If you’re trying to make sense of Hideo Kojima’s convoluted, fourth-wall-breaking, tactical espionage masterpiece, you’ve probably realized it’s a total mess to play the whole thing on modern hardware. Honestly, it's frustrating. You want the full story. You want to see Solid Snake age into Old Snake and then jump back to the 1960s to see how Big Boss lost his eye. This brings us to Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection, a weirdly perfect, physical artifact released for the PlayStation 3 back in 2013 that remains, for many purists, the definitive way to own the series.
It's a chunky box.
Inside that box, you get almost everything that matters. We’re talking about a massive spanning of history from the original MSX2 games to the cinematic behemoth that was Guns of the Patriots. But there's a catch. There is always a catch with Konami.
What You Actually Get in Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection
Let's look at the disc. Or discs, plural. This collection was essentially a re-packaging of the HD Collection (which had MGS2, MGS3, and Peace Walker) along with a separate disc for Metal Gear Solid 4. People forget that MGS4 was a technical nightmare to port because it was built specifically for the Cell Processor architecture of the PS3. That's why even today, you don't see it on the Master Collection Vol. 1.
The Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection includes:
- Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (the original MSX2 versions, tucked inside the MGS3 menu).
- Metal Gear Solid (via a download code, which is a major pain point now).
- Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions (also a code).
- Metal Gear Solid 2: HD Edition.
- Metal Gear Solid 3: HD Edition.
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition.
- Two Ashley Wood digital graphic novels.
It’s an absurd amount of content. If you were to play these back-to-back, you’d be looking at roughly 100+ hours of stealth, boxes, and codec calls about internal politics and nanomachines.
The Problem With Buying It Used Today
Here is where it gets tricky. If you go on eBay or hit up a local retro game shop to find a copy of Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection, you have to be careful. The first Metal Gear Solid and the VR Missions aren't on the disc. They were included as voucher codes for the PlayStation Store.
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Used copies almost always have expired or already-redeemed codes.
Since the PS3 store is currently in a sort of "legacy" limbo—it's still up, but it's hard to add funds—buying a used copy of the Legacy Collection might leave you with a massive hole where the first game should be. You’re basically paying for the HD Collection and MGS4 in a fancy slipcase. It sucks. If you want the full experience, you almost have to find a "New / Factory Sealed" copy, and those prices are climbing faster than Snake up that endless ladder in Tselinoyarsk.
Why This Version Hits Different Than the New Master Collection
You might be wondering why anyone would care about a PS3 bundle when the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is out on PS5, Xbox, and PC.
The Master Collection is fine. It’s convenient. But it’s also missing things.
The Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection includes Metal Gear Solid 4. That is the big one. As of right now, MGS4 is still effectively trapped on the PlayStation 3. If you want to see the conclusion of Solid Snake's arc without dealing with choppy emulation on a PC, you need that PS3 disc. Also, the Legacy Collection includes the Ashley Wood digital graphic novels, which are stylized, beautiful retellings of the first two MGS games. They have voice acting and a unique "moving comic" vibe that the newer collections just haven't prioritized in the same way.
The UI in the Legacy Collection also feels more cohesive. It feels like a tribute. The newer Master Collection feels a bit more like a series of individual apps launched from a menu. It’s a subtle difference, but for a series that relies so heavily on "vibe" and atmosphere, the PS3 version feels like the more prestigious object.
Technical Nuances: 720p vs 1080p
Technically, the games in the Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection run at 720p. On a modern 4K OLED, that might sound disappointing. However, the anti-aliasing and the way the PS3 handles these specific ports actually looks remarkably clean.
Metal Gear Solid 2 still looks like magic. The rain on the Tanker deck, the flickering lights of the Big Shell—it holds up because the art direction was so ahead of its time. MGS3 in the Legacy Collection is the Subsistence version, meaning you get the third-person camera. Trying to play Snake Eater with the old fixed-overhead camera is a nightmare I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
The Stealthy Legacy of Peace Walker
A lot of people skipped Peace Walker because it started as a PSP game. That is a massive mistake. The version included in the Legacy Collection is the HD remaster, and it’s arguably the most important bridge to Metal Gear Solid V.
It introduced the base-building mechanics and the "kidnapping soldiers with balloons" (Fulton system) that became the core loop of The Phantom Pain. Playing it on a PS3 controller instead of the cramped PSP buttons is a revelation. It transforms the game from a "handheld distraction" into a full-scale entry in the saga. It’s honestly some of Kojima’s best writing regarding the Cold War and the philosophy of deterrence.
How to Handle the "Digital Code" Disaster
If you've bought a copy and the code is gone, don't panic. You can still buy Metal Gear Solid 1 as a "PSOne Classic" on the PS3 store. You’ll just need to jump through hoops to put money in your wallet (usually by adding funds via the PS5 store or the web browser). It’s an extra $10 usually, but it completes the set.
Alternatively, some people just keep the Legacy Collection for the physical discs of MGS4 and the HD Collection and find other ways to play the 1998 original.
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Actionable Steps for Collectors and New Players
If you’re looking to dive into the series, don't just grab the first thing you see. Follow this logic:
- Check your hardware: If you don't own a functioning PS3, the Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection is just a pretty paperweight. Get the Master Collection Vol. 1 on PC or modern consoles instead.
- Hunt for New: If you are a collector, look specifically for the "Blue Label" (Greatest Hits) or the original black label brand new. It ensures those DLC codes for MGS1 actually work.
- Verify the Art Book: The original 2013 release came with a small but dense art book that features posters from every game. Many used copies are missing this. If you’re paying a premium, make sure the book is in the slipcase.
- Play in Release Order: Seriously. Don't start with MGS3 just because it's first chronologically. Start with MGS1 (or the MSX games if you’re brave). The mechanical evolution is part of the experience.
- MGS4 Installation: Be prepared. Metal Gear Solid 4 requires a massive installation on the PS3. Make sure your hard drive has at least 30GB of free space before you pop that disc in, or you'll be staring at Snake smoking a cigarette for forty minutes while a progress bar crawls across the screen.
The Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection represents an era where publishers tried to put an entire franchise's history into one box. It’s flawed because of the digital codes, but as a physical piece of gaming history, it’s unparalleled. It’s the only place where the "Snake" saga feels truly gathered in one spot. Even with newer versions existing, the PS3 Legacy Collection remains the gold standard for fans who want the specific, un-messed-with vision of these games as they were transitioned into high definition.
Grab a copy while you can still find them for under a hundred bucks. They aren't making more.