The third installment of the Metal Slug 3 series sees General Morden's return to wreak havoc on the world. Players take control of one of four heroes - Marco, Tarma, Eri, or Fio - as they navigate through side-scrolling levels filled with enemies and bosses. The goal is to free hostages while riding unusual vehicles such as camels, elephants, tanks, and robots.
On the Playstation 2, players can enjoy the game's classic arcade experience, with additional game modes like Storming the Mothership and Chubby Isle Paradiso unlocked upon completing the five arcade stages. A co-op mode is also available, although online multiplayer is not supported. The Playstation 2 version allows players to compare their single-player scores.