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Mega Man: Get Equipped with Thread Shot!
hugs 9 and 11 tight and close
The one I could never get into is 10. The people who love it love it dearly but I've always been crossways with it for no real definable reason other than it just feels off to me. It's especially odd as Pump Man's stage is one of my absolute favorite levels in the whole Mega Man universe.
The one I could never get into is 10. The people who love it love it dearly but I've always been crossways with it for no real definable reason other than it just feels off to me. It's especially odd as Pump Man's stage is one of my absolute favorite levels in the whole Mega Man universe.
Sarge
hardcore retro gamin'
To me, MM10 feels like it overcorrects MM9's difficulty and it feels a little more bland as a result. Almost like they threw a game together with the leftover ideas from designing MM9. I still like it (8/10 on replay last year), but it definitely misses some of the magic. And honestly, the replay brought it up in my estimation - I was very disappointed in it when it released.
Mega Man 8 is a beautiful misunderstood child and I'm tired of the endless claptrap. MM8's biggest offense is what- jump jump slide slide?
I think I probably rank 7 and 8 unusually high for their attempts to deviate from the norms. Honestly I prefer that to 9 and 10's reverence for the distant past. 11 can kick rocks though, who cares
I think I probably rank 7 and 8 unusually high for their attempts to deviate from the norms. Honestly I prefer that to 9 and 10's reverence for the distant past. 11 can kick rocks though, who cares
madhair60
Video games
It's just so insanely boring. I replayed it recently on MMLC2 and, ugh, no. The whole stages split into two thing. The music having no punch whatsoever. The bosses being repetitive. I just didn't like it at all.
(I mean it's a functional 2D Mega Man, so, you know, it's fine. Better than most stuff.)
Edit: just remembered I was on that podcast so yall know.
I think a good point has been brought up repeatedly in this thread- that all Mega Man games are prettttyy good.
Like, 2, 3 and 9 are almost everyone's top 3. The rest are splitting hairs. I've watched the same basic group of people (y'all) discuss it for years and seen the stock of "....and the rest" titles like 5 and 6 rise and fall for various reasons (5 has the charge shot and it's bad; 5 is really pretty so it's good; 6 is repetitive and unoriginal so it's bad; 6 is pretty sweet actually and the armors are fun so its good, etc etc etc etc). I think the criticism of 8- that it's boring or repetitive, that it has a section or two that aren't fun- could also apply to any other MM game you like, really.
I mean shit, I don't like 9. Why? I don't know I just don't. Never clicked like the OGs, but I still dig 8.
I know podcasts and message boards need topic fuel but the MM Ranking thing is more played than... than a danged Mega Man game!
Like, 2, 3 and 9 are almost everyone's top 3. The rest are splitting hairs. I've watched the same basic group of people (y'all) discuss it for years and seen the stock of "....and the rest" titles like 5 and 6 rise and fall for various reasons (5 has the charge shot and it's bad; 5 is really pretty so it's good; 6 is repetitive and unoriginal so it's bad; 6 is pretty sweet actually and the armors are fun so its good, etc etc etc etc). I think the criticism of 8- that it's boring or repetitive, that it has a section or two that aren't fun- could also apply to any other MM game you like, really.
I mean shit, I don't like 9. Why? I don't know I just don't. Never clicked like the OGs, but I still dig 8.
I know podcasts and message boards need topic fuel but the MM Ranking thing is more played than... than a danged Mega Man game!
Phantoon
I cuss you bad
You have my bow
I would agree with everyone here that a bad Mega Man game is still a pretty great game, however
Co-signed on all points.
Also, the best levels are merely "inoffensive" and they're outnumbered by either Boring or Incredibly Aggravating
imho MM8 is perfectly acceptable, though not as good as Mega Man and Bass (whose difficulty I feel is rather overstated)
I can't put MM9 in my top tier because that final boss is just the worst in every way. I had a much, much, easier time with MM7's Wily capsule in my last playthrough than with that thing.
MM11 is by far the most tightly designed classic series game on a stage-by-stage basis. The game's only grave sins are having the difficulty names mangled in localization and having a confoundingly boring soundtrack.
I like MM4 better than MM3, except when I make the mistake of picking Ring Man's stage first (those minibosses are atrocious).
I can't put MM9 in my top tier because that final boss is just the worst in every way. I had a much, much, easier time with MM7's Wily capsule in my last playthrough than with that thing.
MM11 is by far the most tightly designed classic series game on a stage-by-stage basis. The game's only grave sins are having the difficulty names mangled in localization and having a confoundingly boring soundtrack.
I like MM4 better than MM3, except when I make the mistake of picking Ring Man's stage first (those minibosses are atrocious).
FelixSH
(He/Him)
I came to Megaman very late, and played through the classical games as a teenager for the first time. They are fine, all good fun, in general. I played 7 - 10 way later, through the collection on Steam. Also fine games.
