Now Playing: Metal Gear (1987)
Platform: NES
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Before stealth became a genre, Metal Gear introduced it to the NES with a bold new approach to action gameplay. You played as Solid Snake, a rookie operative tasked with infiltrating a heavily guarded enemy base to destroy a mysterious weapon known as Metal Gear.
Unlike most action games of the era, brute force was not the answer. You had to sneak past guards, avoid cameras, and gather intel through radio communications. Rushing in meant certain failure, encouraging players to think tactically and explore thoroughly.
The NES version of Metal Gear featured sprawling maps, hidden rooms, and a wide range of gear to collect from rations to remote controlled missiles. It laid the groundwork for an entire franchise and introduced players to deep, narrative driven gameplay on a home console.
Fun fact: Although the NES version differed from the original MSX2 release, it became the version that introduced Metal Gear to North American players and helped define stealth gaming for generations to come.