Q&A: KAZUHIRO TANAKA
SNK’S designer talks sequels, slugs and more
Why do you think many fans feel Metal Slug 3 is the best in the series?
I was involved on Metal Slug 1, 2, X, and 3, and I think that Metal Slug 3 was one step above the previous title and a culmination of all the work that went into past titles. I like to think that Metal Slug fans understood and appreciated that fact, and there is no higher praise we could have received as developers.
Where did the idea for branching paths originate? The idea came from Metal Slug X, but it was already too late to add it to the game at that phase of development. Therefore, we decided to implement it the next title after further research and experimentation. We know that a lot of Metal Slug players play the same games many times, so we wanted to offer them even more fun and variety by adding branching paths in Metal Slug 3.
Where did the ideas for the new slug vehicles originate from?
We come up first with the images of the battle stages, and once that is set we discuss about which Slugs would fit best with the terrain and level design. From there, we start working on concept, ideas, and simple designs. My favourite Slugs are definitely the original SV-001, and the Slug Flyer for its high mobility. I am also a fan of the Animal Slugs such as the Camel Slug, the ostrich Slug, and the elephant Slug.