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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Metal Slug Advance is the better choice for most solo players. Its five missions, larger weapon selection, three vehicle types, checkpoints, health meter, alternate routes, and 100-card progression system give it more depth and replay value. Choose Metal Slug 1st Mission instead if you specifically want a shorter NeoGeo Pocket Color campaign, branching routes, rank progression based on performance, and a prequel story.
There is one important correction to the usual comparison: Metal Slug 1st Mission is not a Game Boy Advance game. It first appeared on NeoGeo Pocket Color in May 1999, while Metal Slug Advance launched for Game Boy Advance on November 18, 2004.
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Quick verdict
| Question | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Which has the deeper solo campaign? | Metal Slug Advance | Five missions, more than a dozen weapons, vehicles, checkpoints, health upgrades, and collectible cards. |
| Which offers the more unusual structure? | Metal Slug 1st Mission | Branching routes and rank promotion tied to item collection and performance. |
| Which is easier to approach today? | Depends on version | Advance works naturally on GBA hardware; 1st Mission is most convenient through a modern collection with save-state-style features. |
| Which is better for Metal Slug newcomers? | Metal Slug Advance | Its health meter and section checkpoints are more forgiving than a purely life-based arcade structure. |
| Which should collectors seek for historical interest? | Metal Slug 1st Mission | It is an early NeoGeo Pocket Color prequel built around the handheld’s compact format. |
These recommendations are about fit, not a universal ranking. Metal Slug Advance wins on amount and variety of content; 1st Mission wins when its compact, route-based design is exactly what you want.
They are handheld games from different generations
Metal Slug Advance was designed for Game Boy Advance
SNK released Metal Slug Advance for Game Boy Advance on November 18, 2004. It is an original handheld game rather than a direct conversion of one of the NeoGeo console entries. GameSpot reviewer Frank Provo gave it 8.3/10 in a 2006 review and specifically described it as a game developed for GBA hardware instead of a watered-down port.
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That design decision affects almost every comparison. The game uses a health meter, checkpoints within stages, collectible cards, and a structure that expects a player to make progress over repeated attempts. It still has the rapid shooting, vehicles, enemy density, and comic-book military spectacle associated with Metal Slug, but its systems are tuned for a portable campaign rather than a straight arcade reproduction.
Metal Slug 1st Mission began on NeoGeo Pocket Color
Metal Slug 1st Mission was released for NeoGeo Pocket Color in May 1999. SNK’s history describes it as taking place one year before the original Metal Slug story and following a new Peregrine Falcons cadet. Its smaller screen, controls, and storage limits shaped a more compact game than the later GBA release.
Calling it a “GBA game” can therefore lead to the wrong expectations. You can encounter it in modern compilations playable on current hardware, but the original game is a NeoGeo Pocket Color title. Its original cartridge did not contain the modern conveniences added to later collections.
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At a glance: campaign, systems, and hardware
| Category | Metal Slug Advance | Metal Slug 1st Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Original platform | Game Boy Advance | NeoGeo Pocket Color |
| Original release | November 18, 2004 | May 1999 |
| Story position | Standalone GBA adventure in the Metal Slug setting | Prequel set one year before the original Metal Slug |
| Protagonist | GBA campaign hero | A new Peregrine Falcons cadet |
| Main campaign | Five missions | Compact campaign with diverging routes |
| Weapons | More than a dozen weapons | Not stated in the cited material |
| Vehicles | Metal Slug, Slug Gunner, and Slug Flyer | Not stated in the cited material |
| Player recovery | Health meter and section checkpoints | Original cartridge structure differs; modern collection adds a life bar |
| Replay system | 100 cards, alternate paths, and unlockable effects | Branching paths, item collection, and performance-based ranks |
| Local multiplayer | No two-player mode reported by GameSpot | Modern Double Pack is listed as one player |
Why Metal Slug Advance is the better all-round pick
It has more substantial mission content
Five main missions may sound modest compared with a long modern action game, but each stage is built around repeated runs, alternate pathways, card collection, and increasingly demanding combat. The result is a campaign with more to learn than a one-and-done sequence of levels.
The game’s length is not established by an authoritative completion-time statistic, so it is better to judge its scope by the systems attached to those five missions. A first clear is only one objective. You can replay stages to recover missed cards, find alternate routes, improve survival, and work toward a run in which you keep everything collected.
