Mothersmurfing Mega Man!

[Wolf Kanno]

This is an appreciation thread for one of my favorite gaming legacy characters. Some people liked Mario, others like Sonic but Mega Man and all of his future incarnations just kick total ass so smurf yeah let's talk about one of gaming's major legacy characters. Also, I'm talking about the whole series so that includes X, Zero, Legends, Battle Network, Star Force and hell, even the silly soccer/football game. So let's talk about Mega Man!

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[Ayen]

I used to have Mega Man and Mega Man 3 on my old computer that I would play all the time. Mega Man 3 was easily my favorite between them. There were just so many better levels and more color to it than what I remember having in Mega Man 1. I also used to watch the old anime they had on TV that had that kickass intro.

Admittedly my Mega Man library is a bit low, but I do have Mega Man Legends for the Sony PlayStation. I also got to play Mega Man X for the SNES while over at my cousins. Loved it. I was crap at it, but loved it. I played a little bit of Mega Man X4 on the PlayStation too, but I was total crap at that as well. Think I got farther with Zero on that game than Mega Man. Zero was just easier to use.

[metagloria]

I had 2-6 growing up...never the original, which is fine because it's FREAKING HARD. I can beat 4-6 without cheating.

Now, Legends...those are two of my favorite games of all time. MML is top 5.

[Skyblade]

Honestly, I never got into the main series. I loved Battle Network, however, and I did have some fairly fond memories of both the X series and the Zero series.

Such a shame how badly they ruined Battle Network with the fourth installment. It was such an interesting world and concept.

[Rez09]

I also used to watch the old anime they had on TV that had that kickass intro.

Whenever I think of that show, I remember two things: the intro and Pharohman.

The Mega Man franchise is one of my favorites, though I didn't seriously play any of the original titles until I got the Anniversary Collection on the GameCube. I spent most of my early time with the MMX line instead, which was totally awesome. The first game had the good luck of being set as a demo next to the Rocket Knight demo machine in my local KB Toys, so I played it when the other machine was in use, but, since I had neither any idea what I was doing nor an SNES until later, it never stuck with me.

The second game, however, ohhhhhhhh MMX2, how do I love thee. In the proud tradition of borrowing everything I could from the people around me, I got ahold of X2 randomly and never wanted to let it go. My friend was unwilling to trade it away(), but I kept borrowing it and sunk so many hours into it, never getting anywhere because I was all kinds of bad. Seriously, I thought the Magna Centipede was outright impossible to beat, and I NEVER got through the Crystal Snail's level. :/

Not too long after that I remember seeing an article about X3 for the SNES in Disney Adventures magazine (anyone else remember this thing?) and being super hyped for it -- I could finally play as Zero! Too bad I could never find the damn game ANYWHERE; rental place never had it, no place in the mall stocked it, and no one I knew owned it.

Fortunately, when my stepdad got a PS1 I COULD find MMX4, and the first thing I did was rent it and Wild Arms -- both of which were awesome. The jump between X2 to X4 was immense, and, between the FMVs and ability to play as Zero, I was basically completely sold on the franchise from the minute I put that game in our PS1.

When the Anniversary Collection hit the Gamecube later I remembered hearing that the X series was a lot harder than the classic series, so I was a bit iffy about picking it up since I figured I'd just breeze through it all, but someone traded it and something else to me for that Zelda collection disc that had the first two games and Ocarina of Time. I remember being rather surprised to discover the original series was much harder than the X series. I loved each game, though, and when MM9 hit it was probably the game in the series I was the most hyped for since MMX3. It's also my favorite game in the original series, and 2nd favorite overall, right behind X2.

When I got Legends on the PS1, my expectations for the game were a lot lower than other games in the series. First off, it was going to be a drastic shift from what I was familiar with, and, second, it felt to me like it was trying to cash in on the 3D hype of the time. So, it was with low expectations in hand that I plopped that disc into my PS1 annnnnnd . . . it was okay. I liked upgrading my gear and the world was interesting to explore, but, at the same time, I didn't like the 'stages' that much and didn't particularly care for the controls, perspective, or any of the characters. Well, except for Data, Master of the Invisible Bongos, who was my favorite.

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Regarding the Battlenetwork series, well, it is . . . something else. First and foremost, I dislike card games; I don't like randomness, and I like knowing what I have the ability to do and having the ability to do it at any time. I also don't like being confined to a grid. I also don't like areas that all, basically, look the same (this got MUCH better as the series went on). Lastly, I don't like relying on stupid low encounter rates to fight an enemy in a low level area I don't want to be in anyway for the CHANCE of winning its card when I S rank it. Seriously, Stone Man V3, I don't say this often, but smurf you. When I got my GBA, I picked three games for it, and Battlenetwork was the only one I regret.
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Interestingly, though, while I only had hate for this series for the longest time, I went back and replayed the first two game a couple of months ago, and . . . I don't mind them so much now. They certainly aren't bad games, and I understand why people like them, just . . . they are not the games for me.

