It’s impossible to talk about Metal Slug XX without discussing Metal Slug 7. Metal Slug 7 was the eighth Metal Slug game, and the first to be released only on a portable system (the DS) and not in arcades. Initially, it was a DS exclusive, until now. It’s now available on the PSP as Metal Slug XX and, aside from some graphical changes made to make the best of the PSP’s display and co-op multiplayer, is essentially the same game. Thankfully, it’s a great game…

Atlus has a big surprise for PSP owners, it’s handing the North American release of Metal Slug XX. Just when you least expected it, Atlus stepped up with an announcement that the run and gun shooter will be released on February 23, 2010 for the budget price of $19.99.

Metal Slug XX is actually a port of the DS game Metal Slug 7. It will retain all of the content from Metal Slug 7, like the Combat School missions and new vehicles, and will also include even more content, like co-op multiplayer over ad-hoc wireless…

Title: Metal Slug 7Price: $29.99System(s): DSRelease Date: November 18, 2008Publisher (Developer): Ignition Entertainment (SNK Playmore)ESRB Rating: “Teen” for blood and violencePros: Typical Metal Slug gameplay, Combat School missions offers a nice change of pace, there’s a POW list and you can pick up in the mission you left off at in Main Mission mode.Cons: Difficulty rating is deceiving, the bottom touch screen map isn’t helpful and you have to jump up to shoot below you.Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 85/100; B; *** 1/2 out of 5

Metal Slug 7 is definitely a run-and-gun game created with fans in mind. It offers enough variety and challenge to keep from being repetitive. Plus, it has a Combat School mini-mission mode and automatically keeps track of the last mission you left off at in the Main Mission so you can easily pick up the game and play.

It’s wonderful to finally see Metal Slug 7 finally arrive in the US, after being released in July 2008 in Japan. The game looks and plays beautifully…

E3 hasn’t even arrived and we’re already getting major game announcements. The latest is the US localization of SNK Playmore’s Metal Slug 7, by Ignition Entertainment The DS game is, like traditional Metal Slug games, a 2D platformer where players shoot enemies and save captured civilians.

Metal Slug 7 may just be one of the biggest games in the series. It has a huge cast – Clark, Eri, Fiolina, Marco, Ralph and Tarma are all playable. It also has seven missions in new locations. Plus there will be new weapons to use, bosses to defeat and vehicles to tear through levels. The press release also mentioned extra gameplay modes, but doesn’t elaborate on what kinds of modes will be available.

With all big events and announcements going at this year’s Game Developers’ Conference, some of the more obscure things tended to not get the attention they so richly deserved, like SNK’s display of Metal Slug 7, which DS Fanboy found last Wednesday (February 25, 2008).

MS7 marks the first time a main, numbered iteration of the series is not first hitting the arcades, a fate that seemed to be in the…