After two successful Mega Man releases on the 8-bit NES console, Capcom decided to upgrade the series with a few new game play twists for the third release in an effort to add a little more game play variety to an already amazing package. They also created 8 brand new Robot Masters for players to take on as well as 8 new stages to go along with them. The game would prove to be a huge success for Capcom on the NES and went on to become a fan favorite among gamers who followed the series. So how does this 18 year old NES title hold up now that it's been made available on the Wii Virtual Console.
The majority of the classic Mega Man play control is back in full force. You'll still get your choice of any of the 8 Robot Masters to take on at which time you'll have to traverse their individual areas before squaring off with them at the end of the level. Once you defeat the Robot Master you'll then be given access to their specific Master Weapon. Each Robot Master has a unique weakness, so it's up to you to figure out which weapon works best on the various Robot Masters. This can play a very key role in your success or failure against some of the stronger Robot Masters in the game.
Capcom decided to upgrade the game play system for Mega Man 3 and added in two new game play wrinkles to inject a little more variety into the overall experience. The first new twist is Mega Man's Slide Move. By pressing down on the control pad and pressing the fire button, Mega Man will do a short slide move that will allow him to quickly avoid certain enemy attacks, as well as slide under previously inaccessible areas located in certain spots throughout the various levels. This might seem like a minor upgrade on the surface, but it adds a surprising amount of playability to the already impressive game play experience. Also new to the series in this release is the introduction of Mega Man's canine sidekick Rush. As you add abilities to Rush, he can then be called on to help Mega Man maneuver through some of the tricker spots in various levels. Rush can do everything from turn into a coil that will allow Mega Man to spring high into the air, to turning into a flying jet or submarine for times when these powerful features are needed. These new game play moves were so well received that they would end up being featured in many of the Mega Man releases thereafter.
The visuals in Mega Man 3 are as solid as ever. There's still quite a bit of detail in the backgrounds and each level has its own unique look and theme that carefully mimics that of the Robot Boss that inhabits it. While there is a little slowdown here and there, it's not nearly enough to cause any problems with the overall playing experience. Even the Robot Masters themselves show a good amount of detail and animation, especially given the fact that this is an 8-bit title. Once again Capcom comes through with flying colors and manages to create yet another visually impressive Mega Man outing.
The music in the Mega Man titles has long been a staple of the series and Mega Man 3 is certainly no exception. There are tons of new musical tracks that you'll be humming in your head long after you put the controller down and most of the traditional Mega Man sound effects make a triumphant return as well. Some fans have complained that the Robot Master introduction screen music is a bit of a letdown when compared with the previous two releases, but it's certainly not bad by any stretch either. It's a small gripe with what is truly an overly impressive musical effort overall.
Many Mega Man fans still consider this third 8-bit release as the pinnacle of the series and it won't take you long to see why that is. All the amazing Mega Man action is intact and the 8 Robot Masters are among the best the series has ever seen. While the difficulty is still sky high, it certainly shouldn't shock anyone that's had any type of experience with any of the other Mega Man releases. If you're a Mega Man fan, this should be at the top of your wish list and should be added to your Virtual Console collection immediately. And if for some reason you haven't yet given the series a try, there is really no better place to start than with this absolutely incredible action-platformer release.
1. Kevin
09 Oct 2008, 13:51 GMT
First comment? Sweet! My fav nes mega man game is finally coming! Cheers!
2. Tony
09 Oct 2008, 14:02 GMT
Sweet! I hope it arrives soon. Lets get 3-6 soon
Oh and Nintendo don't forget Wiley Wars for Genesis. The best in the series still belongs to Mega Man 2 IMO
3. Angelic Lapras King
09 Oct 2008, 14:16 GMT
Awesome! This means Capcom are determined to get the rest of the saga on the VC, despite releasing MM9! Lets see this before year's end Capcom! =D
Oh, but America. When the hell will they see it? 0o
4. slangman
09 Oct 2008, 14:47 GMT
Great! Can't wait to download this and play the Snake Man stage.
