Mega Man is one of the brightest stars in the Capcom constellation. Though not all players loved the five listed below, each one had a big impact on the franchise’s destiny.
5) Mega Man 6: Originally released in Japan for the Famicom in 1993, Mega Man 6 featured 8 audience-designed(!!) enemies, including Knight Man and Wind Man who were submitted by North American fans. Some considered it redundant because of its reliance on reused weapons from previous games and mid-stage bosses. However the plot point of Dr. Wily’s imprisonment, and its excellent soundtrack allowed the series to sidestep what could’ve been its ultimate demise, especially as it came out at the same time as the franchise’s better-known first spin-off, Mega Man X. And speaking of which. . .
4) Mega Man X: Though some might debate whether this should be included or on a separate list, especially with a lot of fans unaware that the original series continued, this next gen step up from the classic series, ensured that the spirit of the original would survive on new consoles. Mega Man X allowed Capcom to redesign. As the first 16-bit game in the franchise, this entry opened the doorway for Mega Man 7 and introduced one of the most beloved characters: Zero.
3) Mega Man X4: With a massive jump in storytelling as well as the leap into the 32-bit era in 1997, this entry had both Zero and X as playable characters. Capcom fleshed out the Mega Man world and leaned into the audience’s well-documented love of Zero, exploring his backstory in his playthrough. Anime cut scenes brought the story to life. Though the voice acting failed to live up to the story, the strong narrative focus and introduction of a melee-style character paved the way for later games as well as set the stage for the 2002 spin-off following Zero.
2) Mega Man 11: While the early 2000s went to X and Zero, the 2018 return of the original Mega Man surprised many. Featuring 3D polygonal characters, this entry brought back many classic elements while also adding time trials, a character gallery, global leaderboards, and so much more. In September 2021, a version was also made available on Amazon Luna. With domains for Mega Man 12-15 registered shortly before release, Mega Man 11 may be the beginning of a reinvigorated release schedule, but we’ll just have to wait and see, but over 1.6 million sold suggests a place remains in the market for further releases.
1) Mega Man 2: Despite a lackluster sales performance for the original, Capcom permitted this sequel which became the launchpad for Mega Man‘s success. This entry in the series introduced many of the North American Capcom audience to franchise. Of course, there were a number of glitches, but despite that, Mega Man 2 laid the foundation. It was here that audiences first saw E Tanks, Wily’s iconic skull castle, and Mega Man’s utility items. Released in 1988, Mega Man 2 held the top slot with over 1.5 million copies sold until Mega Man 11 topped it in 2022.
Honorable Mention: Mega Man 9: A pure nostalgia bomb, this entry reverted to 8-bit design. With a strong story line and fantastic enemies, Mega Man 9 took everything great about classical Mega Man and reminded us all why this series worked so well.
Tell us what you think! Do you agree with our list of the top five Mega Man games that reshaped the series? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
Featured Image: Capcom
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