After being largely absent from the gaming landscape in the last several years, Metal Gear Solid is expected to make a return of some kind as part of the upcoming PlayStation Showcase on May 24. While the prevailing thought is that the return of the franchise will happen through a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, there are also signs that point to the possibility of the entire Metal Gear Solid series coming to PlayStation thanks to a rumored partnership with Konami. If Metal Gear is indeed going to be making a resurgence on modern hardware, it would be a mistake to ignore the series' original entries on the MSX home computer.
The original MSX versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake laid the foundation for one of gaming's most revered franchises and established the stealth action genre. Series creator Hideo Kojima's vision was to create a game that rewarded players for avoiding enemy encounters instead of rushing into combat like other action games of the time. The NES version of Metal Gear had several key differences from the MSX original and the sequel never appeared in the West until the release of Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection on PS3. The return of the Metal Gear franchise should move beyond Metal Gear Solid and reintroduce players to the series' genesis.
The Enduring Legacy of the Original MSX Metal Gear Games
Similar to other Japanese-developed contemporaries, the release and localization of Metal Gear in the West on the Nintendo Entertainment System came with a slew of differences from the MSX original. One of the most critical (and confusing) of these differences is a lack of the titular Metal Gear tank's appearance in the NES version, with players instead facing off against a supercomputer as the final boss. By the time Konami subsidiary Ultra brought a Metal Gear sequel to the NES (the much-maligned Snake's Revenge), it was a completely different game from the true sequel released on the MSX home computer in Japan -- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.
Despite being such a critical piece of the history of the franchise, the two MSX Metal Gear games are only available in the West via Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection, which is locked behind PS3 exclusivity. This is a shame considering that the gameplay of both Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake hold up impressively compared to the earliest entries in other long-running franchises. Additionally, many of the mechanics that fans associate with the series can be traced back to these MSX titles, with Metal Gear 2 very clearly being a proof-of-concept for what would become Metal Gear Solid on the PS1.
How Konami Could Bring Metal Gear to Modern Hardware
Much like Metal Gear Solid 4, the two original MSX Metal Gear games are only available on the PlayStation 3 as part of a physical disc. As part of the Metal Gear series' return on modern hardware, Konami should digitally release every entry in the Metal Gear franchise on PSN. While the release of an updated Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection on a physical disc would appeal to collectors and fans, it's likely that Konami would move more units as a result of a digital re-release. But there are options other than a simple re-release that could spotlight the brilliance of the early Metal Gear titles.
Several of Metal Gear's contemporaries have received remasters that retain the original mechanics and gameplay but update the visuals using 3D assets on a 2D plane or remaster the pixel-based art for HD textures and resolution. Instead of simply repackaging games and releasing them for purchase on modern hardware, Konami could enlist a talented studio to re-imagine the first two Metal Gear games with modern quality of life features. It's safe to say that Metal Gear Solid would have never become a reality without the incredible foundation laid by the two MSX titles, and a return of the Metal Gear franchise shouldn't leave them hanging.