METAL SLUG X
METAL SLUG X
Game
Game2016
METAL SLUG 2
Developer SNK CORPORATION, Dotemu
Metal Slug 2 is a 1998 run and gun video game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the second installment in the Metal Slug series and the first to not be developed by Nazca Corporation, who developed the 1996 game Metal Slug, as they were acquired and absorbed into SNK. The original version of the game had extensive slowdown and performance issues, eventually leading SNK… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
204 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy) · newest Oct 25, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
130 positive · 27 negative
95% range 76–88%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 130 | 27 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 15 | 1 | 29 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
339 of 403 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 142 yes, 28 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 170 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (1,288 of 1,452 positive).
Players call Metal Slug 2 a classic arcade game with chaotic action and memorable pixel art. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note that the game suffers from significant slowdown during intense fights. [4][5][6] Several players compare it unfavorably to Metal Slug X, which they say fixes the lag and adds improvements. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
DO NOT BUY THIS. There is an imporved version on Steam called Metal Slug X. X is same 2nd game, but better, and greedy developers (or publisher, I don't care), instead of removing Metal Slug 2 from Steam Store or at least puting notification, continue both of these games hoping to scam people into buying basically two copies of same game.
- [1]
Metal Slug 2 is classic arcade chaos at its finest with nonstop explosions, goofy enemies, and satisfying gunplay. The pixel art still looks fantastic today, and the animations are full of personality. Some slowdown happens during intense fights, but the co-op action and pure fun easily make up for it.
- [2]
𝕀𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕄𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕊𝕝𝕦𝕘 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕕𝕖! Now before the 2012 kids jump out of a bush to say how the latest Metal Slug rocks, understand that this game was all the rage back in the 2000s. We would literally stay up way past bed time playing in the local arcade, trying to beat each others' scores. Metal Slug games that came after this one, notably X, were so difficult …
- [4]
This sequel to "Metal Slug" added more playable characters, more humor, more weapons and more vehicles. Unfortunately, it also had a lot more slowdown. In fact, the whole game is plagued with it. Combat seems to be taking place underwater. Despite this major performance flaw, MS 2 is quite fun. While not as good as the first one, fans should enjoy the new additions. …
- [3]
Metal Slug 2 is even better than its big brother. While the first game took place in a Vietnam-inspired setting, MS2 takes you to some Middle East-alike environments where you get to shoot mummies in an underground temple, explode zombies in an abandoned subway and even destroy aliens in a secret military base! You even get to ride a camel armed with machine guns! What else do you need? A laser gun? Fine, you can …
Summarised from 34 of the 215 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
METAL SLUG 2 sits at 83% positive across 157 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Upon their initial appearance, both Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X received generally positive reviews. Many of the subsequent ports and re-releases have received mixed reviews. For example, the iOS version of Metal Slug 2 holds an aggregate score of 77% on GameRankings, based on 5 reviews, and 76 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 6 reviews. The exhibition of Metal Slug 2 at the February 1998 AOU Show made a significant impact, with Sega Saturn Magazine reporting that "SNK proudly displayed what many felt was the game of the show - Metal Slug 2. Huge crowds gathered around the stand to take a look at one of the greatest sprite-based games they'd ever seen." When Metal Slug 2 was released on…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 204 · most liked firstDO NOT BUY THIS. There is an imporved version on Steam called Metal Slug X. X is same 2nd game, but better, and greedy developers (or publisher, I don't care), instead of removing Metal Slug 2 from Steam Store or at least puting notification, continue both of these games hoping to scam people into buying basically two copies of same game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This week we have three new translations to share! First up, a Metal Slug 2 interview from 1998 with planners Akio Oyabu and Meeher. They discuss the differences between MS2 and the first game, as well as various aspects of the character and stage design. shmuplations.com/metalslug2/
neutral · AI labelView post →cool but, Metal Slug Anthology???? where is it????
