Developed during a transition period for SNK, this entry introduced Trevor and Nadia to replace Tarma and Eri. It focused heavily on a combo-point scoring system and introduced the dual-wielding Heavy Machine Gun.

Introduces new characters (Eri and Fio) and vehicles, though notorious for arcade slowdowns.

The most direct official answer to a complete collection is , also known as Metal Slug Complete PC or Metal Slug Anthology on other platforms. This compilation was published by DHM Interactive in 2009-2010 for Microsoft Windows.

: Widely considered the series' peak, featuring branching paths and massive scale.

The collection features the complete arcade run from the Neo Geo era through the Atomiswave transition:

To play the complete classic saga, you need to understand the mainline timeline and how each title contributed to the evolution of the series.

Includes online multiplayer, achievements, and cloud saves.

: A refined, "remixed" version of Metal Slug 2 that fixed performance issues and added new weapons. Metal Slug 3

Community discussions regarding the best versions and hidden secrets are active on Reddit's r/metalslug