Last year, a surprising revival of a classic IP was announced in the form of Metal Slug Tactics, a strategy RPG inspired by SNK’s classic 2D action series. While fans were initially surprised that the long-dormant series would switch genres, it didn’t take long for many to embrace the return of the beloved franchise, not least because it comes from Dotemu.
Now, although the game was expected to be released later this year, Dotemu has now announced that Metal Slug Tactics has been pushed back to 2023.
The Metal Slug series originated as a 2D action series developed by the Nazca Corporation before it merged with the SNK Corporation in 1996. The series follows a group of soldiers facing military, alien, and zombie invasions.
The series’ gameplay consists of platforming combined with shooter mechanics, and is most identifiable by the intensely detailed pixel art that has defined the series since its inception.
Metal Slug Tacticsthe first installment in over 13 years, was first announced at the 2021 Summer Game Fest Kick-Off. The game is currently in development at studio Leikir, a French developer known for indie games like Rogue Lords and Wondershot.
In February 2022, the studio was acquired by European publisher Focus Interactive, while publisher Dotemu was also acquired in August 2021.
The gameplay of Metal Slug Tactics was shown at an Indie World event hosted by Nintendo in August 2021, where it was confirmed for release on Nintendo Switch and PC. Since this event, Metal Slug Tactics has been very quiet, with little to no updates throughout 2022.
Today, Dotemu has announced, along with some new game art, that Metal Slug Tactics is being pushed back to 2023. No further details about the release have been given, though.
In any case, Metal Slug Tactics is shaping up to be an exciting and fresh mix with the distinctive visual style that SNK’s beloved series is known for, so giving it more time will be a good thing, given how solid the gameplay teasers have been.