Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 76 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 73 | 2 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 88 | 36 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 102 reviews sampled · 88 total reviews in window · weighted 34.6 up / 2.5 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (56)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 78
“While I applaud the extra missions, MSCS shadows their importance and lessened my affinity for this unreal coin-op title.”
read full review ↗ - 71
“Metal Slug 3, at four years old, still remains one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences on the Xbox for those who are up to the challenge it presents.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Talk about your pick-up-and-play games, Metal Slug 3 is the best. The left stick to move, one button to shoot, one button to jump/leap in and out of vehicles, and a button to chuck explosives.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“As lighthearted as this title is, it will mercilessly test everything you have as a gamer, and it will rest in your library quite a while before you beat it on your own and test out the extras.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It's tough in the way classic arcade games make you dump good quarter after bad - pitching you against waves of enemies, offering loads of alternate paths, and serving up some seriously demented import-centric humor. [July 2004, p.78]”
- 70
“No lie, you'll finish the lot in a day. You can try and collect all the extras (Japanese radish and Chinese cabbage are all there for the taking), but there's no getting away from the fact that there's not enough in here to warrant shelling out full whack, no matter how perfect a slice of arcade action it may be.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“When taking it out of its native arcade environment and bringing it to a home console, SNK has made some specific choices that make this already challenging game difficult to a fault.”
read full review ↗ - 62
“Offering gamers fast paced gameplay, excellent 2D designs, alternate pathways and a slew of weapons to rain chaos on the enemies this is one title all gamers should at least try once, twice - even three times.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“A fantastic game -- it's easy to pick up and play, has great character and depth, and is even better with a friend.”
read full review ↗ - 84
“It's a great way to let off some steam while revelling in the power of pure, unbridled gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“One of the finest, purest, and most hardcore 2D shooter on any system to date. [July 2004, p.88]”
- 75
“Hits all the right notes with the same simple stay-alive-power-up-kick-ass formula that always brings me back for more. [July 2004, p.73]”
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
GameSpot…and 44 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.