Figuring out the Metal Gear game timeline feels like diffusing one of those crazy bombs Snake always has to deal with. Seriously, I spent hours confused about where Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops fit in when replaying the series last year. The chronological order jumps around more than a box of frogs, and trying to play by release date leaves you with whiplash from shifting gameplay styles.
Here's the thing about the Metal Gear series: Hideo Kojima basically reinvented how stories could be told in games, but man did he make it complicated for newcomers. I'll never forget trying to explain the Patriots storyline to my buddy Mike - his face went completely blank five minutes in. That's why we're breaking down everything today: every main game, spin-offs worth considering, and those weird mobile games nobody talks about.
Whether you're trying to understand the relationship between Big Boss and Solid Snake or figuring out which games hold up today, this timeline's got you covered. No fluff, just the essential info on platforms, availability, and where each piece fits in Kojima's wild universe.
The Full Metal Gear Timeline in Chronological Order
Playing through the Metal Gear saga chronologically gives you a completely different perspective. Suddenly Big Boss isn't just some legendary boogeyman - you see every choice that turned him into what he became. Starting in Soviet jungles and ending with cyborg ninjas, here's how the story unfolds:
| Year (In-Universe) | Game Title | Key Events | Platform Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Naked Snake's mission in Soviet jungle, birth of Big Boss | PS2, PS3 (HD), Vita, 3DS, PS Now |
| 1970 | Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (Semi-Canon) | Big Boss forms FOXHOUND after rescuing soldiers | PSP Only - Digital store closed |
| 1974 | Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | MSF founded in Costa Rica, Metal Gear ZEKE created | PSP, PS3 (HD), Xbox 360, Vita |
| 1975 | Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes | MSF base destroyed, Paz and Chico captured | PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC |
| 1984 | Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | Big Boss awakens from coma, forms Diamond Dogs | PS4, Xbox One, PC |
| 1995 | Metal Gear (MSX Version) | Solid Snake's first mission at Outer Heaven | MSX, Included in MGS3 Subsistence |
| 1999 | Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake | Zanzibar Land incident, Grey Fox confrontation | MSX, Included in MGS3 HD |
| 2005 | Metal Gear Solid | Shadow Moses incident, Liquid Snake revealed | PS1, PC, GameCube (Twin Snakes) |
| 2007-2009 | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | Big Shell incident, Raiden introduced | PS2, PS3 (HD), Xbox 360, Vita, PC |
| 2014 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Solid Snake's final mission, Patriots revealed | PS3 Exclusive |
| 2016-2018 | Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance | Raiden's story post-MGS4, cyborg enhancements | PS3, Xbox 360, PC |
Real Talk About Portable Ops: Konami says it's canon, but Kojima barely touched it. I found the recruitment mechanics cool but the story feels disconnected from later games. Play it if you're a completionist, otherwise watch the cutscenes online.
Where Does Metal Gear Survive Fit? (Spoiler: Barely)
Okay let's address the zombie elephant in the room - Metal Gear Survive. Timeline-wise, it technically happens after Ground Zeroes when that wormhole sucks up Mother Base soldiers. But honestly? It might as well be fan fiction. The gameplay's janky, the survival mechanics get tedious fast, and it completely ignores established lore. I dropped it after four hours. Stick to the main metal gear game timeline unless you're desperate.
Release Order Timeline: Experience the Series Evolution
Playing by release date shows how revolutionary each Metal Gear game was for its time. Those PS1 graphics seemed mind-blowing in 1998! Here's how the series actually unfolded:
| Release Year | Game Title | Original Platform | Modern Availability | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Metal Gear | MSX2 | Included in MGS3 Subsistence | Invented the stealth genre blueprint |
| 1990 | Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake | MSX2 | Included in MGS3 HD Collection | Added crawling, radar, complex story |
| 1998 | Metal Gear Solid | PlayStation | PS3/Vita digital store | Defined 3D stealth, cinematic storytelling |
| 2001 | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | PlayStation 2 | HD Collection, GOG, PS Now | Controversial protagonist switch, meta narrative |
| 2004 | Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes | GameCube | Physical copies only | MGS1 remake with MGS2 mechanics |
| 2006 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence | PlayStation 2 | HD Collection versions | Added camera control, online modes |
| 2008 | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | PlayStation 3 | PS3 exclusive | Concluded Solid Snake's story |
| 2010 | Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | PSP | HD Collection, PS Now | Co-op missions, base-building |
| 2014 | Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes | Multiplatform | All modern platforms | Open-world experimentation |
| 2015 | Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | Multiplatform | All modern platforms | Full open-world stealth, unfinished story |
Notice how the metal gear game timeline jumps between past and present? That's Kojima for you. Playing release order gives you those glorious "aha!" moments when MGS3 reveals Big Boss's origins after you've fought him in earlier games.
