Kojima and Iwata agreed on it at E3 2002. Silicon Knights built it in two years. The cutscenes still divide fans.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes began with a meeting at E3 2002 between Hideo Kojima and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who agreed to remake the original 1998 PlayStation Metal Gear Solid for the GameCube. The project brought together three separate creative entities: Konami and Kojima Productions for design oversight, Silicon Knights — a Canadian studio best known for Eternal Darkness — for development, and Ryuhei Kitamura for direction of entirely new cinematics. Kitamura's new cutscenes became the most debated element of the remake. Where the original MGS used grounded, restrained cinematography that matched its military thriller tone, Kitamura's versions incorporated bullet-time sequences, acrobatic choreography drawn from The Matrix and Hong Kong action cinema, and character movements that exceeded what the game's physics would allow. Snake dove between missiles. Enemies performed combat maneuvers impossible in gameplay. The gap between cutscene and game widened dramatically. Players remain divided on whether the new cutscenes improved the original or undermined it. Both positions have evidence: Kitamura's versions are more technically spectacular; the original's are more consistent with the game's tone. The Twin Snakes exists in a space where agreement is unlikely because the disagreement is about what Metal Gear Solid is for — whether it is a military thriller or an action spectacle, and whether the original's constraint was a limitation or a design choice.
About this game
Released in March 2004, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a remake of the original 1998 PlayStation Metal Gear Solid for the Nintendo GameCube, developed by Silicon Knights under Hideo Kojima's supervision and with new cinematics directed by Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura. The remake incorporates the first-person aiming and body-dragging mechanics introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2, fully re-records the English voice cast, and updates the visuals to the GameCube's hardware capabilities — while preserving the original game's story, structure, and stealth design intact.
Key Features
First-person aiming mode from MGS2 integrated into the original game's engine; enemy body dragging for stealth concealment; fully re-recorded English voice cast; Ryuhei Kitamura's new cinematics with bullet-time sequences; GameCube graphical overhaul of Shadow Moses Island environments; original MGS storyline and codec conversations preserved in full.
The Story Behind
The Twin Snakes was born from an unusual collaboration: Hideo Kojima and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata met at E3 2002 and agreed on the project. Silicon Knights, a Canadian studio best known for Eternal Darkness (also published by Nintendo), handled the technical development while Kojima Productions provided oversight of the creative elements. The game was Nintendo's effort to bring one of PlayStation's most celebrated titles to its own audience. The GameCube version reached a generation of players who had not experienced the original PlayStation version.
Tricks & Tales
The new cutscenes directed by Ryuhei Kitamura became a subject of debate: Kitamura's style — featuring bullet-time sequences and acrobatic choreography inspired by The Matrix and Hong Kong action cinema — was considered by many to conflict tonally with the original game's more grounded sequences. Hideo Kojima initially requested that Kitamura re-do the cutscenes but ultimately kept them. The game was published in Europe by Nintendo, not Konami — an unusual distribution arrangement. Twin Snakes includes all of the bonus content from the original game's Special Missions VR disc.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The GameCube enforces region locking through its IPL ROM (the system firmware), not through physical cartridge shape. A Japanese GameCube (labeled DOL-001(JPN) on the base sticker) will refuse to boot North American or PAL discs without modification. Because Japan and North America both use the NTSC video standard, an internal region-switch hardware modification allows a single console to play both Japanese and North American titles; this is a common and reversible mod. PAL consoles use a different video signal and cannot receive the same switch modification. If you are purchasing a Japanese GameCube for use with North American software, confirm with the seller whether a region-free modification has already been installed.
Maintenance Tips
The GameCube uses a proprietary 8 cm mini-DVD format, and the laser lens is the component most likely to degrade with age — it may struggle to read discs before showing any visible external wear. If a disc fails to load, clean the lens very gently with a lint-free cloth and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol, and avoid using cotton swabs, as loose fibres can lodge inside the mechanism. For discs, wipe in straight lines from the center outward, never in circular motions. The laser's power potentiometer can be adjusted slightly when reading becomes unreliable, but this should be done in very small increments as too much adjustment can damage discs.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes copies regularly.
Will this Japanese GameCube game work on a North American or European GameCube?
No. The Nintendo GameCube enforces regional lockout in hardware — Japanese GameCube discs will not boot on Western consoles without modification. Options include a modchip installation, a software exploit on certain early-revision consoles, or a Japanese GameCube. The GameCube uses a proprietary 8cm mini-DVD format that is physically identical across regions; the incompatibility is firmware-enforced.
Do I need a Memory Card to save game progress?
Yes. The GameCube has no internal save storage. A GameCube Memory Card must be inserted into one of the two memory card slots on the front of the console. Cards come in three sizes: Memory Card 59 (59 blocks), 251 (251 blocks), and 1019 (1019 blocks). Check the game manual for the block requirement. Official Nintendo Memory Cards are recommended — third-party cards have higher failure rates and some games detect and reject them.
How should I handle and store a GameCube mini-DVD?
The GameCube uses a proprietary 8cm mini-DVD. Handle by the edges and center hub only. Clean with a soft lint-free cloth, wiping from the center outward in straight radial strokes — never circular. Store in the original case. Mini-DVDs are slightly more vulnerable than standard 12cm discs because any given scratch affects a proportionally larger data area. Avoid heat and humidity.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
A short checklist for buying a used GameCube disc wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Check the mini-disc for scratches
GameCube uses small mini-discs; deep scratches cause read errors, while light marks are usually fine.
Ask for a photo of the disc surface and confirmation that it loads.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is a Japanese GameCube disc. The GameCube is region-locked, so a Japanese disc needs a Japanese console.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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Saves use a memory card
GameCube saves to a memory card, so there is no battery in the disc to fail.
Have a GameCube memory card with free blocks ready.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See what it's selling for on eBay →Unexpected Discoveries
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
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