Mega Man (1995 video game)

Last updated
Mega Man
Mega Man (Game Gear) Coverart.png
Cover art
Developer(s) Freestyle
Publisher(s) U.S. Gold
Producer(s) Richard Siddall
Daniel Llewellyn
Programmer(s) Michael Hart
Paul Carter
Artist(s) Paul Gregory
Series Mega Man
Platform(s) Game Gear
Release
Genre(s) Action, platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Mega Man is an action-platform video game developed by Freestyle for the Sega Game Gear, and saw a North America-only release in October 1995. The game was sublicensed by British publisher U.S. Gold from Japanese-based company and creator of Mega Man Capcom. The game features Mega Man fighting against the mad scientist Dr. Wily and the six Robot Masters under his control, and features bosses and stages from Mega Man 4 and Mega Man 5 .

Contents

Mega Man received generally positive reviews from video game critics upon release, though retrospective reviews were more mixed. While the game was praised for its graphics and sound being similar to the NES titles upon which it was based, its gameplay was criticized for its excessive level of zoom and fast enemy movement that led to unfair difficulty.

Gameplay

Mega Man in a boss fight against Toad Man Mega Man Game Gear.png
Mega Man in a boss fight against Toad Man

Mega Man is an action-platform game that is very similar to the original series. The protagonist, Mega Man, is able to run, jump, shoot, and climb his way past obstacles and enemies. It is based on elements from the NES versions of Mega Man 4 and Mega Man 5 . [2] Differences from previous entries include the lack of continues after running out of lives. [2] Mega Man's robotic canine companion Rush, using an ability called Rush Coil, assists in helping the character jump higher. [1]

The Robot Masters featured at the beginning are Bright Man, Napalm Man, Star Man, and Stone Man. Mega Man 4 antagonist Dr. Cossack's fortress contains Wave Man's and Toad Man's levels and respective bosses. [3] Wily's fortress is Quick Man's stage from Mega Man 2 , with the Wily fight taken from Mega Man 5. [2]

Development

Mega Man was published by British-based publisher U.S. Gold. U.S. Gold sublicensed the series from Capcom and had a different company, Freestyle, develop the game. [3] It was released exclusively in North America on the Game Gear in 1995. [2]

Reception

Reception to the game was generally positive. Mega Man received an 87 percent from the UK-based magazine Sega Power . [5] A reviewer for GamePro gave the game a total score of 3.75 out of 5, complimenting its graphics and sound, but noting that the small Game Gear screen increases the difficulty. [1] Mean Machines gave it a 75 percent, with Gus Swan calling it a "close conversion of the Megaman [ sic ] style". [4]

Retrospective reviews for the game have been mixed. 1UP.com 's Nadia Oxford elaborated, "Mega Man often has to fight with his enemies in such close quarters, he might as well hold their hands and try his luck at a friendship. The constant screen-scrolling and sticky controls makes for a very frustrating game, although the Game Gear's low battery life ends the torment in a couple of hours anyway." [6] GameSpot contributors Christian Nutt and Justin Speer described it as "a decent, if somewhat sluggish, translation of the Mega Man series". [3] Damien Butt from Retro Gamer , while giving it praise for its graphics, was more mixed towards its gameplay, criticizing its difficulty and the enemies moving too fast for the player. [7] Robert Workman for GameZone believed the game deserved a second chance for re-release, praising it for its controls, visuals, and sound. [8]

In 2013, due to an ESRB listing, there was speculation that the Game Gear title was being released for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. [9] Despite the listing, nothing came of it. Because of its North American exclusivity, copies of the game garner a high price point, with complete copies going for $200 as of 2013, and $1,800 as of 2023. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Mega Man 2</i> 1988 video game

Mega Man 2 is an action game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan in 1988 and in North America and PAL regions the following years. Mega Man 2 continues Mega Man's battle against the evil Dr. Wily and his rogue robots. It introduced graphical and gameplay changes, many of which became series staples.

<i>Mega Man 3</i> 1990 video game

Mega Man 3 is an action-platform video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the third game of the original Mega Man series and was originally released in Japan on September 28, 1990. The game was released in North America later in 1990 and in European regions by Nintendo in 1992. Taking place after the events of Mega Man 2, the plot follows the titular hero as he helps his creator, Dr. Light, and a supposedly former enemy, Dr. Wily, collect parts for a peace-keeping robot by defeating several Robot Masters that have gone haywire.

<i>Mega Man 4</i> 1991 video game

Mega Man 4 is an action-platform game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the fourth game in the original Mega Man series and was originally released in Japan in 1991. The game was localized in North America the following January, and in Europe in 1993.

