Metal Slug Mobile 3

It's common for a game's title to give you large indication of the gameplay it contains. For example, Virtua Fighter is clearly all about fighting in a virtual way. Super Mario Bros is obviously about a couple of brothers (one of whom at least is likely to be called Mario) who are rather super, and – going back a wee bit here – Space Invaders is undoubtedly about… ah, you get the idea.

Which is why you must forgive the uninitiated if they're initially a bit confused about the Metal Slug series of games. Yes, there's plenty of metal in it, but slugs? Not a hint of them. Not even a snail.

What there is, though, is some of the smartest and most enjoyable gameplay ever to be pixellated.

This mobile version contains all the graphical flair, razor-sharp gameplay and over-the-top weaponry that's graced arcades and consoles for years. Depending on the phone you're using (we played it on a K750i), there's a chance it might move slightly slower than you'd like, but the gameplay still manages to shine through, making this a game that we definitely recommend checking out.

Metal Slug Mobile 3 is a scrolling shoot-'em-up that's very much in the style of the classics of old. You run along, you kill virtual baddies, you rescue captive comrades and you fight bosses and a seemingly endless succession of bomb-dropping helicopters.

So far, so predictable.

As the levels get tougher, though, you're rewarded with additional weapons to beef up your arsenal. You begin the game with a standard pop gun but every time you rescue a friendly soldier, you earn a power-up. Additional weapons include flame throwers, rocket launchers and things that seem to fart out explosions that would draw attention to themselves in the deepest, darkest pits of Hell.

Basically, it's great fun. There are plenty of enemies to wipe out and also plenty of scenery to interact with, which means that you're able to jump up to higher platforms to collect power-ups, bonuses and, on some stages, even blow up sections, too.

The game's control method – which could be horribly fiddly – actually works surprisingly well. After some experimentation, we discovered that by using a mixture of the buttons and the D-pad, we were easily able to fire in all directions and leap and bound through the levels without any confusion. This is a very good thing, obviously, and should reassure fans who may be worried about playing such a title on a device that isn't really designed for gaming.

And what a game. Even as an average Metal Slug, you'd expect this to sell loads on the strength of the series alone. Brilliantly, though, we're delighted to report that not only is it a worthy addition to the franchise, it's also a fine, playable and highly addictive shooter in its own right.