Capcom has been on a roll lately (pardon the pun) with their collections of classic Mega Man titles. Now the company has turned their attention to the Mega Man Zero series as well as the ZX games, and this may be the best Mega Man collection yet. For those unfamiliar with these games, Mega Man Zero is a sequel series to the Mega Man X series, with ZX as a sequel series to Zero. The games were developed by the masters at Inti Creates and are more action focused with Zero being more aimed at more experienced players, with the ZX games having metroidvania elements.
The four Mega Man Zero games are included here and each builds on the previous entry. Mega Man Zero follows on from the intended ending of the Mega Man X series, with Zero waking up in the future and needing to once again enter the fight against evil. The first entry in the series was a bit rough, but each subsequent release improved on and polished the experience. Rather than act as what can be called “Mission Pack Sequels” by some, each game represents an evolution in the series. The action more precise, the platforming more exact, and the ranking system actually has a purpose by giving you special weapons and armor sets. The ranking system is a key part of the series with your performance graded based on how much damage you took, how many kills you did and how fast you were. It gives you something to work for and achieve, but it does have some drawbacks as well.
While it is a great feeling to get a top rank, the ranking system is a bit unforgiving and actually punishes you for using consumables like the Cyber Elfs. The games are great however, even without taking the ranking system into account. As I said, the controls and level design became more polished over the course of the series, and Mega Man Zero just better and better. With amazing bosses, some of the best music ever and some of the most satisfying action, these games stand out as the cream of the crop for a Mega Man spinoff series.
As I said above, the collection also collects the Mega Man ZX games from the DS and does an admirable job of adapting the dual screen set up from that system in a variety of ways. The ZX series is a mix of Mega Man Zero gameplay with metroidvania elements and no ranking system here. There is an overworld this time in addition to the action elements, but while ZX tries to do this well, it is the sequel ZX Advent that nails the concept perfectly. The dual screen system is replicated here by including the second screen as a smaller, windowed portion of the game that you can navigate via the right stick. These games may not be as great as the Zero games, but they are amazing in their own right.
There are some excellent additions to the collection as well, in the form of Casual Scenario mode, Save Assist and Z- Chaser mode. Casual Scenario is a sort of easy mode that give you stronger offensive and defensive options and other means of getting through the levels. Experienced players will probably ignore this, but newcomers will no doubt greatly appreciate this as it will give them a chance to appreciate the games like everyone else. The Save Assist feature works by adding in new checkpoints in levels to save your progress before more difficult situations and boss fights, and giving you a chance to start over from these checkpoints when you die, rather than earlier on in the level. Lastly, Z – Chaser mode is a time attack mode that sees you compete against other players, locally or against online ghosts, and complete portions of one of the games in a fast time. It probably is not for everyone, but there is enjoyment to be had for those who love speed running games.
Another great part of the collection is the extras. These come in the form of the gallery and music player. The gallery contains almost every kind of art with regards to the games, and the music player has all the music you could want from the two series. These extras really let you appreciate the games and everything that went into the making of each of them. Another nice bonus is the option to play in either the Western or Japanese versions of the games, and the addition of filters that affect the look of the gameplay. You can go for pixel-smoothing or a retro filter for the classic look. There are also achievements included in the games, for those who are fans of that idea.
This collection is the Mega Man franchise at its best, and this is also Capcom production quality at its finest. This is the definitive Mega Man collection to end all collections and a must play for long time fans and newcomers alike. I highly recommend checking this out, as you will be in for an awesome experience.