Fortunately, one of the other GBA games I grabbed was Mega Man Zero, which saw a LOT of play. I appreciated the game's difficulty, the way the map expanded as you completed new areas, exploring for Elves, upgrading my weapons -- basically everything the game had to offer. Most of all, however, I remember being drawn in by the story, especially since I wasn't aware of the events from X5 or 6 at the time, so I was jumping in from X4. What the hell happened to Zero? Why's X being a dick? WHO DONE BLOWED UP MAH PLANET? Learning about Neo Arcadia was at least as fascinating as exploring the levels. The missions, as well, were often more exciting than other games in the series I had played. Save the base from that giant tank thing! Stop that train! Stop the yutz with trash compactor! (EDIT: It just occurred me to how incompetent the resistance really was ._.)I also remember being able to fail missions and have the game continue, but I might be mistaken on that one -- it's been forever since I played the game. Either way, though, MMZ was everything I wanted in a MM game that BN wasn't, and though I didn't like any of the sequels as much as the original, it remained a really solid series the whole way through.

Regarding some of the spin off titles, they've been mostly solid from what I've played. Mega Man Soccer I don't know how to react to because the Kunio/Nekketsu soccer games are all I've ever seriously played, and never for reasons of legitimate sports emulation. MM Soccer might be a good game, and it seems to have some flashy special shots, but it's hard to hold my attention when I'm used to lightning electrocuting most of the players on the field while a man runs for his life from a tornado on top of a soccer ball. Maybe I've just been spoiled.

Fortunately, nothing like that spoiled Battle and Chase for me, and I think that game is . . . okay. It's like Legends where I think the game is solid, but nothing makes it especially stand out to me. Well, except for Spring Man's weapon, which is all kinds of hilarious and the best Kart weapon ever.

Aside from those two games there is also Rockboard on the NES, which I often describe to people as 'Mega Man Monopoly'. It is also one of my favorite board games. Where most games of Monopoly get boring or tedious after a certain amount of time due to the victory condition, Rockboard sets an asset goal, and once someone hits that goal, they win, which doesn't take more than an hour usually. Additionally, on top of the simple 'buy land and demand rent' mechanic from Monopoly, it is possible to build on land another player owns, which splits the rent paid between the two of you, and you can even forcibly buy out land or a building from another player if you have enough money. The game is great fun if you have people to play with that like board games.

Beyond these titles, I've picked up a few fan made Mega Man games and played them. Street Fighter X Mega Man was a game I was following via Youtube for a long time before Capcom officially decided to support it, and I downloaded it from their site the day it came out. It was a bigger disappointment than MM10, sadly. Though I loved the concept, I didn't enjoy any of the stages, didn't have nearly as much fun with the weapons as I imagined, and the boss fights were more than a little 'meh' the whole way through.

Following that I picked up Rosenkreutzstillete, which is one of my favorite independent releases of pretty much ever. It is, mechanically, MM4 with visual influences that feel Castlevania-ish, littered with referential bosses and stages throughout. If you are a Mega Man fan and haven't checked this game or its sequel out, I can't encourage you to enough, especially since both games come with a second, unlockable playable character that plays like MMX-era Zero.

The last MM related game I played was one I was directed to not too long ago called Mega Man: Unlimited, and, unfortunately, after watching a few videos I had a feeling it was going to be another SFxMM. Good thing I'm wrong about 95% of the time. The game is excellent and I feel is superior to many of the games in the classic series. Boss weapons are all awesomely useful, stages are great to explore and offer fun challenges and motifs, the hidden boss and stage were great, and its final 'boss' was completely unexpected and, honestly, provides an excellent start to the end of the classic MM timeline Capcom will never put into motion.

Outside of the games, Archie Comics has been making a Mega Man comic in the US. I don't know about its availability elsewhere, but I picked it up a month or so ago annnnnnd yeah. It's good. Really good. The writers seem to have a good feel for the classic universe, and they've done well incorporating the games into the story so far, as well as building their own stories and universe in between. Wasn't big on that Sonic x Mega Man crossover, though. It came at a terrible time in the story and threw off the buildup of a very good conflict. They rebounded well enough, but still. Blech.

tl;dr
I love Mega Man.

[Christmas]

When I first saw the X series, I thought it is "XXX" version of Megaman and decided to give it a try!!! (My Blaster Your Hole?)

Turned out not, but I enjoyed the series!!! X and Zero FTW!!!

Vile and Sigma too!!!

But not Axel. I got no idea why he is in. He is not supposed to be in. He does not exists.

[Wolf Kanno]

I just started replaying Mega Man 2 and completely tore through the Robot Masters in an hour. I always leave Heat Man for last, not because he's hard but because his level is bulltrout without several items. Kind of forgot how BS the Metal Blades were in this game.

EDITGA: ...and beat, along with Disney Adventure.

[Christmas]

When I first saw the X series, I thought it is "XXX" version of Megaman and decided to give it a try!!! (My Blaster Your Hole?)

Turned out not, but I enjoyed the series!!! X and Zero FTW!!!

Vile and Sigma too!!!

But not Axel. I got no idea why he is in. He is not supposed to be in. He does not exists.

Yes, Axel suxz. Zero & X manly bromance is the way.