Metal Slug XX comes to PSP with optional 99c character
It's PlayStation Store purchase enabled
You can teach an old war dog new tricks it seems.
SNK's classic sidescrolling action shooter Metal Slug has been remade and revisited for years, and US publisher Atlus is now in charge of bringing the latest version, Metal Slug XX, to PSP.
Expect the usual array of over-the-top action, cartoon mayhem and excellent sprite graphics and effects as you fight your way through 70 mission-based trials.
What's particularly interesting however is that although you get six playable characters (Marco, Tarma, Fio, Eri, Ralf, and Clark) with the retail game (priced $20 in the US), you can also go to the PlayStation Store and spend 99c to get your hands on a seventh, Leona.
It's not been made clear if you download the character, or get a code to unlock something that's already on the UMD - the former we'd guess to limit piracy - but it's good to see other portables learning from the successes of developers on the iPhone App Store, where in-app purchases for additional content are becoming commonplace.
The game also has a local wi-fi co-op two-player mode, so you can play through with a friend.
Metal Slug XX is due for release in the US on February 23. There's no news of a European retail release however, so we might have to wait for a digital option later in the year.