GAME · 1998 · JAPAN
Metal Gear Solid
- Developer
- Konami
- Publisher
- Konami
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable
34 archived facts 7 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Nov 2026
34 Interesting Facts About Metal Gear Solid
Interesting Facts (6)
- #001
- #002
Contains a major spoiler — show
At the end of the game, it is uncovered that Snake is actually the "inferior" clone of Big Boss; contrary to Liquid's claims. Despite this, Snake was able to defeat his genetically superior brother on multiple occasions. This scenario where a genetically inferior individual surpasses his superior brother was also present in the 1997 film "Gattaca."
- #003
- #004
- #005
Contains a major spoiler — show
Out of all the FOXHOUND members in the game, Decoy Octopus is the only one who is not a boss character. Hideo Kojima retrospectively considered the circumstances surrounding Octopus as an original take on a boss fight, because the player expects to fight him but never does.
- #006
Production Story (11)
- #007
Kurt Russell was approached to play Solid Snake, since the character was based on Snake Plissken, played by Russell in Escape from New York (1981) and Escape from L.A. (1996). Russell turned it down because he didn't want to play a character so similar to one he had already done. It was also rare at the time for celebrities to appear in video games. The connections between the two Snakes are more evident in the later games. In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001), when found by Raiden, Snake calls himself Iroquois Pliskin. In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008), Snake wears an eye patch over his left eye like Snake Plissken. The voice-over style is also along the same lines. The organization name FOXHOUND may also be a nod to another Russell film, The Fox and the Hound (1981).
- #008
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- #013
Yoji Shinkawa originally envisioned Meryl as a preteen girl similar to Natalie Portman's character, Matilda, in Léon: The Professional (1994). However, when Shinkawa read the script and realized that Meryl wielded a Desert Eagle pistol, he couldn't imagine a young girl holding such a large gun and redesigned her as an adult.
- #014
Colonel Roy Campbell is modeled after Richard Crenna's remarkably similar character Colonel Sam Trautman from First Blood (1982) and the two sequels that followed. In terms of his physical appearance (facial features and wardrobe), and his relationship with Snake as his friend and commanding officer is comparable to Trautman's relationship with Rambo (who himself was a partial inspiration for Solid Snake). The scene in First Blood where Trautman contacts Rambo via radio and referring to the latter under the call sign "Raven" may spark to mind among some fans, Campbell's Codec conversations with Snake.
- #015
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- #017
Kim Mai Guest was the second choice for the English voice of Mei Ling. The producers were keen to cast another voice actress they considered more experienced for such an important role. What ultimately won Guest the part was that the voice actress the producers initially wanted failed her audition.
Behind the Scenes (2)
Characters & Cast (3)
- #020
- #021
- #022
Contains a major spoiler — show
It is revealed that the Cyborg Ninja's true identity is Gray Fox, also known as Frank Jaeger. Gray Fox unofficially adopted Naomi Hunter after feeling guilty for killing her parents, a fact she is unaware of. Although it is stated that Naomi stole the identity of the real Doctor Naomi Hunter, her true identity remains unknown.
Easter Eggs & References (10)
- #023
- #024
43 hidden "ghosts" of people who worked on the game can be found by taking pictures at specific locations. Some examples are: Hideo Kojima, Yoji Shinkawa, Tomokazu Fukushima, Motoyuki Yoshioka, Scott Dolph, So Toyota, Yoshikazu Matsuhana and Kazunobu Uehara. Jeremy Blaustein's ghost photograph can be captured by reaching Disc 2 and then going back to the snowfield where Sniper Wolf was. His ghost can be found by taking a photograph of a certain tree. The Metal Gear Solid Official Mission Handbook incorrectly states that his ghost is found by Sniper Wolf's corpse.
- #025
- #026
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- #029
The first names of Otacon and Solid Snake are Hal and Dave (David), the same names of the computer and the principal character in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The chief of Foxhound's medical staff is Dr. Naomi Hunter, which was also the name of one of the scientists in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The submarine that Snake is launched from is the Discovery, the name of the ship in 2001. Dave was also the first name of Meryl's partner in Policenauts (1994), one of Kojima's previous games. The character of Meryl Silverburgh appeared in both games, although neither game is actually related by plot.
- #030
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- #032
Deeper Meaning (1)
- #033
According to Hideo Kojima, at the time of the game's release, journalists and even his peers didn't take the anti-war and anti-nuclear themes of the story seriously, and they found it ironic that those were included in a game in which the player shoots people. Many years later, critics and even Kojima pointed out that those topics are still very relevant.