Retro shooter Metal Slug Touch out now on iPhone, early feedback negative

All you young whipper-snappers out there whose firstever game system was made by Sony probably won't remember the Neo Geo, but us old people recall this monstrous powerhouse console that served both living rooms and arcades.

Because it was prohibitively expensive, most of us had to make do by renting our Neo Geo games, such as the awesome platform shooter Metal Slug, in 10p instalments at the arcades.

But now, after only 13 short years, the popular Metal Slug franchise has rolled out onto iPhone, and a game that once cost over 100 quid is now available for $4.99 (in the US only, by the looks of things. Bah).

This side-scrolling platform shooter has been revamped for accelerometer and touchscreen controls, and includes four POW rescue missions as you run, gun and drive your way through hand-drawn scenery.

The strange thing is, all these years on $4.99 now sounds like a lot for an iPhone game (despite being around 40 times cheaper than the original) so Metal Slug Touch will have its work cut out to impress the discerning iPhone market.

If early user feedback is to be relied on, it doesn't seem to have managed it. Controls, graphics, and other gameplay elements have been criticised by Touch Arcade forum members, who almost unanimously pan it across three pages as of writing.

Let's hope it's not too long before the tanks start rolling outside the US, so that we can see for ourselves.