Choose METAL SLUG DEFENSE
Choose METAL SLUG DEFENSE if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. METAL SLUG DEFENSE launched in 2015.
METAL SLUG DEFENSE vs METAL SLUG 2
METAL SLUG DEFENSE and METAL SLUG 2 both land in Action on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Action games on Steam. METAL SLUG DEFENSE (2015) is 1 year older than METAL SLUG 2 (2016). METAL SLUG 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (85.3% positive) than METAL SLUG DEFENSE (49.5% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose METAL SLUG 2
Choose METAL SLUG 2 if you want the Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 85.3% positive across 279 reviews.
Both METAL SLUG DEFENSE and METAL SLUG 2 sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player and Steam Leaderboards, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 METAL SLUG DEFENSE |  METAL SLUG 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Free To Play | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 1.39 USD |
| Steam reviews | 49.5% positive (740 reviews) | 85.3% positive (279 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | SNK CORPORATION | SNK CORPORATION, Dotemu |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- METAL SLUG DEFENSE (2015) is 1 year older than METAL SLUG 2 (2016).
- METAL SLUG 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (85.3% positive) than METAL SLUG DEFENSE (49.5% positive).
- METAL SLUG DEFENSE is free; METAL SLUG 2 is paid (1.39 USD).
- METAL SLUG 2 has co-op; METAL SLUG DEFENSE does not.
- METAL SLUG 2 is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; METAL SLUG DEFENSE has no Deck rating yet.
METAL SLUG DEFENSE vs METAL SLUG 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, METAL SLUG DEFENSE or METAL SLUG 2?
- On Steam reviews METAL SLUG 2 scores higher (85.3% positive) than METAL SLUG DEFENSE (49.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, METAL SLUG 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play METAL SLUG DEFENSE or METAL SLUG 2 first?
- If you want chronology, METAL SLUG DEFENSE (2015) came out before METAL SLUG 2 (2016). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are METAL SLUG DEFENSE and METAL SLUG 2 similar?
- They overlap on Action on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is METAL SLUG DEFENSE free?
- Yes — METAL SLUG DEFENSE is a free-to-play Steam title. METAL SLUG 2 is paid (1.39 USD).