I honestly don't have strong feelings on the series, or at least the single games. They all feel pretty equal in quality. My favourite is 6, because of that suit that lets you sort-of fly for a bit. Loved that mechanic.
Honestly, when I think Megaman, my mind goes to Battle Network 1-3 and Zero 1-3. These are the essential Megaman games for me. But I'm not sure if I'm off-topic by now (is this thread just about the classic series, or the franchise?), so I'll stop here.
I honestly don't have strong feelings on the series, or at least the single games. They all feel pretty equal in quality. My favourite is 6, because of that suit that lets you sort-of fly for a bit. Loved that mechanic.
Honestly, when I think Megaman, my mind goes to Battle Network 1-3 and Zero 1-3. These are the essential Megaman games for me. But I'm not sure if I'm off-topic by now (is this thread just about the classic series, or the franchise?), so I'll stop here.
Treble.
I might rank MM8 higher if it wasn't for the gimmickier sections, especially Wily Stage 1.
The rest of the game is tolerable, some of it good, but that stage ruins the whole deal.
Yeah, same. It's the only one in the main series that I've never finished. I should probably fix that.
I do hate that. Mega Man & Bass is even worse about it, but 7 just feels like you're running in molasses the whole time, I hate it.
Except 7, which sucks.
I kid (kinda), but I will say that if you branch out a bit, some of the Game Boy games kinda suck (III on Game Boy has an extremely hateful difficulty spike in the back half, thanks to fucking Dust Man of all robots, II on Game Boy is just... Quint? Really?), and the DOS games are exactly as bad as you've been told. But, yeah, the mainline 1-11 are all at the very least playable. (Except 7.)
Sarge
hardcore retro gamin'
The Game Boy games are interesting. I like MMIII a lot, but that's only because I had it growing up. I don't remember having that much trouble with it, but it's definitely more rehash than anything. Wily's Revenge is tough, but I still like it as well. MMIV and MMV are fantastic for their contexts - I do like them more than a few of the mainline games. That leaves MMII, the one game that just feels "off". Different dev, and it just feels like knockoff Mega Man. Still not awful, though.
The DOS games? Eww. Respect to the guy that basically made them on his own, effectively as fan games. And from a technical standpoint, they run pretty well considering the platform at the time.
The DOS games? Eww. Respect to the guy that basically made them on his own, effectively as fan games. And from a technical standpoint, they run pretty well considering the platform at the time.
4-So
Spicy
I agree with ShakeWell about the general feel of MM7. Compared to the zippiness of the prior six entries, the plodding pace is quite off-putting. Mega Man himself is slow, and as such, the 'rhythm' of the game feels incorrect. But I think the game makes up for that with personality. It's just an incredibly fun, colorful game to look at and it reads exactly as it should in terms of being a natural evolution of the NES games. (I love this time period, where it seems like a lot of developers that had worked on NES titles just gussied up their games for SNES with no real, truly significant changes. Think Super Double Dragon, Super Castlevania 4, etc. Of course, the real changes, such as they were, would happen in Mega Man X, years before MM7.)
For me the biggest issue with MM7, the one thing that elicited a side-eye at the time and, really, still does, is that the game gates the final four bosses. Not being able to select from eight stages from the outset greatly irritated me as a teenager, and while I think I understand the reason - a more focused experience, lending to less trial and error as a player attempts to suss out the "correct" boss order - it still grates.
Having said all that, I still prefer the moment to moment of MM7 compared to MM8 or even MM&B.
For me the biggest issue with MM7, the one thing that elicited a side-eye at the time and, really, still does, is that the game gates the final four bosses. Not being able to select from eight stages from the outset greatly irritated me as a teenager, and while I think I understand the reason - a more focused experience, lending to less trial and error as a player attempts to suss out the "correct" boss order - it still grates.
Having said all that, I still prefer the moment to moment of MM7 compared to MM8 or even MM&B.
Sarge
hardcore retro gamin'
I like MM5 more than most, so I'm not quite on that train. But MMV is indeed extremely good.
Ludendorkk
(he/him)
Enemies have too much HP and the weapons suck. That's it, that's the whole thing
Now this is the absolute hottest Megaman take on TT. MM7 Wily Capsule is just, pure pain
I made a tier list for my own preference back when I played through the eleven games in sequence in late 2019. I don't think it's really changed any since.
Music is a huge component to how I view each of them; it may even be the primary vector of engagement. I talked at the time of what appealed to me about 10 on that level:
I also really like the story, for whatever that's worth. Roboenza is just a fun concept and the ending gives more character depth to Wily probably than the rest of the series put together. All of that makes it feel like they were attempting to do new things within the rigid constraints of the formula, instead of the very reverential to 2 MM9, which I found relatively stifling because I don't hold it in that kind of regard.
