So November is now here, and like any Nintendo fan, I’m
excited for Super Smash Bros. on WiiU. Sure, I’m still enjoying the 3DS version,
but Smash Bros. just works so much better on home consoles (plus the 50 facts
video did get my hyped). But whether it’s on WiiU or 3DS, there’s a new
character to Smash that people have been requesting for a while: Mega Man. And
why not? He’s just as recognizable as most of the cast and probably more so
than the first 3rd party character introduced: Snake. Plus, he got
his start on a Nintendo console, which is what we’ll be looking at today.
Here’s Mega Man, originally for the Nintendo Entertainment System, but I’ll be
playing it on the Mega Man Anniversary Collection.
To get this out of the way, the biggest down point to the
first Mega Man is that it’s missing a lot of things that later becomes standard
in the series: no Rush, no password, no charge shot and a bunch of other
things. As a matter of fact, this game only has 6 Robot Masters, 2 less than
the other games.
That being said, since this is the first game, it has
established more than any other single game from the series. Things like the
run and gun platform game style, the Rock-Paper-Scissors motif, the ability to
select any stage, the Wily level after beating the others, etc… Really, all of
the other standard things add to it, but putting this game into perspective,
you don’t feel like you’re missing out at all.
This even applies to the Robot Masters, as despite there
only being 6, they are overall the most recognizable group. This might have to
do with the fact that they were first, but Gutsman alone was brought back at
least 2 more times, Cutman is always a favorite and Elecman is an assist trophy
in the new Smash Bros, that’s already half of them. They’re all well designed
for both powers and look, and just that right level of challenge (expect for
Iceman, he’s a pushover).
It should go without saying that this game did establish the
basic look for Mega Man, along with how robots look in this world, Dr. Wily and
a few other aspects. That being said, remember how I said in another Mega Man
review that some of the graphics looked like they were too soft, or full of
air? Well this game seems to be on the other side of that spectrum: some things
seem too small or scrawny. Perhaps I’m spoiled by future games with half screen
wide sub-bosses and other bigger enemies to that identify themselves as being
tougher. I also got to mention some of the coloring: yeeesh. I don’t know what
you’d call the color of Cutman’s stage, but “nauseating blue-green” comes to
mind. But these are just nit picks for the graphics. As a matter of fact, I
have no nit-picks I can think of for the sound: it’s all well placed, good and
the sound effects have become iconic.
I guess at this point you’re wondering what the plot of Mega
Man is. I mean, the series is so big that the first game has to have started an
amazing plot, right? Well the story actually goes that that Dr. Light and his
assistant had created a total of 7 humanoid robots together, all to serve
different functions in society. However, Dr. Lights’ assistant, the now
infamous Dr. Wily, grew disloyal and reprogrammed 6 robots to help him, you
guessed it, take over the world *OF COURSE*. The 7th Robot,
originally called Rock Man, but localized as Mega Man, was sent in to take care
of the situation. That’s right, Dr. Wily and the Robot Masters started about
working for Dr. Light. A twist for anyone who thought the Robot Masters were
always evil, but other than that the game is a simple “Villain trying to take
over the world” story.
The original Mega Man did exactly what it needed
to do: be a great game and set up the ground work for a series. It’s always
been fun to play, with the platform gunning style, and the weapon copy and
Rock-Paper-Scissors Robot Masters makes it easy to see why this would catch on
and why a another game would soon follow. However, playing it now a days, it
feels quite lacking. It might be unfair to the first game, but I can’t help but
wish I had a couple more Robot Masters, the ability to continue via password or
a charge shot. It’s just so ingrained into how we play Mega Man now. That being
said, don’t think I’m holding anything against this game, because I am NOT.
This is one of those must play games of the NES and one of those series
starters that still holds up today. I give Mega Man originally for the NES 9
levels out of 10.
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