This writer was only a few months into life when the first Mega Man hit Japan in 1987. The first conscious memory of the “blue bomber” comes in the form of Mega Man X on the SNES where “Rockman” could slide on walls and charge his never-ending shots. Mega Man 9 is the retro-culmination of a series stripped down to the fundamentals that were perfected with Mega Man 2, according to fans of wrinkly-old games. What does a gamer without the nostalgia for the series think of the game?
Well, you’ll definitely consider throwing your controller — and since it’s on three platforms — of choice into a wall nearby several times during the game. The difficulty of the series? Fully intact.
Story wise, MM9 delivers if you’re looking for a cutesy “Dr. Wily’s at it again” recycling of the same premise, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The conclusion alone will prove that Capcom isn’t afraid to poke at itself with a fitting, laugh out loud, “cut scene” when Mega Man foils the evil doctor’s sinister plans.
MM9 is hard. And through its eight levels and Dr. Wily stages, it doesn’t let you forget it. The kind of hard that kicks you in the balls, figuratively, and makes you want to go back into the fray immediately after. Don’t dare blame the controls, though, as they are always spot-on and responsive to the slightest touch.
Progression can be mistakenly blamed on trial-and-error, but the finger should be sternly pointed at enemy patterns and memorizing them in order to succeed. The more you play, the easier you recognize enemy patters, and the more rewarding MM9 gets.
Less experienced gamers might cry “foul” when enemies “respawn” and say “it’s all random,” but once you play it enough you learn that it’s all beautifully orchestrated. When you have it down, you’ll feel the accomplishment and how you can do it over and over again.
If you’ve never played a Mega Man game before, you’re in for a few surprises — there is no hand-holding, none of that “intuitive” game design devs tout nowadays. Just a ton of hardcore gaming without the clunky animations that slowed down the series in previous incarnations.
Whether or not you have the nostalgia factor for the game…there’s no doubt the game is excellent. The up-tempo music (appropriately mixed to represent the limitations of the NES hardware) keeps you plowing through death after death and impressionable graphics, comparable those in Mega Man 2, take you back to a fun, simpler time.
“Fun, simpler times” doesn’t come without its drawbacks, though. During your play time with the game, don’t be surprised when you set aside forty five minutes to an hour to master each level that is ultimately only a few minutes long.
One of the main problems with the game is its main attraction: the old-school game design. The game is hard, but it’s made even harder when you don’t know in what order you should take on the different levels which, beaten in the right order, can make the following levels undoubtedly easier to beat.
For a quick morale boost right at the beginning, make sure to beat Galaxy Man first; the easiest boss by far.
MM9’s differences between consoles are negligible, but if you have the option, stay away from the Xbox 360 version and its lack of a functional d-pad. All versions have 50 “Challenges” (12 of which are considered Achievements on 360) for fans who yearn to take their mastery to new heights.
The Good
Old-school perfection going back to the Mega Man 2 days.
The Bad
Old-school perfection going back to the Mega Man 2 days (yeah, you read that twice).
Final Note
The price is right for those of us dipping into the deep waters of the semi-forgotten past and impulse buy enough for those of you who re-live the “glory days” of the NES with the pinnacle of the series, Mega Man 2, from time to time. This writer beat the game in 5-6 hours, but depending on your skill level you might beat it in less — or give up in frustration of the unapologetic gameplay. Those spikes? Yeah, even the invisible areas in their box image are lethal. Classic.
8.5/10
October 5th, 2008 at 2:48 am
I have been playing MM9 on the Wii (just because I rarely ever do anything with the system) and I’d personally give the game about a 6.5/10
I do like how the game is hard, but MM9 simply isn’t as good as MM1 or 2. There’s a serious problem when 9 in any series isn’t as good as 1 or 2.
The controls are better now, but that’s not enough for me. Personally, I think Mega Man is a series that peaked long, long ago and probably should stay in the coffin with the rest of the old-school games that aren’t so great. Don’t get me wrong.. I absolutely love retro games.. this just isn’t one I am real happy with.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Capcom knows it peaked LONG ago and
MM9 is the love letter to that time
It may not be better than 1 or 2, but definitely
up to par.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Love the grocery price tag!
October 5th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Yes! It’s lovely.