Metal Slug Tactics

Pure NintendoJames Colozzi

8.5/10

A new twist on an old IP Anyone at least in their 30s who loves run and guns should be familiar with the super popular SNK IP, Metal Slug, from the '90s. The

Nintendo World ReportZachary Miller

8/10

I was genuinely shocked by how much I wound up liking MST. It’s bizarrely true to the source material while somehow succeeding in being a completely different game that’s still super fun. I’d talk more about the roguelite aspects of the game but they aren’t intrusive, which is honestly a surprise, because roguelites tend to overemphasize the “roguelite” aspect. How many times have I said “does this have to be a roguelite?” on this website? It’s a lot! But not today. Not today!

Checkpoint GamingCharlie Kelly

8/10

The Metal Slug franchise has largely been dead in recent years except for the occasional spin-off title or remake. The last mainline entry in the Metal Slug series was in 2008 on the Nintendo DS. Need I say more? When you’ve already conquered the run-and-gun genre with little evolution since then, where else is there to go? Turns out like a lot of other recent franchises spinning off, the answer is a tactics game. Metal Slug Tactics is one of the first big forays for the IP in a while a...

MP1STPaulmichael Contreras

8/10

Metal Slug Tactics is a robust turn-based strategy game. You don’t have to be a fan of the franchise to appreciate the tactical options it presents you. While it’s not exactly the most helpful to players who might be new to the genre, the type of person who would even want to try a strategy game is naturally inquisitive anyway, so the trial by fire method of simply experimenting with your units and moves works here. The launch price is fair considering the average campaign length of around five hours, and its roguelike mechanics keep things fresh for each run. If you want a faster-paced turn-b...

Impulse GamerRichard Banks

What happens if you take some of the best bits of Into the Breach and drop them into a nearly 30-year-old run-and-gun franchise? That's the question Metal

NoobFeedSarwar Ron

75/100

Fans of the original Metal Slug games might miss the running and gunning in the game, but for those seeking endless, lavish turn-based battles, the roguelite remake of Metal Slug Tactics provides thousands of hours of replay value.

MonsterVineDiego Escala

When not in a mission, there’s a surprising amount of customization you can do for each of the nine characters you can acquire in the game. Everyone has their own distinct playstyle and weapon toolset, along with a series of loadouts you can unlock for each character. On top of that, you’ll be able to customize each character’s weapons with a variety of modifiers like changing the shape of a grenade’s AOE splash, to ignoring an enemy’s cover and also add new active or passive abilities on a character. This is all to say that there’s a lot of ways to kit out your squad when you take them on a r...

WayTooManyGamesLeo Faria

7/10

The announcement of Metal Slug Tactics felt so weird, but at the same time, it felt so… right. Even though the franchise is known as basically the best run-and-gun arcade platformer franchise of all time (I’m sorry Contra, but you ain’t got no chance here), turning the franchise’s war-like loop into a tactical RPG felt like a genius move. Announced earlier this year, Metal Slug Tactics was something I was desperately looking forward to, especially on the Switch. Playing that game on a...

GameSpotJustin Koreis

7/10

Metal Slug is a great fit as a turned-based strategy game, but overly luck-dependent roguelike elements and some outdated ideas for how to define enemies slow its march to war.

GameSpewRichard Seagrave

6/10

The Metal Slug series is back, though not as you know it. Metal Slug Tactics swaps the series' run-and-gun shooter antics for turn-based battles, and adds in some roguelike elements to boot. It's just a shame that while there are some neat ideas here, it's not all that entertaining overall.

StartMenuEdwin Teo

Unscored

Thankfully, Metal Slug Tactics' highlights outshine its lowlights, namely in the way it reinvents the series to deliver something fresh and unique. This allows it to become both a love letter to long-time fans and an enjoyable entry point for newcomers. The transition isn’t without its bumps, but the game’s combination of nostalgic references, strategic depth, and rogue-lite variety makes it a standout in the tactical genre.

Rock Paper ShotgunBrendan Caldwell

Unscored

The side-scrolling shooter transforms from brainless barnstorming to thoughtful grenade tossing in a work of turn-based tactics - but its arcade soul remains intact.