Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001 (1997). Play online

Summary

Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001 landed on the PlayStation in Japan on August 7 1997, courtesy of Ukiyotei’s handy port of SN SNK’s arcade classic. What makes this version stand out isn’t just the familiar run‑and‑gun chaos—it ships with the “Combat School” mode taken straight from the Neo Geo CD, plus a brand‑new “Another Story” mode that strings together plot‑driven mini‑games. I love flicking through its art gallery, where concept sketches of the tanks, weapons and character designs reveal the game’s gritty aesthetic evolution.

Technical sleight of hand keeps all the original animation frames intact: the developers used a tighter compression scheme and on‑the‑fly level loading, something the Saturn counterpart handled with a RAM‑expansion cartridge. While the arcade roots still shout “Contra‑style” fast‑action, these extra features give PlayStation owners a deeper peek behind the metal‑clad mayhem.

Storyline

Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001 drops players into the year 2028, where the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force—led by Marco Rossi and his partner Tarma Roving—must stop a sudden coup. The rebels, organized under the ruthless Donald Morden, have seized control of key installations and threaten global stability. Rossi and Tarma fight through enemy lines, using the iconic Metal Slug tank and a barrage of weapons to dismantle the Rebel Army’s grip. Their mission is to restore order and bring Morden’s regime to its knees.