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Mega Man Strengthens His Stranglehold

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

My first foray into the MM series was with MM 2, the flagship installment of this series. That sent me on a hunt to find MM 1, which did not hold a candle to it's successor. A friend of mine then beat me to the punch (18 years ago) and bought MM3. I was already a huge MM fan after only having played MM2 but MM3 only strengthened my allegiance.

MM3 follows the same basic premise as the previous two installments: beat a robot master and gain his powers to defat the next. The main antagonist is still Dr. Wily (when will he give up?). MM3 is much longer than its predecessor as you are forced to defeat a doppleganger-like robot that takes on the powers of the 8 robot bosses from MM2 in the Spark Man, Needle Man, Shadow Man and Needle Man stages. This is actually pretty annoying, but it was nice to see the old crew again! The 4 extra levels notwithstanding, I thought MM2 was tougher for some reason.

This game continues the high precedent set by MM2 (outstanding gameplay, phenomenal music, etc) and builds upon it by giving the Blue Bomber a slide move, which works to get you into tight places and as a speedier alternative to the standard running. This game also marks the first appearance of MM's dog Rush, and he proves to be very useful. Rush can take on the functionality of a jumping board called Rush Coil, which you are outfitted with from the jump. He also takes on the form of a jet (Rush Jet) and a submarine (Rush Submarine). In this installment, you are allowed a maximum of 9 energy tanks, which is a bit of overkill for the regular bosses but comes in handy in the final stages.

MM3 continues the tradition and there is no deviation in gameplay other than the new slide move. Nothing groundbreaking here, but then again, if you are considering a MM title, you know (and love) exactly what to expect.

One of Mega Man's all time great games on any system, probably even better than Mega Man II

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

MEGA MAN II is generally considered the breakout game for our titular blue bomber, and for good reason: it fixed all the problems found in the first Mega Man, and was one of the best games for the NES. Truthfully, it's the only Mega Man game I had for the NES in the late 1980s and early 1990s, though I played the first game quite a bit as well. As good as MMII is, is it really the best Mega Man game ever, let alone in the classic series?

If it weren't for MEGA MAN III, I would unequivocally say yes. MEGA MAN III is easily as good as MMII, and opens up the Mega Man gameplay, expanding Mega Man's repertoire.

Major new features introduced in MMIII
*Slide - Mega Man can now slide, creating new possibilities for level design.
*You can now carry up to 9 energy tanks, rather than 4 like MM II
*Due to the introduction of the Doc Robot levels, this is by far the longest of the six NES MM games.
*Rush, Mega Man's iconic robotic dog, makes his debut here.
*Proto Man, masquarding as the mysterious Break Man, debuts as well.
*Another notable feature is this is the first game that has accurate cover art on how Mega Man actually appears in the game. MM is notoriously bad cover art, and MMII's cover art has MM holding a gun rather than his arm cannon. Not bad but not great. This is definitely an improvement over the last two.

MMIII actually has the best story of all six NES titles. Dr. Light and Dr. Wily are working together to build a giant peace keeping robot named Gamma. However, the eight robot masters that the two designed to help keep the peace go beserk, stealing 8 power crystals. The two scientists quickly call Mega Man into action.

Mega Man must defeat the eight bosses to regain the crystals. This set of levels is probably my favorite in any Mega Man game. They're all very well designed, and just flat-out fun to play. The Shadow Man level and Snake Man level are both great.

But wait, there's more. After defeating the eight robot masters, four new levels open up (they are remixed or altnerate versions of four regular levels), and robot masters named Doc Robots are masters of these levels. There are two Doc Robots per level. While all the Doc Robots look the same, they are actually programmed to act like one of the robot masters in MEGA MAN II. When you reach the Doc Robot's lair, the sprite of one of the Mega Man II bosses descends from top of the screen down into Doc Robot, like the spirit of that perspective boss is inhabiting or animating the Doc Robot's body.

Once you defeat the 8 Doc Robot masters, another level opens in the center of the portrait page, entitled BreakMan. It is a simple one screen level, where you must fight ProtoMan. Ultimately, it is revealed Proto Man is Mega Man's brother, and built before Mega Man. Proto Man, who has been kept ambigious throughout the game, has been helping train Mega Man with each fight.

After you finish your training level with Proto Man, you now learn that Dr. Wily has stolen the power crystals Mega Man recovered, and has holed up in a new Skull Castle, intent on activating Gamma and reprogramming him to begin yet another attempt to take over the world via thru the campaign of bloody massacre or pogrom.

