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Metal Gear (video game)
Encyclopedia
is an overhead military action-adventure video game originally released in by Konami
for the MSX2 computer standard in Japan
and parts of Europe
. Considered to be the progenitor of the stealth game genre, it was also the first video game designed by Hideo Kojima
, who also directed many of the later Metal Gear sequels
. A heavily altered port was produced for the Nintendo Entertainment System
(without Kojima's involvement), along with a remade version based on the original MSX2 game that was released for the PlayStation 2
as a bonus game in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.
The game revolves around a special forces operative codenamed Solid Snake
who goes into a solo infiltration mission into the fortified state of Outer Heaven to destroy Metal Gear
, a bipedal walking tank
capable of launching nuclear missile
s from anywhere in the world.
The player must navigate the main character, a military operative codenamed Solid Snake, through various locations, while avoiding visual contact and direct confrontation with patrolling guards. If the player is seen, the game enters the "Alert Mode." In this situation, Snake must escape from enemy's sight in order to resume infiltration. The method of escaping varies depending on the circumstances behind discovery:
The player starts the game unarmed, but eventually gains access to a variety of firearms and explosives, starting with the Beretta M92F
and working their way up to guided missiles and the RPG-7
rocket launcher. Ammo and supplies for each weapon are limited, but are easily replenished. Weapons can not only be used to kill enemies, but also to clear obstacles such as hollow walls or electrified floors. Snake can also use his fists to punch and defeat patrolling enemies. Occasionally if the player defeats a guard with punches without alerting anyone, the defeated guard will yield a single unit of rations or an ammo box that can be picked up. In addition to enemy guards, the player will also be confronted by mercenaries who will challenge the player to combat, serving as the boss characters
.
The enemy base consists of three different buildings, with multiple floors (including basement levels) within them. The player uses key cards and other items to unlock doors or explore new areas. Each door will only open to its corresponding key cards. Information can be obtained by rescuing hostages being held captive within the buildings. After rescuing five hostages, the player's rank
will increase by one star (with the maximum rank being four stars), allowing for carrying capacity and maximum health. However, if a hostage is killed, the player is demoted to the previous rank.
A transceiver is available for the player to communicate with their commanding officer (Big Boss) or one of the resistance members operating covertly near Outer Heaven (Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer). Each of Snake's allies specializes in a specific subject (i.e.: Big Boss provides information on weapons and items, Schneider knows the layout of the fortress, and Diane knows the weaknesses of most of the bosses). The player must keep track of their allies' frequency numbers in order to contact them. All of the radio messages are dependent on the rooms where the player is located.
The bosses includes Shoot Gunner (renamed Shotmaker in later versions), a former Spetsnaz
agent specializing in the riot gun; Machine Gun Kid, a former SAS
operative armed with a machine gun
; Fire Trooper, a former GSG 9
operative who uses a flamethrower
; Coward Duck (Dirty Duck in later releases), a boomerang
throwing terrorist who shields himself with hostages; Arnold (Bloody Brad in later releases), an android designed by Dr. Pettrovich; and the legendary mercenary who founded Outer Heaven, whose true identity is unknown until the end.
, lies Outer Heaven, a fortified state founded by a "legendary mercenary". Word had gotten out to the western world that deep within the Outer Heaven stronghold, a weapon of mass destruction is being constructed. Special Forces unit FOXHOUND sends Gray Fox, one of their top agents, to infiltrate the fortress, assess the situation and neutralize the threat. Days later, contact with Gray Fox is lost and his last transmission simply reads "METAL GEAR..." Operative Solid Snake, FOXHOUND's newest recruit, is ordered by squad leader Big Boss to rescue Gray Fox and carry out his mission, "Operation: Intrude N313".
Upon insertion into Outer Heaven, Snake makes contact with local resistance members Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer. Using all of his skills and the equipment he procured on site, he manages to rescue Fox. He learns from Fox that Metal Gear is the codename of a nuclear warhead-equipped bipedal walking tank, which can engage and dominate in all forms of combat as well as launch its nuclear warheads from any location. Outer Heaven plans to use Metal Gear to impose itself as the new world superpower.
