Nitro Express GUIDE

A Cute Take on Metal Slug

I apologize if some parts feel unnatural, as I am translating from Japanese.

This is a guide for Nitro Express.
Despite its cute appearance, the game actually offers quite a bit of challenge. Note that achievements are not implemented.

The game is developed by Grayfax Software, a game company based in Tokyo.
I played it using a controller.

Strategy Guide

For now, simply setting the difficulty to “Hero” in the options usually solves most problems.

CASE０６

This is a slightly difficult stage where minor enemies spawn endlessly. Since it’s a war of attrition you can’t win, it’s better to move forward quickly. Bringing a FIRST AID item will make things easier.

The gatling gun enemies that appear from the subway tracks are quite hard to dodge unless you’re really skilled. Try avoiding them by jumping down from or climbing back up onto the platform as you advance.

MISSION １９

This part is also quite challenging. The quickest way is to hit the main cannon with an anti-tank missile. It takes a bit of practice, but it deals massive damage. After that, you can simply attack normally during the second main cannon attack to destroy it.

Just one hit and this much damage lol

How to unlock the laser weapon

In Mission 20, “Investigate Deep Underground Tunnel,” the event triggers after reaching a depth of over 197 meters.

Along with a random boss fight, there are endless waves of small enemies, so the difficulty is quite high. However, playing in Hero mode might make it manageable.

For reference, my equipment was…

• Assault Rifle
• Full-auto Shotgun
• First Aid Kit
• FlameThrower

The grenade launcher is also recommended.

Money Farming Guide: Part 1

Farming Mission 8, “Fishery Worker Training,” is an easy way to make money. While raising the difficulty increases the base amount of money earned, the number of fish you collect tends to vary, so it’s not always clear whether higher difficulties are more profitable.

For me, the best results came from playing on the “Balanced” difficulty.

As for weapons, I recommend a light machine gun with a large magazine—but honestly, any full-auto weapon works fine.

Based on tips from readers, I also tried the grenade launcher, and that made things even easier!

Money Farming Guide: Part 2

You can quickly earn money using the “Paper Work” option from the start screen.

In this mini-game, your income increases based on how many times you press the button. If you set up turbo mode through Steam’s controller settings, you can simply hold the button down to automate the process.

However, keep in mind that the results may vary depending on your system environment—so it might not be efficient for everyone.

I couldn’t earn much beyond 101 using just Steam’s turbo setting, so I tried various combinations with my controller’s turbo setting and found that around 150 presses worked best for me.

Therefore, depending on your setup, you might achieve an insanely high number of presses—give it a try!

Also, you receive a report each time you complete a mission.

Which Weapon is The Strongest?

I thought that more expensive weapons would be stronger and let me progress smoothly, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. So, if you want to spend your money wisely, the weapons listed below will generally cover most situations.

If you know any other effective ways to use powerful weapons, please let me know!

ASSAULT RIFLE

They have a good balance and are generally strong. After all, full-auto is godlike.

AUTO SHOTGUN

A full-auto shotgun. Surprisingly, the pellets don’t spread too much, and the reload is fast, so it’s really strong too. Once you’ve saved enough money, buying this won’t make you regret it.

There’s also a rumor that the pump-action shotgun you start with is actually strong, but as a noob, I couldn’t handle it well…

FIRST AID KIT

If you hold down the button, your healing amount will gradually increase. When dodging enemy bullets, the healing stops if you perform a dodge roll, so it’s better to heal while jumping.

Having this definitely makes a difference in your survival rate. It’s a reliable ally for those who aren’t great at action gameplay!

FLAMETHROWER

I’m Japanese, and I’ve learned that a Kaenhoushaki is called a “flamethrower” in English. In this game, the flamethrower is quite the balance breaker. It deals heavy damage even to heavily armored machines.

It ignores armor that reflects bullets, making it effective against bosses like the crane swinging heavy iron balls, armored vehicles, and crab-like enemies that are hard to target on their power sources. It even burns incoming missiles.

Since it can easily take down enemies, it’s a big help in the boss rush of Mission 20.

４０mm GN LUNCHER

The revolving grenade launcher appears in many games. The grenade launcher in Nitro Express is especially strong against bosses.

Reloading is slow, but it can take down enemies regardless of their armor with overwhelming power. If you’re struggling in missions like Mission 19, why not try using it once?

However, it wasn’t very effective in regular fights, probably because there are just too many enemies spawning.

ANTI-TANK MINE

Anti-tank mines. Tanks can be quite troublesome and annoying. Instead of using them right away, it’s more effective to deploy them after you’ve knocked the tank down. They work well not only on tanks but also on armored vehicles. Plus, they’re cheap, so if you buy them early on, they’ll make tank boss fights in the story much easier.

Others

The Minions are Annoying

This game has flashy effects, so it’s hard to see enemy bullets. Unfortunately, the K-9 minion always follows you, so the only way to stop its attacks is by pressing down on the D-pad.

But in Mission 20, it actually helps out a lot, so it’s a good buddy! lol

It’s Really Choppy

Actually, it seems the game only supports 30 FPS.

“Wait, 30 FPS in 2025?”

I was a bit shocked myself.

The low FPS, missing achievements, and sudden camera snaps are the main reasons for the negative reviews. It’s such a shame because the world-building is really good.

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(C) 2024 grayfaxsoftware. All rights reserved. Licensed to and published by Active Gaming Media Inc.

しらなみ　shiranami

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社会人ゲーマーのしらなみです。主にインディーゲームを攻略しています。 好きなゲームジャンルはシミュレーションRPGとタワーディフェンスです。よろしくお願いします。 My name is Shiranami, and I mainly introduce indie games. My favorite game genres are simulation RPGs and tower defense. Nice to meet you, and thank you in advance!