Capcom has produced some high profile next-gen failures but you can always count on them for their superior internally developed 8-bit games. Mega Man 10 is the second retro game that Capcom has decided to continue the “Classic” Mega Man series for downloadable enjoyment. This release can be attributed to the hugely successful downloadable comeback Mega Man 9. It still doesn’t miss a mark.
If you don’t know the gist of Mega Man games I’ll give you the run down. It is the year 20XX, Dr. Wily has done something to corrupt the world and you must save it with your trusty Mega Buster. The world’s robots have come under an illness known as Roboenza and you must defeat the eight robot masters to find the cure. If you can’t tell, Mega Man 10 has a ridiculous story. The classic series is not known for strong narrative but its sturdy yet simple game mechanics.
Those familiar with past Mega Man games won’t find anything new. You can shoot your Mega Buster and specialty weapons left and right, and you can jump. While it doesn’t sound very deep, the complexity comes with some punishing level design. You will be making perfectly timed leaps of faith while shooting enemies before you land on the next pillar or avoid that spike traps. The real beauty of Mega Man is that deep satisfaction you get when plowing through a level like an acrobat and then slaying the boss with one sliver of health.
The classic Mega Man series is not only known for having tight controls but also well thought out level design. Every level brings its own flavor to the plate. For example, Strike Man’s stage has baseball and football enemies chucking their respective balls at you, while Nitro Man’s stage features these enormous corridors that have you jumping over large vehicular enemies plowing their grills at you. While some may be wary of a lack of certain platforming obstacles from past Mega Man entries, there are still plenty of new designs implemented that keep the game fresh and retain the retro style.
Mega Man 10’s graphics haven’t aged one bit and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Levels and characters seem to still represent those of tiles that existed in the days long ago. The level’s animations are the best I have seen in the franchise since Mega Man 3 and 5.
Mega Man 10 is the first game in the franchise that features a large amount replay value. The game has over 80 challenge areas that limit certain abilities and ask you master certain skills to conquer the given area. For example, the Jump Master challenge area has you navigating pillars and spikes before making a leap of faith past four horizontal spike tiles to reach the end door. The entry features another playable character “Proto Man” right out of the box (compared to Mega Man 9’s paid DLC). Proto Man provides instant replay due to his different abilities. Mega Man 10 is taking greater strides to reach a broader audience with multiple difficulty levels including a new easy difficulty level for newcomers. With all the extra content there is more to accomplish after the three hours it takes to beat the main game.
While most downloadable titles are hitting the market at $15, Mega Man 10 is a steal at the $10 price tag and is worth every penny. If you are looking for something that has the retro challenge, a pumping soundtrack, and satisfaction of days past, look no further than adding this Mega Man to your collection. Newcomers to the franchise and those who weren’t alive at the time should feel comfortable with the added “easy” difficulty.
Capcom, your retro infused games generate success and recognition. I and everyone else who love Mega Man are expecting a Mega Man 11.
Pros:
- Excellent retro level design and presentation
- A challenge for everyone
- Accommodating difficulty levels
- Extra content to satisfy replay
Cons:
- The retro presentation and gameplay may deter newcomers to the classic franchise