Music is a huge component to how I view each of them; it may even be the primary vector of engagement. I talked at the time of what appealed to me about 10 on that level:
I also really like the story, for whatever that's worth. Roboenza is just a fun concept and the ending gives more character depth to Wily probably than the rest of the series put together. All of that makes it feel like they were attempting to do new things within the rigid constraints of the formula, instead of the very reverential to 2 MM9, which I found relatively stifling because I don't hold it in that kind of regard.
zonetrope
(he/him)
That's interesting, I'm with you in that a major factor that keeps me coming back to the series is the music, but for me the best soundtracks align with the popular consensus for best games (2, 3, 9), with honorable mentions for 5 and 10 (I agree with everything you wrote about that one). It might just be NES sound chip bias, but part of what has kept me from going back and playing 11 is that none of the songs stuck with me at all.
I enjoyed the music in 11. I thought it was pretty cool but I totally get where you're coming from. None of its songs stick in the mind the way the traditional melodic songs that Mega Man is known for. Stuff like the stage select from 8 just pop into my mind unbidden (like right at this moment for instance) and nothing in 11 is composed to do anything like that.
In 8 discourse I fall somewhere in the middle. I think I would enjoy it more if you could turn off Mega Man calling out all his moves. I really enjoy its soundtrack but I think the VO greatly distracts from the tunes.
Mmm that stage select
In 8 discourse I fall somewhere in the middle. I think I would enjoy it more if you could turn off Mega Man calling out all his moves. I really enjoy its soundtrack but I think the VO greatly distracts from the tunes.
Mmm that stage select
I agree that the soundtracks are a huge part of my appreciation of the series. I quite enjoy the MM8 soundtrack, but the music from MM11 has never stuck with me (despite liking the game well enough). It's also one of the reasons why I don't like MM4, which in my opinion has the weakest soundtrack aside from MM7. Fun fact: kaizo SMW games usually are filled with covers of songs from other games. I get a little mad whenever they use tracks from the NES (and NES-style) Mega Man games because I think they sound wrong coming out of a Super Nintendo sound chip. Sometimes simpler is better, you know?
The simple fact of the matter is that I enjoy basically every classic Mega Man game to some level or another. I have my favorites (2/3/8) and a bunch that I think of as "just fine", but there are really only three that I struggle to enjoy: 4, 7 and 9. Aside from being a little uninspired, 4 mostly loses points for sound design - both the effects and the music - plus for instigating a bunch of my least-favorite MM tropes. MM7 is an odd duck, and I can't help but respect some of the stuff it tries to do, but the slow controls and terrible final boss suck a lot of the fun out of it for me. And MM9 is just too darn mean, I feel like it's always punishing me for trying to play it. Despite all that, I can generally have a good time playing any of these games, because they're all still solid run and guns with charming character design and great music.
The simple fact of the matter is that I enjoy basically every classic Mega Man game to some level or another. I have my favorites (2/3/8) and a bunch that I think of as "just fine", but there are really only three that I struggle to enjoy: 4, 7 and 9. Aside from being a little uninspired, 4 mostly loses points for sound design - both the effects and the music - plus for instigating a bunch of my least-favorite MM tropes. MM7 is an odd duck, and I can't help but respect some of the stuff it tries to do, but the slow controls and terrible final boss suck a lot of the fun out of it for me. And MM9 is just too darn mean, I feel like it's always punishing me for trying to play it. Despite all that, I can generally have a good time playing any of these games, because they're all still solid run and guns with charming character design and great music.
Ludendorkk
(he/him)
It never occurred before to me before even those I've been hearing this rhetoric since the game came out, but what exactly do people mean when they say 9 is too reverential of 2? The evidence seems to have always began and ended with removing the charge buster and slide*, but beyond that everything about the game screams to me later-era NES and Gameboy Megaman, both aesthetically and in game design.
*and even there my theory is less that the intent "MM2 is holy writ" and more "we're giving those abilities to Protoman so we can sell him as DLC", but that's my conspiracy theory
That's a rather significant factor to blow past when the presence and absence of two central mechanics like that are often what lead to people making their greater/lesser than arguments with this series; 9's fairly clear in the position it adopted through its design and what it tried to evoke as a result. I also think it's aesthetically much more attuned to that specific point in NES presentation than a game like 10 is--they're both facsimiles that don't hold up to exact scrutiny of echoing their inspirational platform but 9 makes lots of deliberate choices in omitting detail and defining play space with totally flat palette, for instance, like a Famicom/NES game in the system's first five years might have. I don't think the developers are any less aware of the kind of status 2 holds globally for fans of the series, so that's the model they tried for, and I think succeeded considering the acclaim and what draws people to both. Difficulty level I think is also a commonality, with both 2 and 9 falling on the harder, more punitive side for the series compared to the rest (if you don't think that about 2, remember this forum's general userbase and how familiar each of us on an average is with that game). There's a lot Inti Creates applied from the decades of design inbetween, but the throughline to me always seemed clear. That's why I liked 10 a lot more because its influences felt more novel and less defined.