SNK has marked the 30th anniversary of its run-and-gun franchise Metal Slug with a retrospective video and an accompanying anniversary website, and has teased a franchise reboot.
Metal Slug first arrived in arcades in 1996 and earned a reputation for its detailed pixel art, frantic gameplay, and over-the-top enemy designs.
The series has since been ported to home consoles and is currently available on the Nintendo Switch eShop through Hamster Corporation's ACA Neo Geo series.
The retrospective video covers the series' history, celebrates past releases, and closes with a short teaser sequence.
In the final frames an arcade cabinet bearing the phrase "Mission Reboot" appears, followed by the message "A New Mission Awaits." SNK's anniversary site reinforces that the company plans to "reignite and reboot the series" across multiple projects, explicitly referencing "new ventures in gaming." In journalistic terms, SNK states it will relaunch the franchise through a range of initiatives, including fresh gaming projects tied to the 30th anniversary effort.
SNK's anniversary copy also highlights why Metal Slug stood out at launch: detailed pixel animation, expressive character sprites, large destructible war machines, and tight, intuitive run-and-gun controls.
The company notes those elements helped the 1996 arcade original transition successfully to home platforms and continue to influence the series three decades later.
For players who want to revisit the series now, official releases are available via Hamster's ACA Neo Geo lineup on the Nintendo Switch eShop.
SNK's anniversary information also mentions the Neo Geo+ AES Anniversary Edition, which the company says includes an exclusive Metal Slug game cartridge as part of that product offering.
SNK has not provided further release dates or concrete project details beyond the teaser and anniversary site statements.
The company’s public communications indicate more information will be released on the anniversary website as plans progress.
We'll monitor official SNK channels and the Metal Slug anniversary hub for confirmed updates and report them as they are announced.
Metal Slug first arrived in arcades in 1996 and earned a reputation for its detailed pixel art, frantic gameplay, and over-the-top enemy designs.
The series has since been ported to home consoles and is currently available on the Nintendo Switch eShop through Hamster Corporation's ACA Neo Geo series.
The retrospective video covers the series' history, celebrates past releases, and closes with a short teaser sequence.
In the final frames an arcade cabinet bearing the phrase "Mission Reboot" appears, followed by the message "A New Mission Awaits." SNK's anniversary site reinforces that the company plans to "reignite and reboot the series" across multiple projects, explicitly referencing "new ventures in gaming." In journalistic terms, SNK states it will relaunch the franchise through a range of initiatives, including fresh gaming projects tied to the 30th anniversary effort.
SNK's anniversary copy also highlights why Metal Slug stood out at launch: detailed pixel animation, expressive character sprites, large destructible war machines, and tight, intuitive run-and-gun controls.
The company notes those elements helped the 1996 arcade original transition successfully to home platforms and continue to influence the series three decades later.
For players who want to revisit the series now, official releases are available via Hamster's ACA Neo Geo lineup on the Nintendo Switch eShop.
SNK's anniversary information also mentions the Neo Geo+ AES Anniversary Edition, which the company says includes an exclusive Metal Slug game cartridge as part of that product offering.
SNK has not provided further release dates or concrete project details beyond the teaser and anniversary site statements.
The company’s public communications indicate more information will be released on the anniversary website as plans progress.
We'll monitor official SNK channels and the Metal Slug anniversary hub for confirmed updates and report them as they are announced.
