| The NES version came out in North America in June 1988, published by Ultra Software Corporation under its Ultra Games label; the manual credits the Metal Gear trademark to Konami. | p. 2, licence noticesp. 2, licence noticesp. 3, Welcome to the World of Ultra! | Publisher |
| In the North American NES manual, Colonel Vermon CaTaffy has taken control of Outer Heaven, a small nation on the outskirts of South Africa, and built a super weapon called Metal Gear; the player is Solid Snake of Fox Hound, sent to find and destroy it. The manual makes Snake a Marine recruited after the Grenada invasion, and his contact at headquarters is Commander South. | p. 4, Vermon CaTaffy, Terrorist at Largep. 4, Vermon CaTaffy, Terrorist at Largep. 4, Vermon CaTaffy, Terrorist at Largep. 4, How to Tackle CaTaffyp. 4, How to Tackle CaTaffyp. 5, A little bit about yourself | Manual |
| On the NES, Outer Heaven holds five fortified strongholds of one to three floors, linked by elevators, each surrounded by guards whom Snake has to slip past without setting off hidden alarms. Weapons and equipment are found in enemy trucks and storehouses or taken from certain enemies, and rescued hostages give clues to where Metal Gear is. | p. 5p. 5p. 5p. 5p. 5p. 4, How to Tackle CaTaffyp. 4, How to Tackle CaTaffy | Manual |
| Rescuing a set number of prisoners promotes Snake, and each rise in rank raises his Vital Sign; a hostage killed demotes him at once. Rank shows as stars, and 4 stars is the highest rank in Fox Hound. | p. 5p. 5p. 5p. 6, Combat Zone, Your Vital Signp. 6, Combat Zone, Rankp. 6, Combat Zone, Rank | Manual |
| A flashing Call Sign on the NES screen means the commander is calling, and Snake answers on his transceiver, the only link to the outside world, which needs its frequency set right to send or receive. | p. 4, How to Tackle CaTaffyp. 8, Know Your Transceiver or Perishp. 8, Sending a messagep. 8, Receiving a message | Manual |
| Snake punches with B and collects weapons, among them a handgun, a submachine gun, plastic explosives, a remote-control missile, mines, and a silencer, and equipment from body armor and a gas mask to keycards numbered 1 to 8, each opening the door with its number. Weapons and equipment are chosen on a sub-screen opened with Select. | p. 6, How to Control Your Destiny, B Buttonp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 9, Weapons, Your Means of Survivalp. 10, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 10, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 11, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 10, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 11, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 11, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 11, Equipment You Can't Live Withoutp. 7, Choose Your Weapon and Your Equipment, Sir | Manual |
| The NES version saves progress with a password, shown on the transceiver when the player ends a game, which returns Snake to the same place in Outer Heaven. | p. 13, Operation Passwordp. 13, Operation Password | Manual |