SNK’s Metal Slug series is the premiere 2D action shooter franchise of the past decade. Combining cartoony graphics full of animation and detail with nonstop, absolutely insane action, the Metal Slug games also threw in the ability to hop into vehicles like tanks, planes, and, um, camels, and continue the battle with heavier firepower.

Metal Slug X, the first arcade Slug game to come to the U.S. for the Playstation, is actually a rearranged version of Metal Slug 2. There are four heroes to choose from, two male and two female. They each look different, but they all play exactly the same. You’ll also find four vehicles to commandeer – the titular Metal Slug tank, the Slug Flyer (a jet fighter), the Camel Slug (A machine gun equipped camel), and the Slugnoid, a robotic combat machine. There are six stages of constant combat, and each stage has at least one mid-boss and an intimidating end boss.

The Metal Slug series is known for its animation and detailed 2D sprites. Metal Slug X does not break this trend. You’ll see all kinds of little animated details in the backgrounds, and the vehicles and enemy soldiers are full of personality. The only drawback to the visuals is the fact that all of the spurting blood from dying enemies has been colored white in the U.S. version of the game. I suppose we can all thank the kids responsible for shooting up their schools for this little bit of censorship. Still, it’s annoying but not overly so – you’ll get used to it after a few minutes and find yourself concentrating on the action.

Gamers familiar with the series from the arcade or the Neo Geo console will feel right at home with Metal Slug X. You’ll find familiar weapon power-ups, like the heavy machine gun, rocket launcher, shotgun and flamethrower, and a couple of new ones to add to your arsenal. You’ll find several P.O.W.s throughout the stages, and freeing them usually earns you a new weapon or a bunch of points.

Gameplay is very simple – you must run through each linear stage, dispatching enemies and dodging the constant hailstorm of bullets, grenades, bombs, lasers, and anything else the enemy can throw your way.

This leads to the difficulty. Metal Slug X is a very hard game in terms of getting through a level without losing a life. You’ll find that later in the game there are situations where it becomes almost impossible to not get hit. However, the powers that be decided that the solution for this extreme level of difficulty should be to give the player unlimited continues, from wherever you die. So, as long as you have an hour to burn, you’re guaranteed to beat the game as long as you keep playing, no matter how badly, the first time you play it. You could employ self-discipline and limit your continues, or just play as far as possible without dying. So, you’ve got a medium to very hard game made super-easy by unlimited lives.

There’s also a bunch of Combat Missions, short stages with specific goals that are very challenging and also lend some much needed replay value to the game after you’ve beaten it in an hour.

Metal Slug X is a fine game, and new 2D action games aren’t easy to come by these days. Although it’s short, the stages are full of detail and the game is just plain fun.