Wily's Castle features several cameos or references to the first two games.
*The famous Rock Monster (AKA the Yellow Devil) from the first game makes a return appearance, with a newly designed appearance.
*Gamma looks a lot like Gutsman (who, of all the villains in Mega Man, makes the most cameo appearances in other games, his likeness also appears as a Wiley Castle Boss in MMII).
*The boss guarding the transporter room in the fourth portion of Dr Wily throws rocks like Gutsman.
*Mega Man must fight his clone, just like the original MEGA MAN. This time around, there are three platforms, each with a separate clone. One clone is real, the other two holograms, and the real clone's location constantly changes between the three platforms.

The Dr. Wily stages are fun, although the last incarnation of Dr. Wily is the weakest of all six NES Wily bosses. With a single top spin, you destroy him.

The only two negative things I have to say about the game is this: the story is not really explained, and the inclusion of Top Man.

1. The story is the best in the NES Mega Man Games. With the other titles, you are given some cut scenes to tell what little story there is. In MM III, there are no cut scenes initially, so you don't really know the story. In fact, until you defeat BreakMan and the Dr Wily stage opens up (the Dr Wily levels is proceeded by a cut scene with Dr. Light and Mega Man, revealing Dr Wily is evil), you probably won't even now Dr Wily is supposed to be helping you. Granted, the game is longer than the other titles, so maybe they didn't have the memory to work with on extra cut scenes, given the NES's technical limitations. Still, given how it's the best story it's sad Capcom relied almost entirely on the game manual, which most NES players won't have access too, to advance the story.

2. Top Man. He's the most stupid robot master of the first three games, and his weapon is hard to figure out how to use. Once you do figure it out, its pretty useless with the sole exception of the last boss fight. The whole idea of "Top Man" as a robot master is pretty ridiculous, and is the first indication in the Classic Series that Capcom is beginning to run out of ideas for robot masters. This trend of borderline asinine robot masters would continue thru MM IV and V, and reach the absolute bottom of the barrel in MM VI (really, who the HELL thought of "Plant Man"?) A minor quibble, though, and don't let that distract you from all the game has to offer. It's a more important as an indicator of bad things to come for the series than really effecting this game's quality. Beginning cracks in the foundation, if you will.

Overall, I think this is easily one of Mega Man's best games, and is an essential purchase for NES and retro gamers, as well as Mega Man fans. As much as I like Mega Man II, I really think Mega Man III gives it a run for its money.

Though MMII is more important from a franchise historical pov as it was his first major hit game (MM was more of a sleeper hit), MM IIII takes everything about MMII and improves on it. This one definitely ups the ante, and the next three sequels simply can't compare it its genius or playability.

The series (overall) piqued here!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

4/5 stars.

The Men were all pretty cool in 2. But they got even better in 3!

There were the following Men: Magnet, Hard, Top, Shadow, Spark, Snake, Gemini and Needle.

Difficulties are as follows:

Magnet Man - 7
Hard Man - 5
Top Man - 6
Shadow Man - 8
Spark Man - 5
Snake Man - 7
Gemini Man - 8
Needle Man - 5.5

Graphics - 3.5/5
Sound/Music - 4/5
Controls - 6/5
Game Play - 4/5
Overall Difficulty - 4/5

Overall Grade - 4.5/5

*Bonus Information*

Magnet Man is weak to Arm Cannon, Shadow Blade and Spark Shock. He'll be at your knees if you bestow these weapons upon him!

Hard Man can't take Magnet Missles. And if you can somehow beat him before you meet him, LOL, he's weak to Hard Knuckles too!

Top Man is terrified of Hard Knuckles, Top Spin and Needle Cannon.

Shadow Man can't stand the heat if you douse him with a hit of Top Spin, Hard Knuckles and *yawn* Shadow Blade. He is definitely the trickiest to beat otherwise....

Spark Man stays away from Shadow Blade, Needle Cannon and Hard Knuckle like a fish despises scolding water! Give it to him! Take no prisoners!!

Snake Man will leave you alone if you bust a cap! Use your Arm Cannon, Hard Knuckle, Needle Cannon, Spark Blade and Search Snakes.

Gemini Man hits the streets when he sees Snake Man's Search Snakes!! If you haven't taken him down yet, stick with the Arm Cannon, Magnet Missles, Hard Knuckle and the Shadow Blade.

Lastly, Needle Man heads for the hills if he sees Gemini's Gemini Laser, Shadow's Shadow Blade or his own Needle Cannon!

