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If the Wii and PSP versions weren't enough, Metal Slug Anthology on the PlayStation 2 gives the last-generation console owners a chance to blow stuff up in spades. At least with this version you don't have to deal with new controls as you did with the Wii. You don't even have to deal with the atrocious loading times that the PSP is known for. Instead, you get all seven of the Metal Slug games that were released since 1996 in one fine package.

This version of the anthology came a little late, as it was meant to be for the 10-year anniversary of Metal Slug. The Wii version came out last November to mark the anniversary, but the PSP and PS2 versions followed in early 2007. The PS2 version does have a slight loading time in between levels. It's not so long that you can take a potty break, but it's enough to put a pause to your game and interrupt the flow. There were a few spots where the game would lag, which I thought made it fun to play in slow-mo.

I never spent much time at the arcade. Mostly because I knew that one quarter wouldn't get me very far and that I would end up spending way too much money if my parents had given it to me. It's a good thing that quarters aren't involved now. The ability to continue endlessly might be considered "cheating," but if you're going to spend the money, you might as well be able to play it through without the frustrations of having to start over. For those who want the challenge and a limited number of continues, you can set your difficulty level higher.

Knowing that I could just die as often as I'd like, I kept running into things and re-popping with a few seconds of immunity to make things easier. This is probably why I stayed away from arcades. I'd probably spend enough to buy an arcade machine with my lazy and sloppy gameplay. During the times I actually tried, however, the game isn't easy. It's meant to be a coin-popper, so there are boss battles where it was virtually impossible to not get hit, but it's the boss fight, you have to keep going! Luckily with Metal Slug Anthology, you can.

Staying true to the arcade feel, all seven Metal Slug games are direct arcade ports with nothing new added. There is a gallery in which you can unlock artwork, interviews, music and wallpaper by completing games and collecting tokens. If you're going to sit and play through more than one game, the auto-fire addition will go a long way. It's available for all except Metal Slug 6.

As you go through each game of the series, you'll see a slight improvement in graphics, but the idea is still the same. Keep blowing stuff up as fast as you can, and keep heading where the arrows tell you to go. The enemies are varied, so you're not always fighting military guys; instead, you can fight giant insects, mummies, zombies and guys with cleavers. There are prisoners of war you can save, and they'll give you extra points and, more important, weapons. You're always armed with a little pea-shooter with unlimited ammo, but the fun comes when you pick up a weapon that does a lot more damage with a lot of fun explosive effects. Metal slugs are these weird-shaped tanks that you can hop in and do some damage, at least up until it explodes from taking enemy hits. They don't always come in tank form; sometimes you can jump onto a heavily armed donkey, camel or flying contraption.

Metal Slug 5 was the only game to give players the ability to do a running slide, which was the only major difference I saw as I played through the games in order. This ability only helped you get through tight spots, but usually, it slid me right into my own death. Metal Slug 6 is a noticeable improvement in terms of graphics and sound. The music was much more upbeat and catchy. And for the first time, there were six playable characters from which to choose. The first Metal Slug started with just Marco and Tarma, and with each game, more characters joined the ranks. The characters all play the same way, except in Metal Slug 6, in which each character comes with their own attributes.

Metal Slug stands out because of its goofy nature. There's a bit of blood when you shoot the enemy, but you get used to it, since there's always so much going on on-screen. The animation when you die a horrible death as a zombie or mummy is amusing to watch. You'll be blasting through hundreds of the generic soldiers, but they'll come at you with various weapons, or some would be hiding because they're scared. Not that this makes you feel bad, but it's interesting that the developers put this in to keep things different. I wasn't really sure what the story was about since there wasn't much in terms of cut scenes and dialogue, but if you want some background info, it's all in the manual. But who actually plays an arcade game for the story?

Metal Slug Anthology is worth the $40 investment if you haven't already blown your life savings playing it in the arcade. It should please Metal Slug fans, because it allows you to play from the comfort of your own home and save whenever you please. Even though all you really do is mash the square button the entire time, there's this addictive quality to these side-scrolling shooters. Maybe it's the amount of carnage that is going on, but it's a fast-paced, heavy-on-the-action type of game that will keep you amused for hours, or at least until carpal tunnel sets in.