One of the most technically impressive games on the entire NES. Gravity reversible at will, frantic action, stunning visuals. Little known outside Japan but absolutely remarkable. A hidden masterpiece.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Vertical shoot-'em-up in which the Metal Storm ship uses reversed gravity to dodge enemies. Published by Irem, released in Japan in 1991. Ship in top-down view able to reverse gravity to travel on the ceiling and imposing mechanical bosses. An absolute Irem technical masterpiece on Famicom.
Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Punishing"
Flip gravity at the press of a button: this brilliant mechanic turns every room into an action puzzle where ceiling and floor swap on the fly. Syncing your flips, dodging fire and reading lethal scenery demand reflexes as much as foresight. Inventive and demanding, this late Famicom gem rewards mastery with exhilarating flow.
The Japanese Famicom version of Irem's platformer 'Metal Storm', Japan-exclusive under that name and rarer boxed than the US version. The cart shares the same gravity-flip mechanic that made the US release a cult late classic, and the distinct Japanese cover sharpens interest in the local pressing. Intact boxed CIB has seen its cote climb sharply over the past decade.
An underrated gem
Flip gravity at the press of a button to walk on the ceiling: this Irem platformer builds its entire mechanic around that brilliant idea, smooth and exhilarating. Its late, limited release long kept it out of the spotlight. A little marvel of game design that fans of inventive platformers absolutely must try.
Is Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm still worth playing in 2026?
Juuryoku Soukou Metal Storm, known in the West as Metal Storm, is one of the most technically impressive games on the entire NES. The ability to flip gravity at will opens a new vertical dimension to 2D action, and Irem's title draws a game design of rare precision from it. Frantic action, stunning visuals for the console, memorable soundtrack. Overlooked at the time but now cult, recently re-released digitally. A hidden masterpiece to absolutely discover today.