In order to destroy Metal Gear, and topple the Outer Heaven mercenaries, Snake rescues the lead engineer of Metal Gear, Dr. Pettrovich, and his daughter, Ellen. Armed with information on how to destroy Metal Gear, his skill and indomitable spirit, Snake fights through the entire Outer Heaven force. He begins to notice that traps being set for him are too precise, and wonders how information on his activities is being tracked. Big Boss begins to act strangely, and eventually tells Snake to abort the mission (breaking the fourth wall by telling the player to turn off the console). Moreover, Schneider is ambushed by hostiles and is presumed dead after losing contact with Snake.
Upon breaching the core of the base, Snake is able to neutralize Metal Gear before it reaches completion. As he makes his way out of the compound's basement, he is confronted by the mercenary leader of Outer Heaven, who turns out to be Big Boss. The corrupt leader reveals that he had been using his connections to steal military intelligence, establish his own mercenary force, and fund his activities. It was his aim to have Outer Heaven become the world's greatest superpower, able to bring even the western nations to their knees. He had the rookie Snake sent in, hoping to have him captured and feed misinformation to authorities, but had quite obviously underestimated Snake's capabilities.
Having lost Metal Gear and much of his force, Big Boss seemingly starts the self-destruct sequence for the compound, and promises he will not die alone; Snake will join him. An underground battle ensues, and despite injury, Snake defeats Big Boss and escapes the Outer Heaven compound as it crumbles in flames behind him. After the end credits, a message from Big Boss is displayed saying that he will meet Solid Snake again.
, he reversed the focus of the gameplay from shooting down the enemy to avoiding the capture.
home computer in Japan on July 12, 1987, with an official English version released for the European market on September 1987. Most of the radio messages were edited or removed in the English version, including Big Boss' comments on every item and weapon found by the player. According to a fan-translation project, only 56% of the original Japanese text was translated in the English version. The translation contains many examples of Engrish
, such as consistently misspelling "destroy" as "destoroy". The Japanese version's manual contains exclusive content not found in the English manual, such as character profiles with illustrations, brief descriptions of the enemy bosses, and the complete specifications of the Metal Gear tank.
The MSX2 version of Metal Gear was released for the Wii
Virtual Console
in Japan
on December 8, .
A reprogrammed version for the Family Computer was released in Japan on December 22, 1987. While the MSX2 version of this game was never released in the U.S., the Nintendo Entertainment System version came to North America in June 1988
(published by Konami's Ultra Games
division), followed by PAL version
in Europe and Australia in March 1989
. According to Kojima's account, the NES port was developed by another Konami team at Tokyo without his involvement, who were given the source code from the MSX2 version without the consent of Kojima or anyone who worked on the original MSX2 version. While the NES version was intended to be a port of the MSX2 game, many changes were also made to the game during the porting process. Hideo Kojima has been vocal about his disappointment at the changes made to the game in its NES port.
The biggest change to the game was in the overall level design. Instead of the underwater infiltration from the MSX2 game, the NES version features a different opening sequence showing Solid Snake and three other soldiers (who are never seen nor mentioned after the opening) parachuting into the middle of a jungle, where the player begins (instead of starting directly at the entrance of the first building). The player must reach a transport truck at the end of the first jungle area that takes Snake to the front entrance of Building 1. The player can also use other transport trucks that serve as shortcuts to the entrances of the other buildings, although the player cannot do much in those areas without the required equipment. The basement floor that connected Building 1 and 2 in the MSX2 version is turned into two separate (but still connected) buildings, Building 4 and 5 respectively, that are only reachable by going through two different jungle mazes located at the outdoor areas between Building 1 & 2 and Building 2 & 3 respectively. The Metal Gear robot before the final boss battle is missing; instead the player destroys an immobile Super Computer guarded by four soldiers. The Hind D boss on the roof of Building 1 was also replaced by two armed turret gunners called "Twin Shot". Other changes includes the lack of the second alert phase, different background music, the removal of the Flying Army's ability to hover and the removal of Big Boss' message after the end credits. Like the English localization of the MSX2 version, the English localization of the NES game contains numerous examples of grammatically-incorrect phrases, such as "Contact missing our Grey Fox", "The truck have started to move!", and "I feel asleep!!"
