Prisoners of War: These are the most common POWs throughout the entire Metal Slug series. Every Regular Army soldier is taught how to hide objects and living beings in their pants, an ability not replicated in other armies. Some soldiers even disguise themselves as POWs as a means to enter enemy territory. Regular Army POWs are typically seen as scrawny, bearded men with tattered clothes regardless of age and gender. POWs tagged throughout the game are counted for the Mission All Over screen. Tagging a number of prisoners gives the player a score bonus at the end of a mission, however dying resets the counter back to zero and any support POWs will run away. POWs are invulnerable to enemy and environmental damage. Some POWs even lend a hand to aid the player, which is mostly directly engaging the enemy. Rescuing them will leave them walking about tagging them often yields various bonus items and weapons. POWs can be found anywhere on the level, some even hidden from view.
