Metal Slug X & 3: Damage Tables, Slug Dodge I-Frames & Branching Paths Walkthrough
Master Metal Slug X and Metal Slug 3 on Neo Geo: weapon damage breakdown, tank invulnerability frames, Mission 2-4 branching routes, and mothership survival.
Use the Slug Dodge (Jump + Down) to gain 1.5s of invulnerability inside tanks. Take the underwater submarine path in Metal Slug 3 Mission 3 for heavy weapon drops.
Heavy Machine Gun! Battle General Morden's rebel troops and Martian invaders with upgraded weapons, the Camel Slug, and the SV-001 tank.
The Masterclass of 2D Action
SNK's *Metal Slug X* and *Metal Slug 3* are renowned for fluid hand-drawn sprite animation, comedic death animations, and precise arcade hitboxes.
Weapon Damage Reference Table
| Weapon | Icon | Damage | Spread & Pierce | Best Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handgun | - | 1 HP | Single bullet | Conserving ammo on solitary infantry |
| Heavy Machine Gun | (H) | 1 HP | 600 RPM stream | Diagonal infantry sweeping |
| Shotgun | (S) | 20 HP | Massive fan blast | Bosses, heavy tanks, helicopters |
| Rocket Launcher | (R) | 30 HP | Splash detonation | Fixed artillery bunkers |
| Enemy Chaser | (C) | 3 HP | Homing target seeker | Aerial bats, flying saucers |
| Laser Gun | (L) | 1.5 HP/tick | Continuous beam | Shield soldiers and clustered aliens |
Advanced Mechanics: The Slug Dodge Invincibility
Whenever you pilot a vehicle (SV-001 Tank, Camel Slug, Slug Flyer, Elephant Slug):
- •Ejection Invincibility: Pressing Down Arrow + Jump ejects your soldier upward out of the hatch. For the next 1.5 seconds, your character is completely immune to all bullets, rockets, and boss beams.
- •Re-entering the vehicle resets its invulnerability frames, allowing skilled players to bypass impossible bullet curtains during boss fights like the *Big Shiee* or *Dragon Nosuke*.
Metal Slug 3 Branching Routes Mastery
- •Mission 1 (The Island): Jump into the submarine pipe to enter the deep-sea path and pilot the Slug Mariner armed with depth charges.
- •Mission 2 (The Zombie Marsh): Take the lower mountain path to find the Elephant Slug equipped with battery-charged lightning trunks.
- •Mission 4 (The Desert Ruins): Enter the ancient underground catacombs to discover the Drill Slug for close-quarters meat-grinder clearance.
💡Frequently Asked Questions
How do you perform the Slug Dodge trick?▼
When riding an SV-001 tank or Slug vehicle, press Jump + Down Arrow. Your character ejects with 1.5 seconds of full invincibility frames, dodging lethal boss lasers.
What is the most powerful weapon in Metal Slug?▼
The Shotgun (S) deals 20 HP of damage per shell with massive screen spread, eliminating standard armored tanks in two blasts.
How do you survive the Zombie transformation in Metal Slug 3 Mission 2?▼
Zombies move slowly and cannot duck, but pressing Grenade unleashes a devastating screen-clearing blood vomit beam that deals 30 HP damage across the entire horizontal axis.