The Blue Bomber has been around since 1987, and since then over 50 different titles bearing his name have been released. He has many different series under his name: Classic, X, Battle Network, Zero, Legends, Battle Chip Challenge, Command Mission, and Star Force. Now we have the Mega Man Legacy Collection, an updated re-release of Mega Man’s first six iconic adventures from the NES glory days. This is a great way to introduce new fans to the titular character’s original adventures. Get ready to jump and shoot your way through six of the most iconic titles in video game history.
Mega Man typically pans out with the player controlling the Blue Bomber himself as he jumps and shoots his way through six or eight stages, with each having one of the nefarious Dr. Wily’s Robot Masters at the end. Defeating each Robot Master grants Mega Man a special interchangeable weapon for his Mega Buster, taken straight from the boss he just defeated, and each stage has a special theme, usually matched to the boss. For example, Bomb Man’s stage is fraught with bombs and explosives that the player must avoid to progress. Players must be on top of their game to navigate each stage and defeat the bosses, and ultimately Dr. Wily after all stages have been cleared.
Back in the NES days, game developers had to make their games incredibly difficult to extend their lifespan, and Mega Man is one of the most difficult. In addition to the six original games, Mega Man Legacy Collection features new ways to experience the classics with the Museum Mode and the all-new Challenge Mode. Challenge Mode remixes gameplay segments, with plenty of scaling difficulty objectives for experienced players to conquer yet serving as a good starting point for new players, too. Each challenge has a bronze, silver and gold rating to aim for. Online leaderboards keep track of the best players, and Replays have been provided in order to watch the best performances. The extensive Museum Mode contains a comprehensive collection of history, high-res art and original concept pieces – a treat for any fan of Mega Man or video game history buff. Best of all, these new Museum and Challenge Modes do not have to be unlocked to be accessed – they are available from the very beginning.
Mega Man is an 8-bit series, and this Legacy Collection does very little to improve it. It does however add a few filters to give that old nostalgic feel of playing on older televisions or PC monitors. The TV filter is probably the best one. There are widescreen and full-screen options, as well as the original format being an option. There is the option to play with a nice border around the screen, filled with original concept art for each title. These usually depict something related to the title being played, such as certain Robot Masters or other villains that might be featured in the game (like Dr. Cossack in Mega Man 4).
The Legacy Collection keeps the old 8-bit NES tunes and sounds of the classic series, and also offers an intuitive music player for each title. Every one of the six titles have around 20-25 tracks that can be played at anytime from the main menu. Boot up Dr. Wily Stage 1 from Mega Man 2 for a great example of the games’ classic soundtracks. These tracks are as legendary as they come, and are an incredible addition to an already incredible collection.
The Mega Man Legacy Collection is the perfect way to relive the glory days of Mega Man’s classic adventures, or to introduce someone new to the series. The insanely low price of $14.99 is more than worth it considering the breadth of 8-bit content on offer. Whether you are a new or an old friend to the Blue Bomber, this collection offers a definitive and authentic retro experience to both leagues of players alike.
A great way to relive the Blue Bomber's iconic first adventures
The definitive collection of the original 8-bit Mega Man titles. Remastered and enhanced for modern consoles, Mega Man 1 - 6 are all available for fans and newcomers to experience again and again.