Big Boss/Foxhound is the highest rank achievable in many Metal Gear games. Speedrunning Big Boss/Foxhound rank appeals to some for the challenge and prestige. In addition, Big Boss/Foxhound represent a skilled level of play according to the game's definition of ranks, which involves stealthy play. Below are requirements and notes for the games that feature the ranks.

• Difficulty: Original
• Time: Under 45 minutes
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 8
• Kills: 0
• Ration: 1
• Saves: Infinity ∞

Notes: Ranks do not exist in the original MSX version. All 8 alerts are mandatory.

• Difficulty: Original
• Time: Under 2 Hours(?)
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 2 to 6
• Kills: 0 to 5
• Rations: 0

Notes: Ranks do not exist in the original MSX version. 2 alerts are forced.

• Difficulty (original Japanese version): Default (equivalent to Easy)
• Difficulty (all other versions): Extreme
• Time Limit: 3 Hours (less than 3:00:00.00)
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 4 or less
• Kills: 25 or less
• Rations: 1 or less
• Radar (original Japanese version): Switched OFF in the SPECIAL menu

Notes: There is no limit on Saves. Special Items may be used. If Radar is not switched OFF in the original Japanese version, the best rank is FOX.

• Difficulty: Very Hard
• Time: Under 2 Hours
• Alerts: 0 to 5
• Kills: 0 to 24
• Rations: 0 to 1

Notes: Continues do not matter on their own for Big Boss Rank. Continues can cause additional alerts depending on where the checkpoint is. Getting spotted again in Evasion counts as an additional alert. If you cause an alert by tripping lasers, and a guard spots you afterwards, that is 2 alerts. You can die during an alert on the screen you were spotted on to remove it.

• Difficulty: Extreme or European Extreme
• Time Limit: 3 Hours (less than 3:00:01.00)
• Continues: 0
• Alerts (ALRTNUM): 3
• Kills (NUET): 0
• Rations: 0
• Saves (PRUD ENCE): 8 or less
• Damage Taken (DMGA MMOUNT): Less than 500 (10 life bars) on Extreme. Less than 280 (9⅓ life bars) on Euro Extreme
• Shots Fired (AMMOUS ED): 700 or less
• Radar: Off
• Special Items: Unused

Notes: All 3 Alerts are forced (Emma sniping, Tengus 1, Tengus 2). There is no limit on Mech Destruction. Game Over If Discovered is not required, and is usually both slower and more difficult.

The abbreviated requirements such as ALRTNUM are referring to the Mission Failed screen in Plant. You can check these stats during Tengus 2, or by taking a death after a save, to double check that you are on Big Boss pace.

• Difficulty: Extreme
• Time: Under 3 Hours
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 8
• Kills: 0
• Rations: 0 to 1
• Saves: 0 to 80
• Game Over If Discovered: Required
• Radar: No requirement

Notes: All 8 alerts are mandatory.

• Difficulty: Extreme or European Extreme
• Time Limit: 5 Hours (less than 5:01:00.00)
• Continues: 0
• Alert Phases: 0
• Seriously Injured: 20 or less
• Total Damage: 5 Life Bars or less (less than 2400 damage - a fully extended life bar is 400)
• Saves: 25 or less
• Humans Killed: 0
• Life Meds: 0
• Special Items: Unused

Notes: There is no limit on Meals Eaten. Holding L2 or R2 during torture (until the next cutscene starts) will stop you incurring damage. Healing radio (frequencies 146.45, 148.66, 140.16, 148.78, 142.42, 141.42, 145.18, 149.39) can be used.

Using Ocelot’s Animal Camo will remove any hand shaking from Snake being hungry. There are some bosses you can fight lethally and won’t count as a kill against FOXHOUND, namely Ocelot and Volgin (the duel in the Weapons Lab).

• Difficulty: Extreme
• Time: Under 5 hours
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 0
• Kills: 0
• Comrades Secured: 100+
• Comrades Killed: 0

Notes: Foxhound rank. Extreme is NG+ only. Tsuchinoko is the highest rank on a NG run. The major difference being no requirement of 100 comrades.

• Difficulty: Extreme
• Time: ?
• Alerts: 0
• Kills: 0
• Comrades Secured: 10 or 11+ (?)
• Comrades Killed: 0

Notes: Foxhound rank.

• Difficulty: The Boss Extreme
• Time: Under 5 hours
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 0
• Kills: 0
• Rations: 0
• Saves: Infinity ∞

Notes: You can use lethal means against the Beast form of the B&B corps bosses and they won’t count as kills. You MUST non-lethally take down the Beauty form. Big Boss Hard's rank 1 is Foxhound.

• Time: Under 45 minutes (assumed)
• Continues: 0
• Alerts: 0
• Kills: 0
• Rations: 0
• No Radar

Notes: Failure of any 1 requirement will merit FOX rank.

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