Iron Nokana

Multi-role Combat Vehicle "Iron Nokana"
Full Name	Multi-role Combat Vehicle "Iron Nokana"
Weapons	Missile launcher Cannon Flamethrower
Games	Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001 Metal Slug X Metal Slug Defense Metal Slug Attack Metal Slug Infinity Metal Slug: Awakening
Sprite

The Iron Nokana (also known as Steel Norcana in Metal Slug: Awakening) is the boss of Mission 5 from Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001.

Information

The Iron Nokana is a large, multi-purpose armored combat vehicle created by the Rebel Army. Its firepower is concentrated on the front, with a cannon and missile launcher turret on the top and a hidden flamethrower on its bottom. To compensate for the lack of firepower in the rear, a Girida-O is mounted on its back.

In supplementary material for the first game, the Iron Nokana is piloted by Chun Yutetsu (チュン・ユウテツ, Chun Yutetsu), Marco's former combat school instructor . He is not mentioned in Metal Slug SV-001 despite the game revealing the pilots' names for the first four boss vehicles.

Details

The Iron Nokana's main weapon is the cannon on the front, which fires a series of arching projectiles that must be timed correctly to be avoided. Once the Iron Nokana has flames all over and its tires flatten, it lifts itself and exposes a flamethrower turret at the bottom which tries to burn the players if they come near it.

After the turret is destroyed, a few POWs come out of it, and the boss starts to fire a series of missiles at the players which must be avoided by crouching under them. If the players go to its rear, the Girida-O sitting on its back will start shooting at them.

The Iron Nokana returns in Metal Slug X replacing the Keesi II as the first mission's boss. Despite the new coloration, it functions the same as before. Abul Abbas appears in the background commanding the tank.

In Metal Slug Infinity, the Iron Nokana appears as a World Boss and as a Slug. Both have the same attacks as their arcade counterparts, however the World Boss variant is able to carpet bomb the entire field. The Slug variant is immune to electric shock and stun.

Versions

Mainline

	Iron Nokana Mk I: Found in Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001. This is the original version. In Metal Slug Defense and Metal Slug Attack, the Girida-O on its back has been removed. In Metal Slug Infinity, the Girida-O is placed back, albeit as a cosmetic.
	Iron Nokana Mk II: Appears in Metal Slug X. It has the same attacks, but has significantly sturdier armor, and its flamethrower shoots out blue flame instead.

Metal Slug Defense & Attack

	Iron Nokana Mk II(Defense & Attack): This version appears in Metal Sug Defense and Metal Slug Attack. It's a little bit different from the original version of the classic games. It has a green missiles and a gray missile launcher colors and his orange details are replaced with gray ones. In his same texture file, there is a full gray version of the chassis. The game never uses these sprites with other ones that are a recolor from the MK I version like his flamethrower. And you can see more blue fire effects apart from flamethrower that the Metal Slug X doesn't have.
	Spacey Nokana: A customized Iron Nokana built specifically for Abigail, one of the Rebel Army's commanders, with the name and coloration based on someone she admires. Compared to the original Iron Nokana and its MK II variant, the Spacey Nokana has longer range. Since it was designed for Abigail, the ball turret fires out a large, piercing laser beam rather than the standard flamethrower.
	Sister Nokana: A customized Iron Nokana built specifically for Beatriz, Abigail's sister. Unlike the other Rebel variants, it launches missiles rather than firing from its cannon. As it is designed for Beatriz, the ball turret fires out powerful frost beam.
	Golden Nokana: A customized Iron Nokana built specifically for Allen O'Neil. Painted gold, the ball turret has been modified to ignite the surrounding area with flames.
	Spiral Nokana: A customized, Ptolemaic Iron Nokana built specifically for Towa. Painted black, the ball turret is replaced with two drills that can burrow under the ground and reappear on the ground surface.
	Abul Nokana: A customized Iron Nokana made under Abul's orders. The ball turret has been modified to shoot out deadly currents of electricity.
	Space Nokana: An Iron Nokana belonging to the Ptolemaic Army equipped with an improved version of the Sonic Device used by the Screamer. By sending vibrations at the ground, it becomes a powerful weapon capable of generating artificial earthquakes.

Metal Slug Infinity

176×116px	Regular Iron Nokana: A blue Iron Nokana owned by the Regular Army. Immune to knockback and electric shock.
176×116px	Another Iron Nokana: A purple Iron Nokana owned by the Another Force. Immune to being stunned and frozen.

Amadeus Syndicate

	The Iron: The Amadeus Syndicate's upgrade on the Iron Nokana. A fake Morden operates the tank.
	Prototype Iron: Found in Metal Slug Attack. Just like its name says, it's the prototype version of The Iron with its design based on the Rebel Army's Iron Nokana. It uses a bigger unmanned flamethrower from the bottom, making its range longer, and the missile pod is now placed on its back.
	Iron Fortress: A heavily armored upgrade piloted by an AI. Debuts in Metal Slug Attack.

Other

Iron Nokameow: A special version featured in Metal Slug Defense. It carries a "Cat Base" on its back and Morden is riding it. It was part of the Battle Cats promotional event.

Trivia

• The Iron Nokana is based on the Sd.Kfz. 232 German 8 wheeled armored car, part of the Schwerer Panzerspähwagen ("heavy armoured reconnaissance vehicle") series of armoured cars used by Germany during the Second World War.
• In the early development stages of Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001, the Iron Nokana was missing some spikes on its front plate, while also having it painted red instead of grey as in the final game.
• Upon exposing the ball turret, the Iron Nokana gains around five in-game seconds of invulnerability. Its HP can be lowered during this time, but the Iron Nokana will gain a sliver of health anytime its HP reaches 0. This tidbit does not return in Metal Slug X, which explains why the Mk II can be destroyed faster than the original even with better armor.
  • Oddly, the Mk II variant in Metal Slug Defense and Metal Slug Attack also has less HP than the original variant despite its description stated that it was an unarmored variant.
• Because the Iron Nokana's turret is a special attack instead of a second phase in Metal Slug Defense and Metal Slug Attack, its tires magically tear apart and repair itself each time the tank is lifted and lowered. Variants starting from the Golden Nokana have the tires edited to be always intact.

Gallery

Concept Art

Iron Nokana official artwork

Iron Nokana Sculpture shown at the 2010 Hong Kong Scale Model Competition.

Early footage of Iron Nokana missing it's spikes in the front plate and it's also painted red.

The Prototype Iron, which became Iron Nokameow in Metal Slug Defense.

Destroyed Iron Nokana MK II