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[entremet]

Opinions have long been divided on this, but while Metal Slug X is a revised, recoloured, extended and rearranged version of Metal Slug 2, I'm one of those people who just felt that Metal Slug 2 held together better as a game. I prefer the times of day (changed in X) and I prefer the boss ordering and I prefer the level of detail. For example in the below picture, the sand in the background of stage 1 is actually animated in MS2 but static in MSX. Metal Slug 2 is on the left.

However Metal Slug 2 has one big problem – slowdown, and lots of it. Half of the game has to be played at a crippling pace unless you overclock your MVS system, and even then it's still not as quick as other games in the series. I don't know why SNK never addressed this, but it was fixed in X, and it was also fixed in some of the newer port releases SNK have made over the years.

That doesn't help arcade collectors though who want to play the game on original hardware, and overclocking the MVS isn't really my preferred solution to the problem. Over the years on and off I've looked into it and never really gone much further, but the most solid information I could find was that there was a problem in the code causing game logic to get updated twice for every graphical frame.

I don't know any 68k assembly language, but I know a man who does and I was finally able to get some of his time to look at the problem. Unfortunately, the logic happening twice – isn't the case. However one thing he did spot was the 30 fps lock code was causing extra frames to be dropped. If the game was missing one frame it would miss two. If it would miss three it would instead miss four. So, code fix developed it's time to try it out on a real Metal Slug 2 cartridge.

This is my world weary Metal Slug 2 cart – like so many others a victim of operators removing serial numbers so the cart couldn't be traced – selling them across borders was against the copyright/usage terms. Still, it was very cheap.

One thing I didn't know, SNK fixed some of the slowdown in subsequent console ports.

Funny thing, the recent Hamster port on Swtich is so authentic it preserves the original slowdown, since it's based on the arcade original. Great for preservation, not the best for the gamer. Interesting decision nonetheless.

MS2/X is still my favorite of the series. Perfect balance with difficultly and length.

http://blog.system11.org/?p=1442

 

[firebricks3]

This isn't too relevant but I recall if you compile your own mame binary and up the frequency of the 68k it'll remove the slowdown in MS2.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

I don't really see the argument that MS2 is better than MSX. The enemies in the first level throw swords that blend in against the background (MSX made the background contrast more and put sword-throwers after the tank), Mission 2 is even worse because all of the mummies have the same exact short-ranged, easily avoidable attack, the Martians have even worse foreshadowing than MS5's demo boss, etc.

Also, MS1 and MS7 > MS2/X. Although it's close.

 

[tomwhite2004]

One thing I didn't know, SNK fixed some of the slowdown in subsequent console ports.

They just overclocked the emulated cpu which reduced the anount of times the game dropped frames, the code is exactly the same as on the hamster port.

 

[Peltz]

I would do this to my copy of Metal Slug 2 if I had the means.

I agree, if not for the slowdown it's actually a better game than Metal Slug X. Metal Slug X is a great "bridge" between MS2 and MS3, giving fans a preview of all the insanity to come with the new weapons and other changes. But it still feels like a remix to me rather than a coherent complete-in-itself experience.

 

[zsidane]

I'm always fascinated when I read people shitting on MS2 because of the slowdons.

I, and without exageration, could have bought a AES system with the whole MS series with the amount of coins I dropped on that fucker and I never saw a problem with it. To the contrary, the slowdons halp a lot avoiding bullet storms in LVL3 and last level to name just a couple.

 

[Aeana]

This is awesome. I'm not one if the people who prefers MS2, but maybe the slowdown is one of the reasons why. I've never tried it without it.

I'm always fascinated when I read people shitting on MS2 because of the slowdons.

I, and without exageration, could have bought a AES system with the whole MS series with the amount of coins I dropped on that fucker and I never saw a problem with it. To the contrary, the slowdons halp a lot avoiding bullet storms in LVL3 and last level to name just a couple.

Actually Slowdown is Good

 

[Peltz]

I'm always fascinated when I read people shitting on MS2 because of the slowdons.

I, and without exageration, could have bought a AES system with the whole MS series with the amount of coins I dropped on that fucker and I never saw a problem with it. To the contrary, the slowdons halp a lot avoiding bullet storms in LVL3 and last level to name just a couple.

The slowdown is an issue. I'm a huge fan of the series and still think it's a game-ruining flaw. Especially in comparison to its predecessor which ran way better.

 

[Tain]

Actually Slowdown is Good

In some games it is.

Metal Slug 2 is not one of them.

 

[Peltz]

By the way, this "fix" for MS2 carts is not new. It's a few years old by now.

 

[OSHAN]

That doesn’t help arcade collectors though who want to play the game on original hardware, and overclocking the MVS isn’t really my preferred solution to the problem.

As someone who used to collect boards and cabs, I find this to be curious. It was the opposite for me. I'd want the arcade version to be arcade perfect--that's why I wanted the actual board/cart/whatever. I wouldn't buy a MVS copy, or AES copy, of MS2 with the slowdown addressed. I'd be fine buying a port of it in that state, but when it comes to the original, I'd want what everyone else was experiencing at the time.

 

[deriks]

The slowdowns in this game are, sometimes, kinda charming.

 

[Fiendcode]

They just overclocked the emulated cpu which reduced the anount of times the game dropped frames, the code is exactly the same as on the hamster port.

M2 did it for the emulated PSN release but I don't believe Terminal Reality did for the PS2/PSP/Wii collections or Dotemu did for the Steam version.

Metal Slug 2 never had any actual home ports (ie: not emulation) although it did have two announced ports canceled (Saturn and GBA).

 

[entremet]

In some games it is.

Metal Slug 2 is not one of them.

Gradius 3 SNES!

 

[AlfredX1990]

I'm pretty sure we had this thread before with the very same link

 

[entremet]

I'm pretty sure we had this thread before with the very same link

If we did, I couldn't find it. I searched for Metal Slug 2 via title search.

 

[Hasney]

This isn't too relevant but I recall if you compile your own mame binary and up the frequency of the 68k it'll remove the slowdown in MS2.

Even then, it's not perfect. There's other issues there that means you can't brute force all of it.

 

[BadWolf]

Always preferred 2 to X and I never really minded the slowdown, kinda enjoyed watching those wonderful sprites in slow-mo.