Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series made stealth a genre of its own, with Solid Snake sneaking past guards instead of fighting through them. Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation turned it into a cinematic blockbuster in 1998. Here is every main Metal Gear game in release order, plus the order the story happens in.
Metal Gear games in release order
| Year | Game | Original system |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Metal Gear | NES |
| 1998 | Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation |
| 2000 | Metal Gear Solid | Game Boy Color |
| 2001 | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | PlayStation 2 |
| 2004 | Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes | GameCube |
| 2004 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | PlayStation 2 |
| 2006 | Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops | PSP |
| 2008 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | PlayStation 3 |
| 2010 | Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | PSP |
| 2014 | Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes | PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One |
| 2015 | Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One |
| 2025 | Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater | PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
Years are the first North American release. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990) was released only in Japan at first, and reached North America as a bonus in Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2, 2006). Snake's Revenge (NES, 1990) was made without Kojima and isn't part of the main story. The Twin Snakes is a remake of the first Metal Gear Solid, and Metal Gear Solid Delta is a remake of Snake Eater. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013) is an action spin-off.
Metal Gear games in story order
The story jumps around in time, so release order and story order are very different. In story order: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (1964), Portable Ops (1970), Peace Walker (1974), Ground Zeroes (1975), The Phantom Pain (1984), Metal Gear (1995), Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1999), Metal Gear Solid (2005), Metal Gear Solid 2 (2007 and 2009) and Metal Gear Solid 4 (2014). Most fans still recommend playing in release order, because each game assumes you know the twists of the ones released before it.
The Metal Gear games worth owning
Metal Gear Solid · $52.97
The 1998 classic that made the series a phenomenon. A PlayStation essential.
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty · $16.97
A huge, ambitious sequel with a story people still argue about.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater · $19.97
Jungle survival in the 1960s. Often called the best game in the series.
Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes · $118.97
A remake of the first Metal Gear Solid with MGS2-style controls.
Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots · $20.97
Snake's final mission, wrapping up the original story. PS3 only.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker · $56.97
A full-size Metal Gear on a handheld, and the bridge to Metal Gear Solid V.
Which Metal Gear game should you play first?
Start with Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation. It introduces the characters and the stealth gameplay, and the rest of the series builds on it. Then play Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater on PS2. If you only play one, Snake Eater is the most common pick.
Metal Gear on original hardware
The first Metal Gear Solid plays on a PlayStation 1, and a PlayStation 2 plays it too, along with MGS2 and MGS3. Metal Gear Solid 4 was never ported off the PlayStation 3, so you need a PS3 to play it on disc.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I play Metal Gear in?
Release order is best for a first playthrough: Metal Gear Solid, then MGS2, MGS3, MGS4, Peace Walker and Metal Gear Solid V. The story order starts with MGS3.
What was the first Metal Gear game?
Metal Gear, released on the MSX2 computer in Japan in 1987 and on the NES in North America in 1988.
Can you play Metal Gear Solid 4 on PS4 or PS5?
Not on disc. Metal Gear Solid 4 is a PlayStation 3 exclusive on disc, so you need a PS3 to play an original copy.
What is the best Metal Gear game?
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the most common pick, with the original Metal Gear Solid close behind.
Does a PS2 play Metal Gear Solid 1?
Yes. The PlayStation 2 plays most original PlayStation discs, including Metal Gear Solid.
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