The finest Metal Slug of the SNK era. Insane missions, demented bosses, enemy and vehicle variety and progressive difficulty make Metal Slug 3 the peak of arcade run-and-gun. A masterpiece of frantic action, still unrivalled in its genre on PS2.
Your verdict
Category
Action2 players12+
Co-op
Description
An SNK Playmore console edition released in 2003 (Korea, Europe, Japan), a port of the arcade Metal Slug 3 (2000) widely considered the peak of the series. Sprawling stages with multiple paths, deliriously mutated enemies (giant catfish, mummies, zombies) and extraterrestrial final bosses. An absolute reference of the run-and-gun.
Metal Slug 3 review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Pixel art of extraordinary finesse, hilarious animation and backdrops teeming with detail: every screen overflows with life and humour. The graphic density and the readability of the action stand as an absolute benchmark of the run-and-gun. This virtuosity of hand drawing has never been equalled on the platform.
An anthology of a cult run-and-gun, the compilation gathers nervy military themes blending rock, jazz and supercharged fanfares. Each mission pulses with a frantic energy perfectly in tune with the on-screen chaos. This sonic generosity, retro and rousing, brings back all the panache of the SNK series.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Often considered the peak of the series, this entry multiplies branching paths, lunatic transformations and oversized bosses in a permanent firework. The wealth of situations and the finesse of the 2D animation command admiration. Frantic, funny and inexhaustible, especially with two players, an exceptional run-and-gun that never wavers.
The European release of Metal Slug 3, the peak of SNK's run-and-gun brought to PS2, praised for its teeming pixel art, branching paths and two-player chaos, much sought since the Neo Geo's end. Less common than the big PS2 runs, its interest lies in the series' prestige and a lasting demand among arcade fans rather than mere regional scarcity, making it a coveted piece.
Better with friends
An explosive run-and-gun where two soldiers barrel in side by side through a deluge of enemies, vehicles and colorful explosions. The cooperation is a delight: covering each other, sharing scooped-up weapons and taking turns in the thick of it turns the chaos into a gleeful team act. Packed with humor and surprises, it chains laughter and heroic deaths you restart together at once.
Is Metal Slug 3 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2004 on PS2, SNK's port of the arcade run and gun is often cited as the peak of the series. The pixel art animation, of exceptional finesse and humour, brims with detail and comical death animations that are the very salt of the genre. The alternate paths, the delirious transformations and the profusion of enemies and vehicles sustain a jubilant chaos. The formidable difficulty, cut for the arcade, rests on memorisation and two player co-op. A timeless classic of nervous shooting, recommended for fans of pixel art and of old school challenge who relish dense, readable spectacle on screen.
