Did you know that it’s the NINE year anniversary of Jetpack Joyride? Just a couple of days ago, in fact. This game has been around for a looooonnnnggggg time, and it has received nearly constant updates over all of these years. It pretty much feels like our original review might as well have been for a different game altogether. Such is the world of mobile gaming, I guess. One thing Jetpack Joyride has not been shy about is doing a wacky crossover with another famous IP. In particular I remember what a big deal the Back to the Future crossover was way back in 2015, but there have been plenty of others. Well today they’re doing another biggie and this time it’s with one of my own personal favorite game series ever: SNK’s Metal Slug. Surprisingly, this crossover makes a whole lot of sense. Metal Slug’s cast of characters all have bad ass attitudes along a similar line to Jetpack Joyride’s Barry Steakfries, and the series’ actual title is in reference to the cool vehicles you can temporarily occupy during play, much like the many cool vehicles Barry can hop into during a Jetpack Joyride session. Here’s a trailer showing this incredible synergy in action.
This special crossover event is only for a limited time and will be available to play for the next 3 weeks. While playing the event you are treated to special Metal Slug background environments, enemies, and items. Four famous Metal Slug heroes have made their way into the game: Marco, Eri, Tarma, and Fio. There’s also a number of Metal Slug-themed versions of the main Jetpack Joyride vehicles, equipment, and weaponry. This includes the original Metal Slug itself the SV-001 as a version of Lil Stomper, as well as a special version of the Mr. Cuddles dragon appropriately named Mr. Sluggles. While many of the character costumes are unlockable by collecting items during the event, the majority of this special Metal Slug gear costs real money. There’s a variety of different ways to pay for things piecemeal, or you can buy the entire Metal Slug pack which includes all items, characters, and even the special backgrounds for a cool $30. Putting your own personal need to obsessively collect everything aside, the Metal Slug/Jetpack Joyride crossover event is a really cool mashup so it’s worth at least checking out while the event is running for the next few weeks.
