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Metal Slug Advance is the better choice for most solo players. It is a purpose-built Game Boy Advance game with five substantial missions, more than a dozen weapons, several vehicles, checkpoints, a health meter, alternate routes and a 100-card progression system. Metal Slug 1st Mission is the more distinctive but more compact option: it was made for NeoGeo Pocket Color, follows a new cadet in a prequel story, and rewards route exploration, item collection and performance-based ranks. If you specifically want a GBA cartridge, choose Metal Slug Advance; if you want an unusual handheld prequel, 1st Mission remains worth playing.
The key difference: these are games for different handhelds
The comparison needs one correction before the verdict: Metal Slug Advance is a Game Boy Advance release, while Metal Slug 1st Mission was originally made for the NeoGeo Pocket Color. They are not two GBA versions of the same game.
SNK lists Metal Slug Advance as a Game Boy Advance release on November 18, 2004. It was designed around Nintendo’s handheld rather than converted from an arcade or NeoGeo title. Metal Slug 1st Mission arrived on NeoGeo Pocket Color in May 1999. SNK describes it as taking place one year before the original Metal Slug story and starring a new Peregrine Falcons cadet.
That hardware difference explains much of the matchup. Advance has the longer, more system-heavy solo campaign expected from a GBA cartridge. 1st Mission is a smaller NeoGeo Pocket Color experience built around compact stages, route divergence and rank improvement.
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Metal Slug Advance vs. 1st Mission at a glance
| Category | Metal Slug Advance | Metal Slug 1st Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Original platform | Game Boy Advance | NeoGeo Pocket Color |
| Original release | November 18, 2004 | May 1999 |
| Campaign structure | Five main missions with alternate pathways and section checkpoints | Compact campaign with diverging routes |
| Player character | GBA-specific protagonist and campaign | New Peregrine Falcons cadet in a prequel story |
| Weapons | More than a dozen weapons | Not stated in the cited material |
| Vehicles | SV-001 Metal Slug, Slug Gunner and Slug Flyer | Not stated in the cited material |
| Health and recovery | Modest health meter, lives and section checkpoints | Original cartridge features are distinct from later collection conveniences |
| Progression | 100 collectible cards that can change health, ammunition, equipment, vehicles and access to secrets | Rank promotion based on item-collection percentage and performance after sessions |
| Multiplayer | No two-player mode | The 2021 Double Pack is listed as one player |
| Modern official option | Original GBA cartridge | Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack for Nintendo Switch, released digitally September 15, 2021 for $14.99/€14.99 at launch |
Why Metal Slug Advance wins for most players
It is an original GBA design, not a reduced arcade port
GameSpot reviewer Frank Provo explicitly described Metal Slug Advance as an original offering developed specifically for the Game Boy Advance, rather than a watered-down conversion of a NeoGeo Metal Slug. That matters because the game’s systems are built to support repeated handheld play instead of simply reproducing an arcade run.
The campaign gives you five new levels, each with room to learn enemy patterns, search for alternate paths and improve your equipment. Five missions is a small number by modern standards, but the stages are supported by collectibles, route choices and a progression system that changes how later attempts feel.
The health meter and checkpoints make experimentation possible
Traditional Metal Slug play is famously unforgiving: one mistake can end a run. Advance adds a modest health meter and checkpoints within sections. You still need careful movement and weapon discipline, but damage does not automatically erase an entire mission.
The health bar is not a license to absorb attacks. Later stages become sharply more difficult, and the limited recovery means that careless hits accumulate. Its value is that it gives beginners a chance to learn a set piece, while experienced players can still pursue clean runs.
Its arsenal and vehicles create meaningful choices
The game contains more than a dozen weapons and documents three vehicle types: the SV-001 Metal Slug, Slug Gunner and Slug Flyer. Weapons alter how you approach crowds, armored targets and confined spaces; vehicles change movement, reach and survivability. The variety gives the five missions more texture than a single fixed loadout would.
Vehicle access is not merely cosmetic. A tank section asks you to manage a vehicle’s position and firepower, while a character section emphasizes jumps, crouching and close-range timing. Switching between those situations is part of the campaign’s rhythm.
