Metal Slug 6(メタルスラッグ 6) is a run and gun video game for the Sammy Atomiswave arcade platform in the Metal Slug series. It was released in 2006. There was a PS2 port in September 14, 2006. It is also featured in Metal Slug Anthology for the Wii and Metal Slug Complete PC for the PC, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. Metal Slug 6 was the first main game in the franchise not to run on SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware.
Gameplay
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. However, the game roughly takes place between the events of Metal Slug 3 and Metal Slug 7. (7 takes place years after 4)
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 introduces a number of new Slugs (including a cart-toting Donkey Slug resembling a Zamburak, the subterranean Slug Digger, and a Slug Gunner Prototype) as well as a brand-new weapon, the Zantetsu "Z" Sword, which augments the player's melee weapon attack with lethal shock waves capable of neutralizing enemy fire.
New techniques are now present as well, activated through certain button combinations. Characters can now throw away one gun power-up's worth of ammunition, to give to the other player or simply discard altogether. A secondary melee attack is also available. 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 power-ups can now be carried at the same time. Players can switch between the two weapons, or simply put them both away in favor of the default weapon. When obtaining a new weapon power-up, 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 and destructible objects will drop coins for an extra high score.
Characters
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 Still 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. Fio is his saver if he is brainwashed.
- 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. (Vulcan Fix is where, by holding down the fire button while moving in a slug, the slug's standard weapon will lock in one direction.) Eri is his saver if he is brainwashed.
- Fio: Begins each mission 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%. Marco/Ralf are her savers if she is brainwashed.
- Eri: Receives twice as many grenades upon starting or resupplying. When throwing, she can aim in a specific direction. Tarma/Clark are her savers if she is brainwashed.
- 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. Lastly, he is the only character able to damage vehicles and larger enemies with his melee attacks.
- Clark: Gets an extra chance at start of respawn. He can perform his 'Super Argentine Backbreaker' against most non-vehicle enemies; using it on a vulnerable target grants him temporary invincibility during and after the move, while earning generous amounts of points that increase with each additional enemy thrown.
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.
The brainwashed character serves as the mid-boss in the final mission depends on the character Player 1's chosen.
New Slugs
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.
Donkey Slug: A donkey with a mounted vulcan cannon. Like all animal slugs, the donkey provides 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.
Slug Digger: A multi-purpose subterranean digger as well as a helicopter. 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 vehicles into the dirt. The players cannot get out of the slug, neither can they perform the metal slug attack with it. If the slug digger is destroyed, the player is killed. It is also armed with a mine launcher.
Slug Gunner Prototype: It is similar to the Slug Gunner from MS5, but it has no melee attack, it does not have tank mode, and the player is exposed to enemy attacks. Its vulcan cannon is more like that of the Metal Slug.
Rootmars: In the exploding section of the bridge in mission 4, crouch then move forward while crouching until the section of the bridge explodes. You will then find yourself in a lower part of the bridge, then go forward kill the flying venusians and you will be picked up by Rootmars, the Rootmars slug's cannon is Rootmars' electric brainwave useful for eradicate through hordes of enemies. It also has two vulcans the other one used for player 2.
Ports
The Japan-only PS2 version of Metal Slug 6 came with extra 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 soldiers and for the new aliens, their gore stays on the ground shortly before disappearing, similar to what Arabian and Chowmein-Conga.) Two cheats can also be unlocked: infinite ammunition and bombs.
- Combat School - A modified version of Arcade Mode where skills are tested.
- Records - a trophies page and a prisoners page showing items and people you have collected.
Metal Slug Anthology(named Metal Slug Complete or Metal Slug Collection in some regions) has Metal Slug 6 included on the disc. These compilations only carry part of those extra features the Playstation two version has.
Trivia
- This game is one of the series' installements to feature a cooperation between the protagonists and the antagonists, since Metal Slug 3.
- Metal Slug 6 is also, by far, the first game to feature 3 factions working together to repel or defeat another faction. In this case the Regular and Rebel Army siding once again, but this time with the Mars People as well against the Invaders.
- Metal Slug 6 is the first in the series to feature the character's with their own unique attributes.
- Metal Slug 6 is one of the installments to increase the number of playable characters since Metal Slug 2.
- This is the first Metal Slug installement where Eri and Fio keeps on their normal appearence
- Also from Metal Slug 6 to Metal Slug 7/XX the transformations are totally removed.
External links
- Metal Slug 6 at the official Japanese website of SNK Playmore
- Metal Slug 6 Atomiswave Video
Screenshots
Flyers and covers
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