Metal Slug Ultimate Collection is bringing 10 games to consoles

SNK and M2 are releasing the Metal Slug Ultimate Collection in 2027, bringing ten games to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and the unannounced Nintendo Switch 2. The package includes mainline entries one through seven, Metal Slug X, the 2004 Game Boy Advance spinoff, and a previously unreleased arcade location test build. As previously reported, SNK is gearing up for a massive 30th anniversary push, and this compilation anchors the celebration.

The series started on the Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware in April 1996. Nazca Corporation, a team formed by former Irem developers who previously worked on GunForce, built a run-and-gun shooter around dark military comedy and fluid 60-frame-per-second animation. These games are the absolute high water mark of pixel artwork. Nobody else was drawing giant, screen-shaking war machines with this much obsessive detail, let alone animating comically expressive soldiers getting crushed by them. The Peregrine Falcon Squad's battle against General Morden's Rebel Army remains a visual spectacle three decades later.

Ten games and a mystery build

The announcement trailer confirms retro specialist M2 is handling the development. The Japanese studio is widely considered the gold standard for retro game preservation, having previously developed the Sega Ages line and Konami's Contra Anniversary Collection. They're adding modern conveniences like quick saves, rewinds, and online leaderboards to the entire package. The compilation also includes Combat School Mode, a returning feature that teaches basic controls and techniques through specific challenges.

The inclusion of the location test version is the biggest surprise. SNK has never officially released this build to the public, making it a genuine piece of preserved history rather than just another ROM dump. Metal Slug Advance is another welcome addition, rescuing a solid handheld spinoff from the soaring prices of the Game Boy Advance aftermarket. According to SNK, the package is designed for both newcomers and veterans, with extra modes like score attack and time attack to pad out the replayability.

Metal Slug difficulty

Metal Slug games are notoriously difficult. They were designed specifically to eat arcade tokens, throwing absurd amounts of enemy fire at the player in the later stages. Having unlimited continues and a rewind button will make the back half of Metal Slug 3 much more manageable. I'm curious to see how the online co-op handles the inevitable screen clutter when two players are spamming heavy machine gun fire at a boss over a network connection.

Mission Reboot

It's part of a broader 30th-anniversary campaign. SNK's anniversary portal outlines a series of community events, including an AR frame app and a global mosaic art project. The company is leaning heavily into the milestone, releasing vinyl soundtracks and limited edition apparel alongside the software.

The trailer ended with a brief teaser confirming a brand new mainline Metal Slug game is currently in development. SNK didn't provide a release window or platforms for the new title. A proper sequel would be the first traditional entry since Metal Slug 7 hit the Nintendo DS in 2008.