The English localization of the NES version's manual swayed from the game's actual storyline. The main villain (whose identity is not revealed until the end) is mentioned to be "Colonel Vermon CaTaffy", while Snake's commanding officer is renamed "Commander South". Additionally, Solid Snake's back-story is different, with the manual claiming that he participated in the Grenada
invasion prior to joining FOXHOUND. It should be noted that these alterations to the plot only appear in the manual, but never in the game itself; moreover, the plot summary in the Japanese Famicom version's manual, along with Solid Snake's character profile, is identical to the MSX2 version's Japanese manual.
A bonus game disc featuring the Famicom version of Metal Gear was included in the Premium Package edition of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
released only in Japan.
for PC MS-DOS
and the Commodore 64
in North America and Europe. The PC MS-DOS conversion was programmed by Charles Ernst, while the Commodore 64 conversion was handled by Unlimited Software Inc. The PC MS-DOS version contains many minor changes, such as a faster-depleting health bar. However, the Commodore 64 version is closer to the NES version, with only small musical and visual changes. A third computer conversion for the Amiga is listed on the rear packaging of both computer versions, but was never released.
on August 18, 2004. It could be downloaded on the i-Mode
, EZweb and Vodafone
services. Although based on the MSX2 version, it includes several new features and changes.
This same version was included as a component of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence for the PlayStation 2. The North American version included a retranslated English script, as well as an optional Spanish
script. In 2008
, Konami began offering the mobile phone version of Metal Gear to North American players via their Konami Mobile service. The re-released versions were programmed by Aspect Co., Ltd. under Konami's supervision. It is also available for Nokia N-gage gaming platform.
New features include two difficulty settings ("Original" and "Easy"), an unlockable Boss Survival mode and an infinite bandana which provides the player with unlimited ammo when equipped (similar to the one featured in Metal Gear Solid). Some of the boss characters were renamed as well. In the Japanese version, the script was changed to include kanji
and hiragana
, in addition to katakana
and romaji. The English version uses a completely new translation different from the early MSX2 and NES localizations.
, is included in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
.http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/118/1187604p1.html
s in the dialogue that have led to various internet meme
s. While labeled as Engrish
, they are merely spelling errors.
Top 200 Games list.
Its success led to the creation of two separately produced sequel
s; the first one, Snake's Revenge
, was produced specifically for the NES in North America
and Europe
in and the other, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
, was the sequel developed by the original game's designer and released in Japan for the MSX2 during the same year as a response to the former's creation. The latter was followed by Metal Gear Solid
for the PlayStation
in , which was in turn followed by numerous sequels and spinoffs (see Metal Gear
series).
The intro theme ("Operation Intrude N313"), main theme ("Theme of Tara") and game over theme ("Just Another Dead Soldier") from the MSX2 version were reused for the VR Training theme in Metal Gear Solid, which in turn was reused in Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
and Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. "Theme of Tara" is one of the tunes that can be heard in the "Shadow Moses Island" stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
for the Wii
, the music for the beginning section of the Battleship Halberd Interior stage of the Adventure mode, where Snake officially enters the storyline, and can also be selected as music with an iPod
item in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
.
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for the MSX2 computer standard in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Considered to be the progenitor of the stealth game genre, it was also the first video game designed by Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
, who also directed many of the later Metal Gear sequels
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
. A heavily altered port was produced for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(without Kojima's involvement), along with a remade version based on the original MSX2 game that was released for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
as a bonus game in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.
