In 1987, a game released on the MSX2 home computer in Japan quietly changed the trajectory of video game history without making a single loud noise. Metal Gear, developed by Hideo Kojima, did not follow the standard formula of the era where players were expected to shoot their way through levels. Instead, it introduced a mechanic where the primary goal was to avoid being seen by patrolling guards. If a player was spotted, the game would shift from a shooter into a puzzle where the player had to escape like a ghost, a concept that would later define the entire stealth genre. This was not a game about being a hero who wins by force, but about a rookie operative named Solid Snake who had to survive by thinking like a spy. The game was originally titled Intruder, and its core philosophy was to create tension through the fear of discovery rather than the thrill of combat. Kojima, who was still a new employee at Konami, took over a project that was originally intended to be a simple action game but realized the hardware limitations of the MSX2 forced a creative pivot. He looked to the film The Great Escape for inspiration, reversing the focus from shooting enemies to avoiding capture. The result was a game that felt like a hide-and-seek puzzle where the enemy guards behaved like Pac-Man ghosts, forcing the player to use the environment to their advantage. This design choice was so radical that it subverted the shoot-em-up genre that was popular at the time, creating a new path for interactive storytelling that would eventually lead to the massive success of the Metal Gear Solid series.
The Radio That Changed Everything
The most innovative feature of Metal Gear was not the gameplay mechanics but the way the story was told through a portable radio transceiver. Before this game, video game narratives were typically delivered through static text screens or cutscenes that interrupted the action. Kojima designed a system where the player could keep in touch with their commanding officer, Big Boss, and a local resistance movement composed of Schneider, Diane, and Jennifer. Each of these allies specialized in a specific subject and would provide information or advice based on the player's current area, although a reply was not always guaranteed. The player had to keep track of each character's frequency number to remain in contact with them throughout the game. This radio system allowed the game to move along with the player, so when drama happened while the player was not present, the player's current situation could be depicted while the other characters' story or situation could be foreshadowed in parallel. It was a way to send and receive comms that made the game feel alive and dynamic. The radio calls were not just flavor text; they were essential to the plot, providing clues about the enemy's movements and the true nature of the mission. The game was set in 1995, a time when the West discovered that a weapon of mass destruction was being constructed inside Outer Heaven, a fortified state founded by a legendary mercenary. The radio transceiver became the primary vehicle for the narrative, allowing the player to piece together the mystery of what happened to Gray Fox and the true identity of the enemy leader. This method of storytelling was so effective that it became a staple of the Metal Gear series, influencing countless games that followed. The radio system was a testament to Kojima's vision of a game that could tell a complex story without relying on traditional cutscenes, making the player feel like they were part of a real military operation.
The plot of Metal Gear takes a dark turn when the player realizes that the mission is not what it seems. Solid Snake, a rookie member of the special forces unit FOXHOUND, is sent on his first mission to infiltrate Outer Heaven and destroy Metal Gear, a bipedal walking tank capable of launching nuclear missiles from anywhere in the world. As Snake progresses through the base, he begins to notice that the traps put in his way are too precise and wonders how information on his activities is being tracked. Big Boss, who has been guiding Snake via radio, begins to act strangely, giving misleading advice that leads Snake into several traps. The twist comes when Snake penetrates Outer Heaven's main base and takes out Metal Gear before it reaches completion. As he safely escapes the compound's basement, he is confronted by the mercenary leader of Outer Heaven, who turns out to be Big Boss. The corrupt leader reveals that he had been using his connections to steal military intelligence, establish his own mercenary force, and fund his activities. It was his aim to have Outer Heaven become the world's greatest superpower, able to bring even the West to its knees. He had the rookie Snake sent in, hoping to have him captured and feed misinformation to authorities but had quite obviously underestimated Snake's capabilities. Having lost Metal Gear and much of his force, Big Boss starts the self-destruct sequence for the compound and promises he will not die alone; Snake will join him. Snake defeats Big Boss in the last battle and escapes the Outer Heaven compound as it crumbles in flames behind him. After the end credits, a message from Big Boss is displayed saying that he will meet Solid Snake again. This revelation set the stage for the entire Metal Gear series, establishing a complex narrative of betrayal, identity, and the cyclical nature of war. The game's ending was so impactful that it became a defining moment in video game history, proving that games could tell stories as complex and emotional as any film or novel.
The NES Port That Broke the Chain
While the MSX2 version of Metal Gear was a critical success in Japan and Europe, the game's journey to North America took a different path. A port of Metal Gear for the Family Computer, or Famicom, was released in Japan on the 22nd of December 1987, followed by an English localization for the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, released in North America in June 1988. This was the first version of Metal Gear that was released in North America, since the MSX2 platform was never released in that market. However, the NES version was developed by another Konami division at Tokyo which was given the source code from the MSX2 version without the consent of the original team. Many changes were made during the porting process that later led to this version being publicly disowned by Kojima years after its release. Masahiro Ueno, who worked as a programmer for the NES version, has stated that the staff who worked on the port were given a three-month deadline and were ordered to make the port as different as possible from the MSX2 version. The level designs were altered, with the underwater infiltration from the MSX2 version replaced by an extensive outdoor sequence prior to reaching the first building. The Metal Gear boss was replaced by a Supercomputer guarded by four enemy soldiers, and the Hind D boss on the rooftop of Building 1 was replaced by a pair of armed turret gunners called Twin Shot. The NES version also lacked the higher alert phase from the MSX2 version, and the jetpack-wearing soldiers on the rooftops of Building 1 and 2 lost their ability to fly. The English localization of the NES versions contains numerous instances of erroneous grammar, such as Contact missing our Grey Fox and Uh-Oh! The truck have started to move!. Despite these changes, the NES version was a major international success, selling 1 million units in the United States and becoming the second top-selling game in the United States during October 1988, just below Super Mario Bros. 2. The game remained in the top ten through early 1989, proving that even a heavily altered version could capture the imagination of players.
