About
On Steam, 90% of 4,538 player reviews are positive (Very Positive). 11 people are playing it on Steam right now, with a peak of 33 in the last 30 days. It is Playable on Steam Deck.
Metal Slug is a 1996 run-and-gun arcade video game originally developed by Nazca Corporation and released by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the first installment in the eponymous series. Set in 2028, players assume the role of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force soldiers Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving in a fight against the Rebel Army led by Donald Morden and overthrow his coup d'état to prevent a New World Order.
Story
The Metal Slug storyline stretches from the beginning of the era of modern-day terrorism, set in the near-future of 2028. There are two militant factions that struggle for power: the Rebellion and the Regular Army. The Regular Army is a well-equipped, modern-day force run by various nations around the world. The Rebellion is comprised of various small, organized militant groups, ranging from terrorists to splinter groups of military forces driven by a hunger for power. The Regular Army is a very formidable force. However, it lacks effectiveness due to the widespread corruption within the chain of command. Other officials often deny the reports and recommendations given to them by intelligence officers. This often leads to intelligence failures that result in dramatic consequences. Vice Admiral Donald Morden of the Regular Army Marine Corps is one of the main characters that sparks the events of Metal Slug. He has a reputation of being a tough, efficient, and caring officer of the Regular Army, and is held in high regard by his troops. He is also a caring father to his son. However, Morden immediately defects over to the Rebellion when his son is killed in the Central Park bombing caused by an intelligence failure on the part of the Regular Army. He self-promoted to General. In 2026, a year after the attempted assassination of the President of the United States launched by the Rebellion under General Donald Morden's command, the Rebellion launched a massive attack against the Regular Army forces around the world. Although the Regular Army intelligence agency had many indications that such an attack was imminent, Regular Army officials again ignored the warnings. With the Regular Army forces surprised, the Rebellion nearly annihilated them with their superior numbers and emergent technologies.
What is happening now
Metal Slug remains one of arcade gaming's most enduring run-and-gun franchises since its 1996 debut on Neo Geo. The series has maintained a presence across multiple platforms over three decades, from its original arcade roots to modern ports on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. To mark 30 years, SNK is expanding the franchise beyond its traditional digital home with a tabletop board game adaptation. The move represents a notable shift for the property, bringing the series' signature action into a different medium as the franchise continues to diversify beyond its core arcade and home console releases.
More in the Metal Slug series
All 8 games in order
Games like Metal Slug
same kind of game, other series
Media
Releases
First release date; per-platform dates are not in the database for this game yet.
PC and Steam Deck
Steam store pageSteam Deck: Playable runs, but may need some tweaks
Requirements and Deck status as listed on Steam, checked Oct 28, 2026.
Metal Slug player count
concurrent players on SteamPlayers counted on Steam every one to six hours; the daily peak is the highest count of the day.
Metal Slug achievements
15 achievements on SteamRarest
All 15 achievements by how many players unlocked them
Share of Steam players who unlocked each achievement.