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[img width=358 height=515]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/MetalStormCover.jpg[/img]
Heading back to the trusty ole' NES again for this one!
Would it surprise you if I said this game for the NES was a platformer/shooter with a space theme? No you say. It does seem to be a common style of game on the system (see previous Blogs such as Xexyz or Journey to Silius). I assume that why this title often gets overlooked.
[img width=512 height=448]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/MetalStormgameplay.jpg[/img]
What people are missing out on by not playing this game is something pretty neat though. Wait for it................................upside down platforming. It might sound a little hokey at first, but its actually a ton of fun. At any time during the game you can switch from a gravity obeying mech warrior to an upside down robot with a gun.
Each stage has some form of rooftop so that you can always bounce back and forth as desired. Sometimes this is to collect powerups, other times for tactical strategy and others yet for the sheer enjoyment of it.
[img width=512 height=448]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk189/Crabmaster2000/MetalStormboss.jpg[/img]
Most of the levels are designed pretty straightforward, but stages 4 and 6 really stand out to me. In level 4 you play the whole area, including boss, trapped in a box. The box moves around the screen at (mostly) stationary enemies. Some you can kill and some you cannot. This makes for some very interesting platforming even though your stuck in a box.
Level 6 gets even better yet. The level scrolls downward constantly while you trek to the right of the screen. I have a hard time describing how cool it is so I found a video to help me out.
To get to the stage 6 part just skip ahead to about 2:30:
Metal Storm probably gets lumped in with a lot of other games because of the style and theme which I think is unfair. It actually translates the Sci-Fi setting into a really cool and playable game play mechanic. Definitely check it out if you haven’t yet. It can be a little harder to track down than some other NES games, but if you can find it for under $15 you've got yourself a solid deal.
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I got this game as a kid and it's one of my favorite NES games. The music in it is superb, and the stage design blew me away. I think it's Stage 3, where the map allows you to either navigate to the right while taking routes upside-down or right-side up. You have to switch orientations in order to navigate properly, but the map will wrap around if fall too far in one direction.
This game would've been slightly above average without the gravity mechanic, but it added the wolrd of difference to the game.
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Very cool. I've had this one in my collection for a bit, but never made it to the later stages. Stage 6 looks nuts, and who ever did this video is very good. Another great writeup Crabmaster.
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An incredible game and worth paying a little more for due to its unconventional gameplay (remember getting my copy for around $14). The use of gravity really does make the game special because it forces you to react quickly to get through certain areas or dodge enemy attacks where normal jumping is insufficient. The music is also very good. Thanks for another great post.
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@ Duke
The later stages are really fun even if they are challenging. You get infinite continues so I would sugget sitting down one day when you've got some time and try to get to them. The video I posted was someone doing a no-death run. I thought that would work well to show off the level in a short amount of time.
2 of you guys mentioned the soundtrack as being quite good. I found it almost entirely forgettable. The only song I really enjoyed was the continue/end screen music. I guess that is bound to happen with something as subjective as musical tastes. Thanks for pointing it out for any though, because apparently its worth pointing out!
I also should have made mention of the sweet death animation. It is possibly the coolest 8-bit explosion you'll ever see!
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Metal Storm is definitely one of the best games I played in my entire life.
I don't care if it's unkown or underrated, it make it even more special.
Let the heathens dwell in ignorance and mediocrity. 
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From the sounds of it this seems like a great game, I should check it out. The picture on the cover really looks like a Gundam.
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Hi...I haven't been on this site in a long time...probably years. Anyway, I stumbled on this blog post and had to comment. When I first started collecting, I wanted to grab all of my favorite NES titles that I had as a kid. I got Metal Storm in a lot with other, seemingly more desirable, titles. I fell in love with the title as soon as I tried it. This game open the world of "hidden gems" up to me. I've used it as a user name on various forums and on XBL ever since.
Thanks for this awesome post...great read!
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Can a game truly be unloved if one has never even heard of it?
I guess I'll hafta pass that by one of those Zen guys for a proper answer.
Anyhoo: this looks like yet another title for me to be on the hunt for (the YouTube video really sold me).
Thank you for making me aware of this one.
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@Zangorch - I'm not implying people dislike the game or anything. But I'd definately say If your unaware of it you dont get the chance to love it. It also occured to me some time ago that Unloved probably isnt the best title, as at least I love each of these games. Maybe Underloved would have made more sense.
You mean it wasnt my beautiful writing skills that sold you on the game? They didnt just immerse you in the topic I was trying to describe 
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@Zangorch - I'm not implying people dislike the game or anything. But I'd definately say If your unaware of it you dont get the chance to love it. It also occured to me some time ago that Unloved probably isnt the best title, as at least I love each of these games. Maybe Underloved would have made more sense.
I was equating "unloved" with "obscure" in this instance. Which I suppose could be an incorrect way of thinking about it. To be fair, however, "unloved" and "obscure" aren't mutually exclusive...
You mean it wasnt my beautiful writing skills that sold you on the game? They didnt just immerse you in the topic I was trying to describe
When it comes to video games, it can only help to have a good visual element to really get the point across. You even stated that "I have a hard time describing how cool it is so I found a video to help me out." 'Cuz there are indeed times where either words fail you, or they can't properly describe what you're discussing in less than a couple paragraphs.
To put it in bowling terms: your writing got the ball rolling and helped it gain momentum, and the embedded YouTube video was the strike.
How's that for an analogy?
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