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The 100-card system gives a second reason to replay
Metal Slug Advance contains 100 possible cards. Some permanently increase health or ammunition, unlock Slug forms, or open secret areas. The system turns exploration into a practical upgrade path rather than a collection detached from the action.
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There is also a risk-and-reward loop: losing a life drops cards collected during the current level. A player can push forward to finish a difficult stage, or replay a section to secure its cards without dying. No-death runs therefore have a concrete purpose beyond personal bragging rights.
The principal drawbacks are length, difficulty and solo-only play
Five main missions can feel brief if you only want to reach the ending once. The card system and alternate pathways are what extend the experience. If you do not enjoy replaying stages for better runs and missed items, the campaign’s scope may feel limited.
Difficulty also rises sharply, particularly in the later stages. Checkpoints soften failure but do not remove the need to memorize hazards. Finally, there is no two-player mode, so the game is strictly a solo purchase.
What makes Metal Slug 1st Mission special
A genuine prequel with its own handheld identity
1st Mission is not a smaller GBA version of Advance. SNK places it in the series timeline one year before the original Metal Slug, with a new Peregrine Falcons cadet as the protagonist. The prequel premise lets it show the setting from an earlier point in the conflict rather than retelling the familiar arcade plot.
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Rank #3
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Branching routes reward curiosity
Routes diverge during the campaign. Instead of treating every run as a fixed sequence, 1st Mission asks you to notice which path you entered, what items you missed and how your performance affected the result. Route discovery is the core replay hook, not a large inventory of weapons or cards.
This structure favors players who like mapping a game mentally. A first clear may reveal only one portion of the campaign; subsequent attempts can target a different branch or improve the percentage of collected items.
Ranks turn performance into progression
SNK’s description ties rank promotion to the percentage of items collected and your performance after sessions. That creates a clear reason to replay even after you know the basic route: a faster, cleaner and more complete run can improve your standing.
Rank progression is different from Advance‘s permanent card bonuses. It measures how well you played rather than directly expanding your health or ammunition. Players who prefer score chasing, route optimization and completion percentages may find this more satisfying than a conventional upgrade tree.
The limits are part of the format
The NeoGeo Pocket Color design is compact, and the cited material does not establish a weapon count, vehicle roster or campaign length comparable to Advance. Do not buy it expecting the same breadth of equipment and vehicle play. Its appeal is concentrated in the prequel setting, branching structure and rank system.
Difficulty and recovery: which game is friendlier?
Advance gives you more recovery tools
Advance combines a modest health meter with checkpoints placed within sections. Cards can also improve health or ammunition permanently. Together, those systems give a new player several ways to make progress: learn a section, keep a checkpoint, then return later with better upgrades.
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The trade-off is that the game expects you to use those tools. Later missions are substantially harder, and losing a life can remove cards gathered during the current level. The safest strategy is to treat a first attempt as reconnaissance, then replay the stage when you know where its ambushes and branching points are.
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The documented rank system focuses on items collected and post-session performance. That makes improvement more self-directed. You are not simply waiting for enough experience to unlock a stronger character; you are refining route choices and execution.
Because the original cartridge and the later collection are different products, do not assume a convenience feature in the modern release existed on NeoGeo Pocket Color. The 2021 collection adds a life bar, resume and rewind features; those are emulation or collection-layer aids, not properties of the 1999 cartridge.
Replay value: cards versus routes and ranks
| If you replay to… | Better fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock equipment and improve survivability | Metal Slug Advance | Cards can increase health or ammunition and unlock Slug forms or secret areas. |
| Find alternate paths | Metal Slug 1st Mission | Its campaign is built around diverging routes. |
| Attempt no-death clears | Metal Slug Advance | Cards collected during a level can be lost when you lose a life, giving clean runs a tangible payoff. |
| Raise a performance rank | Metal Slug 1st Mission | Rank promotion uses item-collection percentage and session performance. |
| Play a larger solo package | Metal Slug Advance | Five missions combine weapons, vehicles, checkpoints and card hunting. |
Modern ways to play Metal Slug Advance
Original GBA cartridge
Search using the exact phrase “Metal Slug Advance GBA cartridge” when checking retailers or second-hand listings. SNK and contemporary coverage establish the game and platform, but stock, price, cartridge authenticity and condition change constantly. A listing’s presence does not prove that a cartridge is genuine or that its save function works.