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The health meter changes how mistakes feel
Classic Metal Slug games are closely associated with lives and sudden deaths. Metal Slug Advance adds a modest health meter, giving you room to survive some hits that would otherwise end a run immediately. Section checkpoints also mean that a failed attempt does not always send you back to the beginning of a long stage.
This does not make the game easy. GameSpot reported a sharp rise in difficulty, particularly in later stages. The health bar is a recovery tool, not permission to ignore enemy patterns, hazards, or ammunition management. It simply makes learning the campaign less punishing than a strict one-hit loop.
Its weapon roster supports different approaches
GameSpot reports more than a dozen weapons. The variety matters because Metal Slug Advance frequently asks you to change how you handle a situation: rapid fire for crowded screens, heavier weapons for armored targets, and careful positioning when ammunition is limited. The cited material does not establish a complete weapon-by-weapon damage chart, so no single loadout should be treated as universally optimal.
SNK’s systems information also documents the Metal Slug, Slug Gunner, and Slug Flyer. These vehicles are not cosmetic changes. They alter movement, attack angles, survivability, and the way you read a stage. A vehicle section can turn a familiar enemy pattern into a timing or positioning challenge.
The card system gives every replay a purpose
There are 100 possible cards. Some permanently increase health or ammunition, unlock Slug forms, or open secret areas. Cards therefore function as more than a checklist: they change what the character can do and what later runs can reveal.
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There is a meaningful risk attached to collecting them. If you lose a life, cards collected during the current level are dropped. A run in which you rush toward the exit may secure a clear, while a careful run that gathers cards can produce longer-term upgrades. The system rewards players who are willing to replay a stage rather than treating every death as wasted time.
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The main limitations are clear
- There are only five main missions, so players expecting a large arcade-style anthology may find the campaign compact.
- There is no two-player mode according to GameSpot’s review, making this a solo-focused purchase.
- Later stages become sharply more difficult, and card loss on death can make ambitious collection runs frustrating.
- The health meter is modest; it reduces some instant-failure moments but does not remove the need to learn patterns.
What makes Metal Slug 1st Mission worth playing
It is a prequel with its own identity
SNK places 1st Mission one year before the original Metal Slug story. You play a new Peregrine Falcons cadet rather than simply repeating the role and structure of a later arcade entry. That setup gives the game historical value: it shows how the series’ world and action formula were adapted to an earlier, smaller handheld.
The prequel angle is not a reason to expect a long cinematic narrative. Its appeal is the way a compact game preserves the setting and action tone while using a different protagonist and a more limited platform.
Branching routes make exploration central
Routes diverge during the campaign. Your decisions and performance can lead you through different sections, so the most direct path is not necessarily the only path worth seeing. This structure gives 1st Mission a different replay logic from Advance: instead of primarily collecting upgrades and cards, you are mapping possibilities and comparing outcomes.
The cited material does not provide a complete route map or a fixed number of endings. Treat route discovery as a core feature without assuming that every branch has the same length, reward, or difficulty.
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Rank progression is tied to how you play
SNK describes rank promotion based on the percentage of items collected and your performance after sessions. That makes completion quality part of the progression system. Clearing a route quickly may not be enough to earn the highest rank; finding items and performing well both matter.
This is a good fit for players who enjoy improving a score or grade after learning a stage. It is less suitable if you want a straightforward campaign in which every replay primarily unlocks permanent equipment.
The original version is more austere
The 1999 NeoGeo Pocket Color cartridge should be judged on its own terms. Modern versions can add conveniences, but those were not properties of the original release. The compact screen and hardware are part of the experience, and players who want a faithful historical encounter may prefer that presentation even though it is less forgiving.
Difficulty and recovery: which game is kinder?
| Need | Metal Slug Advance | Metal Slug 1st Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Recover from damage | Modest health meter | Modern collection adds a life bar; original cartridge did not have that collection feature |
| Recover after failure | Section checkpoints; losing a life drops cards from the current level | Modern collection adds resume and rewind; original hardware experience is more limited |
| Learn difficult sections | Replay missions and use cards to improve equipment or access | Use route knowledge, item collection, and rank goals |
| Late-game pressure | Difficulty rises sharply, especially in later stages | Difficulty varies by route; no authoritative overall difficulty ranking is established |
If you are new to the series, Advance gives you more visible recovery tools. If you are comfortable repeating short sections until a route is understood, 1st Mission can be satisfying precisely because its structure asks you to refine your performance.