The game revolves around a special forces operative codenamed Solid Snake
Solid Snake
Metal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
who goes into a solo infiltration mission into the fortified state of Outer Heaven to destroy Metal Gear
Metal Gear (weapon)
is the name for a series of fictional mecha in the Metal Gear series. In the series, a Metal Gear is defined as a bipedal nuclear equipped tank, but in the case of Metal Gear RAY, is a large bipedal tank designed to destroy other Metal Gear...
, a bipedal walking tank
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
capable of launching nuclear missile
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s from anywhere in the world.
Gameplay
- If Snake is seen and only a single exclamation mark (!) appears over an enemy's head, only the enemies in the player's present screen will attack and Snake can escape by simply moving to an adjacent screen.
- However, if two exclamation marks (!!) appear over the enemy (or the player triggers an alarm by being spotted by a camera, infrared sensor or by using an unsilenced weapon), reinforcements from outside the screen will appear as well. Snake can only escape by eliminating all incoming enemies, going outdoors, or by simply moving to a different floor.
The player starts the game unarmed, but eventually gains access to a variety of firearms and explosives, starting with the Beretta M92F
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
and working their way up to guided missiles and the RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
rocket launcher. Ammo and supplies for each weapon are limited, but are easily replenished. Weapons can not only be used to kill enemies, but also to clear obstacles such as hollow walls or electrified floors. Snake can also use his fists to punch and defeat patrolling enemies. Occasionally if the player defeats a guard with punches without alerting anyone, the defeated guard will yield a single unit of rations or an ammo box that can be picked up. In addition to enemy guards, the player will also be confronted by mercenaries who will challenge the player to combat, serving as the boss characters
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
.
The enemy base consists of three different buildings, with multiple floors (including basement levels) within them. The player uses key cards and other items to unlock doors or explore new areas. Each door will only open to its corresponding key cards. Information can be obtained by rescuing hostages being held captive within the buildings. After rescuing five hostages, the player's rank
Level Up
Level Up was a UK children's TV programme that was broadcast on CBBC. It was launched on the 3rd April 2006, replacing Xchange. The show was an hour long and during the school year broadcasting from 7:30am until 8:30am...
will increase by one star (with the maximum rank being four stars), allowing for carrying capacity and maximum health. However, if a hostage is killed, the player is demoted to the previous rank.
A transceiver is available for the player to communicate with their commanding officer (Big Boss) or one of the resistance members operating covertly near Outer Heaven (Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer). Each of Snake's allies specializes in a specific subject (i.e.: Big Boss provides information on weapons and items, Schneider knows the layout of the fortress, and Diane knows the weaknesses of most of the bosses). The player must keep track of their allies' frequency numbers in order to contact them. All of the radio messages are dependent on the rooms where the player is located.
Characters
The player's character is Solid Snake, a rookie member of the fictional special forces group FOXHOUND sent on his first mission. He is assisted via radio by his commanding officer Big Boss, who offers information about mission objectives and items; as well as a local Resistance movement composed of Schneider, who provides the locations of important items; Diane, who provides information on how to defeat enemy bosses; and Jennifer, who assists Snake as an inside agent. Among the prisoners Snake rescues includes Grey Fox (Gray Fox in the later versions), a FOXHOUND agent who was captured during a previous mission; Dr. Pettrovich (Dr. Pettrovich Madnar in later releases), the scientist who designed the Metal Gear weapon; and his daughter Ellen, who was kidnapped along with him.The bosses includes Shoot Gunner (renamed Shotmaker in later versions), a former Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz, Specnaz tr: Voyska specialnogo naznacheniya; ) is an umbrella term for any special forces in Russian, literally "force of special purpose"...
agent specializing in the riot gun; Machine Gun Kid, a former SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
operative armed with a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
; Fire Trooper, a former GSG 9
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
operative who uses a flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
; Coward Duck (Dirty Duck in later releases), a boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
throwing terrorist who shields himself with hostages; Arnold (Bloody Brad in later releases), an android designed by Dr. Pettrovich; and the legendary mercenary who founded Outer Heaven, whose true identity is unknown until the end.
