SNK Corporation has confirmed development of Metal Slug Ultimate Collection for both Nintendo Switch and the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2, positioning the release as a digital-only celebration of the run-and-gun franchise's 30th anniversary.
The compilation will arrive worldwide on the Nintendo eShop in 2027 and brings together a decade-spanning selection of Metal Slug titles, updated with modern conveniences and online features.
The collection includes ten entries from the series' history: Metal Slug (1996, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 2 (1998, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug X (1999, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 3 (2000, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 4 (2002, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 5 (2003, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug Advance (2004, Game Boy Advance), Metal Slug 6 (2006, PlayStation 2), Metal Slug 7 (2008, Nintendo DS), and a rare Metal Slug Location Test Version that has not been widely released to the public.
SNK characterized that Location Test build as an uncommon variant that historically saw very limited public availability.
Features emphasized for the collection include online ranks where players can compete globally for high scores, an expansive gallery mode housing logos and visual materials, and a dedicated Combat School Mode designed to teach core controls and techniques to newcomers.
SNK has also integrated quality-of-life updates—quick save, quick load, and a rewind function—explicitly to adapt the compilation to contemporary playstyles and make the classic titles more accessible to modern audiences.
The announcement confirms Metal Slug Ultimate Collection as a digitally distributed eShop release on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 platforms in 2027.
The bundle gathers primary series entries and notable handheld and console ports, offering both preservation of the original NEOGEO MVS releases and convenience features expected by today's players.
Reporting on Nintendo hardware and software for 16 years, Alex Seedhouse covered this announcement as part of ongoing coverage of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and software.
The Metal Slug franchise, launched on SNK's NEOGEO MVS in 1996, remains one of the company's best-known series, and this compilation positions SNK to commemorate three decades of the run-and-gun classic on Nintendo platforms.
The compilation will arrive worldwide on the Nintendo eShop in 2027 and brings together a decade-spanning selection of Metal Slug titles, updated with modern conveniences and online features.
The collection includes ten entries from the series' history: Metal Slug (1996, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 2 (1998, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug X (1999, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 3 (2000, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 4 (2002, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug 5 (2003, NEOGEO MVS), Metal Slug Advance (2004, Game Boy Advance), Metal Slug 6 (2006, PlayStation 2), Metal Slug 7 (2008, Nintendo DS), and a rare Metal Slug Location Test Version that has not been widely released to the public.
SNK characterized that Location Test build as an uncommon variant that historically saw very limited public availability.
Features emphasized for the collection include online ranks where players can compete globally for high scores, an expansive gallery mode housing logos and visual materials, and a dedicated Combat School Mode designed to teach core controls and techniques to newcomers.
SNK has also integrated quality-of-life updates—quick save, quick load, and a rewind function—explicitly to adapt the compilation to contemporary playstyles and make the classic titles more accessible to modern audiences.
The announcement confirms Metal Slug Ultimate Collection as a digitally distributed eShop release on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 platforms in 2027.
The bundle gathers primary series entries and notable handheld and console ports, offering both preservation of the original NEOGEO MVS releases and convenience features expected by today's players.
Reporting on Nintendo hardware and software for 16 years, Alex Seedhouse covered this announcement as part of ongoing coverage of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and software.
The Metal Slug franchise, launched on SNK's NEOGEO MVS in 1996, remains one of the company's best-known series, and this compilation positions SNK to commemorate three decades of the run-and-gun classic on Nintendo platforms.