The Remake Dilemma: Twin Snakes vs Original
Man, this debate still splits fans. The GameCube Twin Snakes remake has better graphics and MGS2-style gameplay... but those over-the-top cutscenes? Snake doing backflips off missiles looks ridiculous. I prefer the original's grittier tone, but try both if you can. Just know Twin Snakes isn't on any digital storefront - hunting physical copies costs a fortune.
Essential Spin-Offs That Actually Matter
Most franchises phone in spin-offs, but Metal Gear has some legit winners:
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013) - PlatinumGames turned Raiden into a cyborg ninja with insane swordplay. Not stealthy at all but stupid fun. Timeline placement: 4 years after MGS4.
- Metal Gear Acid (2004/2005) - Card-based tactical spinoffs on PSP. Weird but surprisingly deep. Non-canon though.
- Metal Gear Ghost Babel (2000) - Underrated Game Boy Color game that's basically "what if MGS1 was 2D?" Alternate universe story.
Skip these unless you're super curious: Metal Gear Mobile (watered down), Metal Gear Survive (zombies?!), Snake's Revenge (awful NES sequel not by Kojima).
Where to Play Everything in 2024
This is the frustrating part - Konami makes accessing older games way harder than it should be:
- Best Option: Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 (Switch, PS5, Xbox, PC) - Has MG1, MG2, MGS1-3 plus bonus content. Vol. 2 better include MGS4!
- PS3/PS Vita: Digital store still sells MGS1, VR Missions, and PSP games
- Xbox/PC: MGS2, MGS3, Peace Walker via HD Collection. MGSV readily available
- MGS4: Only on PS3. My PS3's disc drive died last year just when I wanted to replay it - still salty.
Emulation's an option for MSX games or PSP titles, obviously. Just saying.
Critical Timeline Connections Explained
Some relationships between games aren't obvious until you see the full picture:
How Peace Walker Leads to Ground Zeroes
That ending where Paz pulls a bomb out of herself? Yeah, that's why Ground Zeroes starts with Big Boss visiting her hospital ship. Kojima originally planned one MGSV game - Phantom Pain's hospital escape would've been the opening before Konami split it. You can see why the pacing feels weird.
The Les Enfants Terribles Project
This messed up experiment (creating Solid/Liquid Snake from Big Boss's DNA) gets mentioned in MGS1 but actually happened in 1972 - between Portable Ops and Peace Walker. Explains why Liquid hates Snake so much.
What Happened After MGS4
Guns of the Patriots wrapped up Solid Snake's story neatly... until Rising showed Raiden still fighting PMCs. Honestly, that ending with Snake and Otacon was perfect - I wish they'd left it there instead of dragging Big Boss into more prequels.
Your Metal Gear Game Timeline Questions Answered
Q: Do I need to play the MSX Metal Gear games?
A: For story? Absolutely - MG2 especially holds up. But if pixel hunting sounds painful, at least read detailed plot summaries. The HD Collection versions add modern controls.
Q: Why is Portable Ops controversial in the timeline?
A: Kojima didn't direct it and later games ignore its events. Key points like Big Boss meeting Campbell get contradicted. I treat it as optional backstory.
Q: Can I skip Metal Gear Solid V?
A: Gameplay-wise it's the series peak, but storywise it's incomplete. The ending rushes through decades of lore. Play Ground Zeroes for the essential story, Phantom Pain for gameplay.
Q: Where does MGSV fit into the metal gear game timeline?
A: Between Peace Walker and the original Metal Gear (1995). Shows Big Boss becoming the villain you fight later.
Q: Is Metal Gear Solid 4 playable anywhere besides PS3?
A: Not officially. Emulation requires a beastly PC. Pray for a Master Collection Vol. 2 announcement.
Personal Recommendations for New Players
After replaying the whole series last winter, here's my take:
First-Timers: Start with Metal Gear Solid 1. Yeah the graphics are rough, but it establishes everything. Twin Snakes works too if you tolerate the silliness.
Chronological Playthrough: Only do this on a replay. MGS3 assumes you know what FOXHOUND becomes. Plus going from MGSV's smooth controls to MSX games hurts.
Essential Games: MGS1, MGS3, Peace Walker, MGSV: Ground Zeroes. Skip MG1/MG2 if you struggle with old games - just watch the story scenes.
Biggest Letdown: MGSV's unfinished story still stings. That Kingdom of the Flies mission being cut? Criminal.
Underrated Gem: Peace Walker. Those boss fights designed for co-op? Brilliant. Base-building hooked me for 80 hours.
At the end of the day, this metal gear game timeline is messy but fascinating. Like finding a complex weapon blueprint in-game - confusing at first glance but satisfying when everything clicks. Just don't stress about perfect order on your first run. Grab some cardboard boxes and enjoy the ride.
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