<i>Mega Man 5</i> 1992 video game

Mega Man 5 is an action-platform video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the fifth game in the original Mega Man series and was released in Japan on December 4, 1992. It saw a release during the same month in North America and in 1993 in Europe.

<i>Mega Man 8</i> 1996 video game

Mega Man 8 is a platform game developed and released by Capcom in 1996. It was directed by Hayato Kaji and produced by Keiji Inafune, both of whom had previously worked on the series as artists. It is the eighth installment in the original Mega Man series, and was initially released in Japan on the PlayStation in 1996. The following year, Mega Man 8 saw a release on the Sega Saturn and was localized for both consoles in North America and the PlayStation alone in PAL regions. Mega Man 8 is the first game in the series made available on 32-bit consoles. The plot follows series protagonist Mega Man as he is called to investigate an energy reading coming from a recent meteor crash on an island. Mega Man discovers that his nemesis Dr. Wily has run off with the energy source, and sets off to stop Wily's evil plans to use the energy, and to discover the purpose of a mysterious alien robot found at the crash site.

<i>Mega Man</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Mega Man, known as Rockman in Japan, is a platform game developed and published by Capcom in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was directed by Akira Kitamura, with Nobuyuki Matsushima as lead programmer, and is the first game of the Mega Man franchise and the original video game series. Mega Man was produced by a small team specifically for the home console market, a first for Capcom, which previously focused on arcade video games.

<i>Mega Man V</i> (Game Boy) 1994 action-platform video game published by Capcom

Mega Man V is a video game published by Capcom for the Game Boy handheld game console. It is the fifth game in the Game Boy version of the original Mega Man series. The game follows the adventures of the protagonist Mega Man as he must defend the Earth from a group of powerful robots from outer space called the Stardroids. Mega Man V is unique among the Game Boy Mega Man games as it features original bosses rather than recycling those from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Mega Man games.

<i>Mega Man X3</i> 1995 video game

Mega Man X3, known as Rockman X3 (ロックマンX3) in Japan, is a video game released by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The game was originally released in Japan on December 1, 1995, and later in North American and PAL regions in 1996. It is the third game in the Mega Man X series and the last to appear on the SNES. Mega Man X3 takes place in a fictional future in which the world is populated by humans and intelligent robots called "Reploids". Like their human creators, some Reploids involve themselves in destructive crime and are labelled as "Mavericks". After twice defeating the Maverick leader Sigma, the heroes X and Zero must battle a Reploid scientist named Dr. Doppler and his utopia of Maverick followers.

<i>Mega Man IV</i> (Game Boy) 1993 action-platform video game published by Capcom

Mega Man IV is an action-platform video game by Capcom for the Nintendo Game Boy. It is the fourth installment in the handheld version of the Mega Man series. The game continues the quest of the protagonist Mega Man in the struggle with his long-time nemesis Dr. Wily, who sends out a disruptive radio signal to cause a rampage, citywide destruction from dormant robots. Mega Man IV features the traditional action platforming gameplay of the prior games while introducing one new feature, the ability to purchase items with power-ups found throughout each stage. As with previous Game Boy releases, the game incorporates gameplay elements and bosses from two sequential Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games: Mega Man 4 and Mega Man 5. The game has received a warm critical reception. In 2013, Mega Man IV was made available on the Virtual Console of Japan's Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo 3DS. It was later released in the North American and PAL region eShops the following year.

<i>Mega Man III</i> (Game Boy) 1992 action-platform video game published by Capcom

Mega Man III is an action-platform video game by Capcom for the Nintendo Game Boy. It is the third game in the handheld version of the Mega Man series. The game follows the title character Mega Man as he fights the evil Dr. Wily, whose latest attempt to conquer the world involves sucking energy from the Earth's core to power a new machine. Along with foes from his past, Mega Man must contend with the next robot in Wily's line of "Mega Man Killers", Punk. Like its two consecutive predecessors on the Game Boy, the game combines elements from two previously released Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles: Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 4. In 2013, Mega Man III was made available on the Virtual Console of Japan's Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo 3DS. It was later released in the North American and PAL region eShops the following year.

<i>Mega Man II</i> (Game Boy) 1991 action-platform video game published by Capcom and Nintendo

Mega Man II is an action-platform video game by Capcom for the Game Boy. It is the second game in the handheld version of the Mega Man series after Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge. It is noteworthy for having been developed by a different company than the rest of the Mega Man titles on the Game Boy.

