Snake's revenge

Snake has a lot of work ahead of him. Not only does he have to deal with Metal Gears on the PlayStation 3, but everyone's favorite commando-spy also has to recruit an elite commando unit to foment an uprising and beat the stuffing out of Nintendo's most beloved mascot!

Besides a new trailer and some behind-the-scenes information, Konami is keeping quiet about Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The footage shown at Konami's booth only confirmed what we already knew; Snake is old, Metal Gears are walking the streets, and MGS4 is shaping up to be the spy's final mission. The game's plot has been revealed further, but Hideo Kojima's unique style just means that the game's plot will be vague and confusing long after players have beaten it. Liquid Snake (Revolver Ocelot?) has raised an army, the world is in a strangely commercial bit of turmoil, and Snake has a mustache.

Solid himself isn't returning to the PSP any time soon, but his former boss and nemesis is heading to the handheld. Naked Snake, Metal Gear Solid 3's hero, is coming to the PSP in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Portable Ops will be the first "real" Metal Gear Solid game for the PSP; the game drops the Metal Gear Acid card-based strategy in favor of stealth-based action. Snake won't just be sneaking around the PSP, though; Portable Ops involves the soon-to-be-Big Boss recruiting a squad of soldiers and fighting alongside them. It sports Wi-Fi Internet access, so players can trade soldiers around and form the greatest paramilitary squads in the world.

Snake's next big appearance is a bit more surprising; Solid Snake will be appearing in Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii. He'll be punching, kicking, and hiding in boxes while avoiding blows from Mario, Kirby, Samus, and Link. It's an unexpected role for Snake, but it's shaping up to be crazy fun.