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"listen this game helped me thru a really hard time" I say trying to awkwardly rush past the opening level of Metal Slug 2
positive · AI labelView post →Metal Slug X is a "revised" version of this title, it includes different weapon placements, some different times of day, just in general is a different game for very subtle reasons, but enough reasons, that end up becoming a significant change. I personally got this game for fairly cheap on a sale on one hand to complete my collection of MS games, as well as to check the differences; turns out this is the game I played as a child at the arcades and not the revised version like I thought. I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Childhood Memories METAL SLUG 2 is one of my favorite entries in the series, and playing it again brought back so many memories from my childhood, when I used to play these games on arcade machines. There's something special about returning to a game that was part of those years and discovering that it can still make you smile just as much. Classic Arcade Action The gameplay is everything I love about the series: frantic action, crazy weapons, huge explosions and enemies coming at you from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Schedule Ya-hoo! Mon: Mario Kart!! Haven't decide between 64 or DS. Leaning handheld but we'll see tomorrow night. Wed: Freedom Planet 2!! This is the prettiest game ever made wanna play more. Sat: Metal Slug 2!! Premium run & gun. Mission start! Let's go-!
positive · AI labelView post →Aren’t the Mars People cute?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In 1.5 hours (8pm EST) Metal Slug 2!! No patches or mods or anythin' just the original game. I know it's got slowdown but slugs are supposed to be slow, right? Later, on: Twitch.tv/GammaChris
neutral · AI labelView post →Metal Slug 2 is classic arcade chaos at its finest with nonstop explosions, goofy enemies, and satisfying gunplay. The pixel art still looks fantastic today, and the animations are full of personality. Some slowdown happens during intense fights, but the co-op action and pure fun easily make up for it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Number 23, Mars People from Metal Slug 2. Last one! I wanted this to be a quick cheeky one, so here's the Mars People abducting Morden at the end of the game. Spoilers! I hope my Neo Geo spam wasn't too annoying, as I enjoyed the hell out of it. Now onto Dreamcast December! (joking) #neogeonov
positive · AI labelView post →My favorite Metal Slug
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#justbeatit Metal Slug 2 (arcade) Solid sequel with more vehicles, more enemies, bigger bosses. The addition of monsters and aliens was weird but cool I guess. I'm not sure if it's my rom or just the game but the slowdown is unreal bad, stull a good time though. @polykillpodcast.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →You can play as female characters. A clear upgrade from the predecessor.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🟡 Metal Slug X (1999, Neo Geo) 🟢 REVIEW: SNK revitalised Metal Slug 2, fixing crippling slow-down issues whilst introducing new weapons, new enemies and a host of tweaks. I recap Metal Slug's finest hour, and arguably the Neo Geo's best game. 😊👇 #gaming #snk 🔴 www.thepixelempire.net/metal-slug-x...
neutral · AI labelView post →One of the best arcade games in 90s. I used to play this game in arcade in the mall when I was a kid, spending a bunch of quarter coins, and I enjoyed a lot. Now, even steam version is still very good. Pro: Compared to Metal Slug 1, Metal Slug 2 added 2 new female characters for player to select. Also, this game added few new slugs like plane, camel, and jumping slug, making the game more fun. Cons: I tried playing Metal Slug Xbox One controller, the control was sluggish. Playing with…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Neo Geo Metal Slug games were extremely fun to play side by side with a friend. Just note Metal Slug 2 has lag problems due to the engine used, but it was later ported to MS3's engine as Metal Slug X. Also, most versions of the games on PC come with the ROMs, if you'd rather use your own emulator. Another set of games we also enjoyed a lot were the River City Girls games. Just had to use health cheats on the SNES game repurposed because it was getting too hard for the time we had. "<.<
neutral · AI labelView post →steamdeck verified, all i did was force experimental from jump, great throw back, 10/10 deff great buy.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →today's arcade game: METAL SLUG 2 that's right, it's the second game of the series you DIDN'T see in your local grocery store all the time growing up -- you're thinking of Metal Slug X. this one's also real good though playin' it at twitch.tv/anderjak soon
positive · AI labelView post →𝕀𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕄𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕊𝕝𝕦𝕘 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕕𝕖! Now before the 2012 kids jump out of a bush to say how the latest Metal Slug rocks, understand that this game was all the rage back in the 2000s. We would literally stay up way past bed time playing in the local arcade, trying to beat each others' scores. Metal Slug games that came after this one, notably X, were so difficult they were nigh undoable. Metal Slug 2 keeps the formula simple, with boss…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →deeply evil video game designed to inhale the quarters directly from your pocket it's great!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#JustBeatIt @polykillpodcast.bsky.social No.17 Metal Slug 2 (ARC). Released in 1998, this game is a visual and musical standout with lush sprites and iconic tracks. Unfortunately, heavy slowdown and bullet-sponge bosses undermine the pacing, dulling an otherwise sharp run-and-gun classic.
