Metal Gear was the first game designed by Hideo Kojima and the first in the Metal Gear series. Konami released it for the MSX2 in Japan on 13 July 1987, and an English MSX2 version came out in Europe the same month. Kojima turned the design from shooting enemies to avoiding capture, inspired by the film The Great Escape; the working title was Intruder. It is recognized as the first mainstream stealth game.
The Famicom/NES version, released in Japan on 22 December 1987, was made by a different team without Kojima, who later said it was not up to his standards. It still sold 1 million units in the United States.
The MSX2 original was later included in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (2005) and the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (2011). In 2023 it was re-released on Steam alongside Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake as part of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1.12
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Metal Gear | NES | June 1988 | Ultra Games | 1 |
| NA | Metal GearEurope 1990 | Commodore 64 | 1989 | — | 1 |
| NA | Metal GearBased on the NES version | MS-DOS | Aug 30, 1990 | Ultra Games | 1 |
| JP | メタルギアMetaru Gia | MSX2 | Jul 13, 1987 | Konami | 3 |
| EU | Metal GearEnglish version | MSX2 | July 1987 | Konami | 1 |
| JP | メタルギアMetaru GiaFamicom; developed without Hideo Kojima | NES | Dec 22, 1987 | Konami | 3 |
| EU | Metal Gear | NES | 1989 | Konami | 1 |
| WW | Metal Gear Solid 3: SubsistenceMSX2 version on the bonus disc | PlayStation 2 | 2005 | Konami | 1 |
| JP | メタルギアVirtual Console (MSX2 version) | Wii | Dec 8, 2009 | Konami | 1 |
| WW | Metal Gear Solid HD CollectionAlso Xbox 360; PS Vita version in 2012 | PlayStation 3 | 2011 | Konami | 1 |
| WW | METAL GEARGOG.com; standalone PC version of the mobile port | Windows | Sep 25, 2020 | Konami | 1 |
| WW | METAL GEAR & METAL GEAR 2: Solid SnakeSteam; part of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 | Windows | Oct 24, 2023 | Konami | 2 |
Also known as: メタルギア JP3Metaru Gia JP1Intruder JP1METAL GEAR & METAL GEAR 2: Solid Snake WW2
Box art by region
NA Metal Gear 
EU Metal Gear 
JP メタルギア
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
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ContentNES/Famicom
The Metal Gear robot never appears in the NES version: because of hardware limits, the final boss is a supercomputer guarded by four soldiers.1
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GameplayNES/Famicom
The MSX2 game opens with an underwater infiltration, while on the NES Snake parachutes into a jungle with three other soldiers; enemy placement and building layouts also differ.1
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GameplayFamicom (JP)
In the Famicom version enemies no longer show the "!!" alert and stop chasing once Snake leaves the screen, so stealth matters much less and the game is easier.3
Translations
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English Official
Konami1987MSX2 · Japanese MSX2 versionReleased · complete
The English MSX2 version was released in Europe in July 1987.1
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Spanish Official
Konami2023Windows · Master Collection releaseReleased · complete
The 2023 Steam release lists Spanish (Spain) among its languages, and the GOG version also lists Spanish.2
Where to play legally today
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GOG Purchase
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Steam Purchase
METAL GEAR & METAL GEAR 2: Solid Snake
Master Collection Vol. 1 release
Checked: 2026-10-132store.steampowered.com
Reception
The MSX2 version spent five months in MSX Magazine's top 20, peaking at third place. The NES version sold 1 million units in the United States and was the second best-selling US game of October 1988; Famitsu rated the Famicom version 24/40.1
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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