Mega Man

"The Blue Bomber's humble beginning"

Though I saw Mega Man 2 before this game (like most people), I knew that as soon as I saw Mega Man that he would soon be the greatest video game hero of all time. Though people criticize Capcom for making several sequels, I felt that the games in the classic series were all good.

STORY: 10/10
Dr. Light created Rock, a robot boy, and Roll, a robot girl, as housekeeping robots. He and his friend, Dr. Wily, worked together to build robots and make the world a place where robots and humans lived together and in harmony. Dr. Light decided to build 6 industrial robots:
Gutsman: The strongest of the 6, he could lift heavy blocks and move them aside.
Cutman: Built with a pair of pac-man shaped scissors on his head, he's use them to saw trees for lumber.
Elecman: Capable of controlling electric, he was in charge of power.
Iceman: Since the arctic was too cold for humans to work safely, this robot could do the work without worry of getting frostbitten.
Fireman: The fire he creates was meant to incinerate junk.
Bombman: A bomb expert, he used his bombs to blow away rocks and other obstacles to create clearings.
All of a sudden, Dr. Wily saw an opportunity to rule the world. Reprogramming the 6 robots, he commanded them to go on a rampage. Dr. Light was helpless to stop him, but Rock had an idea...he'd be remodeled into a fighting robot, and then Mega Man was born.

CONTROLS: 9/10
Too easy! You shoot, jump, climb ladders, and more, with responsive controls. The only problem would be that Mega Man would drop like a ton of bricks if he fell - not jumped - off a ledge. This can occur with those disappearing/reappearing blocks that we've all grown to respect and fear in Mega Man games.

GRAPHICS: 9/10
Mega Man's sprite has 5 - count them - 5 colors...Blue, light blue, white, black, and his skin color, which is a light peach! Most video games have 3-4 colors and just use the darkest color for the outline of their sprites, but Mega Man went that extra mile and added black for the outline and eyes! The enemy design is very well done, and the sprites are instantly recognizable as Mega Man characters. The boss design is very well done, and the colors are magnificent! Even when Mega Man's armor changes color to denote that he is using a foe's power (a Mega Man trademark ability), his sprite STILL has 5 colors! Even for an NES game, the graphics were great!

SOUND: 9/10
Once you hear the sound effects, you will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is Mega Man! Sounds include: shots, shots hitting a foe, getting hit yourself, landing, enemy weapons, and more...all distinct and instantly recognizable!

MUSIC: 10/10
Even the music is great! Catchy tunes, the Robot Master's stage music and all. For an NES game, the music is very good. Bet you can't say which one is your favorite! ;)

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
Mega Man was truly innovative...choose the order of enemies YOU wanted to go, instead of stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, etc. You also got to take the ability of the robot masters you've beaten. And Capcom thought Mega Man wouldn't sell...There are weapons that do more damage to a foe than your original weapon...for example, need I say that Fire Man is hurt badly by ice?

CHALLENGE: 10/10
HARD. Said to be the hardest Mega Man game, it is also one of the most rewarding if you do beat it! Even after you figure out the foe's patterns and weaknesses, it does not mean they are going down without a fight! Oh, and did I mention that there is no password feature here? You can continue as often as you like, but if you want to beat a game, you gotta wipe out all 6 robots and then all 4 sections of Wily's castle.

REPLAY: 8/10
Truth is in the eye of the beholder here. It's so hard, that beating it may turn you off to playing it again, but bringing Wily down to his hands and knees, begging you for mercy is a GREAT feeling. The ending is nice, too, but I am NOT going to spoil it for you.

OVERALL: 10/10
Though its sequels outshine the original, this game is a must for all Mega Man fans. It is, after all, the roots of the Blue Bomber. If this game were never made, there would be no Mega Man 2, no Mega Man X, no Mega Man Legends or even the "everywhere-you-go-to-find-MegaMan-it's there" Mega Man Battle Network. Respect your elders, people! Mega Man may not be the best in the classic series, but it's exactly that: a classic.

Well, what are you doing, still reading this review? Get out there and give Mega Man a try!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/18/04