5. deggs
09 Oct 2008, 15:12 GMT
I always wondered at this game's insane appeal. it is amazing. don't get me wrong... that said though, i love mm2 (it's probably one of the best) and after mm2, i feel that this game and the next got a little stale in comparison to some of the later titles. i really feel that everyone overlooks mm5 and mm6 (the other "best" mega man games in the original series in my opinion). i hear a lot of reviews that scoff at the fact that mm4, mm5 and mm6 came out in a period shorter than 2 years. still, the games did further develop the weapon system (allowing you to finally charge your gun a la MMX yet they still retain the charm and straightforward awesomeness of mm2).
i have to say, after playing this and then playing mm5, i realize just how amazing mm5 truly is. and then when mm6 came around... stuff got even better. even screwattack, who thought that this game(mm3) and mm2 were basically tied for best nes megaman acknowledged that mm6 was awesome. it truly is. so all i'm saying is don't believe the naysayers, mm5 and mm6 are just as good as mm2 and (in my humble opinion) waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy better than this game (of course, i'm sure the popular opinion disagrees).
anyways, see for yourself. go out and buy the anniversary collection (but please note that the gamecube version of the anniversary collection has some major button configuration issues so i recommend the ps2 or xbox versions)
6. Drake
09 Oct 2008, 15:44 GMT
^Don't worry, Mega Man 5 is my favourite game after 3 and 2.
7. Tony
09 Oct 2008, 15:45 GMT
@deggs
I agree I really enjoy MM5 I think its overlooked and one of the best of the series. MM6 is cool too
8. Bass X0
09 Oct 2008, 15:52 GMT
I only had 2 & 3 on the NES as a kid - I think I preferred this one more. Although I did enjoy Megaman 7 more than either of them.
9. President_Leever
09 Oct 2008, 16:24 GMT
deggs: I beg to differ; 5 and 6 (6 esp) are worse than the early titles because they completely changed the pacing with the chargeable mega buster and they are Much easier games. Furthermore they were just rehashing the previous games in most other aspects. MM5 did have some interesting level designs like the scooter part in one level or the reversed gravity in another.. but at the same time had other problems like leaps of faith into spikes (this is a game released in the 90s!), and instead of givng you energy enemies drop more 1ups instead - completely redundant.
MM6 was just dull, uninspired crap and I couldn't stand more than a couple levels of it. I did like the soundtrack though, quite an improvement over 4-5.
10. WolfLink22
09 Oct 2008, 16:46 GMT
Mega Man 3 was my 3rd favorite behind the 2nd and 1st games.I liked Mega Man X too but i consider it as my 4th favorite.
If you had to get only 4 Mega Man Games get Mega Man 1, Mega Man 2, Mega Man 3, and wait and then get Mega Man X.
11. LegendofPasta99
09 Oct 2008, 22:20 GMT
This is my favorite game in the series, but only by a little. I loved 6 and 8. This one's definitely got the catchiest soundtrack, though. I loved Shadow Man's theme.
12. Final_Starman
10 Oct 2008, 01:11 GMT
This is, in my opinion, the second best in the series. It had great, memorable music, especially Shadow Man's theme, and none of the bosses were as cheap as in Mega Man 2. In case you are wondering what my favorite is, it is Mega Man 7. It was very satisfying and worth it to find every secret, and it also had a very great soundtrack.
@President_Leever: True, Mega Man 6 was kind of dull compared to the others, and what was with all of the cartoony sound effects? Although 5 and 6 were not in the league of the older ones or 7 and 8, they were a vast improvement over 4.
13. deggs
10 Oct 2008, 14:14 GMT
yeah, i mean i love the original series a lot but i consider the first mmx game to be complete perfection. when that comes, it will be one of the best games on vc period (in my humble opinion at least).
14. deggs
10 Oct 2008, 14:20 GMT
about 5 being easier than the earlier games, proto man's stage got pretty hard at times. actually, i found the difficulty in 5 to be the most balanced out of the original series. to collect all of the letters and stuff could be kinda annoying at times but the game is still fun. i guess i just like easier games maybe. but by the time you get to proto man's / the end stages, the game really gets tricky at times.
15. Outrunner
10 Oct 2008, 19:39 GMT
I have the X remake on PSP but would LOVE to get the original on VC. I only had Sega consoles back then so I missed out on all this stuff.
16. MrPinguy
11 Oct 2008, 14:24 GMT
i love MM3, because it haz Proto Man XP
Kidding i love the game, one of my favorites MM
17. The Fox
13 Oct 2008, 02:33 GMT
I'm suprised MM6 wasn't titled
Mega Man 6: Officially Out of Ideas
At least MM7 was better than 6.
