Ep.98 – Do Me A Solid: Hideo Kojima’s Stealthy Breakthrough with Metal Gear
Metal Gear (1987)
A Trip Down Memory Card Lane · David Kassin and Robert Kassin
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Show Notes
In 1987, Metal Gear crept onto the MSX2 and laid the foundation for stealth-action gaming. We trace Hideo Kojima’s path from cinema-obsessed student to Konami recruit, where hardware limits and inspiration from The Great Escape pushed him toward a game of infiltration over combat. The episode highlights the quirks of sneaking past guards, avoiding line-of-sight, and relying on hostages for rank, alongside mistranslations like “I feel asleep.” We also look at the infamous NES port that Kojima disowned, swapping Metal Gear itself for a generic supercomputer. Our conversation explores critic and player reactions, the debate over clunky design versus historic importance, and the sequels that paved the way for Metal Gear Solid. Join us as we sneak, crawl, and infiltrate our way through Metal Gear on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.