Wired skims through the Spong interview with SNK US president, Ben Herman and raises the most interesting points in the exchange. (One person who commented on Wired pointed out dizzying English during the interview, but we'll skip that.)

First point raised was that "Nintendo has all the code for NES and SNES titles". Apparently, all they need to do is ask permission from the owner of the IP in order to release a particular game on Virtual Console. Second point goes to online play as "Nintendo is still not letting Wii third-party publishers include online capabilities in their games." Well, that could change but Herman indicates that it wouldn't happen any time this year.

As for arcade sticks to match VC, Nintendo has given a go signal to the games community and create peripherals that would work on Wii titles. It looks like we'd have to wait for third party made peripherals then. The future for SNK seems to be going toward developing high definition games as they said at the Tokyo Game Show.

Interesting news (as this writer is now envisioning high def SNK creations of Metal Slug fun). We'll see where this takes us and keep our eyes peeled for updates.

Fans of insane side-scrolling mayhem, be happy. A press pack containing eight all-new Metal Slug Anthology screenshots just got thrown onto our laps, and we're posting them here to quench your Metal Slug thirst, if only for a little while. Check out the screens below.

   

SNK Playmore and Terminal Reality's Metal Slug Anthology collects seven classic Metal Slug titles under one package. This is pretty much the ultimate Metal Slug collection for fans of the side-scrolling shooter. It's already out in Japan and will be hitting retail stores in the U.S. on March 6 for a suggested retail price of US$ 39.99.

More screenshots after the jump!

Our last three reports on Ignition's Metal Slug Anthology (MSA) involved old-school nostalgia, details on how the controls should work, and a few updates regarding the game's release date.

Given that the game is still yet to be released in Europe (reports say that the game is set for a European release of March 30, 2007), some folks are still probably wondering how the extensive range of control methods for the game feels like. Yeah, most U.S. fans are probably already enjoying the game, but it helps to be informative.

We managed to come across this interview with Ignition over at C3 News, and it reveals several interesting tidbits about the game that European folks might appreciate. Below are several excerpts of Ignition's responses found in the interview.

On the extensive Control scheme:

We were able to start off with about 15 different controller ideas. Eventually we wound up with the six you see in the game. Our personal favourite is probably the Wii Tilt Remote control scheme. It reminds us a lot of when we were kids and used to play Super Mario Bros. and would actually lean with the controller when jumping gaps or running away from flying Koopa Troopas! We found everyone was able to pick it up pretty fast, and it provided the best interface for quickly exploding baddies with grenades.

On the differences between the Wii version and the upcoming (in Europe) PSP version:

Obviously there are a numerous differences due to hardware. The Wii is a next generation console with innovative controllers, and the PSP is a portable handheld you can carry anywhere. That said, we have tried to remain as faithful as possible on both platforms to the original arcade version. Our goal was to provide gamers with a true Metal Slug arcade experience, regardless of what platform they chose to play.

On Nintendo's Virtual Console:

Unfortunately, there are no realistic plans for VC at the moment. Of course, we’re very interested in releasing our classic titles on Wii’s VC and since all next generation hardware has such an online download game system we’ve been sending our proposition to all platform owners now. We trust one day our older games will be available to play on their attractive system.

Well that's all that jumped at us as far as MSA is concerned. The full interview also includes info on their plans for the DS, and possibilities for other franchises, but since this is a Metal Slug post, we're leaving those details out. To get access to the full interview, feel free to click the link below.

It's good to know that some things don't have to change, even with the rapid evolution in gaming power right at our fingertips. The Wiimote revolutionizes how we play Metal Slug Anthology, but it doesn't change the side-scrolling mayhem that is Metal Slug Anthology. SNK could have chosen to do so, a new title in the lineup, so to speak, but they didn't.

Sure, it'll be same-old, same-old, albeit with a Wiimote rather than a joystick or gamepad. We'll bet the reviews will say that, too. But for those whose fond memories involve plopping down endless quarters to play this game, they would have it no other way. Sort of like it can't be G-LOC without the tilting arcade cabinet - or even better, the R360 full-rotation cabinet. Here's a couple of gameplay montages from GameTrailers of the same old Metal Slug action we grew up with.

One other thing: should Sega decide to try and make a new G-LOC (or that new Afterburner) for the Wii or any other console, they better throw in a home R360 cabinet for that, too. Yes, I know that the new Afterburner I linked to is for the PSP. I still want a friggin' R360 cabinet!!!



More old-school after the jump.

A side-scrolling shooter. We're all too familiar with the Metal Slug franchise. And some would even hazard their opinion of "you've played one, you've played the all" sort of comment. But while there is some truth in that, you can't deny the fact that there are fans of such a well established franchise.

