For more than 35 years, Capcom’s Mega Man franchise has delighted fans of the hero who can copy the powers of his enemies. With such a legacy, Mega Man has been declined in a hundred games, thousands of toys, multiple cartoon series, and millions of gadgets with the effigy of the blue robot.
However, lately Capcom has struggled to keep fans and the general public interested in its franchise. It must be said that the series is now divided into 7 series. Each of them is very different from the others, but has many similarities and sometimes characters reimagined in other forms.
Table of Contents
The basics
To fully understand all this, we must go back to the basics. The original games: Mega Man 1 to Mega Man 6 were released on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) starting in 1987, and were platform games. They featured a humanoid robot, Mega Man (named Rockman in Japan) with blue armor capable of using his arm to fire projectiles at the evil robots created by Dr. Wily, and jump.
The player had from the outset the choice between 6 or 8 different levels to go through to eliminate the boss, an enemy, more powerful than the rest, unique with special abilities. Once eliminated, Mega Man now had the boss ability, and could use it in the rest of the game.
Mega Man eliminates Fire Man? He can now fire fireballs in addition to his ordinary projectiles. And he can use fireballs against the boss named Ice Man who is weak against fire projectiles!
Each boss was therefore weak against the weapon of another, and it was up to the player to find the path that suited him among the 8 levels, using the multiple skills acquired.
The rise in power was therefore enjoyable for the players, and many children identified with this hero. Once the 8 levels were defeated, there were still a few levels to do to defeat Dr. Wily and finish the game.
The different series
Voila, from this simple concept of paper-pebble-scissors, Capcom has declined this in 7 series over the years:
- Mega Man: (called classic to differentiate from the rest) 2D platformers
- Mega Man X: 2D platform games mainly. The official sequel to Mega Man (classic), in the future.
- Mega Man Zero: 2D platform games. The official sequel to Mega Man X but still in the future!
- Mega Man ZX: 2D platform games. The official sequel to Mega Man Zero but still in the future!
- Mega Man Legends: 3D action/adventure games with role-playing elements.
- Mega Man Battle Network: 2D role-playing games with 2D combat.
- Mega Man Starforce: 2D role-playing games with 3D combat. The official sequel to Mega Man Battle Network but in the future!
Did you manage to keep up? Let’s keep going!
The games of these series have been released on many consoles, platforms and computers. Unfortunately, not all of them are available these days.
The Mega Man (classic) and X games have very little text and can be played by small children (these were my favorite games when I was 4 years old!). However, they require a lot of perseverance, reflexes, and frustration management.
The others require literacy skills, especially role-playing, and are very suitable for teenagers or even adults. If lately, the games are translated into French, German, Spanish, they have been available for a long time in English. Expect the default English language, if you decide to look for old titles released.
Here are the titles available to date on our current consoles and computers:
Mega Man 11 (2018)
A very good platform game taking the original concept of Mega Man classic but with graphics, game design and levels, up to date. In this episode, Mega Man also has the ability to slow down time, and increase the effects of the powers he recovers.
Playable with 1 player.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital and physical format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man Battle & Fighters (2022)
Mega Man Battle & Fighters is an adaptation of the two arcade games: Mega Man: The Power Battle (1995) and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters (1996) for SNK’s handheld console, the Neo Geo Pocket Color (NGPC).
Released in 2000 in Japan as Rockman Battle & Fighters is first available in the West on Nintendo Switch, and Steam PC.
The graphics were greatly reduced to work on the NGPC at the time. It’s interesting and nice to browse the title for curiosity, but it’s an anecdotal title objectively. Subjectively, I appreciate it very much like the NGPC console.
It’s also a good thing that it’s available 22 years later on current consoles for the preservation of this one.
Careful! The game is still in Japanese language entirely, and the functions once possible with 2 NGPC, 2 games and a cable link have been disabled.
Playable with 1 player locally.
Available on Nintendo Switch in digital format sold separately or in the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Volume 2 compilation.
Available on Steam PC in digital format only in the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Volume 2 compilation.
Available in physical format for Nintendo Switch in very limited edition only in the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Volume 2 compilation.
Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel
A compilation of the following Mega Man Battle Network role-playing games originally released for the GameBoy Advance:
- Mega Man Battle Network 1 (2001)
- Mega Man Battle Network 2 (2001)
- Mega Man Battle Network 3 White (2002)
- Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue (2003)
Yes it’s 2 versions of episode 3. At the time of the release, it was the fashion of Pokémon.
Playable with 1 player locally. 2 players online.
Available on Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection 2 (2023)
A compilation of the following Mega Man Battle Network role-playing games originally released for the GameBoy Advance:
- Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon (2003)
- Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun (2003)
- Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team ProtoMan (2004)
- Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel (2004)
- Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar
- Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar (2005)
Yes it is 2 versions of 3 games only. Apart from the catastrophic episode 4 which requires to redo the story 3 times (multiplied by 2 versions) to get all the transformations of Mega Man, the rest is very pleasant.
Playable with 1 player locally. 2 players online.
Available on Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection 1+2 (2023)
Includes all the games of the 2 Mega Man compilations mentioned above.
Playable with 1 player locally. 2 players online.
Available on Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital and physical format. Compatible on Playstation 5.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 (2015)
A compilation of the following Mega Man platform games originally released for the NES:
- Mega Man (1987)
- Mega Man 2 (1988)
- Mega Man 3 (1990)
- Mega Man 4 (1991)
- Mega Man 5 (1992)
- Mega Man 6 (1993)
Playable with 1 player.
