Metal Slug Anthology

Again, from gamestoaster.

Even in 1996, the Metal Slug series was old-skool. For the enthusiast, they represented videogaming at its purist, polishing up a tried-and-testing gameplay mechanic until it shone. For the rest of us, in a time of bump mapping and physics engines, their broadly drawn 2D visuals and arcane gameplay just seemed dated. Even so, they've found a fan-base, and have graced a multitude of formats over the last decade. Metal Slug Anthology collects the 7 games released to date on one disc for the Wii.

The games are almost uniformly solid to play. The artwork is heavily-stylized, and adds a considerable amount of charm and character to the games. They offer a definite challenge, but rarely does this lead to frustration. They also pack in enough variety - from drivable vehicles to an array of boss battles - to save repetition ruining the experience. A 2-player co-op mode rounds off the package.

That said, it is now 2007, and the side-scrolling shooter has been surpassed in terms of visuals and thrills. If you still enjoy the genre today, then Metal Slug Anthology offers a great example of it, and you'll get a lot of bang for your buck, as none of the seven games on offer will be strolled through.

Outside fans of the genre, however, it is hard to recommend. Individually, the games would have worked well as Virtual Console releases, but at full-price, it's difficult to recommend what for many would amount to nothing more than a short dip into times gone by.