From GameFAQs, posted with permission:

(This section is the in-between, between the defeat of the eight robot masters
in the game, and Dr. Wily's castle. Here, you revisit four stages in the game
(different then they were, and segmented into two parts now), the stages of
Shadow Man, Gemini Man, Needle Man, and Spark Man. In each stage, there are two
Robot Masters from the previous Mega Man game, Mega Man 2... but they aren't
literally there. Instead, a robot called Dark Master encompasses the powers of
each particular robot master from the previous game and uses those powers
against you with great skill.)

This game, among 100 others deserve the recognition it happens to garner!!

Some of the guys in 4 are awesome too, such as Pharoah Man and Toad Man, but they don't compare to the guys in 1, 2 and Part 3.

Graphics - 3.5/5
Sound/Music - 4/5
Controls - 6/5
Game Play - 4/5
Overall Difficulty - 4/5

Overall Grade - 4/5

Not that easy

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I had fond memories of Mega Man 2 from my youth, and just recently I played Mega Man 3 for the first time. Having read several other reviews that describe this game as relatively easy, I can't help but voice my extreme disagreement. Here are several of the many annoying things about this game that made me turn it off many times in frustration:

- So what if you can have up to 9 energy tanks instead of Mega Man 2's maximum of 4, when you can go through several levels without a single tank in sight? I'm not even sure there are 9 in the whole game for you to collect!
- An extremely low percentage of enemies yield energy or weapon energy capsules.
- Some special weapons seem to deplete very quickly. This sometimes makes completing the level impossible. If you die while fighting a boss at the end of the level, and you've already depleted the only weapon that works against him, you're screwed, no matter how many lives you have left. Similarly, in a stage where the Rush Jet is required, if you die partway through, it's impossible to continue with what little amount of Rush Jet energy you may have.
- Other than Top Man, the bosses are almost impossible to avoid colliding with.
- If you are hit, there should be a grace period during which you can't be hurt again. Tough luck for you if you access your weapons menu right after getting hit, though. Any grace period is null and void as soon as you access the menu. This has proved deadly more than once while fighting a boss.

There are other annoyances, but these are some of the main hair-pullers that never got in the way while playing Mega Man 2.

Yes, the music is fun, and on balance the game is addictive. But it is NOT any easier than Mega Man 2. I think it is much more difficult, and not in a fun way.

Music!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is a review of the MUSIC on this game! How many people would consider music on an old 8 bit video game as "art"? Yet listen to the opening titles and tell me if that isn;t the perfect example of working within limitations to produce excellent music!

The 8 bit NES was capable of producing only very limited sounds. Yet consider the beauty of the Proto Man theme, especially in the end sequence, with its reference to Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat"; or the thrilling sound of "Magnet Man" or "Spark Man", the latter of which ought to become a standard for musicians everywhere!

Play this game for the music! The MUSIC!!!

Awesome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Mega Man 3 is one of the best Mega Man games.
The main problems is that the story is poorly translated.
The music is great even if it is not as good as the second one.
The controls have been greatly improved because you can now slide. Sliding allows you to avoid certain attacks and do other actions.
THis game is extremely fun and much longer than the first two Mega Man games. This is a great game that everybody should play.
Username at Capcom City-Oncedead
Name-Matthew Smith

My second favorite of the NES series!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Man, I love this game! Well, anyway, on to my review!

Graphics 10/10: getting better and more cleaner!

Sound: 10/10: unchanged

Music 10/10: Oh man! This music is great! From the sad opening theme, to the upbeat boss select theme, it's all good! Oh, I love Protoman's whistle, too!

Gameplay:10/10: Cool! It introduces Rush, Mega Man's dog! He can transform into many things! Mega Man can also slide, too! Also, give a hand for Protoman! He will test your skill in some levels! After you kill all 8 bosses, you have to fight robots which have the moves of MM2's bosses! Fun!

Oh yeah! A masterpiece! I don't have the NES version, but I heard you can do some cheats with the second controller, too! Good luck!

The best NES Mega Man game by far

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: May 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Although the original Mega Man title pleased a group of fans, it was the second entry in the series that really got people's attention. After it got people's attention, Capcom decided to dish out yet another entry in the series (within a few years, Mega Man would hold the record for appearing on the NES in more games than any other video game character - even Mario!) How does the third game in the series, released in 1990, measure up? Read on for my review.

