
• Similarly, Special Training 5A is the only place where the player can use the Slugnoid Type-B in Metal Slug XX. The Slugnoid Type-B was originally located in Mission 4's Man Eater section in 7 before being replaced by the Ostrich Slug in XX.
• In several base assault missions, there is a really quick way to destroy a boss if you choose Leona: keep pressing the bomb-throwing button while repeating the special attack fast. The former skips the waiting time of the latter, making rapid repetition of this powerful move possible.