Metal Gear
1987 · Stealth / Action · MSX2 / NES
Overview
Metal Gear is an action-adventure stealth game developed and published by Konami for the MSX2. Originally released for the system in Japan and parts of Europe in July 1987, it is the first mainline game in the Metal Gear series, the fifth chronologically, and the first video game developed by Hideo Kojima. A reworked port of the game was released for the Famicom a few months later, which later saw release in international markets for the NES over the following two years; this version was developed without Kojima's involvement and features drastically altered level designs, among other changes.
Deep Dive
Metal Gear is an action-adventure stealth game developed and published by Konami for the MSX2. Originally released for the system in Japan and parts of Europe in July 1987, it is the first mainline game in the Metal Gear series, the fifth chronologically, and the first video game developed by Hideo Kojima. A reworked port of the game was released for the Famicom a few months later, which later saw release in international markets for the NES over the following two years; this version was developed without Kojima's involvement and features drastically altered level designs, among other changes.
Developer Story
Metal Gear was designed by Hideo Kojima at Konami in 1987 for the MSX2 home computer. Kojima wanted to make an anti-war game where combat was the failure state — sneaking past enemies was always preferred over fighting. The game introduced the "tactical espionage action" concept, where players gathered intelligence, used environment, and avoided conflict. Kojima had been assigned to create the game as a junior designer; it became his defining work.
Did You Know?
- Metal Gear was Kojima's first major game — he was assigned to create it as a junior designer and turned it into an anti-war philosophical work.
- The NES port of Metal Gear was made by a different team without Kojima's involvement — he has publicly criticised it.
- Big Boss, the final antagonist, was revealed to be the player's commanding officer who had been sending them into a trap.
- The game's stealth mechanics were designed around MSX2 hardware limitations — the enemy could only see in a straight line due to processing constraints.
- Metal Gear Solid (1998) made Kojima a household name, but Metal Gear (1987) established every core concept he would refine for the following three decades.