Players have the ability to go back in time to the action of each game, in order to correct the mistakes they make. This is a new feature that was not present in the original games.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (2015)
A compilation of the following Mega Man platform games originally released for SuperNES, Playstation, Wii Ware:
- Mega Man 7 (1995)
- Mega Man 8 (1996)
- Mega Man 9 (2008)
- Mega Man 10 (2010)
Playable with 1 player, apart from the hidden bonus mode in Mega Man 7 which is playable with 2 players.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 1+2 (2015)
Includes all the games from the 2 Mega Man Legacy Collection compilations mentioned above.
WARNING: On Nintendo Switch, the cartridge contains only Mega Man Legacy Collection 1. The second compilation is indicated on a code to download it from the Nintendo eShop. However, if you buy the used game, the code will probably already be used, and therefore only the first compilation will be available.
We recommend either downloading the compilation of the 2, on the Nintendo eShop, or buying it on another platform.
Playable with 1 player, apart from the hidden bonus mode in Mega Man 7 which is playable with 2 players.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital and physical format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man: The Power Battle (1995)
Mega Man: The Power Battle is an arcade game that allows you to choose between the characters of Mega Man, Protoman, Bass and to attack 6 random bosses from the games Mega Man 1 to 7. There are no levels, just boss fights.
The game is very enjoyable to play and lasts only a few minutes to finish. It is an arcade game that was intended to encourage putting tokens in a machine, here the tokens are infinite. It is often available at very low prices. Good entertainment.
Playable from 1 to 2 players locally.
To play the game, you have to buy it, and then download Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium which is free and is the compilation to launch it.
Available on Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Steam PC, Amazon Luna in digital format.
Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters (1996)
Mega Man: The Power Fighters is an arcade game that allows you to choose between the characters of Mega Man, Protoman, Bass and Duo, and to attack 6 random bosses from the Mega Man 1 to 7 games. There are no levels, just boss fights.
The game is very enjoyable to play and lasts only a few minutes to finish. It is an arcade game that was intended to encourage putting tokens in a machine, here the tokens are infinite. It is often available at very low prices. Good entertainment. It’s the sequel to the above game and it’s even better.
Playable from 1 to 2 players locally.
To play the game, you have to buy it, and then download Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium which is free and is the compilation to launch it.
Available on Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Steam PC, Amazon Luna in digital format.
Mega Man X Dive (2021)
Mega Man X Dive is a Free-to-play platform game. It is free to download and play but it will constantly frustrate the player in order to push him / her to spend money.
It mixes characters from all the Mega Man series, but also Street Fighter and many other cross-overs.
You choose the character of your choice from those you have purchased or unlocked, the weapon of your choice and a level inspired by Mega Man X in general and you go through it. However, the only thing that determines your victory are your stats. Statistics that can be improved with thousands of improvements, improvements obtained by playing a lot or by paying.
We do not recommend this game. It has many predatory manipulation techniques to frustrate users and trick them into spending constantly. It’s not pleasant at all.
Playable with 1 player locally.
Available on Android, iOS, and Steam PC in digital format only.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1
A compilation of the following Mega Man X action/platform games originally released for the Super NES, Playstation 1:
- Mega Man X
- Mega Man X2
- Mega Man X3
- Mega Man X4
Playable with 1 player.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
A compilation of the following Mega Man action/platform games originally released for Playstation 1 and 2:
- Mega Man X5
- Mega Man X6
- Mega Man X7
- Mega Man X8
The Mega Man X7 and X8 games are attempts to switch the series to 3D. Unfortunately they are not successful. It’s interesting to see exactly what the developers tried to do at the time of the games’ releases.
Playable with 1 player.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2
Includes all the games of the 2 Mega Man X compilations mentioned above.
WARNING: On Nintendo Switch, the cartridge contains only Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1. The second compilation is indicated on a code to download it from the Nintendo eShop. However, if you buy the used game, the code will probably already be used, and therefore only the first compilation will be available.
We recommend either downloading the compilation of the 2, on the Nintendo eShop, or buying it on another platform.
Playable with 1 player.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital and physical format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
A compilation of the following Mega Man action/platform games originally released for the GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS:
- Mega Man Zero
- Mega Man Zero 2
- Mega Man Zero 3
- Mega Man Zero 4
- Mega Man ZX
- Mega Man ZX Advent
The compilation includes many optional aids and save points to simplify the great original difficulty of the titles. There are also many bonuses to unlock, a museum mode, and a game mode that allows you to try to complete the levels as quickly as possible.
Playable with 1 player.
2 players in the Z-Chaser mode but it’s anecdotal. The games are primarily for one player.
Available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC in digital and physical format. Compatible on Playstation 5 and Xbox Series.
Which Mega Man game to choose?
Know that all the games mentioned require reflexes and are mainly action games.
Mega Man 11 is more than suitable for many people. It is current, it has many modes of difficulty to adapt to several audiences.
If after that you like platform games, you can make them in chronological order:
- Mega Man Legacy Collection 1+2
- Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2
- Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection 1+2
If you want colorful role-playing games, with depth, an adventure in Japan, endearing characters, very suitable for teenagers but also quite long (20-30 hours per game of the compilation), take Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection 1+2.
All the games currently available are very good (apart from Mega Man X Dive, don’t play this one), and are likely to have a lot of fun. It’s simple Mega Man is one of my favorite video game series since forever.
Featured image credit: Capcom
