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Merry Gear Solid is a fan-made freeware game Affectionate Parody of the Metal Gear series and Christmas Specials of all kinds, by the creator of The Underside. There are two games:


This game provides examples of:

  • Affectionate Parody: Very much so.
  • Arc Number: Your Mission Control in both games has the codec frequency of 12.25.
  • Benevolent Conspiracy: The Three Wise Men (Frosty, Santa and Bob Cratchit) created the Spirit of Christmas System to encourage good behavior.
  • Big Bad: Tragic Tim manipulated the events of the games to gain control over the Merry Gear Solid.
  • Bilingual Bonus: The "Bigotes Perfectos" project mentioned in the first game, and the store "Les Enfants Clotildes" in the second.
  • Clap Your Hands If You Believe: Invoked by Otacon to power some of the items. Used fairly disturbingly when explaining why the Missiletoe Launcher (missiles with giant lips on the end) doesn't kill the kids.
    Otacon: "Tell you what. Let's call it a... Missiletoe Launcher!"
    Snake: "Missiletoe Launcher?!"
    Otacon: "Yeah! It's just like the Nikita but it fires... hmmm... Let's see... Let's say it fires a missile with a pair of lips on it... A Kissile!"
    Snake: "Otacon, you can't just—!"
    Otacon: "That's right! And smooching a kid with the Kissile will overwhelm them... with love!" (explains how to use it)
    Snake: "Kissiles?! Missiletoe Launcher?! This is ridiculous! Why should I believe a single thing you've said—"
    Otacon: "Well, because if you don't... ...You'll end up blowing up a lot of child—"
    Snake: "Alright! Alright! I believe you!"
    • Santa and his family only exist when people believe in them. Tragic Tim uses this to kill Nick Junior.
  • Continuity Nod: Often during codec conversations.
    • All of 2 is one big reference to the original Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake; the TADPOLE ambush on the elevator was actually a boss fight in the original game, and all of the backtracking plays just like the original.
  • Fission Mailed: In a part where Otacon thinks he can't reach you, he begins to yell "Snake? Snake?! SNAAAAAA—" until Snake interrupts.
  • Gambit Pileup: It is retroactively revealed, during the events of the first game, Tragic Tim tired to trap Santa in order to torture him for the last code for the Merry Gear. However, Santa knew about Tim's plan. As such, Saint Nick created the Big Beard story in order to have Snake assassinate him. However, he survived the bullet in the head to Snake's heart believing Santa must be alive. As such, Tim formed the Ghost of Christmas Past with Jack Frost and Nick Junior. However, he intended to kill both of them so he could become Father Christmas. The Ghosts of Christmas Past threaten to use Santa's Hat to turn all the world's children naughty unless they got Santa's brain so they can obtain the last passcode, leading to the events Merry Gear Solid 2. However, Santa manipulated Solid Snake into stopping Tragic Tim. To top it all off, Scrooge and the mysterious Ha He Ho Ho Ho have Out-Gambitted everyone else in order to obtain control over the Merry Gear Solid for reasons yet unknown.
  • The Grinch: Tragic Tim wants to become Father Christmas in order to end Christmas.
  • The Hero Dies: Snake kills Santa at the end of the first game, mistaking him for Big Boss' twin brother. Then Merry Gear Solid 2 reveals that Santa was Faking the Dead as part of his own plan to stop Tragic Tim.
  • Hurricane of Puns
  • An Ice Person: The milkman in the second game. His father, Frosty, was one.
  • Insane Troll Logic: How Major Tim justifies Solid Santa not getting caught while wearing a gift box over his head:
    Major Tim: As long as you're not moving, you'll look like an ordinary Gift Box, so the children won't take notice of you.
    Solid Santa: Wait, aren't children attracted to gift boxes?
    Major Tim: Well... that particular gift box is full of bombs.
    Solid Santa: It's full of bombs?!
    Major Tim: If you believed it is, would you approach it?
    Solid Santa: No...
    Major Tim: Then yes, it's full of bombs.
    Solid Santa: That doesn't make any sense.
  • Interface Screw: See Puzzle Boss below.
  • In the Style of: The soundtrack mostly consists of Christmas songs in a minor key made to sound like Metal Gear Solid tracks.
  • It Runs on Nonsensoleum: A lot of your gear has really screwy explanations for why they work, like the gift box that you can use to hide in (the kids you're hiding from will ignore it because "it's full of bombs") or the "See's Candy Cane" that lets you see invisible laser tripwires, or the aforementioned Missiletoe Launcher.
  • Mission Control: Tiny Tim in the first, Otacon in the second.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Snake after realizing he just killed Santa.
  • No Fourth Wall: Frequently parodied, and in one scene doubly subverted:
    Otacon: "Snake, do you know what it means to 'break the fourth wall'?"
    Snake: "I think I remember you telling me about this... It had something to do with that wall in Shadow Moses that sounded a bit difference when I tapped on it... Sounded a bit more... hollow... That's when I broke the fourth wall... ...With some plastic explosives! I'm pretty sure Revolver Ocelot was just a few rooms further..."
    Snake: "... But why are we talking about Metal Gear Solid 1?"
    Otacon: "What?! That's not it at ALL, Snake!"
  • One-Hit-Point Wonder: There are no escape sequences when you get caught. Get spotted just once, and it's Game Over.
  • Parrot Exposition: Used very often, and to the point of Lampshade Hanging in certain scenes.
  • Private Military Contractors: Parodied in the second game with the PNCs—Pretty Naughty Children.
  • Pun: Plenty:
    • Outer Savin' Mall.
    • The "Revolting Omelot" restaurant:
    Recording: "Six buffets. More than enough to fill anything that moves!"
    • Nearly all of the weapons, including the "Holid Eye" and "Nova Cane."
    • The soundtrack titles, including the remix of "Encounter", "He Sees You When You're Sneaking."
  • Puzzle Boss: Both the milkman and the postman in the second game. To defeat the milkman, you have to set your computer clock ahead a couple of weeks, and to defeat the postman, you have to drag a file in the game directory onto the window.
  • Retraux: The graphics and overall style are roughly SNES-level, except for the voice acting.
  • Sequel Hook: At the end of Merry Gear Solid 2, a mysterious group called the "Ha He Ho Ho Ho" has apparently taken possession of the Merry Gear.
  • Shout-Out:
    • This quote:
    Foreign Kid: "DeceasedCrabcakes...? Let's eat!"
    • The music in the teaser for 3 is a mashup between the "Theme of Tara" and the main theme of Luigi's Mansion.
  • Stealth Pun: The "Holid Eye" gadget works by filtering out the "sad blues and greens" of Christmasses past to (somehow) grant you infrared vision — Otacon all but says "rose-tinted glasses".
  • Sure, Let's Go with That: How most of the items work. Otacon makes up some reason why something would work the way it does; for example, the toast can be used to un-jam the radar because the mold on the toast absorbs jam.
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Santa Claus has the power of Christmas Spirit... which is limited to turning on TVs with his mind. Once. Fortunately, in a stealth game the power is at least somewhat useful. Especially since it's a stealth game where all your opponents are small, easily distracted children.

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