Story
In 199X, 200 km north of Galzburg, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, lies Outer Heaven, a fortified state founded by a "legendary mercenary". Word had gotten out to the western world that deep within the Outer Heaven stronghold, a weapon of mass destruction is being constructed. Special Forces unit FOXHOUND sends Gray Fox, one of their top agents, to infiltrate the fortress, assess the situation and neutralize the threat. Days later, contact with Gray Fox is lost and his last transmission simply reads "METAL GEAR..." Operative Solid Snake, FOXHOUND's newest recruit, is ordered by squad leader Big Boss to rescue Gray Fox and carry out his mission, "Operation: Intrude N313".
Upon insertion into Outer Heaven, Snake makes contact with local resistance members Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer. Using all of his skills and the equipment he procured on site, he manages to rescue Fox. He learns from Fox that Metal Gear is the codename of a nuclear warhead-equipped bipedal walking tank, which can engage and dominate in all forms of combat as well as launch its nuclear warheads from any location. Outer Heaven plans to use Metal Gear to impose itself as the new world superpower.
In order to destroy Metal Gear, and topple the Outer Heaven mercenaries, Snake rescues the lead engineer of Metal Gear, Dr. Pettrovich, and his daughter, Ellen. Armed with information on how to destroy Metal Gear, his skill and indomitable spirit, Snake fights through the entire Outer Heaven force. He begins to notice that traps being set for him are too precise, and wonders how information on his activities is being tracked. Big Boss begins to act strangely, and eventually tells Snake to abort the mission (breaking the fourth wall by telling the player to turn off the console). Moreover, Schneider is ambushed by hostiles and is presumed dead after losing contact with Snake.
Upon breaching the core of the base, Snake is able to neutralize Metal Gear before it reaches completion. As he makes his way out of the compound's basement, he is confronted by the mercenary leader of Outer Heaven, who turns out to be Big Boss. The corrupt leader reveals that he had been using his connections to steal military intelligence, establish his own mercenary force, and fund his activities. It was his aim to have Outer Heaven become the world's greatest superpower, able to bring even the western nations to their knees. He had the rookie Snake sent in, hoping to have him captured and feed misinformation to authorities, but had quite obviously underestimated Snake's capabilities.
Having lost Metal Gear and much of his force, Big Boss seemingly starts the self-destruct sequence for the compound, and promises he will not die alone; Snake will join him. An underground battle ensues, and despite injury, Snake defeats Big Boss and escapes the Outer Heaven compound as it crumbles in flames behind him. After the end credits, a message from Big Boss is displayed saying that he will meet Solid Snake again.
Development and release
Kojima was asked to take over a project from a senior associate. Metal Gear was intended to be an action game that featured modern military combat. However, the MSX2's hardware limited the number of on-screen bullets and enemies, which Kojima felt impeded the combat aspect. Inspired by The Great EscapeThe Great Escape (book)
The Great Escape is an insider's account by Paul Brickhill of the 1944 mass escape from the German prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III for British and Commonwealth airmen. As a prisoner in the camp, he participated in the escape plan but was debarred from the actual escape 'along with three or...
, he reversed the focus of the gameplay from shooting down the enemy to avoiding the capture.
MSX2
Metal Gear was originally released on the MSX2MSX2
MSX2 may refer to:* Msh homeobox 2, a human gene* The second generation of the MSX home computers...
home computer in Japan on July 12, 1987, with an official English version released for the European market on September 1987. Most of the radio messages were edited or removed in the English version, including Big Boss' comments on every item and weapon found by the player. According to a fan-translation project, only 56% of the original Japanese text was translated in the English version. The translation contains many examples of Engrish
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
, such as consistently misspelling "destroy" as "destoroy". The Japanese version's manual contains exclusive content not found in the English manual, such as character profiles with illustrations, brief descriptions of the enemy bosses, and the complete specifications of the Metal Gear tank.
The MSX2 version of Metal Gear was released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on December 8, .
Nintendo Entertainment System
1988 in video gaming
-Events:*June — Nintendo releases the last issue of "Nintendo fun club news";*July — Nintendo releases the first issue of Nintendo Power magazine.-Notable releases:*January 8, Konami releases Super Contra....
