John Ford
The pilot of the player's craft, sent to confront an alien threat endangering humanity.
Documented for this version
Which controls does this version use?
Actions
Joystick | Move the Black Fly The arcade joystick controls movement in eight directions. |
|---|---|
Button 1 | Fire the regular weapon Fires the ship's standard shot. |
Button 2 | Use the energy weapon Uses stored Newalone energy for the special attack or energy absorption. |
How it plays
How does Metal Black play?
Metal Black uses a side-view, horizontal-scrolling format. The player moves the Black Fly through six stages, destroys formations and bosses, collects Newalone particles, and survives increasingly dense enemy attacks.
The regular shot handles routine enemies, while the stored energy weapon can unleash a powerful beam or absorb opposing energy. Players must choose when to spend or conserve this resource. There is no character-selection system or branching campaign; progression is stage-based, with limited lives and continues determined by the arcade machine settings.
Plan your run
What is the best way to play Metal Black?
Keep the Black Fly moving, but avoid drifting into the edges of the screen when enemy patterns tighten. Memorize dangerous formations and boss openings rather than relying only on reaction speed.
Collect Newalone steadily and save enough energy for major threats. Use the energy weapon to cancel or absorb dangerous attacks when necessary, then return to regular fire so that resources are not wasted on weak enemies.
Meet the cast
Who are the key characters?
Before you begin
What should you know before playing?
- 1
Learn the timing of each boss entrance and attack cycle.
- 2
Do not spend all stored energy immediately; absorption can be more valuable than damage.
- 3
Use stage memorization to manage dense enemy formations.
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