TheMetal Gear Solidseries is one of the few franchises to keep the same continuity from the beginning until the end. There have been retcons, but it is all one story players can follow from 1987’sMetal Gearto 2015’sMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
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All the same,there are plenty of spin-offs, both canon and non-canon, even hardcore fans forget about. Not all of these are worth playing – and some of them are impossible to access today – but any fan of the series should at least know about these. Maybe the series has no future, but its past sure is rich.
10Metal Gear: Ghost Babel (2000)
The franchise’s handheld entries have always been surprisingly solid.Metal Gear: Ghost Babelfor theGame Boy Colormost closely resemblesMetal Gear 2in its gameplay, though the aesthetic feels likeMetal Gear Solid’sart brought to the small handheld platform.
The title received rave reviews on par with the best entries in the mainline series. As if a full campaign was not enough for a portable game, there are also VR missions and a versus mode.
9Portable Ops Plus (2007)
True to the series' traditions,Portable Opson the PSPreceived an expansion in the form ofPortable Ops Plus. It differs from other re-releases by focusing mainly on expanding the multiplayer options.
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The single-player campaign is absent from this release, though there is a mode for players who wish to go solo.Portable Ops’multiplayer was ambitious for the PSP, with actions in the mode affecting the single-player experience.
8Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions (1999)
Metal Gear Solid: Integralonly came out in Japan. The bonus disc offering about 300 VR missions came out as a separate game in the west known asMetal Gear Solid: VR Missions.
While the idea of more top-notchMetal Gear Solidgameplay is enticing,VR Missionsitself is fairly lackluster. It starts off great for those who want moreMetal Gear, but pure gameplay without any story reveals some of the cracks in the mechanics such as aiming.
7Snake’s Revenge (1990)
BeforeMetal Gear 2: Solid Snake, there was an unofficial sequel calledSnake’s Revenge. The gameplay largely resembles the debut entry with the addition of side-scrolling segments.The game was done without Hideo Kojima’s involvement, and its creation was the impetus for the true sequel.
Some have a soft spot forSnake’s Revenge, but it is hard to even call it a part of theMetal Gearfranchise at all. This entry was never released in Japan, only coming out in North America and Europe.
6Metal Gear Survive (2018)
Maybe not everyone has forgotten aboutMetal Gear Survive, but it is definitely a game many fans would like to erase from their memories. Hideo Kojima was already out of the picture and hard at work on theopen-world science fictionepicDeath Strandingwhen Konami tried to wring more money out of the series and the Fox Engine.
The story follows soldiers from Mother Base who are transported to another dimension where they arehunted by zombies. Other than this setup,Survivemight as well not be aMetal Geargame at all.
5Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops (2012)
This mobile game only came out in Japan and lasted just over a year before shutting down permanently. Little is known aboutMetal Gear Solid: Social Opsin the west at all, and it is completely inconsequential to the canon.
There’s really not much of a reason to play this one and it barely even existed in the first place. Its release was not too controversial because in 2012 fans were still excited for the future ofMetal Gear.
4Digital Graphic Novel (2006)
Fans who want a more creative way to experienceMetal Gear Solidcan purchase thedigital graphic novel for the PSP. It is more than just reading the adaptation; players can interact with the story and learn more about the lore through zooming in on certain panels. There is also music and sound effects.
Japan received a similar version of the sequel calledMetal Gear Solid 2: Bande Dessinée. It came on a DVD and had voice acting.
3Metal Gear Solid Mobile (2008)
WhetherMetal Gear Solid Mobileis canon or not is up for debate. All the same, it is interesting to know a mobile entry from 2008 covers the space betweenMetal Gear SolidandMetal Gear Solid 2while Otacon and Snake were operating as Philanthropy.
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In addition to Mobile Phones, this entry also came out on N-Gage. Mobile gaming was in its infancy in 2008, so it is wild to think aMetal Geargame came out during this time.
2Metal Gear Solid Touch (2009)
This mobile game for the ios turnsMetal Gear Solid 4into a basic rail shooter.Metal Gear Solid Touchis definitely not a replacement forplaying the full PS3 game from 2008, as the mobile game is more of a silly diversion.
Touch screen technology was still such a novelty in 2009, it was even included in the name of the game. UnlikeMetal Gear Solid Mobilewhich is a genuinely interesting creation,Metal Gear Solid Touchis only worth playing to satisfy someone’s curiosity.
1Metal Gear AC!D (2005)
Released in 2004 in Japan and 2005 in the west,Metal Gear AC!Dis the first PSP installment of the franchise. It is a non-canon spin-off that replaces the real-time stealth gameplay with turn-based strategy.
Players use cards to move and attack. A sequel came out in 2005 that even added 3D support through the use of glasses. Not allMetal Gearfan loves strategy games, soAC!Dis hard to recommend to everyone.
Next:Every Metal Gear Solid Game In Chronological Order (And The Year They Take Place In)
