Metal Slug Ultimate Collection Announced With 10 Games and Rare Unreleased Location Test Version

SNK Brings 30 Years of Metal Slug History Together With 10 Games, Online Rankings and Modern Features

Called METAL SLUG ULTIMATE COLLECTION, the compilation includes 10 games from across the series' history, spanning arcade, home-console and handheld releases. It is scheduled for 2027 on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam.

The biggest surprise is not simply the number of games.

The collection will also contain the legendary Metal Slug Location Test Version, an arcade build that was publicly tested during the original game's development but was never officially released for home play.

According to SNK, this is the first time that version will be officially playable on a home console.

That makes the collection much more interesting for longtime fans and preservation-minded players than a standard retro compilation.

What Games Are Included?

SNK has confirmed 10 titles in the collection.

The lineup covers the major numbered games, the Game Boy Advance entry and the rare prototype-style location test version.

Metal Slug

The original Metal Slug launched in 1996 and established the franchise's distinctive combination of fast shooting, exaggerated animation, military satire and hand-drawn pixel art.

It remains the foundation of the series.

Metal Slug 2

Released in 1998, Metal Slug 2 expanded the formula with new enemy types, transformations and more elaborate environments.

It is one of the most recognizable entries in the classic lineup.

Metal Slug X

Metal Slug X followed in 1999 and is closely related to Metal Slug 2 while introducing gameplay and presentation adjustments.

Its inclusion gives players another important variation of the classic arcade formula.

Metal Slug 3

Metal Slug 3 arrived in 2000 and is widely associated with the series' increasingly ambitious level design and unusual enemy encounters.

Its stages move beyond conventional military environments and introduce more extreme situations.

Metal Slug 4

Released in 2002, Metal Slug 4 continued the arcade series while introducing its own enemies, weapons and stage designs.

Metal Slug 5

Metal Slug 5 followed in 2003, continuing the run-and-gun formula with another set of environments and enemies.

Metal Slug Advance

The collection also includes Metal Slug Advance, originally released for Game Boy Advance in 2004.

Its handheld design makes it particularly valuable in a compilation that is otherwise heavily focused on arcade-era releases.

Metal Slug 6

Metal Slug 6 arrived in 2006 and expanded the series with additional playable characters and combat systems.

Metal Slug 7

The lineup reaches the later numbered games with Metal Slug 7, originally released on Nintendo DS in 2008.

Metal Slug Location Test Version

The tenth entry is the most unusual.

The Metal Slug Location Test Version was an early arcade build used for public testing before the final game was released.

It was never officially released for home audiences.

Now, SNK is making that version part of the collection.

The Location Test Version Is the Collection’s Biggest Surprise

Most retro compilations focus on finished commercial releases.

SNK is doing something different here.

The Location Test Version represents an earlier stage of Metal Slug's development, providing fans with a look at how the original arcade game existed before its final form.

That makes it historically valuable.

Players who know the retail version can potentially compare the location-test build with the final game and see how SNK's design evolved.

It is also a meaningful preservation effort because the build was never widely available to home players.

For Metal Slug enthusiasts, this could be the feature that turns the collection from a convenient compilation into an important historical archive.

The Collection Is Designed for Modern Players

SNK is not simply placing the original games into a digital menu.

The collection adds several modern quality-of-life features.

The official announcement confirms:

Quick Save

Quick Load

Rewind

Adjustable difficulty

Time settings

Button-layout customization

Rapid-fire speed settings

These options are intended to make the classic games easier to approach without removing their original identity.

That is particularly useful for newcomers.

Old arcade games can be demanding, and modern players are accustomed to more forgiving checkpoint and save systems.

Rewind can also let players quickly retry difficult sections without losing an entire run.

Combat School Mode Returns

The collection also includes Combat School Mode, a familiar feature that helps players learn the mechanics of Metal Slug.

According to SNK, the mode includes an instructor whose conversations can change depending on the player's mission performance.

That gives the collection a more interactive training layer.

Rather than simply reading a control guide, new players can practice the series' movement, weapons and combat techniques through a dedicated mode.

