In January, we participated in the test of Metal Slug: Awakening. This brand-new Metal Slug mobile game is authorized by SNK and developed by Tencent’s TiMi Studio. Its closed beta test began January 5th and ends February 4th.
Compared with the original series, the mobile game has changed from the original pixel art to 3D graphics and has done an excellent job in optimization for mobile platforms. It also reproduced many classic levels from the previous Metal Slug works while enriching the gameplay with several new game modes.
In the beginning, players will experience the World Adventure mode. We quickly noticed that the opening in this mode is a reproduction of Mission 1 in Metal Slug 2, as the protagonist goes through some shelters. At the end of this level, the boss enemy looks similar to the VTOL bomber in Metal Slug 2’s Mission 1.
The opening of Metal Slug: Awakening is a recreation of Metal Slug 2’s Mission 1, and so is the boss fight.
As for the optimization, TiMi Studio has carried out wonderful performance improvements based on the features of mobile platforms. Players can dodge with almost no delay on their phones, and by doing this, the fluidity of an arcade-style game can be fully realized.
There are also a bunch of features that allow players to interact with the maps, such as driving vehicles and rescuing captives.
The background music and sound effects aren’t very different from the classic Metal Slug 2. The phrase "Mission Complete" after passing a level, or "Heavy Machine Gun" when players get the H bomb, gives players a fun little taste of nostalgia.
Metal Slug: Awakening has made further innovations on the basis of classic-level reproduction. Hot Pursuit is a series of challenging levels that incorporate Roguelike elements. Every time a player successfully passes a level, they can get one of three random ability enhancements, which helps players create a unique combat style.
Hot Pursuit is a series of challenging levels that incorporate Roguelike elements. (Gameplay screenshot by Banden)
In Joint Operation, players can also form a team of three and cooperate with each other for a limited time.
An easter egg of Marco Rossi in Metal Slug: Awakening
There are some fun easter eggs in the levels. For example, the main character Marco Rossi will gain weight after eating a lot of food; stand next to a miner and keep still for a certain period of time, and the miner will dig out a gem for you. These interesting easter eggs also originated from the Metal Slug arcade games and are sure to surprise and delight fans of the series as they play.