(published by Konami's Ultra Games
Ultra Games
Ultra Software Corporation was a spinoff company created in 1988 as a subsidiary of Konami of America, in an effort to get around Nintendo of America's strict licensing rules for the North American Konami release games for Nintendo consoles. One of these rules was that a third-party company could...
division), followed by PAL version
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
in Europe and Australia in March 1989
1989 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* October 3, Brøderbund releases the Prince of Persia game, the first in a series of games, noted for its advancements in animation....
. According to Kojima's account, the NES port was developed by another Konami team at Tokyo without his involvement, who were given the source code from the MSX2 version without the consent of Kojima or anyone who worked on the original MSX2 version. While the NES version was intended to be a port of the MSX2 game, many changes were also made to the game during the porting process. Hideo Kojima has been vocal about his disappointment at the changes made to the game in its NES port.
The biggest change to the game was in the overall level design. Instead of the underwater infiltration from the MSX2 game, the NES version features a different opening sequence showing Solid Snake and three other soldiers (who are never seen nor mentioned after the opening) parachuting into the middle of a jungle, where the player begins (instead of starting directly at the entrance of the first building). The player must reach a transport truck at the end of the first jungle area that takes Snake to the front entrance of Building 1. The player can also use other transport trucks that serve as shortcuts to the entrances of the other buildings, although the player cannot do much in those areas without the required equipment. The basement floor that connected Building 1 and 2 in the MSX2 version is turned into two separate (but still connected) buildings, Building 4 and 5 respectively, that are only reachable by going through two different jungle mazes located at the outdoor areas between Building 1 & 2 and Building 2 & 3 respectively. The Metal Gear robot before the final boss battle is missing; instead the player destroys an immobile Super Computer guarded by four soldiers. The Hind D boss on the roof of Building 1 was also replaced by two armed turret gunners called "Twin Shot". Other changes includes the lack of the second alert phase, different background music, the removal of the Flying Army's ability to hover and the removal of Big Boss' message after the end credits. Like the English localization of the MSX2 version, the English localization of the NES game contains numerous examples of grammatically-incorrect phrases, such as "Contact missing our Grey Fox", "The truck have started to move!", and "I feel asleep!!"
The English localization of the NES version's manual swayed from the game's actual storyline. The main villain (whose identity is not revealed until the end) is mentioned to be "Colonel Vermon CaTaffy", while Snake's commanding officer is renamed "Commander South". Additionally, Solid Snake's back-story is different, with the manual claiming that he participated in the Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
invasion prior to joining FOXHOUND. It should be noted that these alterations to the plot only appear in the manual, but never in the game itself; moreover, the plot summary in the Japanese Famicom version's manual, along with Solid Snake's character profile, is identical to the MSX2 version's Japanese manual.
A bonus game disc featuring the Famicom version of Metal Gear was included in the Premium Package edition of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a stealth action video game developed by Silicon Knights and Konami that was published in for the Nintendo GameCube video game console...
released only in Japan.
PC MS-DOS and Commodore 64
The NES version of Metal Gear was the basis of two computer ports that were released in 19901990 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Bonk's Adventure is released for NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and is the first US appearance of Bonk, the mascot of the TurboGrafx-16.*February 12 — Nintendo releases the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3 in North America...
for PC MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
in North America and Europe. The PC MS-DOS conversion was programmed by Charles Ernst, while the Commodore 64 conversion was handled by Unlimited Software Inc. The PC MS-DOS version contains many minor changes, such as a faster-depleting health bar. However, the Commodore 64 version is closer to the NES version, with only small musical and visual changes. A third computer conversion for the Amiga is listed on the rear packaging of both computer versions, but was never released.
Mobile phones and PlayStation 2
A version of Metal Gear was released for mobile phones in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on August 18, 2004. It could be downloaded on the i-Mode
I-mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data...
, EZweb and Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
services. Although based on the MSX2 version, it includes several new features and changes.
