Metal Slug X is the enhanced version of Metal Slug 2 with new enemies, weapons and enriched gameplay elements. Frenzied run and gun with incomparably handcrafted sprite beauty. Difficult but fair, exhilarating and visually splendid. One of the finest run and gun games ever made.
Your verdict
Category
Action2 players12+
Co-op
Description
Western sequel to Metal Slug 2 refined and fixed by SNK, an arcade run and gun where Marco and Tarma joined by Eri and Fio fight the Morden army and the Martians. Created by SNK, released in 2001 in the United States and Europe under the Metal Slug X title. Six refined side-scrolling missions, new Martian enemies, over fifteen weapons, simultaneous two-player cooperative mode and arcade soundtrack. Western edition under the Metal Slug X title.
The most accomplished version of the second Metal Slug, reworked for balance and held by many as the series' peak. Its modest Western runs make it one of the most expensive run-and-guns on the console, sought by fans of pixel art and scoring. Its desirability rests on this benchmark reputation paired with a concrete scarcity on the PAL and American market.
Memorable bosses
A polished take on a classic, this vintage ups the ante with even wilder bosses, from the flying battleship to Martian saucers that twist the war toward the fantastical. Sergeant Allen O'Neil resurfaces as an unkillable rival, hilarious and tough. The teeming animation and inventive patterns confirm a peak of arcade run-and-gun, intense and exhilarating.
Better with friends
A peak of cooperative run-and-gun, more generous in weapons, settings and deranged bosses to face two-player. Teamwork stays the engine: covering each other, getting back up and coordinating your fire turns the journey into an intense shared adventure. Packed with detail and dark humor, it rewards complicity with epic moments, and every run cleared together leaves a sense of shared triumph.
Is Metal Slug X still worth playing in 2026?
Metal Slug X is the enhanced version of Metal Slug 2 with new enemies, weapons and enriched gameplay elements. Frenetic run and gun with magnificently artisanal sprites, SNK's title is widely considered one of the series' best, fixing most of Metal Slug 2's slowdowns and adding memorable night sections. An absolute peak today.
