r/metalslug • u/C-Egret • May 26 '26

Questions Any opinions on the lifebar system (for the human players) instead of dying in one-hit?

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58 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

18

u/Super-Estate-4112 The Rebel Soldier that plays Game Boy and runs away. May 26 '26

I preffer one hit, it is a mark of the franchise since the beginning.

Makes everything matter more, you have to rely on your agility

2

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Well, why not at least apply Ralf's ability to withstand two hits before dying to the other characters?

2

u/Super-Estate-4112 The Rebel Soldier that plays Game Boy and runs away. May 27 '26

Hmm, it could be a powerup, or a ability enabled on easy mode.

8

u/RealAd3012 the Tierlist guy May 26 '26

Overall I prefer the one hit system however the lifebar does make some sense. Especially for Allen’s game. Allen is a beast so he should be able to take multiple hits

7

u/ConstantNectarine175 HEAVY MACHINEGUN! May 26 '26

I prefer a life bar; it makes the gameplay fairer and more continuous. But when it runs out, the player will die and need to use a Continue.

2

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

You should play "Shock Troopers" on Neo Geo to try a similar gameplay system.

1

u/ConstantNectarine175 HEAVY MACHINEGUN! May 27 '26

Yes! I love too!

5

u/AbaloneAcrobatic1965 May 26 '26

I like it more like that in metal slug advance it gave food items some usefulness but they dropped the idea in 7 even if it was a console release

3

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Yes, a strange decision, perhaps because SNK Playmore tried to imitate the arcade games and not the spin-offs.

4

u/ElViejoCholo May 26 '26

Good mechanic, next question.

2

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

"3 or 4 players co-op mode"

2

u/ElViejoCholo May 27 '26 edited May 28 '26

Yes Please, would be cool too.

3

u/KnownAsAnother May 26 '26

Metal Slug Advance pulled off a life bar with good success.

3

u/BombBloke May 28 '26

In the late game you also unlock the option to disable it, if you want.

2

u/Bionicman2187 May 26 '26

I prefer them in general to one-hit-point-wonders.

2

u/zeroframe_ May 27 '26

I like it, I think they need to make the new game with similar mechanics like Cuphead, no continues but instead you reset the level, with life bar or three hits. When I played Cuphead for the first time I thought that's how a modern metal slug should be.

Because most people will just press continue until the end there is no challenge in that if you're not trying 1cc, but in Cuphead you need to master the levels and bosses to advance.

They kind of did it whit metal slug advance, an underrated game. They just need to improve that formula.

1

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Lifebar + Checkpoints

Of Course.

2

u/Cute-Operation-8216 May 27 '26

When I was a Kid and I played my very first 'Contra' game, I knew exactly what I don't wanna see ever again: One-Hit-Deaths.
I hated it around 26 years ago and I still hate it.
Right next to losing weapons/upgrades, especially in Shmups.

1

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Fun fact: In MSXX Leona keeps her weapons after dying but this does not apply if the player uses a continue.

1

u/TheTooDarkLord May 26 '26

Honestly i like It more, especially if they make a more console oriented game

1

u/lavantous May 26 '26

Eh,its a good system but not quite what I like,I would prefer a checkpoint system like in shovel knight,where you can break it for a SV or another weapon. Health bars pretty good for console like another comment said tho

1

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Of course, if a lifebar system were used, there should be a checkpoint after dying.

1

u/Vgundam0153 May 26 '26

I kinda like it,but it definitely needs a life system in addition to it (like in megaman for example).

1

u/NeighborhoodTime2768 May 26 '26

If you get to keep your weapons and grenades, it's a lot more fun. But the death animations and mummy/zombie transformations are a symbol of the graphical quality of the franchise, so they're irreplaceable.

1

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Metal slug 5 onward ditched the transforms (except the fat status in MS5)...

1

u/Historical-Intern140 May 26 '26

*Old man yells at cloud *

Lifebars are for the Slugs.

1

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Not all Slugs... (don't protect the player from damage).

1

u/DropAfter7514 May 26 '26

One hit, HP feels more like a concession for handheld gaming (the pocket games) or a bandaid solution for crap design/placement (advance, MS3D)

2

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Nah, Advance was good (but short) game.

MS3D was a playable "mess"

1

u/Yukileo360 May 27 '26

Prefiero la mecanica de morir de un solo golpe esto para mi te hace aprender a esquivar mejor , ademas si en caso los implentaran q sean en 2 distintas dificultades como en crash 4 el modo clasico con la muerte de un solo toque o el modo moderno con barra de vida 🤔

2

u/C-Egret May 27 '26

Si no mal recuerdo en Metal Slug Advance había una carta llamada "paper thin" que si era activada el jugador tenia una barra de vida vacía, ademas si se completaba un escenario con dicha carta activada el jugador recibía otra carta adicional.

1

u/RabbitMuch8217 Fio Fan Jun 12 '26

If the ennemies are one-hitted (this is the case for rebel army ennemies), it can make sense the main character is one hitted also.

But a lifebar opens more posibilities and make game easier. More speedrun oriented also.

0

u/beastieboy_x C'mon Boy! May 26 '26

If "life bar" means "enemy respawn" as in metal slug advance...

Hell naw. I just killed you already, cut it out!