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Metal Gear
The NES game that invented tactical espionage action
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Pop quiz: what do you get when you take a groundbreaking stealth game, give a development team three months to port it, and tell them to make it different from the original?
You get Metal Gear for NES, a game that somehow managed to sell over a million copies in North America while being publicly disowned by its creator.
Released in June 1988 by Ultra Games, this was America's introduction to Solid Snake and the concept that sometimes the best weapon is simply not being seen.
Metal Gear Solid remains one of my favorite games of all time and I originally did not play this NES game until years after I finished that PS1 classic. Flawed and innovated, this game remains on the more interesting titles from the NES library.
Some NES games ask you to run forward and mash buttons. This one asks you to stop, breathe, and maybe hide in a cardboard box like that is a totally normal thing to do.
Welcome to the beautiful mess that kickstarted one of gaming's most celebrated franchises.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
If you have never played it, Metal Gear on NES is a top down action adventure that tries to make stealth the point, not just a gimmick. The game is a port of the MSX2 version.
You infiltrate a fortified enemy base, avoid patrols, collect keycards and items, and rescue prisoners who help you progress. These would be later hallmarks of the 3d series, but I find it kind of cute of how the NES version tries to pull these off.
Stealth here is simple but meaningful. Guards react when you enter their line of sight, and an alert means reinforcements and tighter movement. You can punch enemies, use limited weapons once you find them, and rely on items to get through specific obstacles. Progress is tied to exploration, because you often need the right equipment or the right keycard level before a new area opens up.
A big part of the flow is the radio. Calling allies on the correct frequency can give hints, explain mechanics, or point you toward your next goal. The game does not always communicate clearly, so the radio can feel like your lifeline when you are stuck and circling the same corridors again. Again, it’s pretty impressive playing the later Metal Gears first and then going back to this to see how some of its mechanics got their start.
This version is also known for changes and quirks that shape how it plays. The opening sequence is different than the original MSX release, some content is missing, and the English text is full of famous odd lines. For some players that becomes part of the charm, for others it adds friction on top of an already demanding game.
The NES version takes about two to three hours to complete if you know where you're going, though first-time players will spend considerably longer getting lost in Outer Heaven's multilevel structure. I certainly did.
The passcode system is also very old school, which means your progress management feels more like the late 1980s than modern save design.
Visually, it is functional and readable, with a military color palette and clear room layouts. The audio is effective at building tension, even if it loops often, which it will, because you will be in these hallways for a while.
Here's the thing though: this version is fundamentally different from the original MSX2 game.
The NES port was developed in just three months by a separate Konami team, leading to altered level layouts, removed story sequences, and most famously, the replacement of the actual Metal Gear boss with a generic supercomputer.
Technical limitations partly explain these changes, but the rush job shows. Hideo Kojima, who created the original, was not consulted and has been vocal about his disappointment with how this version turned out.
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WHERE TO PLAY
Ports of both the MSX2 and NES versions were included in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 1.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $14
Complete: $135
New/Sealed: $545
GAME INFORMATION
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Cover Art
RETRO HARDWARE
Reading about retro games is great, but playing them is the real goal. This new Retro Hardware section is about easy, affordable ways to get those classics running without the headache.
Miyoo Mini Plus
The Miyoo Mini Plus. My first retro device I ever bought. Slightly bigger than the original Miyoo Mini, the Plus model adds a larger screen and a more comfortable grip, making it easy to toss in a bag and take on the go when I dare to leave my protective man cave. (Still scary.)
The Miyoo Mini Plus is an entry-level retro handheld, but in the best possible way. It excels at playing classic systems like NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, and a massive arcade library, all of which run great. It’s simple, affordable, and perfect for anyone looking to dip their toes into retro gaming without overcomplicating things.
My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12
Click either of the pictures to take you to the website.
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you buy through MECHDIY, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
If you want the cleanest version of the original concept, most fans will point you elsewhere, but there is still a reason to play the NES edition of Metal Gear today.
It is a real snapshot of stealth design before the genre had decades of rules and quality of life fixes. You can feel the series DNA forming in real time, with radios, keycards, equipment gating, and that constant push and pull between sneaking and scrambling.
The honest warning is that it can be rough. Getting lost is common, information is not always clear, and some design choices feel more punishing than clever. If you go in expecting modern pacing, it will fight you and beat you down like Ivan Drago. If you go in expecting a historically important NES game that sometimes plays like a maze with attitude, it can be a great weekend project.
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