🧨 1. What is Metal Slug: Awakening?

Metal Slug: Awakening is a mobile reimagining of the classic Metal Slug arcade series. Developed by Tencent and licensed by SNK, this version combines traditional run-and-gun action with RPG mechanics, character upgrades, and online features.

It brings:

Classic characters (Marco, Tarma, Eri, Fio, etc.)

Iconic enemies and bosses

Modern graphics

Weapon upgrades, skill trees, and more

🎮 2. Gameplay Overview

Side-scrolling run-and-gun combat

Use guns, grenades, special skills, and vehicles

Clear missions, defeat bosses, and upgrade your gear

PvE story mode, co-op events, and PvP modes

🧑‍🚀 3. Characters & Classes

Each character has unique skills, passives, and weapon affinities.

🔹 Popular Characters:
Name Role Type Special Trait
Marco Balanced DPS High burst damage
Tarma Tank/Support Shielding & crowd control
Eri AoE DPS Strong with grenades
Fio Tactical Support Utility & healing support

➡️ Tip: Focus on 1 or 2 main characters early on. Don’t try to upgrade everyone.

🔫 4. Weapons & Vehicles

You can unlock and upgrade different weapons and iconic vehicles (like the Metal Slug tank).

🔸 Weapon Types:

Assault Rifles

Shotguns

Sniper Rifles

Grenade Launchers

Energy Weapons

Each has different strengths:

Assault Rifles: Balanced

Shotguns: Close-range burst

Snipers: High damage, long range

Launchers: Area damage

🔸 Vehicles:

SV-001: The classic tank

Camel Slug

Aero Slug

Each vehicle has its own skills and health bar.

⚙️ 5. Character Progression

Upgrading your character involves multiple systems:

🧬 Leveling:

Use EXP items to level up characters.

Higher levels unlock stronger skills.

💠 Equipment:

Equip weapons, armor, and accessories.

Gear has rarity levels (Common → Rare → Epic → Legendary).

Upgrade and refine gear to increase stats.

🌟 Skills:

Each character has Active Skills and Passive Skills.

Skill points can be earned through missions or events.

📈 Star Rank:

Use character fragments to “star up” characters.

Each star gives big stat boosts and sometimes unlocks extra abilities.

🗺️ 6. Game Modes
✅ Main Campaign

Story missions with increasing difficulty.

Unlocks new areas and rewards.

⚔️ PvP Arena

Fight against other players' teams.

Positioning and skill timing matter.

👥 Co-op Events

Team up with other players for boss raids.

Coordinate for better rewards.

🧱 Tower Challenge

Floor-based progression mode.

Test your skills and earn valuable resources.

🔁 Daily Missions & Dungeons

Farm materials, gold, and EXP.

Don’t skip these – they’re vital for progress.

💎 7. Currencies & Resources
Currency Use
Gold Basic upgrades
Diamonds Premium currency for summons and refreshes
Stamina/Energy Required for missions
Fragments Used to unlock or rank up characters
Weapon Parts Used for gear upgrades

Tip: Spend diamonds wisely! Use them mainly for:

Limited character banners

Gear gacha (if needed)

Event refreshes

📊 8. Free-to-Play Tips

Log in every day for free rewards

Focus your resources on 1 DPS + 1 support character

Join an active Guild for rewards and events

Complete daily, weekly, and event missions

Save premium pulls for limited banners with strong characters

🧠 9. Advanced Tips & Tricks

Manual aim during boss fights to avoid missing skill shots

Dodge before using big skills – some bosses can interrupt you

Time your ultimate for enemy wave spawns

Use grenades to interrupt enemies or break shields

Upgrade vehicles – they can carry you in tough fights

🏆 10. Best Early Game Team Setup (F2P Friendly)

Marco (DPS)

Fio (Support)

Tarma or Eri (Tank or AoE)

➡️ Balanced team with good survivability and damage output.

📚 11. Useful External Resources

Official Discord/Reddit: Event announcements, tier lists

YouTube Creators: Boss fight guides, team builds

Tier Lists & Wikis: For best character/weapon ranking

🎯 Final Thoughts

Metal Slug: Awakening successfully blends nostalgic arcade action with modern RPG mechanics. The game rewards strategy, timing, and smart progression. Whether you’re a Metal Slug veteran or new to the franchise, mastering the core systems will help you clear the toughest bosses and dominate PvP.