Metal Slug 3 Available For Steam Pre-Order At 25% Off

Run and gun gaming may not have gotten its start with the Metal Slug series, but it’s certainly one of the franchises to elevate the trigger-happy gameplay to the next level and, starting today, would-be mercenaries looking to kick the butt of evil can pre-order Metal Slug 3 for a discounted 25 percent off through Steam.

If you ever thought the Contra series, or perhaps even a more modern game like Call of Duty, could use a little more tongue-in-cheek goofiness, then you might want to take a gander at the Metal Slug series. Players take on the role of one of the members of a rag-tag group of soldiers sent in to save the world from total destruction. You’ll do this by shooting enemy soldiers and crafts with a wide array of over-the-top weaponry, and occasionally jumping into a vehicle of your own to do some extra damage.

The series has always had a great sense of humor with a cartoony art style, clever jokes and humorous animations, but that doesn’t mean you should expect Metal Slug to be slim on gameplay. The controls have always been locked down, tight and perfect for jumping around the screen while blasting your enemies to tiny bits.

Many consider Metal Slug 3 to be one of the series’ biggest high points and, sometime this February, it’ll finally be arriving on Steam. If you’re already planning on picking the game up and want to save a little cash in the process, you can even pre-order MS3 on Steam starting today for 25 percent off, knocking the regular $7.99 price tag down to just $5.99 for a limited time. No set release date other than “February” has been announced yet, but that’s still soon enough to warrant a pedal to the medal approach for those who want to add the game to their digital collection on the cheap.

This Steam version of the game promises to be an “arcade-perfect” port, boasting a bunch of extra features to boot. You can cruise through the game proper in Arcade Mode, as well as take on Mission Mode, which will let you start from any level you have previously made it to. An autofire ability is also available in the Steam version, meaning the bullets will keep on flying without you having to keep your finger on the trigger. You can also customize the controls, if you feel so inclined, or take part in an online co-op match.

For those of you who would like to see a bit more of the gameplay in action, here’s a gander at the first level, as presented by Machinima. Otherwise, head to Steam and get to pre-ordering.