Mega Man X was a true sequel to the original series

June 26, 2024

Summary

Mega Man X
revolutionized the franchise with new mechanics, darker themes, and an original story.
Wall interactions, dash ability and faster gameplay introduced in
Mega Man X
offer more options for players.
Armor pieces increase X’s power through transformations and abilities, and levels change when Mavericks are defeated.

The classic Mega Man The series is a legendary franchise in the annals of side-scrolling platformer history, yet even the most diehard fans agree that each installment follows the same formula, for better or for worse. Armed with his trusty Mega Buster, Mega Man must fight his way through eight Robot Masters and loot their unique weapons to thwart Dr. Wily once again. It’s a solid foundation that lasted through six games on the Nintendo Entertainment System, with new mechanics like the Slide and Charge Shot added in later installments. Unfortunately, the constant need for innovation proves that even this system can get boring. Furthermore, the game’s narrative elements are thin at best, with minimal character development and a never-ending conflict against Dr. Wily.

Just when the world thought the Mega Man The fever was over at the end of the NES era, Mega Man X It was soon released for Super Famicom and SNES. It was released in 1993 and was not only Mega Man 7 — this game came out later. Instead, it was a bold step into the future that Mega Man formula. While the original series was based on a lively, cartoon-like aesthetic, Mega Man X took a darker, more adult turn, with brand new gameplay mechanics and an original story. Players control Mega Man X, Dr. Light’s masterpiece and successor to the original Mega Man. It introduces players to his capable partner Zero and a new recurring villain, Sigma. Called “X” for short, he is the first robot capable of truly independent thought without restrictive programming dictating his actions. This allows for in-depth exploration of themes such as free will, robot rights, and the consequences of technological advancement.

The original Mega Man never felt so mobile

Wall kicks and dashes are the norm

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Movement in a Mega Man The game is simple: run and jump. Mega Man 3 introduces gliding, which allows Mega Man to maneuver under low-hanging obstacles and dodge attacks. This ability remained throughout the series, except in Mega Man 9 And 10. Mega Man’s loyal dog Rush was also introduced, providing a variety of transportation options and replacing the magnet beam and three “items” of the first two games. Rush also gives Mega Man new adapter forms in Mega Man 6 And 7 and can transform into different vehicles in Mega Man 8Each skill is technically a different form of locomotion, but none revolutionizes the way movement in a Mega Man Game. They are more like tools that make difficult platforming easier.

Mega Man X shows off one of the series’ new gameplay mechanics right from the start – wall interactions. The opening phase shows players everything they need to know about X. He initially controls very similarly to Mega Man – running, jumping, and attack shots. This introduces players to X’s new gameplay mechanics once they destroy the first Bee Blader Mechaniloid. His heavy body crashes into the street below, forcing the player to learn to climb walls.

When X moves to the right, he enters a gap between the platform and the wall, allowing players to watch X slowly slide down the wall before hitting the ground. When X jumps and repeatedly grabs the wall, he can climb all the way to the top without any special skills. This is a prelude that differs from the wall kicks in modern Mario Games, as it is intended to show players that The vertical distance of a wall is no obstacle for this new hero, as long as it is stable and there is nothing directly above it.

X later gains the dash ability during the game’s only unmissable light capsule in Chill Penguin’s level. Dr. Light left X a hologram message before his death, instructing him to obtain an acceleration system to increase his speed. Players must determine which button causes X to sprint, and once they do, You will never be able to run and jump normally again. At first glance, it looks similar to the slide mechanic from the original Mega Man, as it allows X to maneuver under projectiles. However, there are two main differences: sprinting is done with a single button, without the need to press the down button, and X can jump while sprinting to gain greater horizontal aerial distance.

X can even jump while sliding down a wall to climb it faster if players press the jump and sprint buttons at the same time. It is a difficult maneuver in the first Mega Man X game, but each sequel allows players to hold the Dash button to jump. The emphasis is on Faster movement and wall scaling would make traditional Mega Man Platform, plus any screen transition would mess up Mega Man X faster pace. The game developers took this into account and built slopes into the landscape of each level, allowing X to sprint across different heights without having to jump.

Even the single-screen “rooms” from classic Mega Man no longer exists in Mega Man X outside the boss and mini-boss arenas and the checkpoints that precede them. In fact, these checkpoints can be considered Mega Man Tradition, because everyone Mega Man Series of X onward uses them as a way to warn players that they are about to encounter a boss. The result of all this is sleeker, faster gameplay that gives players more options to take on a larger number of enemies than the NES can handle. Mega Man X is proof of what the SNES can do – it is synonymous with 16-bit gaming, just like the original Mega Man is with 8-bit gaming.

Armor pieces give players the feeling of limitless potential

Charge shots with special weapons, halved damage and destroying blocks in Mario style

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The Leg Capsule offers players more than just a speed boost, but a goal that players must achieve – finding the remaining capsules and Strengthen X’s power beyond any level the original Mega Man could achieve. These capsules enhance X’s body, arm, and head – each one offering a physical transformation that sets it apart from the usual color palettes that come with special weapons in the original Mega Man. That’s not to say there aren’t any special weapons, though. There are still eight Maverick bosses with their own special weapons to claim, but the remaining capsules are hidden and require players to thoroughly explore each level to find them.

The original Mega Man There are often hidden items in the series, but they are usually E-Tanks or new abilities to unlock. Mega Man X hidden elements, however Improve X directly. The arm pod allows X to charge his shot to a third level and perform charged shots with any special weapon. First-time players may get very excited when they find out what each charged special weapon does and how it differs from normal use. The body pod halves all damage X takes, making the final levels much easier. The headpiece allows X to destroy certain blocks by jumping on them from below – admittedly this isn’t very useful and feels more like a nod to the Mario Series.

There are also eight Life Ups – pickups that increase X’s maximum HP by two each – and four Sub Tanks – reusable energy tanks that can be refilled with Life Energy pickups while X is at full HP – spread across the eight Maverick levels. A secret Hadoken upgrade can also be obtained after all other upgrades were purchased, under different requirements. It is the same step from the popular Street Fighter Fighting game series also developed by Capcom.

Three phases change when Mavericks are defeated

Certain areas are easier to navigate

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As a Mega Man Franchise first, Completing three specific levels will change another level to make traversal easier. When Chill Penguin’s level is completed, the lava in Flame Mammoth’s level freezes, allowing X to walk on it without damage. When Storm Eagle’s level is completed, his mothership, the Death Rogumer, crashes into Spark Mandrill’s level, causing some of the electrical traps to stop working. When Launch Octopus’ level is completed, Sting Chameleon’s level is flooded, allowing X to access a secret area.

In addition, there is a special weapon, the Boomerang Cutter, has special interactions with two Maverick bosses which are not technically weak against it. In particular, when used three times, it cuts off certain limbs required for attacks – Flame Mammoth’s trunk, which enables his fire wave and oil attacks, and Launch Octopus’ tentacles, which enable his homing torpedo and energy-draining attacks. These mechanics allow players some flexibility in deciding which order they conquer each level in, rather than deciding each time which Maverick boss is weak to his latest special weapon. This is especially notable considering how short Mega Man X it actually is.