The Silliest Apparel In The Metal Gear Solid Series

On this, the 10th anniversary of Metal Gear Solid 3, we're looking about at some of the strangest things worn by the series' serpentine protagonists. The odd attire isn't just specific to the third installment though, so we've pulled together our favorite of Snake's unconventional outfits.

Beyond looking odd, wearing different outfits at different times and in different places can elicit unique responses from NPCs, making them an even more intriguing aspect of gameplay. So kick back, put that wonderful Snake Eater theme song on repeat, and check out some of Snake's weirder fashion choices.

Crocodile Cap (Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear Online)
Hidden in a clearing in the Chyornyj Prud area of Metal Gear Solid 3, the Crocodile Cap has the ability to scare enemies and ward off guard dogs when Snake is submerged in water, fooling them into believing he's a real crocodile.

While wearing the reptilian cap, Snake's codec calls will also elicit praise from his team members for his ingenuity in disguise (even though Snake just wanted to get a few laughs).

Tuxedo (Multiple)
One of the most immediately recognizable unlockable outfits, the tuxedo is available in almost every Metal Gear Solid game (even Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance). It adds pretty much nothing in terms of gameplay – in Metal Gear Solid 3, it restricts Snake's CQC abilities and The Boss even ridicules him for wearing it ("It's like saying to the enemy, 'Hey, here I am! Shoot me!") – but it's worth it to feel a little bit more like James Bond while thwarting international terror.

Metal Gear Solid Snake FaceCamo (Metal Gear Solid 4)
With Snake's FaceCamo separated from the rest of his outfit, lots of face/outfit pairings are possible in Metal Gear Solid 4. One of these is a mask taken directly off of the Snake character model from the PlayStation original Metal Gear Solid. Its low-res, blocky texture is equal parts incomparably goofy and heartwarmingly nostalgic. Just seeing it makes you want to fire up your PS1 and relive the Shadow Moses incident.

Infinite Ammo Bandana (Multiple)
Up until Ground Zeroes, the bandana was an integral part of Snake's repertoire. As we mentioned in our piece about iconic outfits in games, the bandana has a storied past in the series' lore – but its most remarkable feature is the ability to grant the wearer infinite ammunition.

After completing a playthrough of the original Metal Gear Solid, Snake can don the headwrap and reap the benefits. In Metal Gear Solid 2, however, Snake can use it from the Tanker chapter near the beginning of the game. He even references its supernatural attributes to Raiden in a conversation aboard Arsenal Gear.

Page 2: Santa Claus, the O.G. Assassin, and the cardboard ceiling Snake just can't break.

Downloadable Outfits (Metal Gear Solid 3)
Before the advent of DLC, Metal Gear Solid 3 utilized special memory cards to access the internet and download bonus costumes (they were later released on-disc with the Subsistence re-release). Few offered much stealth benefit, but at least they were festive: the outfits include a red-and-white Santa camo, a Valentine's Day-inspired suit, and a notably loud Rainbow outfit.

Altair (Metal Gear Solid 4)
Hideo Kojima is a fan of hiding nods to other video game franchises in his own. One realization of this is the unlockable Altair outfit, modeled after the protagonist of the original Assassin's Creed, found in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

The outfit is unlocked when players achieve the Assassin emblem or by using a cheat code. The two series' wildly different approaches to stealth action present an interesting dissonance when Snake unloads suppressed rounds from an automatic rifle while looking like he just stepped out of Third Crusade-era Jerusalem.

Big Boss FaceCamo (Metal Gear Solid 4)
This piece of apparel is one of the most difficult to achieve in the entirety of Metal Gear Solid 4. To wear the mutilated face of Solid Snake's clone father, players must complete a non-lethal run of the game on the hardest difficulty in under five hours using no continues, no health regeneration items, no special items (including the bandana), all without sending enemies into alert mode even once. And there are no retries.

The payoff? Low-level enemies will faint, scream in terror, and fall into the fetal position upon simply gazing at your hideous, mangled visage.

Honorable Mention: The Cardboard Box (Multiple)
Few features of the Metal Gear Solid series have been parodied as much as Snake's proclivity for slithering under a big, cardboard box. It even follows him between series, making an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and receiving an anachronistic homage in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Enemies will see through the... "disguise"... if it's found in the wrong place or if they can see Snake moving under it, but that doesn't make it any less fun to trot around in.

For a bigger picture of how weird Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater gets, take a look at Tim Turi's list of the ten most insane moments in the game.