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Metal Slug 8 is the newest installment in the Metal Slug franchise, and is published by Aksys Games and developed by SNK Playmore. It is the first in the series to feature newly-designed graphics and character animations reminiscent from King of Fighters XIII. All main illustrations are drawn by Eisuke Ogura. Gameplay mechanics from the third game have slightly returned, but with improved modifications such as more futuristic level designs, the ability to switch out bombs (in Metal Slug 6, you could wield two different firearms and switch them out whenever you felt like it; therefore, this feature works pretty similar), and a "Free Roam" mode where you just complete levels not part of the standard "Mission" mode. New enemies have debuted in the game, with some returning favorites. Music on the game is now done by Yuki Iwai and Tate Norio.
Playable characters
- Marco Rossi (playable): Starter
- Eri Kasamoto (playable): Starter
- Tarma Roving (playable): Starter
- Fio Germi (playable): Starter
- Leona Heidern (playable): Starter
- Ralf Jones (playable): Starter
- Clark Still (playable): Starter
- Trevor Spacey (playable): Starter
- Nadia Cassel (playable): Starter
- Whip (playable): Starter
- Heidern (playable): Starter
- Rootmars (playable in multiplayer only)
- General Morden (playable in multiplayer only)
- Allen O'Neil (playable in multiplayer only)
- John Crawley (playable in multiplayer only)
- Abigail (playable in multiplayer only)
- Beatriz (playable in multiplayer only)
Weapons List
- Pistol/Handgun
- Heavy Machine Gun (now equipped with "Rapid Buller Attack" super)
- Laser Blade (new weapon!)
- Enemy Chaser
- Rocket Launcher (now equipped with "Nuke Explosion" super)
- Flame Thrower (Flame Shot had its name changed)
- Shotgun
- Knife (now equipped with "Berserk Cutter" super)
- Grenades
- Bullets (otherwise known as, "ok")
- Super Grenade
- Cannon
- Drop Shot
- Fire Bombs
- Claymore (new weapon!)
- Iron Lizard
- Missiles
- Plasma Whip (enhanced version of the "Whip")
- Two Heavy Machine Guns
- Zantetsu Sword
- Deadly Claw (new weapon!)
- Thunder Gun
Slug Vehicles
- Dinosaur Slug (new Slug!): can become an evil force and devour many enemies with its long, sharp jaws
- Spider Slug: returns with a new Cannon system, and includes an ability to shapeshift into other Slugs.
- Droid Slug: no new changes
- Camel Slug: now able to shoot at a much faster, easier ranking... It is also much taller in size than the previous games!
- Slug Flyer: now with a newer shooting emphasis.
- Dragon Slug (new Slug!): A half-dragon, half-cyborg equipped with a Laser Blade weapon, waterproof defenses and high Enemy Chaser bullets. Good for the newbies.
- Slug Driller Neon (new Slug!): Actually an enhanced version of the original Slug Driller. Unlike the original, the Slug Driller Neon has a customizable weapons system, full of hundreds of deliciously powerful weapons.
- Slug Gunner: no new changes
- Slugnoid: now fires multiple powerful shots, and also has a handy "Mecha Hellstorm" super.
- Metal Crow: no new changes
- Astro Slug: different color scheme
- Vortex Slug (new Slug!): A hovercraft armed with sextuple vulcan guns, and has three different "beam" variations.
- Horse Slug (new Slug!): just a regular horse with vulcan attach like all the other Slug animals with good mobility and jumping over obstacles like fences, edges, enemys' attacks and others etc. And an attachment of a carriage armed with a cannon like the "Donkey Slug".
Enemy Classes
Standard
- Normal rebel infantry
- Mummies (regular, Drop shot, locust-spewing, Dog, Bats)
- Mutated Soldiers
- Martians (grey, brown, white)
- Sasquatch
- Security Systems (Camera, Patrol Robot)
- Big Eye (Regular, Space mode)
- Ring Laser Mecha
- Hopper Mecha
- Mars Mecha
- Clones
- Street Gangs
- Scientists
- Pirates
- Morden Robots
- Omega Mecha (new!): more massive than a Mars Mecha
- Dragons (new!) (Regular, Cyborg, Dragon riders)
- Dinosaurs (new!) (Prehistoric Isle)
- Devils (new!) (Red, black, blue, green)
- Mammoths (new!) (Regular, Mammoth riders, Supermassive Mammoth)
- Rootmars Clones (new!)
- Angels (new!) (Regular, Pegasus riders)
Bosses
- Drive-by Tanker (new!)
- The Ten Commandments of Moses
- Jupiter King
- The Iron
- Sea Satan
- Big Jun
- Scyther
- Bulldozer
- Slider
- The Union
- Formor
- Dragon Nosuke
- Iron Nokana
- Tani Oh
- Cerberus (new!)
- The One Thousand Eyes of Judas (new!)
- Aeshi - Nero
- Wicked Medusa (new!)
- Giga Dragoon (new!)
- Hozmi
- Dai-Manji
- Gemini Angel (new!)
- Grammoth (new!)
- The Great Sea of Darkkeel (new!)
Other Information
- Genre: Run-and-gun, platformer
- Style: 1-2 player simultaneously
- Systems: PlayStation 3 And 4, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, PC, Gigacom (Japan only)
- Rating: Teen (ESRB), 12+ (PEGI), B (CERO)