Publisher Ignition Entertainment today announced its intentions to localize SNK Playmore's run-and-gun shooter Metal Slug 7 (NDS) in North America this fall.

Marking the first non-arcade debut of a Metal Slug title since the series' 1996 debut, Metal Slug 7 is exclusively developed for the Nintendo DS and features six playable characters in a total of seven levels.

The game expands on the classic 2D action shooting gameplay with several new weapons and vehicles, as well as new gameplay modes to enhance replay value.

Ignition Entertainment today announced an agreement with Japanese developer SNK/Playmore to publish several SNK titles in North America, beginning with Metal Slug 7 (NDS).

The companies had previously worked together to localize several SNK/Playmore titles in Europe. The expanded partnership includes several unannounced titles, the first of which will be SNK's upcoming Metal Slug 7, developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS.

No release dates for Metal Slug 7 have yet been announced by either company.

The seventh addition to the Metal Slug series will be released on Nintendo's DS handheld, according to the most recent issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu. No release date was mentioned in the article.

The issue has a few screenshots of the game, though the images are taken from just one of the DS' screens. The game appears to stick pretty close to Metal Slug's brand of explosive tank-rolling action.

Shacknews contacted SNK Playmore reps for word on a U.S. release of the title. The last Metal Slug release in the U.S. was Metal Slug Anthology (PS2, PSP, Wii), bringing U.S. gamers up to date on the series through Metal Slug 6.