Honestly, if you ask a casual fan about Metal Gear Solid on Nintendo, they’ll probably just point at Snake being in Super Smash Bros. and call it a day. But that’s barely scratching the surface of a thirty-year history that is, frankly, kind of a disaster. It’s a saga of weird hardware compromises, forgotten masterpieces, and some of the strangest "What if?" scenarios in gaming history.
Hideo Kojima and Nintendo have always been an odd couple. One is a maximalist obsessed with Hollywood cinematic flair; the other is a toy company that values "fun" above all else. Yet, without Nintendo, the franchise might not even exist in the way we know it today.
The NES Port That Kojima Hated
Let’s get the elephant out of the room first. Most people assume the 1987 Metal Gear on the NES was the true beginning. It wasn't. The original was a MSX2 home computer title. The NES port was handled by a separate team at Konami, and it was... well, it was different.
The NES version is famous for its "I feel asleep!" guard dialogue and the fact that you never actually fight the Metal Gear tank at the end. Instead, you blow up a supercomputer. Kojima has gone on record multiple times saying he found the NES version subpar. He didn't like the map changes. He didn't like the technical limitations. But here’s the kicker: the NES version sold over a million copies in the US. Without that success on a Nintendo platform, Konami likely never would have funded Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake or the eventual PlayStation revolution.
The Game Boy Color Anomaly
If you haven't played Metal Gear Solid on the Game Boy Color (often called Ghost Babel in Japan), you’re genuinely missing out. It’s not a port of the PS1 game. It’s a completely original, non-canonical sequel to the MSX games.
It shouldn't work. How do you cram the complex stealth-action of a 32-bit cinematic powerhouse into a handheld with two buttons and a tiny screen? Somehow, they did it. It’s arguably the best 2D stealth game ever made. It features a gripping story about a new Metal Gear called Gander and includes a VR training mode that is surprisingly deep. The pixel art is gorgeous. The gameplay is tight. It’s one of those rare instances where a "demake" actually feels like a full-blooded entry in the series.
The Twin Snakes Controversy
Then came the GameCube era. This is where Metal Gear Solid on Nintendo gets really divisive. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes was a collaboration between Silicon Knights, Konami, and Nintendo. The idea was simple: remake the PS1 classic using the Metal Gear Solid 2 engine.
On paper, it’s a dream come true. You get first-person aiming, hanging from ledges, and improved AI. But in practice? It broke the game. The original MGS levels weren't designed for first-person shooting. You can basically snipe Ocelot or the guards in the Hangar from spots where they can’t even see you.
And then there are the cutscenes. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, they turned Solid Snake into a literal superhero. We’re talking about Snake jumping off a missile in mid-air and doing backflips over grenades. Some fans love the over-the-top "Matrix" style. Others think it ruins the gritty, grounded atmosphere of the original.
Why Twin Snakes Still Matters
- It’s the only way to play the first game with MGS2 mechanics.
- The voice acting was entirely re-recorded with the original cast (mostly).
- It remains a GameCube exclusive to this day, making it a collector's item.
- It’s the closest we’ve ever gotten to a Nintendo-first "prestige" Metal Gear.
The 3DS and the Nightmare of Controls
Skip forward to the 3DS. Konami decided to port Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater to the handheld. On a technical level, it's impressive. Seeing the Soviet jungle in 3D (without glasses!) was a trip. They even added a "Photo Camo" system where you could take a picture of your real-life surroundings and use it as Snake’s camouflage.
But the frame rate? It was rough. It frequently dipped below 20 frames per second. And unless you had the "Circle Pad Pro" attachment, controlling the camera was an absolute nightmare using the face buttons. It's a fascinating artifact—a masterpiece of a game forced onto hardware that just wasn't quite ready for it.
The Master Collection and the Switch
Finally, we have the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 on the Nintendo Switch. This was the first time the "core" trilogy was available on a modern Nintendo console.
It’s not perfect. The Switch versions of MGS2 and MGS3 run at 30fps, which was a huge disappointment for fans used to the 60fps performance on PS2 and the older HD Collection. But portability is the selling point here. Playing through the Big Shell or the Virtuous Mission on a flight or a train is a level of convenience we just didn't have before.
What Most People Get Wrong About Snake in Smash
People often think Hideo Kojima "begged" Sakurai to put Snake in Super Smash Bros. Melee. That's not quite right. Kojima’s son was a huge fan of Smash, and Kojima did reach out, but the development of Melee was too far along. It wasn't until Brawl on the Wii that Snake made his debut.
Snake’s inclusion changed the DNA of Smash. He was the first "M-rated" character to join the roster, paving the way for Joker, Bayonetta, and Kazuya. His moveset—using grenades, C4, and Nikita missiles—is a perfect translation of stealth-action into a platform fighter. It’s perhaps the most "pure" version of Metal Gear Solid on Nintendo because it captures the character's spirit without the technical baggage of a port.
The Reality of the "Nintendo Tax"
Playing Metal Gear on Nintendo hardware has always felt like a series of trade-offs. You get the portability or the unique Nintendo "flavor," but you usually lose out on performance or control precision.
Look at the Master Collection. On a PC or a PS5, you’re getting the definitive technical experience. On the Switch, you’re getting a version that occasionally chugs. But there is a certain charm to it. There's a history of Nintendo fans being the "underdogs" of the Metal Gear community, clutching their copies of Ghost Babel or Twin Snakes and insisting—correctly—that these weird outliers are worth playing.
Key Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive into the history of the series on these platforms, don't just stick to the obvious ones.
First, track down a copy of Metal Gear Solid for the Game Boy Color. It is genuinely one of the best games on the system and holds up better than the original PS1 game in terms of pure gameplay flow.
Second, if you’re playing on Switch, manage your expectations. The Master Collection is a great way to experience the story, but it’s a "warts and all" port. Don't expect 4K textures or buttery smooth frame rates.
Third, recognize that the NES games, while technically flawed and hated by the creator, are important pieces of history. They represent the era when stealth was a brand-new concept that developers were still trying to figure out.
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The relationship between Kojima’s opus and Nintendo’s hardware is a messy, beautiful, and often frustrating timeline. It’s not the "standard" way to play the series, but for many, it’s the most memorable.
To get the most out of your experience, start with the Master Collection on Switch for the convenience, but keep an eye out for a GameCube or a Wii to play Twin Snakes. It’s a version of the Shadow Moses incident that feels like a fever dream, and in a series as weird as Metal Gear, that’s saying something. For the real enthusiasts, digging out an old 3DS for Snake Eater 3D is worth it just to see the Yoshi dolls hidden throughout the jungle instead of the usual Kerotan frogs—a small, perfect nod to the strange bond between these two gaming giants.
Actionable Steps for Metal Gear Enthusiasts
- Prioritize Ghost Babel: If you have any way to play Game Boy Color games, make this your top priority. It’s the "hidden" masterpiece of the franchise.
- Adjust Switch Settings: When playing the Master Collection on Switch, use the "Integral" version of MGS1 for the most complete experience, including the VR Missions.
- Check Hardware Compatibility: Remember that The Twin Snakes on GameCube can be played on early model Wiis (RVL-001) with GameCube controller ports, which is often cheaper than buying a standalone GameCube.
- Verify Digital Purchases: Keep in mind that older digital versions of MGS2 and MGS3 were delisted from the 3DS eShop before it closed due to licensing issues with historical footage, so physical copies are now the primary way to play those specific versions.