Metal Slug

SNK's run-and-gun is one of the great arcade artifacts, and this is a games-only collection that stays loyal to a single, ferociously hand-drawn idea. Born on the Neo Geo in 1996, Metal Slug pairs frantic side-scrolling shooting with some of the most detailed pixel animation the medium has produced: bulging tanks, panicking soldiers, and absurd hidden transformations rendered frame by frame.

The sequels refine rather than reinvent, with Metal Slug 3 widely held up as the peak and Metal Slug X a beloved remix of the second game. Later entries chase new formats, from the Anthology compilation to a tactics spin-off and a mobile revival, with mixed results. The appeal has barely shifted in nearly thirty years: precise, punishing, gorgeous chaos built to eat your quarters.

The Metal Slug franchise spans 10 games in the CrossBinge catalog.