Metal Slug: 2nd Mission

Metal Slug: 2nd Mission
Year	2000
Developer	Ukiyotei
Publisher	SNK
Genre	Platformer, Run N' Gun
Platforms	Neo-Geo Pocket Color

Metal Slug: 2nd Mission is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo Pocket Color handheld platform published by SNK. It was released in 2000 in both Japan and North America. The game was developed by Ukiyotei.

Story

From the Metal Slug 10th Anniversary website page:

The success of the so-called first mission where the Special Forces Squad Peregrine Falcons saw battle has fallen down the memory hole, but new intel wends its way to the Government Forces. It seems the Special Strike Force "Phantom," led by the rebel army's Lt. Colonel Macba, has begun a campaign of insurgency and has taken many Government Forces soldiers hostage. Subsequent to that, an even more shocking truth is revealed. The Rebel Army has made contact with aliens and is proceeding with the development of weapons employing unknown technology. The situation is now critical!! There's only one option left: lay siege to the enemy base single-handedly and rescue the hostages!

Gameplay

Metal Slug: 2nd Mission features a similar gameplay and forked mission structure as its predecessor. Differences from the two games (seen below) consist of player control, different weapon types, and reworked mission routing from destroyed slugs. The main story revolves around two soldiers codenamed Gimlet and Red Eye, each one having their own plots that are interconnected.

Alongside the returning SV-000 (now in its second prototype phase) and Slug Flyer, a new vehicle called the Slug Sub, which is a small submarine used in the game's new underwater missions, is introduced. The Slug Sub fires torpedoes, mines, and homing missiles depending whether its underwater or submerged. Destruction of the Slug Sub leads to a mission where the player rafts on an Emergency Boat.

Differences from Metal Slug: 1st Mission

• The number of missions have more than doubled: thirty-eight (plus eight time attack missions) compared to the first game's seventeen.
• Two characters are selectable, both having their own mission routes and exclusive weapons. A third character can be unlocked by clearing every mission, and he can access all weapons and missions by level select (at the cost of starting the mission over if he dies).
• Grenades are thrown by the press of the Option button. Beforehand, the player would've tapped the Option button once to switch between their weapons and grenades.
• The player cannot jump on the heads of Rebels anymore.
• The player can slide grenades along the ground when crouching.
• The life meter is now segmented rather than a gauge (up to five hits), and each enemy always deal one point of damage. However, the life meter can no longer be extended in this game.
• Player ranks were previously increased by collecting Rank Medals or by reaching a score milestone. In this game, the process is done by rescuing POWs. The POWs are unique to each other in both name and appearance, and they can provide hints to the player if the latter's rank is at or higher than the former.
• Destruction of the SV-000 continues the mission as normal instead of sending the player to Prison Camp. They are still sent to a different mission if the SV-000 is destroyed.
• Destruction of the Slug Flyer immediately ends the mission to a new route. The parachute drop is replaced with the Drop Pack.
• The player has a set number of retries that can be increased every 20,000 points. In 1st Mission, a retry costs ten coins.
• The player becomes invulnerable when the boss is exploding or the player reaches to a character goal. This is to prevent deaths in mission clears that occurred in 1st Mission.
• Super Devil Mode is now an optional mode called Hero Mode; it's unlocked by rescuing all 100 POWs and then pressing down at the character select screen. Instead of permanent invulnerability, the player is limited to one hit point but is able to toss an infinite amount of grenades and wears punching gloves that can destroy enemies in one punch.

Controls

Button	On-Foot	SV-000 Proto 2	Slug Flyer	Slug Sub
A	Fire/Melee	Vulcan	Vulcan/Missile	Torpedo
B	Jump	Jump	Bomb	Mine (Underwater) Homing Missile (Submerged)
Tap Option	Grenade	Cannon
Hold Option	Pause	Pause	Pause	Pause
Down+Tap Option	Slide Grenades
Down+A+B		Metal Slug Attack

Playable Characters

	Gimlet: A P.F. Squad recruit sent to investigate info about a new insurgence by the Rebel Army. He uses the Shotgun, Rocket Launcher, and Grenade Gun.
	Red Eye: Member of what would later be known as S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S, she is sent to investigate info about UFO sightings related to the Rebel Army. She uses the Fire Gun, Bazooka, and Missile Pod.
	Tequila: A secret agent specialized in POW rescue; he disguises himself as a Rebel. He is unlocked after completing all thirty-eight missions. He is able to use every weapon and select any mission.

Missions and Bosses

Below are all 38 missions in Metal Slug: 2nd Mission. Tequila can access all missions plus the three entrances of Mission 31 at any time without starting the game from the beginning. Visit Gimlet and Red Eye's pages for more details on their mission routes.

No.	Mission Name	POWs	Boss	Gimlet	Red Eye
1	The Front Line	7	"Big Bertha"	Yes	Yes
2	Invasion	2		Yes	No
3	Dire Straits	0		No	Yes
4	Dangerous Descent	0		Yes	No
5	Battlefield Bridge	0		No	Yes
6	Turbulent Transmissions	4		Yes	Yes
7	Fatal Express	1		Yes	Yes
8	War-Torn City	3	Terrain Carrier	Yes	No
9	Shot Down	0		Yes	Yes
10	Terrain Carrier	5	Terrain Carrier	No	Yes
11	Camouflage	10		Yes	No
12	Save All Hostages!	9		No	Yes
13	Hostage Rescue	8		Yes	No
14	Reckless Reactor	9	Rebel Reactor	Yes	No
15	Into the Fray	6	Rebel Reactor	No	Yes
16	Intelligence	2		Yes	No
17	Contact	3		No	Yes
18	Pursuit	2	Hyakutaro (secret) Macba	Yes	No
19	Betrayal	3		No	Yes
20	The Enemy Below	0	"Rebel Submarine"	No	Yes
21	Deadly Assault	1		Yes	No
22	One Fell Stroke	0		No	Yes
23	The Tundra King	1	Tani Oh	Yes	No
24	The Ice Queen	1	Tani Oh	No	Yes
25	Free Fall	0		Yes	Yes
26	Decoy Strategy	0	Wired	Yes	No
27	The Desert	5		Yes	No
28	Unearthly Silence	0		Yes	No
29	Close Combat	1	"Rebel Blimp"	No	Yes
30	Crossed Paths	8		Yes	Yes
31	The Fortress	5	Macba	Yes	Yes
32	Ocean Depths	0	"Rebel Submarine"	Yes	Yes
33	Breakthrough	0		Yes	Yes
34	The Stronghold	2	Power Generators	Yes	Yes
35	Menace Out of the Skies	1	"Rebel Airplane"	Yes	Yes
36	The Jet Stream	0		Yes	Yes
37	Lone Assault	1	Macba (secret) Metal Strider	Yes	Yes
38	Termination	0	"Rebel Rocket" "Rocket UFO" Kanan	Yes	Yes

Covers

NGPC cover