For longtime players, Combat School provides another way to revisit the games.

Score Attack and Time Attack Add Replayability

Metal Slug has always been closely connected to arcade competition.

The Ultimate Collection embraces that tradition with score and clear-time rankings.

Players can compete for high scores and faster completion times, with online rankings allowing them to compare their results with people around the world.

This gives the collection a reason to keep playing after the campaigns have been completed.

Instead of finishing the games once and moving on, players can replay individual stages to improve their performance.

That is a natural fit for an arcade franchise.

Online Rankings Bring Back the Competitive Spirit

The inclusion of online rankings is another useful modernization.

Classic arcade games were built around scoreboards.

The challenge was not always simply finishing a stage.

Players wanted to finish faster, collect more points and achieve better runs than other people.

SNK is recreating that competitive element digitally.

The exact structure of the ranking system can vary by title and mode, but the goal is clear: preserve the arcade-style competition while making global comparison possible.

A Gallery and Museum Mode Will Preserve the Series

The collection also includes an extensive gallery and museum mode.

SNK says the feature will contain logos, visual materials and other content connected to the individual games.

That adds another archival dimension.

Metal Slug is known for its visual identity, including its detailed pixel animation, mechanical designs, character artwork and exaggerated enemy creations.

A museum-style feature lets players explore some of that history outside the actual games.

This is particularly valuable in a 30th-anniversary collection.

A Sound Player Is Also Included

The collection includes a sound player, allowing users to listen to music and audio material from the games.

Metal Slug's audio identity is one of its most recognizable characteristics.

The arcade-style sound effects, weapon sounds and energetic music contribute heavily to the series' personality.

A dedicated sound player turns that content into another part of the collection rather than leaving it accessible only during gameplay.

Adjustable Features Make the Arcade Games More Accessible

SNK is clearly trying to balance authenticity with convenience.

Players can customize controls.

Difficulty can be adjusted.

Rapid-fire speed can be changed.

Quick saves and rewinds can reduce the frustration of repeating difficult sections.

These options matter because the original arcade games were designed around a very different expectation of difficulty.

Players were often expected to fail repeatedly and continue spending credits.

Modern players generally expect longer campaigns and persistent progress.

The collection's additional settings help bridge those eras without requiring the original games themselves to be redesigned.

The Collection Supports One or Two Players

SNK lists the collection as supporting one to two players.

That is particularly important for Metal Slug because cooperative arcade play has always been one of the franchise's defining characteristics.

Playing alongside another person changes the experience significantly.

Players can coordinate attacks, rescue each other and manage different sides of the screen.

The two-player support therefore helps preserve one of the most important parts of the original arcade experience.

Metal Slug’s 30th Anniversary Makes the Timing Significant

The collection is arriving during the 30th anniversary of Metal Slug, which began in 1996.

SNK has described the Ultimate Collection as part of its wider MISSION REBOOT anniversary project.

That makes the collection more than a random retro release.

It is being positioned as a celebration of the franchise's entire history.

The anniversary timing also explains why SNK has chosen to include unusual archival material such as the Location Test Version.

Rather than focusing only on the most commercially recognizable games, the company is trying to document the franchise's evolution.

Why Metal Slug Still Matters

Metal Slug remains important to arcade and run-and-gun game history because of its visual style and animation.

The series is famous for combining extremely detailed pixel art with exaggerated character movement, expressive enemies and imaginative machines.

That visual approach helped Metal Slug stand apart even among other arcade shooters.

Its appeal has lasted long after the original arcade era.

New compilations, ports and rereleases have repeatedly brought the games to new audiences.

The Ultimate Collection is the latest attempt to preserve that legacy in a package built for current platforms.

The Collection Also Makes Metal Slug More Accessible on Consoles

Modern players do not need to track down older arcade hardware or individual releases.

The entire lineup will be available through one compilation.

The platform list includes:

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch 2

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X|S

Steam

That broad release strategy means the collection can reach almost every major current gaming platform.

It is also particularly well suited to portable play on Switch and Switch 2.