neutral · AI labelView post →Downvoted for not having Steam Cloud. I get that Metal Slug X already exists as the replacement for this, but never ever cut off the original version of the game in enjoying the same benefits as the other games.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Metal Slug 2 is even better than its big brother. While the first game took place in a Vietnam-inspired setting, MS2 takes you to some Middle East-alike environments where you get to shoot mummies in an underground temple, explode zombies in an abandoned subway and even destroy aliens in a secret military base! You even get to ride a camel armed with machine guns! What else do you need? A laser gun? Fine, you can have that too!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's good. :zomv::abbysmug::zomv:
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →THE GAME NOT WORKING ANYMORE
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →good game, childhood classic. bad port, what a shame
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lone and Vita last night reminded me of a few things 1. A good Megaman game should be harder then Metal Slug 2. I probably only think that b/c you can always respawn in place, and it cost me $56 in quarters to beat Metal Slug 1 3. Games with a giant fuck-off rocket launcher are fun
neutral · AI labelView post →My recommendations: - Anodyne ([Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.Anodyne.mobile) | [Humble Bundle](https://www.humblebundle.com/store/anodyne) | [Humble Widgets](https://www.humblebundle.com/widget/v2/standalone/anodyne/Sndn9sjSnlz)) - Chloe Playtime ([Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QBZ3D6R) | [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rmstudios.chloee)) - Codemancer…
neutral · AI labelView post →The lag really makes this game annoying, especially since it's one of the harder Metal Slug games. Also the achievements are bugged. Supposedly the original game had lag as well, but it doesn't make it any less irritating. They could have at least tried to optimize the port. Other than that it plays fine, but since it's full-on an arcade game it has very limited appeal in its current state. If you're looking for something more than just the original game dumped onto Steam then you won't find…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Metal Slug game I remember playing the most in the arcades and the reason I always yell Rawket LAWNCHER in every game that has one. It is probably the most unfair of the series though. Towards the end it becomes ridiculous and near impossible to stay alive on Hard difficulty without dying. There is also a "no continues" achievement that you can probably only beat on Easy, but it's also bugged and SNK still hasn't bothered to fix it. But someone put out a guide that lets you bypass it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →*frantically scans for Eri and/or Fio* ...Well I have to recommend one my favorite Neo Geo game, Metal Slug 3, even though they first appeared in Metal Slug 2 and most of the series since.
neutral · AI labelView post →BORN TO SLUG WORLD IS A WAR 鬼神 Kill Em All 2030 I am sand man 410,757,864,530 FREED POWs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only thing this one's got over most emulators and the OG is that it doesn't stutter... too much.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Had a funny dream last night, where I was just looking up old video game ads in magazines, but all the ads were like the most obvious and basic things you could say for a game. "METAL SLUG 3! The hit sequel to Metal Slug 2 is here!" "Mario's about to Party for the 5th time!" "There's 10 Mega Men."
