The Best 2D "Mega Man" Games of All Time
A ranking of the best 2D Mega Man adventures. Just straight-up, run and gun fun, wouldn't want it any other way. Explore our complete list of 2D video games.
Image via WikiCommons
Even though Capcom doesn't seem to be giving Mega Man much love these days, that doesn't mean fans aren't still getting regular dosages of their favorite Blue Bomber.
Mega Man 2.5D, his appearance in the new Super Smash Bros, and hell, even Mighty No. 9 are all proof that with or without Capcom's support, fans are still going to get their fix. But let's take it back, shall we, to a time when Capcom really did seem to want to support one of their biggest mascots.
This list is a shining example of why people still pine for more Mega Man games. And as the title says, this is a ranking of his best 2D adventures, so no, Mega Man 64 isn't on the list, nor are the Battle Network titles. Just straight-up, run and gun fun. Most Mega Man fans wouldn't want it any other way.
20. Mega Man 10
Mega Man: Mega Man 10
Year: 2010
While not the greatest Mega Man game in the series, MM10, which was downloadable and made to look like the old school titles, just like nine before it, had its moments. One such moment that nobody was proud of was the robot master, Sheep Man. Yes, Sheep Man. Capcom was really stretching it with that one.
19. Mega Man X2
Mega Man: Mega Man X2
Year: 1994
Sometimes, more of the same is a good thing. And sometimes, it's not. Mega Man X2 was a great game, but that's mostly because it mimicked the original Mega Man X so heavily. The only genuinely new features were added armor and learning the Shoryuken attack from Street Fighter</> fame. Other than that, it was pretty much the same old, same old, which wasn't a bad thing. It just wasn't anything entirely special. It was forgettable, but still pretty fun.
18. Mega Man 4
Mega Man: Mega Man 4
Year: 1991
Mega Man 4 is oft forgotten amidst the other (and better) NES Mega Man titles, but like 3 brought gamers the slide move that became a series staple, Mega Man 4 brought the new mega buster, which went boom real good when charged up for a number of seconds. The bosses weren't the most inspired (Really? Pharoah Man?), but the fun was still there. It's not the best 2D Mega Man title, but it's certainly not the worst, either. It's somewhere in-between. And for old-school Mega Man fans, even in-between is good.
17. Mega Man ZX Advent
Mega Man: Mega Man ZX Advent
Year: 2007
The Mega Man ZX series, short as it was (there are only two titles, this being the sequel), was strange, but interesting. It played like both X and Z, hence the name, and instead of actually getting the weapon from downed robot masters, you actually got whole new suits of armor called biometals. In this sequel, you also got to turn into the boss forms, which opened up a whole new world of options. It's probably the most "RPG" of the 2D Mega Man titles (and again, we're not counting the Battle Network series, good as some of them were).
16. Mega Man X5
Mega Man: Mega Man X5
Year: 2000
It's actually tougher judging the X series and putting it into a list than it is the "regular series". That's mostly because the additions in the X series were usually quite marginal. Not so with this one. X5's multiple endings and ability to play as either X or Zero throughout felt familiar but different enough to make this one stand out. It also felt longer since there was so much to do with both characters. A solid, solid Mega Man X title.
15. Mega Man 7
Mega Man: Mega Man 7
Year: 1995
Introducing Bass and Treble (Get it? Because in Japan, Mega Man is called Rockman), you find out later in the game that they're actually your enemies. Well, we didn't see that one coming (Does this thing read sarcasm?). Other than that "startling" revelation, the game was the first, and only, "regular series" Mega Man title on the Super Nintendo, so it kind of lived in the shadow of Mega Man X at the time. The gameplay was familiar but fun, and Rush had some cool new features, like "Rush Search," where he dug up the ground. Overall, it was a solid game, but nothing to write home about. It was aiight.
14. Mega Man X8
Mega Man: Mega Man X8
Year: 2004
Mega Man X7 was pretty shittay, so Mega Man X8, which at this point, looks to be the very last in the series, set things right. Axl was the highlight. He played differently and added to the stale steel that X and Zero were becoming. Maybe it's for the best that this was the last one.
13. Mega Man
Mega Man: Mega Man
Year: 1987
The one that started it all, the original Mega Man probably has the greatest cover art known to man, and by that, we mean the worst of all time. We mean, look at it! It's pretty much the Troll 2 of box art. It's so bad, but so, so good at the same time. But enough about the cover, let's talk about the game. By today's standards, it's pretty barebones, but its simplicity is probably its greatest charm. But man, is it hard. Even with only 6 master bosses, it's a bitch to beat. One of the hardest games ever, and we mean that from the bottom of our metal souls.
12. Mega Man X3
Mega Man: Mega Man X3
Year: 1993
Though Zero is present in this game, it wasn't until the fourth title that he really showed his worth. All the same, his presence in the third X title (And last on the SNES) made for a fascinating new edition to the X series. We also liked collecting special chips that gave us unique abilities. It's only slightly better than five, boss wise, but they're both really good. You can interchange them on this list if you like. We won't mind.