- Confirm that the listing is for Metal Slug Advance, not a similarly named compilation or reproduction.
- Ask for clear photographs of the label, shell and contacts when buying used hardware.
- Check the seller’s return policy before paying for an untested cartridge.
- Remember that the original game is single-player; buying a second copy does not add a two-player mode.
Hardware expectations
The original release is a GBA game, so compatibility depends on the handheld or cartridge hardware you use. The cited material does not provide a current hardware-performance table, battery-retention data or an authoritative completion-time estimate. Treat claims about exact playtime or modern cartridge quality as seller-specific unless independently documented.
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Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack
SNK announced a digital Nintendo Switch collection called Metal Slug 1st & 2nd Mission Double Pack. It launched on September 15, 2021 at $14.99/€14.99 and is listed as one player. The collection includes both NeoGeo Pocket Color versions and adds a life bar, branching paths, resume and rewind features.
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Those additions make the game easier to approach today, especially if repeated deaths or interrupted sessions are a concern. They should not be described as features of the original 1999 release. Before purchasing, verify that the collection is still available in your Nintendo eShop region; storefront listings and prices can change.
NEOGEO POCKET COLOR Selection Vol.1
Metal Slug 1st Mission may also appear through SNK’s NEOGEO POCKET COLOR Selection Vol.1 branding. Check the current product description to confirm exactly which version and features are included, because a collection release can differ from original-cartridge behavior.
Which game should you choose?
Choose Metal Slug Advance if…
- You specifically want a Game Boy Advance game.
- You prefer a longer-feeling solo package with five missions and multiple systems to master.
- You want more than a dozen weapons and several vehicle types.
- You like collecting upgrades that change health, ammunition, equipment or access to secrets.
- You appreciate checkpoints and a health meter but still want demanding later stages.
- You plan to replay levels for cards and no-death runs.
Choose Metal Slug 1st Mission if…
- You are interested in the NeoGeo Pocket Color era and a prequel rather than another GBA title.
- You enjoy exploring branches and comparing different routes.
- You prefer rank improvement based on item completion and execution.
- You want a compact campaign that fits short sessions.
- You are comfortable with a smaller feature set and do not require a documented weapon or vehicle roster comparable to Advance.
Play both if you want the clearest view of the series
The games complement each other. Advance demonstrates how a dedicated GBA release can expand the formula with cards, vehicles and checkpoints. 1st Mission shows how the same setting can be reshaped for a smaller handheld through branching routes and performance ranks. They are different enough that owning one does not make the other redundant.
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Common buying mistakes
Assuming 1st Mission is a GBA cartridge
It is a NeoGeo Pocket Color game. A GBA-focused shopping search will naturally surface Metal Slug Advance, while 1st Mission is more likely to appear in a collection or retro marketplace listing. Confirm the platform before comparing prices.
Counting collection features as original-game features
The Switch Double Pack’s life bar, resume and rewind functions belong to that modern collection. They do not describe what the 1999 NeoGeo Pocket Color cartridge provided. This distinction matters when comparing difficulty or deciding whether a used original meets your expectations.
Expecting two-player action
Metal Slug Advance has no two-player mode, and the cited Double Pack listing is for one player. Choose these games for solo play rather than assuming the multiplayer format associated with some other Metal Slug releases.
Using an unverified price as a permanent value
The $14.99/€14.99 figure applies to the Double Pack’s digital launch announcement on September 15, 2021. It is not a promise of the current Nintendo eShop price. Used GBA prices likewise depend on authenticity, condition, region and seller, so check the live listing immediately before buying.
Final verdict
Metal Slug Advance is the overall winner for most readers because it offers the more substantial solo structure: five missions, a health meter, checkpoints, a broad weapon selection, three documented vehicle types, alternate routes and 100 cards that affect progression. It is also the only one of the two that is actually a GBA game.
Metal Slug 1st Mission is the better specialist choice. Its prequel story, NeoGeo Pocket Color identity, branching routes and performance-based ranks make it a worthwhile companion for players who value exploration and optimization over equipment breadth. Pick it when those qualities matter more than campaign scale.
Quick Recap
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