By the time Capcom released MEGA MAN VI on the NES, it was obvious to all in the industry that Nintendo's 8-Bit console, the machine that resurrected the video game market in the mid 1980s to the multibillion dollar industry that it is now, was on its last legs.Capcom wanted to move Mega Man to the SNES, but before doing so, they made a final chapter for everyone's favorite blue bomber.
Ironically enough, Capcom chose not to release MEGA MAN VI in the United States, publishing the game only in Japan, due to their decision to put their efforts behind the new MEGA MAN X series.When Capcom informed Nintendo of this decision, Nintendo took it upon themselves to publish the game in America, which is why the game was never released in Europe.
How does it stand up to the other five games?Actually, not that bad.It's obvious Capcom is running out of ideas.The basic story is that a mysterious Mr. X (gee, I wonder who that could be) has been setting up a robot tournament, and when Mega Man shows up, all the robots turn against Mega Man and Mr X tries to take over the world.Naturally, when you defeat Mr X, turns out it is Dr. Wiley and you have to go into a second castle.While Mega Man IV and V at least at an element of surprise in their "twist" ending, by VI you can tell it's Wiley from the beginning, even kinda looks like him.
First off, the graphics are top notch, and so is the sound.But that is little surprise as Mega Man always had great graphics for the NES.
Capcom was so bereft of ideas They even had contestant winners in Nintendo Power design two of the robot bosses (Wind Man, designed by Michael Leader of the US, and Knight Man, designed by Daniel Vallie of Canada).
The other six bosses are largely retreads of previous robot masters or just plain ridiculous.
We have Plant Man (who, might I add, is the single worst boss in not only Mega Man, but in all of video games - he's just gay).His (lame) weapon is a flower shield, and basically he's a poor boy version of the superior Leaf Man from MEGA MAN II.We have Blizzard Man, who for whatever reason is on skis.Ripoff of Air Man from II and Ice Man from the first game.Flame Man is yet another heat-based robot master (we've already had Fire Man from I, Heat Man from II, and Napalm Man from V).We have Tomahawk Man, who is very formidable, but still feels out of place and like Capcom was really stretching for ideas.Centaur Man is at least somewhat imaginative. The worst, though, is Yamato Man.Apparently Yamato is a geographical term in Japan.It'd be like Oxford Man or Birmingshire Man or Las Vegas Man.Incomprehensible.Stupid.Even Wind Man, who was designed by one of the contestant winners, is little more than another version of Air Man.
The levels themselves, while compentant, are hardly what you call inspired.A lot of them you have seen before in previous incarnations, especially Flame Man's level (come on, we've had fire-themed levels before).
A bad part of the levels is that four of them have false endings, I guess in attempts from Capcom to give the game more replayability. In each of the levels for Tomahawk Man, Yamato Man, Knight Man, and Centaur Man, two separate boss chambers appear, one more difficult to reach than the other.By accessing the more difficult of the two you get one of four letters (B, E, A, T), and when you get all four you can now use Beat, the robotic bird from Mega Man V.Quite frankly, the fake endings are rather dumb.
The last levels have some engaging moments, even though one of the castle bosses (a big dragon) is a little too similar too the boss dragon of Mega Man II for my comfort.There's another stage in the Wiley's castle which is primarily dirty water and those spiked orbs, which is again a throw back to Mega Man II.
The end features Dr Wiley being thrown in jail, with the last words and a newspaper picture printed.The ending provides good closure for the series, but then Capcom spoils that by saying "To be continued".Still a good way to close the NES leg of Mega Man's journey as far as story-wise goes.
Mega Man also has some new features.Taking a page from Mario, he has a rush adapter that allows him to fly (albeit, pretty briefly).This is featured prominently on the game art.Beat returns.I would like to have flown longer, given how much this was hyped.
Is MEGA MAN VI a good game? Yes.Without a doubt.It would be an even better game its five predecessors did not exist.Because ultimately, even though they tried adding some new things to the Mega Man formula, at the end of the day, Capcom with this title feels tired and uninspired, like they trying to squeeze one more dollar out of the Mega Man franchise.But that's largely because MEGA MAN VI is just more of the same.If you like the formula you'll love this title.But it is still very formulaic.
All the NES Mega Man games are good, but they're largely the same.I'd go with II or III first, but if you haven't played any Mega Man games VI is a good place to start.But II and III should be your first choice.
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Mega Man 6Buy cheap Mega Man 6 now
DO NOT BUY THIS FROM THOSE SELLERS WHO ARE TRYING TO CHARGE YOU LIKE 100.00 DOLLARS.If you wait until November Capcom has a Mega Man X Collection coming out for a price of only 30 dollars and you get SIX GAMES!
