Wednesday, December 22, 2010

MegaMan X SNES Trilogy

Starting in 1992, the MegaMan series was ready to evolve. The new plan was for a 16-bit MegaMan lineup of games. This evolution all began with MegaMan X. The X series can be thought more as a grown-up MegaMan series apart from the colorful and unique worlds of traditional MegaMan games. These games have featured more heavy rock songs than any melodic and fun songs. It may be a new series, but the same classic MegaMan gameplay comes to form here. Everything from using robot bosses' weapons against other robot bosses to other elements help retain the classic MegaMan feel in this series. Initially intended to be a blog entry on just MegaMan X, I have expanded it to include the MegaMan X trilogy on the Super Nintendo. MMX, MMX2, and MMX3 will all be featured in this blog post.





--- MegaMan X: Glance and Review ---
Rather than fight against Dr. Wily, you're going up against Sigma. Sixteen bits of power means bigger and better action than what you're used to on the NES. You will visit eight expansive levels in opening the way to Sigma's lair. Here is a look at the eight robot masters you'll be up against:

(stages in clockwise order from top-left)
* Launch Octopus - a water stage with dangers above and under the water.
* Chill Penguin - a simple snowy and icy level. It's recommended you start here.
* Flame Mammoth - work your way through a factory with plenty of fiery traps ahead!
* Boomer Kwanger - make your way up and through this tower to battle the tricky Boomer Kwanger.
* Sting Chameleon - venture through a forest while avoiding a number of traps.
* Spark Mandrill - go through a power plant while battling some intense enemies, including a tricky mid-boss.
* Storm Eagle - head into an airport and intercept Storm Eagle's ship.
* Armored Armadillo - head into a mining quarry with loads of dangers and thrills.

This title was the first impression for the MMX series. If you are judging on first impressions, you can say that this game is a great diversion from the classic MegaMan formula. It is not too much a diversion, however, to where people don't realize you're playing a MegaMan game, though. The music is great to listen to. I personally love the themes to Sting Chameleon the most. Flame Mammoth and Spark Mandrill have awesome themes too. The action is more intense than even the better NES MegaMan games. I've beaten this game a number of times. One time, I actually beat this game from start to finish in one playthrough!

Perhaps the most infamous trick of this game is to get the special Hadouken fireball attack made famous by Ryu and Ken of Street Fighter fame. Without giving away too much, you can only gain this ability by playing Armored Armadillo's stage a certain number of times. The rest? That's why you are using the Internet! Do a search online to find out more how to earn and use the Hadouken fireball in MegaMan X!

Here is a video preview of this game (the audio in this video is not in sync, unfortunately):




--- MegaMan X2: Glance and Review ---
Six months after the defeat of Sigma, a new threat arises and pushes MegaMan X back into action. MegaMan X2 takes everything from the first title and makes things even more intense. A big part of Capcom's technology was that of the CX4 chip, which allowed for wireframe geometry. You'll see it in action when you take on a certain mini boss in the Magna Centipede stage.

Magna Centipede is one of your bosses, and here are the seven others (starting from top left to bottom right):
* Wire Sponge - the weather will play havoc with you here. A certain weapon can make things more manageable...
* Morph Moth - head through a junk yard to battle loads of robots.
* Flame Stag - a very dangerous level as you start at the base of an active volcano.
* Magna Centipede - to survive here in this tech-savvy stage, you'll need to be talented and alert at all times.
* Overdrive Ostrich - head into a base in the desert and get ready for a battle against a fast bird.
* Bubble Crab - below the sea lies a base. Battle Bubble Crab and all the robotic minions below.
* Wheel Gator - through a ravaged downtown area, take on (and take down) the Dinosaur Tank and Wheel Gator.
* Crystal Snail - a beautiful crystalized stage has plenty of ugly dangers ahead.

For some reason, I've never seemed to like the second installment of certain series. MegaMan X2 was a brief letdown from MegaMan X for me. I will say this- the music in MegaMan X2 has some great drum playing for the rock-style songs. The music is great in this game. The action in this title is also great. There is a lot more excitement in battling certain enemies and going through certain stages. You'll know your heart rate will go through the roof when you have to climb your way up through the volcanoes in Flame Stag's level. The stages and boss battles are more interesting in this game than in the previous MegaMan X title. I ALMOST beat this game.

Video preview of MegaMan X2 (again- off-sync audio):




--- MegaMan X3: Glance and Review ---
The swan song of MegaMan X on the Super Nintendo was with MegaMan X3. This is in my opinion, the best of the MegaMan X games for the SNES. A new threat has emerged in the form of Dr. Doppler. For the first time in series history, you can play either as MegaMan X or as Zero. The battles will be more intense as will the stages. Also new was the ability to ride in certain different mobile armor ships. There were four of them. Each of which, have their own advantages and disadvantages. Without giving away too much, only one of the four robot outfits will allow you to battle underwater. Enhancements for MegaMan X are offered in this game along with an option for one of four different extra enhancements. You must choose wisely, though, because you can equip yourself with only one extra enhancement apart from the four individual enhancements to MegaMan X.

Bosses (going from top-left to bottom-right):
* Blast Hornet - go through a military base and through dozens of hangars to battle Blast Hornet.
* Blizzard Buffalo - a ransacked and iced over city has a huge boss awaiting you.
* Gravity Hornet - head to the airport and take on the dangerous Gravity Hornet.
* Toxic Seahorse - a huge stage that features a sewage plant and a water dam.
* Volt Catfish - head into a power plant with loads of traps and dangerous enemies.
* Crush Crawfish - go through a seaport and ride these high seas to victory.
* Tunnel Rhino - a dangerous and complex stage through a mining quarry.
* Neon Tiger - if you can survive this jungle stage, a fierce Neon Tiger awaits you at the end.

(FUN FACT) The clusters and groups of stars in most of my online artwork was inspired by the starry skies of Blizzard Buffalo's stage.

MegaMan X3 delivered one of the most intense experiences of any game in the series thus far. This is my favorite of all MegaMan X games because it just delivered so much of an experience that none of the previous MegaMan games (or any of the future MegaMan X games) could provide. Perhaps the best music in any of these titles can be found in this game. When you play as Zero in the introduction stage, that's one of my personal favorite songs of any song in the game. Crush Crawfish and Volt Catfish have two of my favorite songs of all in this game. The weapons are very powerful. No shortage of great action in this game.

Video preview of MegaMan X3:






To say the least, I am a MegaMan fan. The X series, however, is way outside of the colorful and fun regular MegaMan games. The action still remains intense and memorable. This is a more serious MegaMan series in my view, devoid of most of the cutesy elements of the original MegaMan titles. These three games for the SNES represent an evolution of the MegaMan series that offers a much different experience from what most MegaMan veterans (myself inlcuded) are used to.

If you have a Super Nintendo and want to get these games on Amazon, be sure to order from Amazon by checking these out:



FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
* MegaMan X for the Super Nintendo.
* MegaMan X2 for the Super Nintendo.
* MegaMan X3 for the Super Nintendo.


Bonus!

Or for a bonus, get this package for your fairly recent-generation consoles:



FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
* MegaMan X Collection for the PlayStation 2.
* MegaMan X Collection for the Nintendo Gamecube.


If you don't have any of these systems, then I invite you to visit Old School Gaming Console on John's Shop Space to find some past gaming consoles I've found for you on Amazon.





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