Snake's Revenge

• 1. Konami's Western Sequel

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  In 1990, Konami released Snake's Revenge for the Nintendo Entertainment System under the Ultra Games brand. This title appeared in North America and PAL regions as a standalone sequel to Metal Gear. Hideo Kojima did not participate in its creation. The original MSX2 version of Metal Gear had been designed by Kojima, but this new project bypassed him entirely. Developers working on Snake's Revenge informed Kojima about their work after it was already underway. He then decided to create his own official follow-up for Japan instead. The game launched without any Famicom version in Japan or Europe. It carried the alternate title Snake's Revenge: Metal Gear II in some publications, though that name never appeared inside the actual software.

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• 2. Gameplay Mechanics And Design

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  Players begin with a combat knife and handgun already equipped upon starting Snake's Revenge. Pressing A fires firearms or explosives while B executes melee attacks with punches or knives. Guards defeated by punches sometimes drop ammo boxes or ration units. Maximum health and carrying capacity depend on rank, which reaches six stars at highest level. Rescuing hostages scattered throughout areas promotes players forward. Interrogating enemy officers using truth gas also counts toward promotion progress. Alert phases trigger when enemies detect the player, causing soldiers to enter screens and attack. Moving to an adjacent screen can end alert mode if only one red exclamation mark appears over a guard's head. Side-view segments resemble Rush 'n Attack gameplay where Snake crawls on his stomach through jungle bases and cargo ships. Underwater sections require oxygen tanks to avoid damage as the gauge depletes automatically.

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• 3. Plot Summary Of Operation 747

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  Three years after the original events, FOXHOUND learns a hostile Middle Eastern nation possesses plans for Metal Gear. Lieutenant Solid Snake leads a three-man team into their base under mission codename Operation 747. John Turner acts as decoy before being captured while Nick Myer handles weapons expertise. The enemy transports mass-produced Metal Gear tanks aboard a cargo ship that Snake destroys. A helicopter pilot guides escape efforts as the vessel sinks beneath waves. Inside the main facility, an impostor posing as John blocks progress until defeated. Jennifer emerges as a double agent revealing global nuclear launch plans by the commander. Nick dies during infiltration while Jennifer gets captured after exposure. Snake confronts cybernetically enhanced Big Boss who survived earlier encounters. He defeats the commander and rescues Jennifer at the storage facility housing Metal Gear 2. The weapon is destroyed just before its countdown completes. World Peace Day follows the operation with John declared missing in action and Nick awarded posthumous promotions.

• 4. Kojima's Parallel Development

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  Konami produced Snake's Revenge specifically for Western markets following NES success of Metal Gear. Hideo Kojima created Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for MSX2 systems released later in Japan during 1990. One developer informed him about Snake's Revenge after it was already in production. This prompted Kojima to direct his own true sequel instead. He described Snake's Revenge as faithful to the Metal Gear concept during a 1999 interview with Steven Kent. At the 2009 Game Developers Conference he jokingly called it somewhat of a crappy game. Later interviews with Nintendo Power showed he did not consider it bad. A handheld electronic version appeared published by Tiger Electronics. No Famicom counterpart existed for the original Japanese release of this title.

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• 5. Critical Reception And Legacy

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  Snake's Revenge received mixed reviews upon initial release in North America and Europe. Critics noted its unique side-view platforming segments compared to top-down predecessor design. Modern audiences access it through Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 on multiple platforms including Switch and PlayStation consoles. The game remains available on Windows and Xbox Series X/S systems today. Publications sometimes refer to it using alternate titles though those names never appear within gameplay itself. Its inclusion in compilations keeps the title accessible despite earlier controversy over lack of creator involvement. Sales figures remain modest compared to other entries in the franchise but maintain cult status among stealth action fans.

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