While all eyes were on State of Play yesterday, Konami uploaded an Xbox Series X/S version of the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater release date reveal from Sony’s broadcast. The cinematic footage in this alternate video is the same apart from the ending, which teases something Bomberman-related instead of the Ape Escape content returning for the PlayStation 5 and Steam releases.
The original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for the PlayStation 2 featured a minigame known as Snake vs. Monkey, which tasked Snake with capturing a bunch of rambunctious monkeys from the Ape Escape series. Completing this mode and getting the high score in every level rewarded players with the Monkey Mask and Banana Camouflage items.
Snake Eater’s unique Ape Escape equipment was practically worthless when it came to hiding from enemies, but both pieces of gear had special properties elsewhere. The former could be used to confuse certain bosses and make them vulnerable for a few seconds, while the latter made all food taste good and thus recover more stamina.
Since the Ape Escape franchise belongs to Sony, Snake vs. Monkey was absent from subsequent releases like the Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection and Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D due to their respective appearances on Xbox 360 and Nintendo 3DS. It’s safe to assume the minigame’s PlayStation 5 and Steam exclusivity in Delta is due to the exact same reason.
Luckily for Xbox players, Delta represents the first time Konami has developed an entirely different mode to replace Snake vs. Monkey rather than removing it entirely. What the Bomberman minigame entails and what rewards it might provide still remains a mystery, however, so stay tuned.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches Aug. 28.
