METAL SLUG similar games & best alternatives

METAL SLUG - Trailer
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METAL SLUG - metal-slug_2.avif
METAL SLUG - metal-slug_3.avif
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METAL SLUG

Arcade, Neo Geo AES, PlayStation 3, Linux, Wii, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac, PlayStation Portable, Neo Geo CD • 2015

Should you play it?

“METAL SLUG ”, the very first title in SNK’s legendary 2D run & gun action shooting game series where all began, returns to the missions on the Steam gaming platform!

What works

  • Nostalgic and classic gameplay
  • Excellent pixel art and animation
  • Local and online co-op support
  • Smooth and responsive controls
  • Humorous and engaging action

Things to keep in mind

  • Short game length
  • Performance issues and lag on some ports
  • Limited story and character customization
  • Online multiplayer population low
  • Some control and ui quirks

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • The Bug Butcher

  • Jamestown

  • Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle

  • 99Vidas

  • METAL SLUG 3

  • METAL SLUG X

More expressive

Games that feels like METAL SLUG but with more self-expression and customization

  • CastleStorm

  • Serious Sam Double D XXL

  • Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef

  • MARVEL Cosmic Invasion

  • Twin Shot Deluxe

  • Borderlands 2

Less intimate

Games that feels like METAL SLUG but with less focus on close relationships

  • R-Type Dimensions EX

  • Super Hydorah

  • Dragon Marked For Death

  • Guns, Gore & Cannoli

  • Neon Inferno

  • Wild Guns Reloaded

Less competitive

Games that feels like METAL SLUG but with less competition against others

  • METAL SLUG 2

  • Contra: Operation Galuga

  • Blazing Chrome

  • Contra Anniversary Collection

  • GIBZ

  • Viking Squad

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with METAL SLUG. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with METAL SLUG. These titles are not in What to play next.

METAL SLUG: Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Expression, Domination, Exploration.

Last update: 21/08/2026