This same version was included as a component of Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence for the PlayStation 2. The North American version included a retranslated English script, as well as an optional Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
script. In 2008
2008 in video gaming
Notable events of 2008 in video gaming. See also history of video games. The release dates listed in this article are the games' original release dates.-Events:...
, Konami began offering the mobile phone version of Metal Gear to North American players via their Konami Mobile service. The re-released versions were programmed by Aspect Co., Ltd. under Konami's supervision. It is also available for Nokia N-gage gaming platform.
New features include two difficulty settings ("Original" and "Easy"), an unlockable Boss Survival mode and an infinite bandana which provides the player with unlimited ammo when equipped (similar to the one featured in Metal Gear Solid). Some of the boss characters were renamed as well. In the Japanese version, the script was changed to include kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
and hiragana
Hiragana
is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...
, in addition to katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
and romaji. The English version uses a completely new translation different from the early MSX2 and NES localizations.
HD Collection
Metal Gear, along with Metal Gear 2: Solid SnakeMetal Gear 2: Solid Snake
is an overhead stealth action game that was originally released by Konami in for the MSX2 computer standard exclusively in Japan. Metal Gear 2 was directed and written by Hideo Kojima, who also designed the MSX2 version of the original Metal Gear...
, is included in the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
.http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/118/1187604p1.html
Typos
The game is noted for a few typoTypographical error
A typographical error is a mistake made in, originally, the manual type-setting of printed material, or more recently, the typing process. The term includes errors due to mechanical failure or slips of the hand or finger, but usually excludes errors of ignorance, such as spelling errors...
s in the dialogue that have led to various internet meme
Meme
A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena...
s. While labeled as Engrish
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
, they are merely spelling errors.
- "I feel asleep!!!"- While commonly believed to be a mistranslation of "I feel sleepy.", even by James Rolfe, upon further investigation, this should actually be "I fell asleep!!!". The guard claims he's "getting sleepy", followed by a trail of Zs. After saying the famous quote, if Snake walks by, he gets shot at. This indicates that the guard has just woken up, realizing that he fell asleep.
- "The truck have started to move."- While this is commonly argued that "have" should be "has", it is more likely that the word "truck" should be "trucks".
- "Locate our missing Gray Fox"- It should be noted that this is the first mention of Grey Fox in the series, and therefore not a spelling error. Also, grey and gray are both acceptable spellings.
Reception
The NES version of Metal Gear was rated the 104th best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo PowerNintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
Top 200 Games list.
Its success led to the creation of two separately produced sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s; the first one, Snake's Revenge
Snake's Revenge
Snake's Revenge is a stealth action game by Konami released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. The game was produced as a sequel to the NES version of the original Metal Gear, made specifically for the North American and PAL market following the success of the first NES game...
, was produced specifically for the NES in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in and the other, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
is an overhead stealth action game that was originally released by Konami in for the MSX2 computer standard exclusively in Japan. Metal Gear 2 was directed and written by Hideo Kojima, who also designed the MSX2 version of the original Metal Gear...
, was the sequel developed by the original game's designer and released in Japan for the MSX2 during the same year as a response to the former's creation. The latter was followed by Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
in , which was in turn followed by numerous sequels and spinoffs (see Metal Gear
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
series).
The intro theme ("Operation Intrude N313"), main theme ("Theme of Tara") and game over theme ("Just Another Dead Soldier") from the MSX2 version were reused for the VR Training theme in Metal Gear Solid, which in turn was reused in Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel
Metal Gear Solid, released as in Japan and Asia, is a 2000 stealth action game produced by Konami for the Game Boy Color. Based on the PlayStation game of the same title, the Game Boy Color version of Metal Gear Solid is not a conversion of the previous game, but an original game produced...
and Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. "Theme of Tara" is one of the tunes that can be heard in the "Shadow Moses Island" stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, the music for the beginning section of the Battleship Halberd Interior stage of the Adventure mode, where Snake officially enters the storyline, and can also be selected as music with an iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
item in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
.