PROS:
-THE GAME IS EASIER THAN ITS NES COUNTERPARTS, MAKING IT AN IDEAL STARTING POINT FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE SERIES. The original game was extremely challenging and the second was much easier, and this one is even easier than that one. If you want to get into the series with one of the easier entries, this is a good starting point.
-THIS GAME INTRODUCES RUSH AND PROTO MAN, AND MEGA MAN'S SLIDE MOVE. Rush is one of the things that makes the Mega Man series so cool, and this game features his debut. You start the game with the Rush Coil (which has become legendary over the years), but by beating Robot Leaders can get the Rush Marine and Rush Jet.
-YOU CAN NOW CARRY NINE ENERGY TANKS INSTEAD OF JUST FOUR. This is another thing that makes this game easier than its NES counterparts - and ideal to beginners.
-THE DOC ROBOT LEVELS WERE A GREAT IDEA. After you beat the eight Robot Leaders, you get to revisit their stages, and fight Doc Robot - an interesting creation of Dr. Wily's that takes the form of the Mega Man II Robot Leaders! I had always wondered what it would be like to try using the weaponry from one game on the Robot Leaders of another, and here that question can be answered once and for all!
-THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING GLITCHES YOU CAN PULL OFF IF YOU HAVE A SECOND CONTROLLER HOOKED UP. You can jump super-high, become "zombified", and even walk through pits without dying! For more information on this, consult one of the various Mega Man fan sites.

CONS:
-THE EASY NATURE OF THE GAME WON'T PLEASE EVERYONE. Let's face the facts - most hardcore gamers want a challenge. This game gives you so many ways to cheat and to get around your problems that it just isn't challenging at all.
-THERE IS NO STORYLINE INTRO SCREEN. In other words, if you don't read the manual, the ending will leave you somewhat confused, because you won't have known what the story was! And that's a shame, because the storyline is actually pretty good.
-PROTO MAN'S ROLE IS SEVERELY LIMITED, AND CONFUSING. Proto Man constantly shows up to battle you to test your abilities, and I bet this (along with Mega Man V and the Mega Man cartoon) convinced many fans that he is evil. Likewise, he is referred to as Break Man at one point in the game - which only adds to the confusion.

OVERALL:
Overall this is my personal favorite of the NES Mega Man games. The game was a large improvement over its predecessors, and it pleased many fans - myself included. The game stands as solid proof - the third try really is the charm in the Mega Man series.

My personal favorite in the series!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 21, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The third time's the charm for Mega Man, and this is one of those games that strongly proves that statement. This remains as the most popular Mega Man entry to date probably because Mega Man by now was very popular among the fans and while I think this is a great game, sometimes people tend to overshadow later entries. In any case, Mega Man's back for a third helping of goodies and enemy bashing. Read on:

THE GOOD
TONS of more levels than the previous game. This game is harder in comparison to the second game (although easier if you use codes) and not only do you fight eight new robot masters, you have to tangle with Mega Man 2's bosses! The rock monster from the first game shows up again as well. Rush, your robot dog, is introduced here. Also introduced here is Mega Man's older brother Proto Man (disguised as Break Man initially...). Older, because he's a prototype. The music is very good for the series and many of the tunes including Spark Man and Snake Man stand out considerably. The best tunes are the title screen and the ending theme featuring Proto Man's whistle (AWESOME piece of music). The graphics are top notch for the NES and they would only improve...

THE BAD
I grew up with this game a lot and I really love it, but it does have a flaw that's a little hard to dismiss. Mega Man (1) and Mega Man 2 connected very well and Mega Man 4 really connects with 2. Unfortunately, this game doesn't connect as well with the aforementioned games, probably due to the music. I'm not quite sure why, but in whatever the case, I really hoped it would've connected better. Oh well.

OVERALL
What can I say? My personal favorite in the series and an NES gem. I love the Mega Man games a great deal and this one still upholds the tradition. Mega Man 4 would follow and also with stellar results. If you don't like this game, you know what that means... more copies for me!

BEST NES MEGA MAN

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Why wouldn't you love this game? Rush the robotic dog, your new ally, can transform into a springboard, submarine, or jet board! In addition to the standard "stop Wily" plot, there is a mysterious red stranger you will battle a few times. You'll even revisit stages and battle foes from Mega Man 2! There are even odd glitches you can pull off with a second controller (try holding right on Controller 2 and jump, and see what happens!)This is an easy game with many ways to cheat, but it's excellent. Once Wily is defeated, Mega Man narrowly escapes death (Wily wasn't so lucky, or was he?), and you'll learn the true identity of the red stranger. Got an NES? BUY THIS GAME!

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