Metal Slug Awakening is a mobile run and gun game developed by TiMi Studios in partnership with SNK, bringing the classic Metal Slug franchise back to its roots after two tower defense spin offs.
The game blends the pixel art energy of the original arcade series with an expanded roster system, letting players build teams of three characters who can be switched mid battle to chain elemental damage and combos.
For newcomers and longtime fans alike, understanding the full characters list is the first step toward building strong teams and progressing through the game’s story and events.
This guide breaks down the heroes available in Metal Slug Awakening, grouped by their origin, so you can see how the classic cast, the newer original heroes, and the crossover guest characters all fit together.
The Classic Metal Slug Heroes
At the heart of Metal Slug Awakening is the original arcade team, redesigned with full voice acting and deeper skill sets for the mobile format.
Marco Rossi is the franchise’s signature protagonist, a balanced all rounder known for his adaptability and dependable firepower. He is typically one of the first heroes new players unlock and remains a solid pick throughout early progression.
Fio Germi brings a mix of medical support and explosive tactics, making her useful for players who want a character that blends offense with team utility. She is one of the three starter heroes handed to every player at the beginning of the game.
Eri Kasamoto rounds out the starting trio with sharpshooting precision, giving players a strong option for long range engagements. Her kit rewards accurate positioning and consistent damage output.
Tarma Roving is recognized for his heavy weapons expertise and his ability to control area damage against groups of enemies. He also has strong synergy operating combat vehicles within missions.
Nadia Cassel and Trevor Spacey complete the returning roster, both of whom previously appeared only in the tower defense entries of the series. Metal Slug Awakening marks the first run and gun title where Eri, Tarma, Nadia, and Trevor are all playable together alongside Marco and Fio.
New Original Characters Introduced in Awakening
Beyond the six classic heroes, Metal Slug Awakening has steadily expanded its roster with original characters created specifically for this title. Names such as Ivar and Haran were among the earliest additions, reportedly designed in direct collaboration with SNK to keep them aligned with the visual identity of the series.
As updates continued, the roster grew to include heroes like Scarlett, Lyla, Eva Flenn, Saya, Gru Kang, and Kukik, each bringing distinct combat roles ranging from burst damage carries to off field support units.
These original characters are often central to team building strategies, since many of them were designed with specific synergies in mind, such as pairing a primary damage dealer with a buffing or healing support hero.
Other original additions include Shadow, Horae, and Lilith, characters who, along with Tarma and Trevor, have historically had a smaller presence in the game’s story driven World Adventure mode compared to their role in limited time events.
Crossover and Guest Characters
One of the more distinctive aspects of the characters list in Metal Slug Awakening is its heavy use of crossover collaborations. The game currently features guest heroes from several other franchises, a rare move for a series traditionally built around its own original cast.
From The King of Fighters series, players can encounter Kyo Kusanagi, Leona Heidern, Athena Asamiya, and other familiar fighters, some of whom reuse authentic voice lines from their original King of Fighters appearances. Leona in particular is treated by the game’s own marketing as a King of Fighters guest character rather than a core Metal Slug hero, even though she has technically appeared in the wider Metal Slug universe before.
Hyakutaro Ichimonji is another notable addition, known for referencing Street Fighter’s iconic Hadouken technique through his special ability animations, a playful nod that longtime fighting game fans tend to appreciate.
Metal Slug Awakening has also crossed over with Arena of Valor, Honor of Kings, and Contra for additional playable characters, along with a Speed Drifters collaboration tied to vehicle content rather than a playable hero. This wide net of collaborations makes the roster one of the most varied in the franchise’s history.
Villains, Support Characters, and NPCs
While the primary focus for most players is the playable hero roster, Metal Slug Awakening also features an extensive cast of villains and non playable characters that support the story. General Donald Morden and Allen O’Neil, both staples of the original arcade games, continue to play a role in the Awakening storyline as recurring antagonists. Alongside them, the game introduces original villain characters and numerous non-playable townsfolk found in locations like Andrew Town, the game’s central hub area.
Event exclusive NPCs and Abyssal Cruise characters also appear periodically, tied to limited time storylines rather than the permanent hero roster.
How Characters Are Unlocked
Most heroes in Metal Slug Awakening are obtained through a token collection system, where players gather character specific tokens from missions, rewards, or the game’s gacha style Dig system found in the Mining Site. Extra tokens beyond what is needed to unlock a character can then be used to promote them, unlocking additional passive abilities and boosting their overall performance.
Marco Rossi, Fio Germi, and Eri Kasamoto are given to every player for free at the very start of the game, forming the foundation of the earliest team compositions before players branch out into original heroes and crossover characters.
Building a Team from the Characters List
With such a large and varied characters list, team composition becomes an important part of strategy in Metal Slug Awakening. Since players can deploy three heroes at once and freely switch between them mid battle, a balanced team typically includes one primary damage dealer, a secondary attacker for added burst, and a support character focused on healing, shielding, or buffing allies.
Because the roster spans classic heroes, original characters, and crossover fighters, players have significant flexibility to build teams around personal playstyle preferences rather than being locked into a single strategy.
Final Thoughts
The Metal Slug Awakening characters list reflects just how far the franchise has grown from its four character arcade origins. What began with Marco Rossi, Tarma Roving, and a handful of other classic figures has expanded into a roster that blends nostalgic favorites, fresh original heroes, and an unusually wide range of crossover guests from other major game franchises.
Whether a player is drawn to the reliability of the original cast or the novelty of fighting alongside characters from The King of Fighters and beyond, the game’s evolving roster continues to be one of its biggest draws.
