Mega Man 2
System: NES
Release Date: June 1989
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Action
It’s the sequel to my runner-up for the game of 1987, Mega Man 2! Dr. Wily is back, having created eight new robot masters of his own to wreak havoc on the world. Wily’s goal of luring Mega Man out to fight succeeds, as he stands atop the highest tower in town preparing to choose which robot master to fight first.
I took the path starting with Metal Man. Mega Man doesn’t have any new powerups in his normal form. He still shoots from his Mega Buster with the B Button and you can get up to three shots on screen at once. Jumping is still handled with the A Button. Levels have many more obstacles, such as conveyor belts, disappearing blocks, spikes, flames, everyone’s favorite water level, and everyone’s least favorite heat beams to name a few.
Enemies are more greatly varied this time around. For the most part, they stick to the themes of the level, which is super cool. My least favorite being the Mech Joe carrying the shielded Guard Joe. Other than these guys, enemies are a snap. The birds that drop eggs and make a ton of little baby birds are a great place to farm for free guys. Same with the diggers on Metal Man and Wily’s 2nd Stage.
As in the original Mega Man, each robot master has a weakness to one of its comrades. You know who Metal Man is weak to? Metal Man. The Metal Blade is the MVP of the game, it murders everything, drains slowly, and can be shot in eight directions. Bubble Lead helps find hidden pits and is necessary to win the game. The Flash Stopper makes Quick Man’s stage a lot easier to get past. Item 2 is a sweet jet that makes some tricky platforming a non-factor. The Crash Bomber is useful to destroy barriers and is the only way to defeat one of the Wily bosses. All the other weapons have limited use outside of special situations.
The music is so good. Each stage has a real banger, with Dr. Wily’s first stage being one of the most iconic video game tunes in video game history. The addition of Energy Tanks is a nice bonus that helps take the edge off some sticky situations. If this is your first time playing, you’ll make some mistake that cuts you off from beating Wily without having to continue. But that’s okay, because making Wily kiss your robot boots is always entertaining, no matter how many times you try.
Graphics: 3.5
The graphics are slightly better than the original, but there’s some flickering and slowdown that pop up on occasion.
Sound: 4.0
If Mega Man 2 doesn’t have one of the finest soundtracks on NES, I’ll eat my hat. The only down marks come from some annoying sound effects, like after you beat Wily.
Gameplay: 4.0
The additions of the Items make for a fun way to overcome obstacles. You have to be near perfect with your jumps and timing.
Difficulty: 3.5
Ok, so I know it’s because I’ve played Mega Man 2 a million times, but it’s too easy for me now. For the blind player? Good luck!
Fun Factor: 4.0
Mega Man 2 is one of the most fun games on the NES.
Overall Grade: 3.8
Mega Man 2 earns an A. This is the highest rated game up until this point, but I don’t know how long it will stay at the top!