I play through it every year as a tradition because of how clean it is - it’s like they assembled every 2D platforming prodigy in a room one day and they came up with Mega Man 9.ġ0 is still just as underwhelming as it always ways, but by no means a bad addition to the lot. Nearly every zone is made with speedrunning in mind, but if you never partake in leaderboards or YouTube uploads you wouldn’t even notice it. Heralded as a return to form for the series, the core Mega Man line was subsequently put on ice after the latter, but the former is low key one of the best platformers ever made. Moving on to 9 and 10, things get even more complicated. Even the hotly debated “jump, slide” portions felt like a fun challenge to overcome, especially when coupled with one of the best soundtracks in Mega Man history. It also has a strong case for one of the best arsenals in the history of the series, bolstered by the highly technical Mega Ball weapon. Having Robot Masters actually speak to you made a world of difference, as did the vibrant animations that were full of life. From those horridly acted but adorable anime cutscenes to the haunting “see you in my dream” death cry from Clown Man, it was a treat. It’s worth going through at least once, is what I’m saying, and maybe more! I fall under its spell in a crescendoing fashion as each year passes.Ĩ on the other hand I fell in love with immediately. Yet! The more you play it, the more it grabs you. It has some really great weapons like the Wolverine cosplay Slash Claw, some wonderful stages like Shade Man’s silly castle of horrors, and a lot of series “firsts” like the inclusion of Bass, a proper shop, and a built-in one-on-one fighting game mode (which is still in!).

Depending on who you talk to it’s either “part of the charm” or just janky design, and I’m more inclined to label it as the latter. The sound effects are sometimes muted or tinny. It’s included in Mega Man Legacy Collection 2, and I think it’s going to be just as polarizing as it ever was. I could talk for ages about any given Mega Man game, but I think the one I’ve debated most in my lifetime is 7. Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)