38 Years Ago, Konami Released One of the Most Influential NES Games

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Today marks the 38th anniversary of the release of a truly groundbreaking NES game from 1987. While the NES first launched in Japan in 1983 and came to the West in 1985, it took a few years for developers to fully utilize the console’s capabilities. Four years after its debut, a game emerged that would go on to define and popularize the stealth genre.

Konami and Hideo Kojima first released Metal Gear on the NES on December 22, 1987, though it had initially appeared earlier that year on the MSX2. This was only Kojima’s second game, following Penguin Adventure from 1986. While Konami was already a successful company, Metal Gear launched Kojima’s career and brought him widespread attention. It would go on to become the most famous stealth game series ever, and one of the greatest video game series of all time.

A Landmark Game

The original Metal Gear wasn’t just a hugely important game for the NES and the start of the famous Metal Gear Solid series – it essentially created the stealth genre. Before its release, most games were all about directly fighting enemies. Metal Gear was innovative because it encouraged players to avoid enemies instead.

Although not the very first game to use cutscenes, Metal Gear was groundbreaking in how it used them to drive the story forward. Back then, extended and elaborate cutscenes weren’t common, but Metal Gear pushed the boundaries. Hideo Kojima’s innovative approach revolutionized video game storytelling, and the original Metal Gear was a key part of that change.

Often overlooked as a classic NES title, Metal Gear sometimes gets lost in the shuffle because it wasn’t made by Nintendo. While the NES version isn’t as strong as the original MSX2 release – some content was cut or changed – it was still groundbreaking. It featured one of the first complex storylines on the NES and helped introduce the idea of stealth-based gameplay to Nintendo fans.

Metal Gear in 2025

Okay, so I recently went back to the original Metal Gear, and honestly, it hasn’t aged super well. Plus, it doesn’t really add a ton to the bigger story of the series. A lot of players, myself included at this point, just jump right into Metal Gear Solid. But the good news is it’s easy to find! You can grab it on GOG, or even better, it’s included in Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, which is on pretty much every console and PC out there.

It’s tough to suggest starting a series that doesn’t seem to have new installments planned, especially after the well-publicized split between Konami and Hideo Kojima. Still, it remains one of the most important series in gaming, making it worth playing for that reason alone. Plus, it’s staying current with updated versions and remakes – Konami just released a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 this year.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment below, or join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum. What are your opinions on Metal Gear?

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2025-12-22 19:21