18. Jockolantern
14 Oct 2008, 08:55 GMT
Mega Man 7 was a definite step down from Mega Man 6. At least MM6 gave us some fun, new power suit upgrades and a slew of great levels to romp through. Mega Man 7 featured a lousy sprite update for Mega Man himself and a slew of enjoyable-but-tired level design. We won't even speak of Mega Man 8 which took the awful Mega Man sprite/tired level design to an even lower level of tedium. Mega Man 7 isn't a bad game, but it is in no way better than any of the original six NES games.
19. JoshZTP
24 Oct 2008, 07:17 GMT
I hope MegaMan 3 eventually comes out on October 27, along with Castlevania 3!!!
20. Jogurt the Yogurt
31 Oct 2008, 15:30 GMT
I want this one week after Japan gets it... or the same week.
21. WolfLink22
02 Nov 2008, 20:01 GMT
I expect Mega Man 3 either next month or sometime in 2009.You may think that that is crazy but after having just got Mega Man 1 in August and Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 9 in September.So if we get Mega Man 3 it won't be for a while yet but that won't stop us from dreaming it would come out sooner tho.
22. chunky_droid
10 Nov 2008, 13:08 GMT
Wow, Megaman 3 out in the US today! But it's ANOTHER one game week. So apologies to all those who aren't Megaman fans. Although there's a lot more of us than Space Harrier fans
23. Tony
10 Nov 2008, 14:00 GMT
"I want this one week after Japan gets it... or the same week."
Looks like your wish has been granted. Mega Man 2 is still my favorite follwed by 5 and 1, but this is also a great game.
Just download all the NES Mega Man games you won't be disappointed.
By the way did anyone notice the banner on the corner of the box. You can get a $10 refund if you purchase this or any other Capcom game. I hope they still honor it
24. dr.mario
10 Nov 2008, 20:24 GMT
One of my favorite games and is easily one of the top 5 NES games.
25. Big A2
10 Nov 2008, 20:46 GMT
Tony: Yes, but they havn't put "Yo Noid!" on the VC yet, so we have no real reason to use the discount.
26. The Fox
10 Nov 2008, 20:47 GMT
Man, Mega Man is a jerk. He's shooting that enemy right in his robo-balls on the cover art. Really, though, were all of the NES Mega Man games cover art as terrible as the first 3?
27. Badknux
12 Nov 2008, 01:29 GMT
I like Mega Man 8, Mega Man Legends, and Mega Man X4 the best out of all Mega Man games. But, of all the older entries, the first one is probably my favorite.
28. Zweck36
12 Nov 2008, 20:45 GMT
Upon further review, I like MM2 way more than I remember as a kid. When I downloaded this one though, man it just feels epic to me. Still my favorite, however it is way too easy. I got to the skull fortress in under an hour and 15 minutes. No cheats, no passwords. Straight up. I remember struggling more as a child.
29. MrLopez
13 Nov 2008, 07:04 GMT
I never liked megaman. I wanted to get into the games so I played megaman 9 at my friends house and you know what, it's HARD!! xD
30. maka
14 Nov 2008, 11:00 GMT
So, how hard is this one as compared to MM2?
31. ness
14 Nov 2008, 12:20 GMT
Wow, Mega Man 3 has, in comparison to Mega Man 2, a lot of more slowdowns. Sometimes it is really stressful...
But beside this, it is a great game, although i still prefer MM2.
32. Lurch
16 Nov 2008, 18:15 GMT
@ maka
Megaman 3 is a tad harder than MM2 imo, which comes from the new "Doc Robot Stages" that follow up once you beat all 8 robo masters. the level design of those is wicked evil in some places and the bosses from Megaman 2 make an appearance as well, although you do not get their weapons.
33. Mipsymoodle
19 Nov 2008, 00:58 GMT
i cannot play this game. it is too hard. i finally beat my first level
however.....it is a GREAT game
4/5
34. Bass X0
19 Nov 2008, 01:03 GMT
huh? Top Man's stage is pretty easy to get through.
35. Lurch
19 Nov 2008, 09:10 GMT
don't worry, mipsymoodle! once you got a hang of it, it turns into a game you know exactly how to beat yet you come back for more.
36. slangman
19 Nov 2008, 12:53 GMT
I think this might be my favourite Mega Man game. I really like most of the music in this game as well as the level and boss designs. Must finally finish 2 and 9 after i finish this game off.
@Mipsymoodle This game is easier if you use the right weapons for right boss. Keep practising the layout each of the stage. They get far easier when you know how they work and when you should jump in the right moments.
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