<i>Mega Man: Dr. Wilys Revenge</i> 1991 action-platform video game published by Capcom and Nintendo

Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, also known as Mega Man in Dr. Wily's Revenge or in Japan as Rockman World is an action-platform video game by Capcom for the Nintendo Game Boy. It is the first game in the handheld series of the Mega Man franchise. It was released in Japan on July 26, 1991, and was localized in North America that December and in Europe the following year. The game continues the adventures of the android hero Mega Man as he once again confronts the evil Dr. Wily, who has dispatched his revived "Robot Masters" and a new "Mega Man Killer" named Enker.

<i>Mega Man Soccer</i> 1994 sports video game published by Capcom

Mega Man Soccer is a soccer video game for the Super NES. The game is based on the original Mega Man series of action-platform games. Mega Man Soccer was released in Japan on February 17, 1994, and in North America in March of that same year.

<i>Mega Man: The Wily Wars</i> 1994 video game

Mega Man: The Wily Wars is a 1994 video game compilation developed by Minakuchi Engineering and published by Capcom for the Sega Genesis; the compilation features remakes of the first three Mega Man games, alongside a new game called Wily Tower, only unlockable with a completed save file.

<i>Super Adventure Rockman</i> 1998 interactive movie video game published by Capcom

Super Adventure Rockman is a 1998 interactive movie/rail shooter video game developed by Kouyousha and published by Capcom for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn; it is a spin-off of the Mega Man series and follows Mega Man as he attempts to stop an ancient alien supercomputer called "Ra Moon" from taking over the world, the game only saw a Japanese release and hasn't been re-released since.

<i>Mega Man Powered Up</i> 2006 video game

Mega Man Powered Up is a side-scrolling platform video game developed and published by Capcom. It was released for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game console in March 2006. It is a remake of the original Mega Man game released in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Players control the eponymous star Mega Man who must stop Dr. Wily from conquering the world using eight robots called Robot Masters. Unlike the original game, players can control these eight Robot Masters under the right circumstances. Other new features include a level creator mode and a challenge mode.

<i>Mega Man X</i> Video game series

Mega Man X is a series of action platform games released by Capcom. It is a sub-series of the Mega Man franchise previously developed by the same group with Keiji Inafune acting as one of the main staff members. The first game was released on December 17 1993 in Japan on the Super Famicom and the following month on the Super NES in North America. Most of the sequels were ported to Microsoft Windows. The gameplay introduces new elements to the Mega Man franchise in the form of Mega Man's successor X including his new skills and power ups in the form of armors while retaining the ability to decide which boss to fight first. The first six games in the series were compiled in the anthology Mega Man X Collection and then the Legacy duology collected the entire eight main games.

<i>Mega Man</i> (1990 video game) 1990 action-platform video game published by Hi Tech Expressions and Capcom

Mega Man is an action-platform video game that was developed by Stephen Rozner, an ex-employee of Capcom U.S.A, and published in 1990 by Hi Tech Expressions for DOS systems. It is the first game in the Mega Man franchise to be released for home computers.

<i>Mega Man 6</i> 1993 video game

Mega Man 6, known in Japan as Rockman 6: The Greatest Battle in History!!, is an action-platform video game developed by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sixth installment in the original Mega Man series. It was originally released in Japan by Capcom in 1993, and in North America by Nintendo in 1994. It was included in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection released in 2004. Its first release in Europe and PAL region was June 11, 2013, for the 3DS Virtual Console, nearly twenty years after the game's initial release.

<i>Mega Man 7</i> 1995 video game

Mega Man 7 is an action platform video game developed and published by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the seventh game in the original Mega Man series. The game was released in Japan on March 24, 1995 and was localized later in the year in North America and Europe.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Slo Mo (October 1995). "ProReview: Mega Man". GamePro . No. 75. Boulder, CO: Infotainment World, Inc. p. 104.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Foster, Neil (October 2, 2017). "Mega Man (Game Gear)". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Nutt, Christian; Speer, Justin (November 6, 2003). "The History of Mega Man". GameSpot . Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Merrett, Steve; Swan, Gus (June 1995). "Game Gear Review". Mean Machines . No. 32. pp. 84–85.
  5. 1 2 "Reviews: Mega Man". Sega Power . Future Publishing (67). June 1995.
  6. ↑ Oxford, Nadia (May 24, 2007). "Mega Manniversary: Mega Mediocrity". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on October 19, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  7. 1 2 Butt, Damian (August 11, 2008). "Megaman". Retro Gamer . Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  8. ↑ Workman, Robert (June 25, 2013). "Forgotten Mega Man games that deserve a second chance". GameZone. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  9. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (June 24, 2013). "Game Gear Mega Man Could be Destined for the 3DS Virtual Console". Nintendo Life . Retrieved September 24, 2019.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.