Replay value: cards versus routes and ranks
Choose Advance for progression between attempts
Cards create a persistent sense of growth. A later run can be different because your health, ammunition, available Slug forms, or access to secret areas has changed. The trade-off is that card loss on death discourages careless experimentation during a collection attempt.
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Choose 1st Mission for route mastery
1st Mission is better if your favorite replay activity is comparing branches, collecting items efficiently, and raising a performance rank. Its rewards are tied more directly to what you do in a session than to a large permanent inventory.
Neither system is objectively superior. They serve different habits: Advance favors progression-focused solo play, while 1st Mission favors route study and performance improvement.
How to play each game today
Playing Metal Slug Advance on original hardware
- Use a functioning Game Boy Advance-compatible system and an authentic Metal Slug Advance cartridge.
- When buying a used cartridge, inspect the label, shell, contacts, and board if the seller permits it; verify that the game saves correctly before treating it as a reliable copy.
- Expect a single-player experience. Do not buy it expecting a two-player campaign.
- Plan to replay missions. Cards, alternate routes, and vehicle sections are part of the game’s intended progression rather than optional decoration.
Live retailer stock, authenticity, condition, and price change constantly. They require a current seller check and should not be inferred from the game’s 2004 release information.
Playing Metal Slug 1st Mission in a modern collection
- Look for a current release identified as Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack or NEOGEO POCKET COLOR Selection Vol.1.
- Confirm that the edition and storefront serve your region before purchasing, because catalog availability can change.
- Use the collection’s resume and rewind features when you want a more accessible way to learn routes.
- Remember that the life bar, resume, and rewind are collection additions, not features of the original 1999 cartridge.
SNK announced the Nintendo Switch digital release of the Double Pack for September 15, 2021, at $14.99 in the United States and €14.99 in the euro area. Those are launch prices for that release, not a guarantee of the current storefront price. The announcement lists the collection as one-player.
Which game fits your priorities?
Pick Metal Slug Advance if you want:
- A game designed specifically around Game Boy Advance hardware.
- Five substantial missions with checkpoints and a health meter.
- More than a dozen weapons and three documented vehicle types.
- Permanent progression through a 100-card system.
- Secret areas and alternate routes to uncover during repeated runs.
- A solo game that feels closer to a complete handheld campaign than a compact arcade experiment.
Pick Metal Slug 1st Mission if you want:
- The earliest of these two handheld experiences and the NeoGeo Pocket Color format.
- A prequel set one year before the original Metal Slug.
- A new Peregrine Falcons cadet as the protagonist.
- Branching routes that reward exploration.
- Rank promotion based on item percentage and performance.
- A shorter, more focused game that you can revisit to improve route and score results.
Consider both if you value series history
The games are different enough that owning or playing both is not redundant. Advance demonstrates what SNK could build when designing around the GBA’s capabilities, while 1st Mission shows how the same setting was compressed into the NeoGeo Pocket Color format several years earlier. Playing them in release order also makes the hardware and design progression easier to appreciate: 1999’s compact prequel first, then 2004’s broader GBA campaign.
Common buying mistakes
- Assuming 1st Mission is a GBA cartridge: it is originally a NeoGeo Pocket Color game. A modern compilation is a different way to play it.
- Expecting a direct port in Advance: the game is an original GBA offering, not a shortened conversion of a NeoGeo console title.
- Expecting co-op: GameSpot reports no two-player mode for Advance, and the modern Double Pack is listed as one player.
- Treating the Switch features as original hardware features: the life bar, resume, and rewind belong to the modern collection.
- Using an unverified used-cartridge listing as proof of value: current stock, authenticity, condition, and price need to be checked at the time of purchase.
- Judging replay value only by mission count: Advance gets much of its depth from cards and alternate paths, while 1st Mission gets it from routes, items, and ranks.
Final recommendation
For one purchase, choose Metal Slug Advance. Its five missions, health meter, checkpoints, weapon variety, vehicles, alternate pathways, and card-driven upgrades make it the more complete solo game and the better answer to “Which Metal Slug game should I get on GBA?”
Choose Metal Slug 1st Mission when your priorities are different: a historically distinctive NeoGeo Pocket Color title, a prequel setting, branching routes, and performance-based rank progression. It is worth playing if you like Metal Slug, but it is not a smaller GBA version of Advance; it is a separate handheld design with its own strengths.
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