Metal Slug fans have plenty of reasons to celebrate, as the franchise will mark its 30th anniversary with a project revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct. That’s right, three decades have passed since SNK surprised us with an action-packed game that made many of us empty our pockets at the arcades.

During the presentation, the company revealed Metal Slug Ultimate Collection, a compilation featuring 10 classic games from the franchise, including one that never made it to consoles. The collection should be a must-have for fans of the IP for two major reasons: it will include plenty of additional content and is being developed by M2, a studio renowned for its excellent game collections.

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Metal Slug Ultimate Collection Will Celebrate 30 Years of History With Plenty of Content

Metal Slug debuted in 1996 and has since won over millions of players with its story, distinctive humor, and chaotic run-and-gun action. Earlier this year, SNK teased that it was preparing several surprises to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Now we know that Metal Slug Ultimate Collection is one of them.

The collection will bring together the seven numbered games in the main series, along with several other titles that have become fan favorites. One of the biggest surprises is Metal Slug Location Test Build, a prototype of the first game in which Marco and Tarma did not exist. Instead, the playable character was the iconic tank from the series.

Metal Slug Ultimate Collection will also include a Museum, where M2 has gathered galleries and other material related to the development of the games featured in the compilation. The collection will also offer online features that will let players compete for the highest scores on a worldwide leaderboard.

SNK wants more players to enjoy these classics, so the collection will include several accessibility and quality-of-life options. Players will be able to save and load their progress quickly, as well as rewind the action.

Additional modes will include time trials and another called Combat School, where fans can learn the basic mechanics and controls of the different games.

So, which titles will be included? The collection will feature games originally released on NEOGEO, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS. Metal Slug Ultimate Collection will launch on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime in 2027.

Here’s the complete list:

  • Metal Slug
  • Metal Slug 2
  • Metal Slug X
  • Metal Slug 3
  • Metal Slug 4
  • Metal Slug 5
  • Metal Slug Advance
  • Metal Slug 6
  • Metal Slug 7
  • Metal Slug Location Test Build
Metal Slug Ultimate Collection Museo

A New Metal Slug and More Projects Are Also in the Works

SNK is preparing even more surprises to properly celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Earlier this year, the company announced Metal Slug Rush, a mobile title being developed by RingGames. It is also working on another new game in the series that promises to offer a completely new experience.

“Our development team is hard at work on another title: a new Metal Slug! We hope you enjoy Metal Slug Rush and stay tuned for future updates on Metal Slug,” SNK said in its announcement.

Following the reveal of Metal Slug Ultimate Collection, fans have begun speculating that SNK could be preparing the next numbered entry in the series. For now, however, nothing has been confirmed.