Summary
By this point, there are so manyMega Manspinoffs that it can be pretty easy to get confused due to the sheer amount of entries in this beloved franchise; however, by far the most well-known isMega Man Zero. These games focus on thefan-favorite characterZero and his constant battles with the evil and dystopian government known as Neo Arcadia.
It’s fair to say, though, that is just a very brief outline of what each of the four games entails, with them all featuring plenty of exciting twists and reveals that help toexpand the loreand give us a closer insight into the incredible world ofMega Man. They’re all definitely worth playing through at least once, and to be honest, there really isn’t too much separating them in terms of quality, other than a few small features and design choices that make some a little more enjoyable to play than others.
By far the biggest drawback toMega Man Zero 4, and the issue that many fans hold against this otherwise pretty decent game, isthe lack of challenge. This primarily is due to the enemies, which tend to be very slow and easy to avoid. This is a serious downgrade when compared to previous games where even the weakest of targets would always be throwing projectiles or racing toward Zero to keep him on his toes.
There are also many new features introduced inMega Man Zero 4which, while very fun to use,can be considered pretty brokenfor how easily they make mowing down enemies. This includes the Knuckles weapon which replaces the Shield Boomerang, and the revamped Cyber-Elf system which can be pretty overpowered when dropping life capsules throughout a mission. Overall, while an extremely easy and fairly repetitive experience, the story and music ofMega Man Zero 4still make it a worthy entry in the franchise.
The very firstMega Man Zerogame is great and manages to remain challenging throughout without everfeeling unfair or frustrating. There are, however, just a few smaller issues that can dampen the experience, one of which being the pretty lackluster design of the levels themselves which don’t always compliment the close-quarter combat that theZerogames encourage the player to lean into.
The plot also feels a little bare bones, which does make sense since it’s the very first entry in this spinoff series, but paired with theshort length of the game, it makes it pretty hard to become invested in the narrative and characters. Luckily, these problems are largely overshadowed by the addictive gameplay and endless charm of this game, but this is without a doubt the game that needed the upgrade it received in theZX Legacy Collectionthe most.
2Mega Man Zero 2
Mega Man Zero 2
The Sequel to the Award-Winning Action-Adventure!In Zero’s next mission, he falls prey to a trap set by Neo Arcadia’s ruthless commander. Planning to trick Zero, he tries to use him to wreak chaos between replaids and humans once again, But, can be succeed?• New weapon customization system to adjust level difficulty• Improved, user-friendly Cyber-Elf collection system• Real-time 2 player mode with a Game Link Coble• In-game special effects, tutorial, mission select & temporary save added
Consideringhow short the development time was for this game, it’s astonishing that the team at Inti Creates managed to craft a sequel as well-polished and consistent asMega Man Zero 2. The movement felt just a little faster than in the original game which made it a ton of fun to dash through smaller stages, and the Chain Rod made for a pretty fun gimmick that helped keep the platforming sections fresh.
The game really does provide an excellent experience throughout, there are just a few chinks in the armor that prevent it from being perfect. For example, the slow grind that’s featured in the first game is still present here, which can end up harming the pacing of the fairly average story, but this is all admittedly still a lot better this time around than it was in that first entry. If players can manage to ignore the strict ranking system, they can look forward toa fast-paced thrill ridefull of surprises and fun encounters that’s only outshone by one other game in this spinoff series.
After beating the incredible game that isMega Man Zero 3, it becomes pretty easy to understand why many fans refer to this as theirfavoriteMega Manentry in the entire series. The game really does excel in all areas, but if there’s one major factor that makes it so enjoyable and addictive, it’s the amazing amount of replay value. All the enemies feel challenging but still fair, and many of them have some extremely unique designs, such as the Totem Cannon and Carrybee, which are all a blast to fight.
The addition of the Recoil Rod, which essentially acts as a pogo stick, allows Zero to dart around stages at lightning speed, making the game just as fun to watch as it is to play. The Satellite System also provided a much-needed overhaul to the way Elfs worked in previous games which always felt a little unbalanced, and theCyberspace Doorshelped to even out the difficulty just in case the player was struggling with the mission.Mega Man Zero 3also contains what could definitely be considered the most ambitious story in the entire series, picking up not long after Zero’s victory over Elpizo with plenty of plot twists and revelations scattered throughout that make it a joy to experience, even those who might not even already be fans of the series.