Switch 2 Support Is Especially Relevant

The Nintendo Switch 2 version gives the collection another modern home.

Several of the included games originally appeared on Nintendo hardware, including Metal Slug Advance on Game Boy Advance and Metal Slug 7 on Nintendo DS.

Bringing those titles into a modern Nintendo system creates a direct continuation of that handheld history.

For Switch 2 owners, the collection also provides access to classic games without relying on original hardware.

PC Players Get Steam Support

PC players will also be able to access the collection through Steam.

This is important for preservation because PC storefronts provide another long-term distribution channel for classic games.

Steam players will also have access to the modern quality-of-life features and online ranking systems announced by SNK.

The exact technical specifications have not yet been fully detailed.

No Release Date Has Been Announced Yet

The biggest missing detail is the exact launch date.

SNK has confirmed that METAL SLUG ULTIMATE COLLECTION is scheduled for 2027, but the company has not yet announced a specific day or month.

Pricing has also not been announced.

The collection is currently available to wishlist on supported platforms, allowing players to follow future announcements.

That means players interested in the compilation should treat 2027 as the confirmed release year rather than expecting an earlier launch.

What Players Should Expect

The Ultimate Collection is designed for two audiences.

The first is longtime Metal Slug fans who already know the original games and want a convenient modern package with archival material.

The second is newcomers who may have heard of Metal Slug but never experienced the arcade originals.

For veterans, the Location Test Version and museum content are major attractions.

For newcomers, Combat School, rewind, save options and customizable difficulty should make the games easier to approach.

The result is a compilation that tries to preserve both the history and the playability of the franchise.

Why the Location Test Build Could Become the Most Valuable Feature

Collectors often care about unreleased prototypes because they reveal how games changed during development.

The Location Test Version gives Metal Slug fans exactly that opportunity.

It is not simply another numbered sequel.

It is an earlier version of the first game.

That means differences in level design, enemies, weapons, graphics or gameplay behavior could potentially give players a glimpse into the development process.

SNK has not yet provided a complete feature-by-feature comparison with the final retail release.

That is something fans will likely want to investigate once the collection launches.

What We Still Don't Know

SNK has confirmed the major lineup and feature set, but several details remain open.

The company has not announced:

Exact release date
Price
Full technical specifications
Detailed differences between individual versions
Complete ranking rules
Whether every title supports every modern feature
Detailed controller and accessibility options by platform

SNK specifically notes that available features, modes and content vary by title.

That means players should not assume that every game in the collection supports every single feature in exactly the same way.

Metal Slug Ultimate Collection Release Details

Game: METAL SLUG ULTIMATE COLLECTION
Developer/Publisher: SNK Corporation
Genre: Action / Run-and-Gun
Release Year: 2027
Exact Date: TBA
Players: 1–2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam
Total Games: 10
Mainline Range: Metal Slug through Metal Slug 7
Handheld Entry: Metal Slug Advance
Rare Archive Content: Metal Slug Location Test Version
Modern Features: Quick Save, Quick Load, Rewind, Score Attack, Time Attack, Combat School, Online Rankings, Gallery and Sound Player
Price: TBA

METAL SLUG ULTIMATE COLLECTION could be one of SNK's most meaningful retro collections because it combines the franchise's commercial releases with something players have never officially had at home: the Metal Slug Location Test Version.

The 2027 compilation contains 10 titles, including Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, Metal Slug Advance, Metal Slug 6, Metal Slug 7 and the rare location-test build.

SNK is also modernizing the experience with quick save and load, rewind, configurable controls, difficulty settings, rapid-fire options, Combat School, online rankings, score and time attacks, a visual gallery and a sound player.

That combination makes the collection useful for both preservation and everyday play.

New players get a more approachable version of demanding arcade classics.

Veterans get the entire mainline history in one place.

Collectors get the Location Test Version.

And everyone gets a modern way to experience three decades of Metal Slug history.

The remaining questions are price and the exact 2027 launch date.

Until those details arrive, the most important fact is already confirmed: SNK is bringing 30 years of Metal Slug together in one collection, and the rarest piece of that history is finally coming home.