This period saw the rise of Metal Slug tournaments and the formation of professional teams:
The competitive roots of Metal Slug began exactly where esports itself started: the arcade. The original Metal Slug (1996) and its masterpiece sequel Metal Slug X (1999) were designed for coin-drain difficulty. The competition was immediate and local: metal slug esports game series history
NGWT events in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Paris featured: This period saw the rise of Metal Slug