Snake Eater Returns in Konami’s latest Pachislot Machine

There’s a new Metal Gear Solid coming in 2016… and it’s exactly what we all thought it would be: a casino game. Konami’s latest Pachislot creation, Pachi Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater launches this Autumn in Japan and most likely nowhere else. The cabinet features the familiar red exclamation, a glowing python, a peculiar keyhole and an array of mysterious buttons (and a pinball plunger?).  All the controls are discreetly wrapped around a huge 32” LCD screen that looks like it can be linked up to neighboring machines for a striking attract screen.

I was a little surprised at first glance to see it was based on Snake Eater but that was the last time the mainline series was really fun. They get to trade on the 60’s spy vibe and that fantastic theme song and it has a more colorful cast of bosses than later entries. Maybe Snake Eater was the most popular of the series in Japan or it sold extra well over there.

What surprised me the most is that they have apparently recreated Snake, Boss and a number of scenes from the game in a new engine. I don’t think it looked this sharp even in the HD collection which I just played a year or so ago. Is it rendered out from MGSV’s engine because it’s not quite full CG quality? Konami would be smart to leverage that tech anywhere they can after spending millions to develop it.

I can’t discern much more from the Japanese teaser for the game and I also don’t know how casino machines work in Japan so just enjoy the video. It’s definitely the most interesting slot machine I’ve heard about in a while.