The Mega Man series has always been close to my heart. The music, characters, levels and the Blue Bomber himself were the right mixture for an epic 2D side-scrolling platformer. But, like many games that originated during the 8-bit era, their difficulty was center stage. The harsh difficulty was one to make a sane gamer snap their controller into two or yell feverishly at the television. Come to think of it, I once believed that some masochist developed these titles and programmed them in blood.
Those were the days, people. They just don’t make video games like they used to back then. Until, that is, when Capcom paid tribute to many Blue Bomber fans and released Mega Man 9 via digital download. After the success of Mega Man’s return to 8-bit form, we thought of this as a one-time experiment. Glad we were wrong on that one. Its successor, Mega Man 10, is more or less what you would expect out of the series: nostalgic 8-bit visuals, catchy music, lame boss names (I’m still waiting for Out-of-ideas Man) and, of course, the difficulty that will cause us to shout expletives. All in all, Mega Man 10 is another nod to fans of the series, all while doing little to drastically change its formula.
Hit the jump and find out if this one is worth your Wii points or if Capcom should go back to the drawing board.
Currently at ten titles, you’d think the Mega Man series would have been stale at this point. Likewise, developer Inti Creates keeps everything in place for Mega Man 10, so they show a lot of respect by keeping the game 8-bit. As you start the game, a robotic virus, Roboenza (yeah, just ignore the pun) is infecting millions of robots across the globe. In the process, Roll is infected, and it’s up to Mega Man to find a cure and stop whoever is behind the virus. This is a simplistic plot, but Mega Man 10 attempts to go beyond the usual “Dr. Wily is behind all of this” mantra, which in return is contradicted in the end. I won’t spoil anything, but if you’re familiar with the series, then you know what to expect. In the realm of Mega Man games, gameplay is key, which is valued more than the plot.
Veterans of the franchise will be at home with Mega Man 10, just as much as they were with 9’s 8-bit homage. Like the game before it, Inti Creates has added subtle changes in the menus and level design to ensure a classic look and feel. Don’t worry, though. The Blue Bomber is still equipped with his famed arm-cannon, and you’ll be figuring out what’s the best possible way to get through the game’s eight all-new robot masters. Speaking of the latter, that’s one of the key essentials to enjoying a Mega Man title: going in a certain boss order and discovering one robot master’s weakness. It can be a frustrating example of trial-and-error, but this formula pays off in the end.
The Mega Man games are keen on memorization and timed button presses, and fans will feel at home. Everything you liked is either new or just a small throwback to the 1980s. Inti Creates and Capcom recapture the awe-inspiring tunes from the original games along with some new ones. The MIDI tunes are real gems in this game, so expect to be humming Strike Man’s theme even after you’re done playing. The music alone is what keeps me focused as I play through each stage.
Now, don’t think that with a nice throwback that Mega Man 10 is lacking in features. Mega Man 10 introduces both old and new extra features to keep your thumbs twiddling as you beat the main game. Time Attack mode makes a return from Mega Man 9. In this mode, you work your way through unlocked stages as quickly as you can. Times for each stage can be uploaded online, so this is a great incentive to come back and master each area. If you’re truly a Mega Man speed-running veteran, then this mode is for you.
If you’re not too keen on Time Attack, then there’s always Challenges Mode, a new addition not available in Mega Man 9. With the Wii version of Mega Man 10, consider this the equivalent of trophies or achievements for the game, sans it being noticed on the home menu. The objectives in this mode add copious amounts of depth to Mega Man 10, but don’t expect them to be a cakewalk. In total, there are 88 of these little hellions, so you’ll be going between each mode of difficulty in the main game to unlock them. In general, this was a smart addition to the Mega Man series and it will undoubtedly suck hours away from your life.
Speaking of sucking hours away, the main addition that has fans of the series talking is the inclusion of Proto Man as a playable character (Mega Man 9 had him as a downloadable character). You’re able to select Proto Man from the get-go, and Capcom did promise additional DLC in the future (the publisher mentioned previously that Bass would find his way into the game). The differences between Proto Man and Mega Man aren’t subtle, but they allow for a completely different strategy to beat the game. Proto Man is able to slide on the ground (a la Mega Man 3 and 4) and use powered-up shots. The use of Proto Man’s arm cannon is great for taking down foes quickly and smoothly, yet he has one flaw: he takes more damage when hit. This shouldn’t be any reason to stay away from the character, but I’d suggest sticking to our little Blue friend for the first time through; trust me, as much depth as Proto Man adds to Mega Man 10, I would suggest waiting for your second time beating the game.
Oh, remember when I mentioned that beating Mega Man 10 was hard? Yeah, I wasn’t exaggerating. By the time you have trumped half of the robot masters, you’ll still be wondering how you survived such chaos. In addition, if you thought Mega Man 9 was difficult, then this is your wake up call. Capcom and Inti Creates certainly showed no mercy while developing this game. But, Easy Mode is implemented into Mega Man 10, which gives newcomers a chance to see what fans have been yapping about. I like to call this "Mega Man on training wheels." Although, if you want a huge challenge, then Hard Mode is your crash-course for Mega Man brutality.
In Hard Mode, which is unlocked after beating the game on normal, the gameplay isn’t just frustrating, but there are more enemies to defeat. That’s right, the level design may be the same in this mode, but expect more enemies to thwart your plans. Heck, expect the Robot Masters to be a little different. If you thought you had their attack pattern down, be warned, they have more attack styles and move faster. Like I said, invest in a couple of controllers in the near future. This mode begs to be played, but begs for our own mercy. Curse you, Capcom!
As far as length goes, Mega Man 10 may be a tad disappointing in this department. Now, as a Mega Man fan, I know the system/layout (eight robot masters and four final boss stages -- that’s it), but there’s no reason why Capcom shouldn’t have packed more into this package. Sure, there are other modes to derail you from the main game, but the backbone is the adventure. This alone is enough to suggest that Capcom should expand or evolve from the particular Mega Man 2 model, which they have been using for both 9 and 10. If they can find it in their heart to go in the Mega Man X route, but with new additions, then we may have another nostalgic hit on our hands. Overall, I expect more DLC to be on the way, but I surely hope it’s not any playable characters on and on again. You can expand a game with new pixels to control, but it doesn’t change the length in any regard.
Don’t let the length scare you away, friends. At $10, Mega Man 10 is all but a fun experience for fans and maybe some newcomers alike. But, for those newcomers who aren’t familiar with these games, you are going to have an unforgiving time with Mega Man 10. If you don’t know what you’re getting into with Mega Man 10, then you may be wishing for those Wii points back.
This game is not for everyone, so stay away (even on easy mode, some rookies will be angered) and save your points for something accessible. Games of the 8-bit era were meant to be ruthless like this, and Capcom and Inti Creates are paying homage to veterans like myself. Sure, the nostalgic visuals and aesthetics may turn off our current younger generation of gamers, but looks aren’t meant to carry a game. Mega Man plays exactly like its counterparts, but it pleases our retro-hearts, even if the difficulty tries to make us all go insane. If you’re a fan like me, then you’ll enjoy every minute of Mega Man’s next adventure. If you’re a Blue Bomber virgin, then get ready for some nostalgic hell.
The Mega Man series has always been close to my heart. The music, characters, levels and the Blue Bomber himself were the right mixture for an epic 2D side-scrolling platformer. But, like many games that originated during the 8-bit era, their difficulty was center stage. The harsh difficulty was one to make a sane gamer snap their controller into two or yell feverishly at the television. Come to think of it, I once believed that some masochist developed these titles and programmed them in blood. 
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