Snake's Revenge

Snake's Revenge is a 1990 NES action-adventure and stealth game developed by Konami. Released in North America through Konami's Ultra Games label, it follows Solid Snake on a new high-risk infiltration mission after the events of the earlier Metal Gear. The game sends the FOXHOUND operative into enemy territory to uncover and destroy a nuclear threat, making concealment, observation, and careful use of supplies as important as direct combat. Its original release was for Nintendo Entertainment System hardware, with a PAL release following later.

Most of Snake's Revenge is viewed from above, one screen at a time. Snake moves through guarded outdoor and indoor locations, searches rooms for useful tools, and finds the numbered pass cards needed to open secured doors. The objective is to advance through an enemy stronghold without turning every encounter into a firefight. When a guard spots Snake, the game shifts from infiltration to an alarm state: reinforcements arrive and continue the pursuit until Snake evades them or deals with enough attackers. Elevators connect floors in larger facilities, and changing areas can be part of escaping the alert.

The NES game expands Snake's starting kit with both a combat knife and handgun. Players can select close-quarters attacks separately from firearms and other weapons, then build an arsenal through exploration. The available equipment has practical purposes beyond damage: rations restore health, infrared goggles reveal alarm sensors, mine detectors expose hazards, and oxygen tanks support underwater passages. Other tools aid reconnaissance or access, including a bugging kit for listening through walls and an X-ray detector for finding vulnerable sections of wall. These items turn searching, experimentation, and inventory choices into a central part of progression.

Command mode pauses the action while Snake changes weapons or equipment and contacts his allies through the transceiver. John, Nick, and Jennifer can supply leads when they are available, while a radar display can identify a nearby allied transmitter. Rescuing prisoners and interrogating captured commanders with truth gas can reveal information and contribute to promotions. As Snake's rank rises, his life gauge increases, providing a tangible reward for pursuing the mission's intelligence-gathering side rather than merely rushing to the next exit.

Snake's Revenge also breaks up its overhead infiltration with side-scrolling sequences. In these sections Snake can walk, jump, and crawl through confined spaces; the change in viewpoint calls for different movement and equipment handling while retaining the danger of hostile patrols. The campaign moves across varied military locations, including jungle terrain, warehouses, a cargo ship, and a train. A password system records progress, an especially useful feature for a lengthy cartridge adventure built around gradually acquired gear and knowledge of the base.

Although it is a sequel to the NES release of Metal Gear, Snake's Revenge is distinct from Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, the separate MSX2 sequel released in Japan later in 1990. Series creator Hideo Kojima was not involved in Snake's Revenge, so it occupies a separate place in the franchise's history rather than serving as that game's version for NES. Konami later included it in Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, preserving this unusual branch of the series for modern players alongside its original manual material.