Despite having "played them all," there's still a sense of pride and sentimentality when SNK releases Metal Slug Anthology. More than this fan base, however, another reason why you can't throw in the "played one, played them all" card is because the Wii version brings a whole new dimension into the franchise.

Side-scrolling shooter as it might be, the Wiimote and Nunchuck give old and new fans alike a different gaming experience. Below, we've got a video showing the controls of the game, whether you want to play it with the Wiimote and Nunchuck, Nunchuck only, or Wiimote only. And it seems that in whatever way you decide to play it in, your overall experience (not to mention the game's control-mapping scheme) changes entirely.

Check it out! It'll only take 13MB of your time!

Download: [Metal Slug Anthology controls trailer]

If you're like the rest of us here in QJ who are near to scalding our scalps due to the head scratching brought on by the confusion of this game's release date, we must say, welcome to The Befuddled Club.

As you'll also probably notice in our previous posts for Metal Slug Anthology, the game's Wii version was first rumored to be a launch title, and then it was pushed back to November 28th. And now, SNK Playmore is saying that the target window for MSA's release is "early December."

The PSP version also suffers from the same fate: first said to be scheduled for release November 15th then moved to 28th, and THEN to December 4th. If you check Amazon, their listing for the game's PSP version says that the game will be released December 5th. But if you head on to EBGames, they list both the Wii and PSP versions as slated for release on December 14, with the PS2 version hitting shelves a week later (December 19).

On the SNK Playmore's message board, you'll see that the game will be released "early December". But if EBGames proves to be right, wouldn't December 14 count as "mid-December" already? Now, we're not really complaining ('coz we know the wait will be sooo worth it anyway), this post is really just to update you guys on the game's release date (and tons of musings about it). If December 14 is indeed the final release date, we're totally fine with that. At least that's one more game we can expect to find under the tree this Christmas.

Metal Slug Anthology compiles Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and the all new Metal Slug 6. That's exciting stuff, so we looked at its website. The website has information about the anthology for PSP and also for the Wii version.

Our favorite feature: the "Track Select" option near the bottom of the screen. Ah. When we hear that music we remember: this is one of the best game franchises of all time. There's also a screenshot gallery, and there are areas where you can explore the game's history, the vehicles, and the soldiers.

The site loads a bit slowly at times. That's not too big a surprise; we're guessing long-time fans of this classic scrolling shooter are going to the site in droves.

By the way, unless we're wrong, it's the first time that SNK Playmore has been a third-party developer for a Nintendo console since the old days of the SNES, right? November 28 is the US release date.

As for the PSP version, it's already past the Australia launch date but the Japan and US launches will be early December (December 4, to be exact).

We have not been selfish in sharing with you everything we know about Metal Slug Anthologyfor the Wii. From the screenshots, control setup, and even a video of how you would go about in the game using the Wiimote, we've dished out updates after updates. And why break a good habit, right? That's why we have more screens of the game and some more info, as it nears its release date.

We already know that the anthology will be made up of Metal Slugs 1, 2, x, 3, 4, 5, and 6. SNK Playmore, the developer and publisher of the game has said that each is already "arcade perfect" and the two-player co-op option is already working like a charm. The game will also feature a handful of unlockable items and bonus games, although SNK didn't divulge what those items and games are. For now, here are the screens to accompany you while you wait.

Check out more screens after the jump!

We were talking about the Wii's controls for SNK's Metal Slug Anthology a few days ago, and just like you, we liked the idea of having five separate control setups for the game - one for every style that fits the player's taste, and to show off the Wiimote's flexibility. Then came the problem: which buttons do we press?

Yup, the Wiimote/Nunchuck config displayed nicely in the vid, but we never could  figure out which buttons activated the functions, like how to crouch, shoot, lob grenades, or how to kick in Metal Slug's kamikaze ram (bummer). Then we found this scan taken of the game's instruction manual.

It shows the various button functions and movements needed to move your sprite around on-screen, and we thought you'd want an early preview so you could log in some extra practice time, and own your buddies in-game when this title lands this November. Try to watch the demo vid again, and see how the buttons fit in. If you can't do that just yet because you don't have a Wiimote (or a Wii for that matter), we can offer some alternatives.

Metal Slug Anthology is slugging your way this month, with its launch slated on the 14th for PSP, and the 19th for the Wii. Now, before they do, we have here for you some last minute previews of the game on Wii, via screenshots.

What can you expect from the Wii version? It reportedly will have unique controller functions, as well as online capabilities. The nunchuk can be used for general movement and firing. To toss grenades, simply flick the Wiimote. Meanwhile, without the nunchuk attached, the d-pad for "up" makes your character jump. Pretty simple, eh?

Anyhow, here are the screenshots. Enjoy!

There's more after the jump!

Pre-Order: [Metal Slug Anthology (Wii)]

Pre-Order: [Metal Slug Anthology (PSP)]