Review by: Cole Jones

Just about everyone remembers Metal Slug as that brutal run-and-gun action game that's been eating quarters at the local Pizzeria for over a decade. Metal Slug XX is a widescreen PSP port of Metal Slug 7, which originally appeared on the DS in 2008, but has since been given a two-player ad-hoc multiplayer mode and a splash of DLC. It follows Marco, Tarma, Eri and three other SNK heroes as they search for General Mordon, who is once again attempting his annual coup d'état. There are three new slugs and a "Thunder Shot" (which is as erratic as it sounds), but it's still more or less the same button-mashing game you've been playing since '96.

Whether you're on a lift with rockets whizzing past your head, or escaping down a hillside via parachute, Metal Slug XX does a good job of mixing non-stop action bits with iron-clad slug slaughter. In addition to grenades, your arsenal - dropped by bumbling POWs - range from heavy machine guns to laser beams. With that said, I could have gone for a bit more diversity with the enemy designs as the little green men are endless, and while I'm all for a good refrain, reusing bosses feels lazy in a seven-level game.

Both the d-pad and analog nub just work fine for moving your character, though the nub fares better in certain slugs. Positioning your character during intense fights, however, still leaves a little bit to be desired. When you're hopping quickly to and fro (as you often will with large/segmented bosses), you'll occasionally have to reposition yourself after you land. While this goes along with the game's rustic roots, it can really become a burden when the action approaches bullet hell territory later on.

While every character has an initial powerup or ability that supposedly sets them apart, everyone starts to feel the same after the 20th continue. For not-so-hot players - like me - Metal Slug XX's unlimited continues are a gift from above. Many of the enemy waves pack a missile launcher or kamikaze soldier that can be practically impossible to catch the first time around, so it's impractical to expect a casual player to skate by on a couple continues. Since it only takes an hour or two to blow through Metal Slug XX's seven stages, newcomers will actually want to go back and do it perfectly to legitimately save some POWs.