10. Mega Man 8
Mega Man: Mega Man 8
Year: 1996
Mega Man 8 was a surprising breath of fresh air after playing the X titles that reigned at the time. You really had to be there. It was the same traditional gameplay you knew and love, but this time, you could actually use different weapons at the same time, which put a new spin on things. It's the little things, really.
9. Mega Man 5
Mega Man: Mega Man 5
Year: 1992
Mega Man 3 gave us Mega Man's mechanical dog, Rush, and 5 gave us the bird, Beat (But only after you spelled out M-E-G-A-M-A-N-V in circuit boards!). Other than that, it was business as usual. The thing is, business was good. Gravity Man's upside down stage and parts of Wave Man's level were radical and unique, which were too things sorely lacking in Mega Man IV. It was solid Mega Man platforming excellence and we ate it up. Who wouldn't?
8. Street Fighter X Mega Man
Mega Man: Street Fighter X Mega Man
Year: 2012
Now this one came out of left field. Atoning for their sins of putting DLC on the disc (Or so the rumor goes) Capcom gave us this kickass (and free!) title for download. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to pit Mega Man against Blanka? No? Well, even if you haven't, this game gives it to you and it's magnificent. It was definitely a treat.
7. Mega Man 9
Mega Man: Mega Man 9
Year: 2008
A true return to form for the blue bomber, Mega Man 9 looks like it came right out of the 8-bit era, even though it was released in 2008. The difficulty was back (Good Lord was it back), and gone were the charge blaster from MM4 and the slide from MM3. Still, after all these years without classic Mega Man, they weren't all that missed. This game also had a major milestone in that it featured the very first female Robot Master in Splash Woman. She wasn't very hard, but it was still nice to see some diversity in Dr. Wily's cadre of robots. Yay, diversity!
6. Mega Man X4
Mega Man: Mega Man X4
Year: 1997
The second best X game in the series, the true highlight of this title was getting to use Zero for the first time all the way through. Getting up close with his Z-saber changed up the entire ebb and flow of Mega Man by forcing you to get in close to every enemy. It gave it a more guerrilla approach to combat, which was great. What a game.
5. Mega Man and Bass
Mega Man: Mega Man and Bass
Year: 2002
It's funny how just adding another character can make all the difference in a Mega Man game, but it's true. Bass is just plain phenomenal. With his ability to fire his blaster in different directions and his double jump, Bass genuinely felt different than Mega Man. Also interesting was the new way you fought boss battles. Beating one robot master opened up others, so it really shook things up a bit. And if there's anything a Mega Man fan likes, it's tried and true gameplay mixed in with a few welcome changes. Mega Man and Bass was that change and we loved it.
4. Mega Man Zero Collection
Mega Man: Mega Man Zero Collection
Year: 2010
Wow. Four games for the price of one! Does it get any better than this? No, no it doesn't. Either play each game in the amazing Zero series separately or play in "Easy Scenario", which treated all four titles like a single game (It was also a lot easier, hence the name of the mode). Either way, it's probably one of the best collections you'll ever find, and even better because it features everybody's favorite Rock man.
3. Mega Man 3
Mega Man: Mega Man 3
Year: 1990
Most people think that the slide manuever was always in Mega Man, but nope, 3 was the first to introduce it. MM3 also introduced Mega Man's loyal dog companion, Rush, as well as Proto Man, who you'd always know by his memorable whistle (Yes, the one you're hearing in your head right now). Mega Man 3 was also one of the all time hardest Mega Man's, and would probably still be the hardest ever if not for nine. Death to Shadow Man!
2. Mega Man 2
Mega Man: Mega Man 2
Year: 1989
Gasp! Mega Man 2 isn't number one? Not on this list, it isn't. While everyone will agree that MM2 definitely deserves to be in the top three, one thing keeps it from being number one. The game is downright broken. That's right, and if you've played the game then you know where this is heading. Metal Man's weapon, the Metal Blade, works on almost everybody. Sure, Air Man, Crash Man, and Quick Man won't take any damage, but everybody else bows down to the Metal Blade. Unless you want to play the game "fair" the Metal Blade give you an unfair advantage. Even so, Mega Man 2's brilliance can't be denied. The stages are phenomenal (Quick Man still has probably our favorite MM stage ever), the bosses are iconic, and the music--Good Lord, it's heavenly! Mega Man 2 is close to being the pinnical of MM games, but one title is better than it. And since you haven't see it on the list yet, yep, you probably know what it is already. Go ahead, click the button.
1. Mega Man X
Mega Man: Mega Man X
Year: 1993
While it's common knowledge that putting any Mega Man title above the second one is heresy, we're pretty sure most won't mind seeing this gem take the number one spot. Better than all the other X titles combined because of its streamlined approach, the first Mega Man X was superb in every single way, from level design all the way to your weapons. Kudos to you if you figured out how to get the one-hit-kill Hadouken power-up without consulting your Nintendo Power. That was impossible to find! And even though it's one of the least difficult games in the entire series, it's also probably the most accessible, meaning even more people played and enjoyed this masterpiece. If you don't love Mega Man X, then you must have played it wrong, because this game is the shit and we're sticking by that. Best. Mega Man title. Ever!