It's been awhile since Nintendo fans got to play in the Metal Gear Solid universe and the last time was in 2004 with Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on the GameCube which was a brilliant remake of the original PlayStation game. I'm sure many PlayStation 3 owners were hoping that this remake would be included in the recently released HD Collection of this series... alas, it never happened.

However 3DS owners can now reveal in this universe, thanks to Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D which is a remake of the 2004  game but features the innovative controls and graphics of the 3DS console. The results are definitely worthy, especially with the inclusion of 3D which has not just been tacked on. Interestingly enough, the 3D version is actually superior to the original in both gameplay and graphics but just be warned... cutscenes sometimes go on forever! One fun fact about this game is that the original Kerotans (frogs) that were hidden throughout the original game have been replaced with Yoshis which is a cool reference to Mario... although probably not as practical as the original 64 frogs were. Nonetheless... damn cool!

In the game, you play as Naked Snake, a CIA operative during the era of a new Cold War who has been given the important task of destroying the "Shagohod", a mobile missile launcher that has the capability of firing nuclear missiles at the United States. Your goal as Snake is never simple and you are forced to traverse into Soviet Territory to complete your dangerous goal. Thankfully for Snake, besides your training, you have a few tricks up your sleeves and stealth is your best weapon.

Stealth is the key to victory in this third person action game as like the previous games, the less amount of noise and commotion you make, the easier your goals will be to achieve. If you alert the enemy to your presence, things become extremely tough so don't expect to go in with guns blazing, although some areas do require this. It's also great going back to basics and just the like the original game, there's plenty of fun places to hid and to stash bodies. 

With plenty of foot soldiers in the game, avoiding them is the easiest way to complete your objectives but every now and then, you will slip up and a fight will ensue. Boss battles are still the highlight of this series and needless to say, these can be quite challenging at times, especially as you progress. From battles and exploring the environment, Snake will receive a variety of injuries and these must be treated accordingly, whether it’s a cut, bullet wound or something more sinister, there are a plethora of options available to the player such as herbs and medical kits.

You also need to be vigilant of your stamina in the game as the lower it becomes, the less effective Snake becomes as a character. In order to keep on top of your stamina, you need to eat food and fortunately in this rich tropical environment, there's plenty of plants and animals to snack on. Add in lots of unlockable weapons and outfits and most gamers will probably miss them the first time around which definitely opens up the title for a second play. 

The controls on the 3DS work quite well with the concept of this title, especially with all the elusive sneaking that you will be doing. Most 3DS owners should have no problems in mastering the controls, even with the sometimes fiddly camera angles but if you want a perfect control system, you do need the Circle Pad Pro accessory which makes everything a much more fluid experience, especially as you crouch and sneak around.

Another impressive aspect of the 3DS version is that Snake can actually walk while he is crouched now which was not available in the original game. The game does support the Gyro Sensor which sometimes assists in helping Snake balance such as walking over narrow obstacles and although it feels a little tacked on, it's actually not that bad. The touch screen of the 3DS also makes swapping between weapons or navigating through your items a much more streamlined experience. Another gimmick of the 3DS version is that the camera of this console can be used to take photos and then create your own custom camouflage suits for Snake. It's a cool feature but ultimately doesn't really enhance the overall gameplay but an Impulse Gamer camouflage did look rather spiffy... although not very practical.

Graphically, this is a very nice looking title on the 3DS. From well designed characters, detailed environments and some great special effects, the only downside to the graphics are the stiff animations from the characters in the game. I loved the use of the 3D in the game as it was used like a 3D movie where at certain times, things will jump out at you or at other times, it's quite subtle like the randomness of rain. Thankfully the 3D is used sparingly in the game so your eyes don't have to refocus all the time, should you move the console too much. Unfortunately all this eye candy does come at a cost as the frame rate of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D does suffer. Audio is equally as good as the graphics, thanks to the engaging musical score, professional voice acting and great use of sound effects.

Final Thoughts?

It's understandable why Konami re-released this game on the 3DS because everything from the story, gameplay and enjoyment still holds up today. The star of the game is undoubtedly Naked Snake who oozes with badass charm and nothing is more fun than sneaking this through environment, taking out enemies by stealth and going head to head with the various bosses. Add in the ability to use the new Circle Pad Pro accessory and some decent use of 3D and this is easily a must have game for the 3DS. With so many great games being released for the 3DS of late, it's definitely time for those fence sitters to check out this console now because this is as good as portable gaming gets. Recommended!

Just be warned... this game is NOT for kids!

Key Features

Experience an all-new re-interpretation of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, previously released on PlayStation 2 with over 4 million copies sold, in 3D for the first time ever

Auto-stereoscopic 3D viewing capability that endeavors to create a rich jungle world with natural depth in settings of trees, rock/stone, water and more.

‘Photo Camo’ system utilisingthe built-in camera technology of the hardware bringing customisedstealth and camouflage options to the player. By snapping a photo in the real world, players will be able to use the same image as a camouflage pattern applied to Snake’s uniform within the game.

Utilisingthe Gyro Sensor, players will become one with Snake through specialisedtilt mechanics throughout the game design. As Snake climbs trees, or traverses bridges and other environmental obstacles, players will be in danger of falling based on the balancing of the system.

An intuitive menu utilizes the touch screen for quick and easy equipping of items and weapons.