Play Metal Mech Online

Metal Mech came out on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, developed by Jaleco. It was one of those late NES releases that tried to push the hardware a bit further, mixing overhead action with side-scrolling platforming in a way that felt ambitious, if a little rough around the edges. You don't hear about it as much as some other mech games from that era, but it had its own distinct rhythm.

You control a pilot who can jump into a slow, heavily armed mech to destroy enemy tanks and turrets, or exit it to move faster on foot, climb ladders, and enter small buildings the mech can't reach. The main goal is to advance through each stage, clearing enemies and often hunting for a keycard to unlock the exit. The constant switching between mech and pilot is the core mechanic; you rely on the mech's firepower for combat but need the pilot's agility to navigate obstacles and progress. The pacing is deliberate, almost methodical, due to the mech's sluggish movement, and the difficulty can spike with enemy placements that demand quick decisions about when to fight and when to retreat on foot. It feels like managing two very different toolkits to solve a single, persistent problem.