neutral · AI labelView post →Same thing as the first game. Great game, but port is underwhelming.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Better than X imo since X is censored the color palettes are dull colored. theres no frame drop here so theres no point getting the X version, go with this one
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →works fine on the deck
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →how come I'm getting framedrops on this game? man this port is bad.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →good old memories
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This s**t is pure, uncut arcade soul. This is one of those games that forged OG gamers, back when you had to actually git gud or go broke feeding the machine quarters. The enemies are iconic. The bosses are absolute f**king units. The action is glorious, unfiltered chaos. And that pixel art, It still mogs 99% of the soulless trash that comes out today. Every sprite is packed with personality. The music is pure bangers, front to back. Yeah, X is the polished, remixed version. We all know and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Big metal slug fan. Loved these at the arcade. The first one works great and everything is locked on in number one. Number 2 though, Jesus...... they made it TERRIBLY bad. The biggest and most annoying thing by far which makes this game pretty much unplayable is the simple fact that you cannot aim DOWN. A lot of the fights, there are enemies that are below you and you can't even shoot at them.... Literally an entire boss fight with them right below you and you can't aim down to shoot them. WTF…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Metal Slug 2 (1998) It's more of the same from the first game, but i don't see that as a bad thing. It's basically the same Metal Slug action but with some extra playable characters, like a cute girl with glasses named Fio :3, and still the same explosions and Wilhelm esc enemy screams! 8.5/10
positive · AI labelView post →This is the version I played the most when I was young and in elementary school. A sudden thought occurred to me and I came to do it. In particular, the places where mummies appear, bats fly, and subway cars are blocked with guns are still impressive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game not responding
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This sequel to "Metal Slug" added more playable characters, more humor, more weapons and more vehicles. Unfortunately, it also had a lot more slowdown. In fact, the whole game is plagued with it. Combat seems to be taking place underwater. Despite this major performance flaw, MS 2 is quite fun. While not as good as the first one, fans should enjoy the new additions. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2944372327
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the two side-scrollers where you can eat too much and become morbidly obese, thus powering up your character.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Done with my chest and legs workout, which means I'm done with my workout week. It also means I'm done with Metal Slug 2 OST. Now, I'm working out to the Metal Slug 3 OST. This game series has a lot of good music.
neutral · AI labelView post →🕹️ Gameplay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📖 Story: ⭐⭐⭐ 🎨 Visuals: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🎵 Music: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🔄 Replayability: ⭐⭐ ❤️ Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐ Metal Slug 2 builds on the same formula as the original. The gameplay is fast, chaotic and satisfying, with plenty of creative enemies and situations to keep the action entertaining. Like the first game, the story is communicated entirely through visual storytelling. It is easy enough to understand, although I wouldn't have minded some additional background information again. The visuals…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Collectibles & Videogames Part 408 Metal Slug 2 (Metal Slug Anthology) (Arcade / PlayStation 4, 1998/2016) Paladone Game Over Light (2019) #Gaming #Collectibles #PlayStation #MetalSlug #Retro
neutral · AI labelView post →Come to think of it, Metal Slug Collection PC exists, but rather than releasing Metal Slug Collection PC on Steam, SNK released the mobile ports of Metal Slug 1, 2, X, and 3 individually on Steam... What if I wanna play 4, 5, and 6? Also, why sell Metal Slug 2 and X separately? Same game..
neutral · AI labelView post →Well, I like it a lot more than the first one, and well, I like it, it's very fun, and that's it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →However, I hadn't replayed the original Metal Slug 2 in decades. Sweet lord, I can see why it got remade in less than a year. What in the ever loving fuck are these enemy placements? Not only that, but it suffers from insane slowdown and the late game bosses are incredibly unbalanced.
negative · AI labelView post →Finally I’ve defeated the arcade machine, my quarters are avenged But fr, if you want to experience the classic arcade game, Metal Slug 2 is great. Controls well, it does work on steamdeck, and a single run shouldn’t take more than 1 hour. It even has the classic lag, which honestly is helpful considering how much is on the screen. It is much easier with a friend but you get unlimited lives so go crazy
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎮 2026 Game #25: Metal Slug X Literally just Metal Slug 2, but with better music and supposedly less slowdown. Although from my playthroughs, it felt the same to me. Still solid though, great gameplay, great art, love the soundtrack, had a blast playing through this one in co-op. 7.5/10
positive · AI labelView post →As of today, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) is the 222th best game of all time according to me, directly below Metal Slug 2 and directly above Hotline Miami. It is part of Tier 12. There are 25 tiers and 573 games in the list #PixelRankings
neutral · AI labelView post →it's a good game ʕ·͡ᴥ·ʔ
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Compared to the first Metal Slug, I didn’t suffer as much with this one — though I probably should’ve, since it’s actually a bit tougher. The enemies and level design are more intense, so it can get pretty chaotic at times. That said, I had already been practicing on my PlayStation, so when I played the PC version, I managed to unlock all the achievements in just two runs. One of those was even a speedrun, since I didn’t have much left to finish. Like I’ve said before, the Metal Slug series…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game but bad port. So much lag and awful controls. No reason to sell this as a separate game from MSX.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best METAL SLUG!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.
