Misty Eyed Classics: Nam 1975

Playing Metal Slug Advance and watching the Deer Hunter (well almost) got Genki thinking about the gaming equivalent of Apocalypse Now being set during the Vietnam War and some slightly unnerving later developments. But the game doesn't rely on any big license for a film that it may well be missing. Instead the player is present at the bottom of the screen and young marines must fire into the screen using the Operation Wolf style cursor, but at the same time cartwheel, duck and scramble away the marine to safety. Thus stretching eyesight to the max. A really atmospheric title that will draw players in to its depths. Never got past the piano scene in Deer Hunter mind. Think playing too much Nam 1975 made me fear the worst.... Do feel free to comment on either!

Metal Slug Tribute

 SNK truly mastered the ability to produce fun games in 2D such as Metal Slug which reminded the gaming cognoscenti there was life and gameplay without polygons. Shin Nihon Kikau reminded the 3D obsessed gaming fraternity that graphics over gameplay isn't much fun. Pure refined game mechanics to bring a smile to the face of the most grizzled gaming veteran.
Some lovely touches such as reflections in puddles and chickens swimming through the water. There is something strangely gratifying in rescuing all hostages just as much as there is in using the flame thrower on parachutists as they fall from the sky.

In later versions its not just weapons too, tanks, jets, helicopters - even a mecha suit break up the standard run and gun fun for a brief, enjoyable stint - up there with riding the dragons in Golden Axe.  Enough to make you well up with pride. Plenty of vehicles to command and giant boss ships to let rip into. Wearing its 2D tats with pride and never taking itself too seriously, Metal Slug: we salute you.

They don't Make 'Em Like they Used to: Metal Slug

Metal Slug came during an era when a mighty polygon iceberg was ripping through the flat ice plains of 2D gaming. Most scrambled a bee line straight for the peaks of the polygon riding its icy faces to the warm mass market seas. Huge kudos to SNK who rolled eyes, cut a hole in the ice and landed the beauty that is Metal Slug. Few would have found too much to get excited about once the visual rush having more poly's than a tub of margarine in their games. So Metal Slug came as a breath of fresh air true to its 2D roots with just lashings and lashings of gameplay. The series still feels great today. Be it on the Saturn with a Ram Cart, On the Neo Geo CD with its load times (though the saving over the AES version shortens the feel of those times) or the full compilation of the PS2. Saving hostages who show their gratitude, looking at the sheer shock on faces as they get snuck up on by stealth, charging all guns blazing with a tidy power up.... Enough to make you well up with pride. Wearing its 2D tats with pride, Metal Slug: we salute you.

Famous Faces: Super Sidekicks 2

There was always something very exciting about recognising a famous face in a game. Or perhaps Genki is just a train spotting Norris? But there was great in trepidation the first time the Ruud Gullit look a like was spotted in Super Sidekicks 2. Perhaps it was the way SNK had gone the full monty and animated his dreads aswell as the deft flicks. The game itself plays as arcade football gameplay at its most refined. Simple to pick up and play but takes time to master. Adds the distance shot to the equation requiring lightning reflexes. Also features cards and injuries, so protecting your star player is a must. Few flashes of the Euro 88 magic from Ruud and you'll be well on your way to the final complete with the over the top celebrations. Not quite matching Gazza's dentist chair of Euro 96. Call me biased, but the English do the best dentist chair impressions on the football pitch...