Best Metal Gear Games On Nintendo Systems

Don’t forget, even after publication, you have the power to potentially alter this ranking in real-time by assigning each game your score using the Nintendo Life 10-point system. Simply click on the star icon on each entry and choose the score you think best fits.

For now, let’s dive into the best Metal Gear games on Nintendo systems. Just don’t let anybody see you, Snake.

Metal Gear (NES)

Metal Gear (NES)

Publisher: Ultra Games / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Jun 1988 (USA) / 1988 (UK/EU)
Snake's Revenge (NES)

Snake's Revenge (NES)

Publisher: Ultra Games / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Apr 1990 (USA) / 26th Mar 1992 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Kojima Productions

Release Date: 21st Feb 2012 (USA) / 9th Mar 2012 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear (MSX)

Metal Gear (MSX)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Jul 1987 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX)

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: TBA

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake represents a significant step up in quality over the original Metal Gear, introducing a number of new mechanics that would remain staples of the franchise. Snake can now crawl, guards react to noise, and a radar is present to indicate enemy positions. It also significantly expanded the storyline, introducing key players such as Gray Fox and Roy Campbell, who would both go on to be important characters in future titles. If you can stomach the repetitive music in this one, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Metal Gear Solid (GBC)

Metal Gear Solid (GBC)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 5th May 2000 (USA) / 5th May 2000 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Silicon Knights

Release Date: 9th Mar 2004 (USA) / 26th Mar 2004 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Metal Gear game should I play first?

It’s really up to you, but there are two jumping-off points if you want to fully appreciate the story. You can either start from the very beginning of the chronology with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater or begin with Solid Snake’s journey in Metal Gear.

If you can’t stomach the retro aesthetics in the MSX games, however, then Metal Gear Solid is also a perfectly reasonable place to start.

What’s the difference between Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes?

Metal Gear Solid is the OG release, which launched on the PS1 back in 1998. It was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan seven years before the formation of Kojima Productions. That said, Hideo Kojima was still the director of this game.

The Twin Snakes, meanwhile, is a remake that was released exclusively for the GameCube and was developed by the now-defunct Silicon Knights, with guidance from both Hideo Kojima and Nintendo’s own Shigeru Miyamoto. The remake is largely faithful to the original, but introduces mechanics first seen in MGS2: Sons of Liberty, such as hiding in lockers, holding up guards, and first-person aiming.

It also included vastly different cutscenes from film director Ryuhei Kitamura, who made liberal use of the bullet-time effect popularised by The Matrix. This was met with mixed reactions from fans.

Which Metal Gear games aren’t part of the official canon?

There are three games featured in our list that are not part of the official canon: The NES version of Metal Gear, Snake’s Revenge, and Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel for the Game Boy Color.

None of the games included any creative input from Hideo Kojima, and are affectionately considered as ‘alternate timelines’ from the mainline series.

Where are the more recent Metal Gear Solid games?

Well, simply put, they’re just not available on Nintendo systems… yet. It’s presumed that Konami will release a second volume for its Master Collection compilation, and rumours at this stage point to the inclusion of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

So, let’s give it some time, but it does seem like we’ll be adding a few more games to our ranking in the future. Let’s hope, anyway.

Don’t forget, even after publication, you have the power to potentially alter this ranking in real-time by assigning each game your score using the Nintendo Life 10-point system. Simply click on the star icon on each entry and choose the score you think best fits.

For now, let’s dive into the best Metal Gear games on Nintendo systems. Just don’t let anybody see you, Snake.

Metal Gear (NES)

Metal Gear (NES)

Publisher: Ultra Games / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Jun 1988 (USA) / 1988 (UK/EU)
Snake's Revenge (NES)

Snake's Revenge (NES)

Publisher: Ultra Games / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Apr 1990 (USA) / 26th Mar 1992 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Kojima Productions

Release Date: 21st Feb 2012 (USA) / 9th Mar 2012 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear (MSX)

Metal Gear (MSX)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: Jul 1987 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX)

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: TBA

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake represents a significant step up in quality over the original Metal Gear, introducing a number of new mechanics that would remain staples of the franchise. Snake can now crawl, guards react to noise, and a radar is present to indicate enemy positions. It also significantly expanded the storyline, introducing key players such as Gray Fox and Roy Campbell, who would both go on to be important characters in future titles. If you can stomach the repetitive music in this one, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Metal Gear Solid (GBC)

Metal Gear Solid (GBC)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 5th May 2000 (USA) / 5th May 2000 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Silicon Knights

Release Date: 9th Mar 2004 (USA) / 26th Mar 2004 (UK/EU)
Metal Gear Solid (Switch eShop)

Metal Gear Solid (Switch eShop)

Publisher: Konami / Developer: Konami

Release Date: 24th Oct 2023 (USA) / 24th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Metal Gear game should I play first?

It’s really up to you, but there are two jumping-off points if you want to fully appreciate the story. You can either start from the very beginning of the chronology with Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater or begin with Solid Snake’s journey in Metal Gear.

If you can’t stomach the retro aesthetics in the MSX games, however, then Metal Gear Solid is also a perfectly reasonable place to start.

What’s the difference between Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes?

Metal Gear Solid is the OG release, which launched on the PS1 back in 1998. It was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan seven years before the formation of Kojima Productions. That said, Hideo Kojima was still the director of this game.

The Twin Snakes, meanwhile, is a remake that was released exclusively for the GameCube and was developed by the now-defunct Silicon Knights, with guidance from both Hideo Kojima and Nintendo’s own Shigeru Miyamoto. The remake is largely faithful to the original, but introduces mechanics first seen in MGS2: Sons of Liberty, such as hiding in lockers, holding up guards, and first-person aiming.

It also included vastly different cutscenes from film director Ryuhei Kitamura, who made liberal use of the bullet-time effect popularised by The Matrix. This was met with mixed reactions from fans.

Which Metal Gear games aren’t part of the official canon?

There are three games featured in our list that are not part of the official canon: The NES version of Metal Gear, Snake’s Revenge, and Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel for the Game Boy Color.

None of the games included any creative input from Hideo Kojima, and are affectionately considered as ‘alternate timelines’ from the mainline series.

Where are the more recent Metal Gear Solid games?

Well, simply put, they’re just not available on Nintendo systems… yet. It’s presumed that Konami will release a second volume for its Master Collection compilation, and rumours at this stage point to the inclusion of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

So, let’s give it some time, but it does seem like we’ll be adding a few more games to our ranking in the future. Let’s hope, anyway.

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