The Legacy of a Stealth Pioneer
The success of Metal Gear led to the creation of two separately produced sequels, the first one, Snake's Revenge, was produced specifically for the NES in North America and Europe in 1990, and the other, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, was the sequel developed by Hideo Kojima and released in Japan for the MSX2 during the same year as a response to the former's creation. The latter was followed by Metal Gear Solid for the PlayStation in 1998, which in turn was followed by numerous sequels and spinoffs in the Metal Gear series. Metal Gear is recognized as the first mainstream stealth game, and is credited as a pioneer in stealth mechanics as well as storytelling via a portable radio transceiver. Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2 designer Clint Hocking stated that every stealth-action game owes its existence to the success of Metal Gear and that, Without Metal Gear, there would be no stealth games. Unreal and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski cited the military themes and action gameplay of Metal Gear as a major influence on his work, and he named Gears of War in homage to Metal Gear. Tenchu creator Takuma Endo also cited Metal Gear as an influence. The game's legacy extends beyond its gameplay mechanics; it has become a cultural touchstone for the stealth genre. The intro theme, Operation Intrude N313, the main theme, Theme of Tara, and the game over theme, Just Another Dead Soldier, from the MSX2 version were reused for the VR Training theme in Metal Gear Solid, which in turn was reused in Metal Gear: Ghost Babel and Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. Theme of Tara is one of the tunes that can be heard in the Shadow Moses Island stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii, the music for the beginning section of the Battleship Halberd Interior stage of the Adventure mode, where Snake officially enters the storyline, and can also be selected as music with an iPod item in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The game's influence is so profound that it has become a part of the fabric of video game history, with its mechanics and narrative techniques being studied and emulated by developers around the world.
The Gamebooks and Novels
In 1988, Konami published a gamebook adaptation of Metal Gear in Japan as the second installment in their Konami Gamebook Series. The gamebook is set two years after the events of the game, in which Solid Snake is called back into action after FOXHOUND receives intelligence on a terrorist group who have obtained the plans for Metal Gear and are now mass-producing the mech. The book portrays Solid Snake as an unsuccessful illustrator in his personal life outside his job as a FOXHOUND agent. In 1990, a novelization of Metal Gear was published in the U.S. by Scholastic Books as part of their Worlds of Power series of novelizations based on third-party NES games. The Metal Gear book was written by Alexander Frost under the pen name F.X. Nine, the same pen name used for all the authors in the Worlds of Power series. This book adheres much more closely to the localized version of the backstory as presented in the North American packaging and manual, as opposed to the actual in-game plot which was not changed to reflect this difference. Big Boss is not featured in the book, but instead, two different characters, Commander South and Colonel Vermon CaTaffy, serve as Solid Snake's commanding officer and Outer Heaven's leader respectively. The book also gives Solid Snake the identity of Justin Halley and changes the name of his organization from FOX HOUND to the Snake Men. Because the book was targeted at young kids, the cover illustration was altered, with Snake's handgun being airbrushed out. These adaptations show how the Metal Gear franchise expanded beyond the video game medium, creating a rich tapestry of stories that explored the character of Solid Snake and the world of Outer Heaven. The gamebooks and novels provided additional context and depth to the characters, allowing fans to explore the story from different perspectives. The novelization, in particular, highlights the differences between the Japanese and Western versions of the game, showing how localization can change the narrative and character dynamics. These adaptations are a testament to the enduring appeal of Metal Gear, proving that the story of Solid Snake and Big Boss resonates with audiences across different media.
The Remake That Never Was
During a public Q&A event conducted at London with Geoff Keighley on the 13th of March 2014, series' creator Hideo Kojima expressed interest in developing remakes of the MSX2 Metal Gear games in order to reconcile plot discrepancies that have since been introduced into the series, but had no plans at the time due to the ongoing development of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. However, Kojima has since departed from Konami following the release of The Phantom Pain, leaving the possibility of such remakes in question. An unofficial Metal Gear remake mod for Alien Swarm was in development that was granted permission by Konami to use copyrighted material with the agreement that they don't make a profit from the recreation or accept donations for the production. It was canceled on the 3rd of June 2014. David Hayter was set to voice Solid Snake. The cancellation of the mod and the departure of Kojima from Konami have left the future of Metal Gear remakes uncertain. Despite this, the original game continues to be celebrated and re-released on various platforms. The MSX2 version was released as a Virtual Console download for the Wii in Japan on the 8th of December 2009, and an Amiga port of the NES version was announced in 1989, but was not released, although an unofficial Amiga port of the MSX2 version developed by hobbyist programmer h0ffman in May 2021. The game has been included in various compilations, such as the HD Edition version of Metal Gear re-released as part of Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection for PlayStation 3, and ports of both the MSX2 and NES Metal Gear versions included with Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. The game's enduring popularity and the desire to preserve its legacy have led to its inclusion in multiple remasters and compilations, ensuring that new generations of players can experience the groundbreaking mechanics and narrative of the original Metal Gear.