Customer Reviews

Mega Man 3

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

MEGA MAN II is generally considered the breakout game for our titular blue bomber, and for good reason: it fixed all the problems found in the first Mega Man, and was one of the best games for the NES. Truthfully, it's the only Mega Man game I had for the NES in the late 1980s and early 1990s, though I played the first game quite a bit as well. As good as MMII is, is it really the best Mega Man game ever, let alone in the classic series?

If it weren't for MEGA MAN III, I would unequivocally say yes. MEGA MAN III is easily as good as MMII, and opens up the Mega Man gameplay, expanding Mega Man's repertoire.

Major new features introduced in MMIII
*Slide - Mega Man can now slide, creating new possibilities for level design.
*You can now carry up to 9 energy tanks, rather than 4 like MM II
*Due to the introduction of the Doc Robot levels, this is by far the longest of the six NES MM games.
*Rush, Mega Man's iconic robotic dog, makes his debut here.
*Proto Man, masquarding as the mysterious Break Man, debuts as well.
*Another notable feature is this is the first game that has accurate cover art on how Mega Man actually appears in the game. MM is notoriously bad cover art, and MMII's cover art has MM holding a gun rather than his arm cannon. Not bad but not great. This is definitely an improvement over the last two.

MMIII actually has the best story of all six NES titles. Dr. Light and Dr. Wily are working together to build a giant peace keeping robot named Gamma. However, the eight robot masters that the two designed to help keep the peace go beserk, stealing 8 power crystals. The two scientists quickly call Mega Man into action.

Mega Man must defeat the eight bosses to regain the crystals. This set of levels is probably my favorite in any Mega Man game. They're all very well designed, and just flat-out fun to play. The Shadow Man level and Snake Man level are both great.

But wait, there's more. After defeating the eight robot masters, four new levels open up (they are remixed or altnerate versions of four regular levels), and robot masters named Doc Robots are masters of these levels. There are two Doc Robots per level. While all the Doc Robots look the same, they are actually programmed to act like one of the robot masters in MEGA MAN II. When you reach the Doc Robot's lair, the sprite of one of the Mega Man II bosses descends from top of the screen down into Doc Robot, like the spirit of that perspective boss is inhabiting or animating the Doc Robot's body.

Once you defeat the 8 Doc Robot masters, another level opens in the center of the portrait page, entitled BreakMan. It is a simple one screen level, where you must fight ProtoMan. Ultimately, it is revealed Proto Man is Mega Man's brother, and built before Mega Man. Proto Man, who has been kept ambigious throughout the game, has been helping train Mega Man with each fight.

After you finish your training level with Proto Man, you now learn that Dr. Wily has stolen the power crystals Mega Man recovered, and has holed up in a new Skull Castle, intent on activating Gamma and reprogramming him to begin yet another attempt to take over the world via thru the campaign of bloody massacre or pogrom.

Wily's Castle features several cameos or references to the first two games.
*The famous Rock Monster (AKA the Yellow Devil) from the first game makes a return appearance, with a newly designed appearance.
*Gamma looks a lot like Gutsman (who, of all the villains in Mega Man, makes the most cameo appearances in other games, his likeness also appears as a Wiley Castle Boss in MMII).
*The boss guarding the transporter room in the fourth portion of Dr Wily throws rocks like Gutsman.
*Mega Man must fight his clone, just like the original MEGA MAN. This time around, there are three platforms, each with a separate clone. One clone is real, the other two holograms, and the real clone's location constantly changes between the three platforms.

The Dr. Wily stages are fun, although the last incarnation of Dr. Wily is the weakest of all six NES Wily bosses. With a single top spin, you destroy him.

The only two negative things I have to say about the game is this: the story is not really explained, and the inclusion of Top Man.

1. The story is the best in the NES Mega Man Games. With the other titles, you are given some cut scenes to tell what little story there is. In MM III, there are no cut scenes initially, so you don't really know the story. In fact, until you defeat BreakMan and the Dr Wily stage opens up (the Dr Wily levels is proceeded by a cut scene with Dr. Light and Mega Man, revealing Dr Wily is evil), you probably won't even now Dr Wily is supposed to be helping you. Granted, the game is longer than the other titles, so maybe they didn't have the memory to work with on extra cut scenes, given the NES's technical limitations. Still, given how it's the best story it's sad Capcom relied almost entirely on the game manual, which most NES players won't have access too, to advance the story.

2. Top Man. He's the most stupid robot master of the first three games, and his weapon is hard to figure out how to use. Once you do figure it out, its pretty useless with the sole exception of the last boss fight. The whole idea of "Top Man" as a robot master is pretty ridiculous, and is the first indication in the Classic Series that Capcom is beginning to run out of ideas for robot masters. This trend of borderline asinine robot masters would continue thru MM IV and V, and reach the absolute bottom of the barrel in MM VI (really, who the HELL thought of "Plant Man"?) A minor quibble, though, and don't let that distract you from all the game has to offer. It's a more important as an indicator of bad things to come for the series than really effecting this game's quality. Beginning cracks in the foundation, if you will.

Overall, I think this is easily one of Mega Man's best games, and is an essential purchase for NES and retro gamers, as well as Mega Man fans. As much as I like Mega Man II, I really think Mega Man III gives it a run for its money.

Though MMII is more important from a franchise historical pov as it was his first major hit game (MM was more of a sleeper hit), MM IIII takes everything about MMII and improves on it. This one definitely ups the ante, and the next three sequels simply can't compare it its genius or playability.

My first foray into the MM series was with MM 2, the flagship installment of this series. That sent me on a hunt to find MM 1, which did not hold a candle to it's successor. A friend of mine then beat me to the punch (18 years ago) and bought MM3. I was already a huge MM fan after only having played MM2 but MM3 only strengthened my allegiance.

MM3 follows the same basic premise as the previous two installments: beat a robot master and gain his powers to defat the next. The main antagonist is still Dr. Wily (when will he give up?). MM3 is much longer than its predecessor as you are forced to defeat a doppleganger-like robot that takes on the powers of the 8 robot bosses from MM2 in the Spark Man, Needle Man, Shadow Man and Needle Man stages. This is actually pretty annoying, but it was nice to see the old crew again! The 4 extra levels notwithstanding, I thought MM2 was tougher for some reason.

This game continues the high precedent set by MM2 (outstanding gameplay, phenomenal music, etc) and builds upon it by giving the Blue Bomber a slide move, which works to get you into tight places and as a speedier alternative to the standard running. This game also marks the first appearance of MM's dog Rush, and he proves to be very useful. Rush can take on the functionality of a jumping board called Rush Coil, which you are outfitted with from the jump. He also takes on the form of a jet (Rush Jet) and a submarine (Rush Submarine). In this installment, you are allowed a maximum of 9 energy tanks, which is a bit of overkill for the regular bosses but comes in handy in the final stages.

MM3 continues the tradition and there is no deviation in gameplay other than the new slide move. Nothing groundbreaking here, but then again, if you are considering a MM title, you know (and love) exactly what to expect.

Mega Man 3 is one of the best Mega Man games.
The main problems is that the story is poorly translated.
The music is great even if it is not as good as the second one.
The controls have been greatly improved because you can now slide. Sliding allows you to avoid certain attacks and do other actions.
THis game is extremely fun and much longer than the first two Mega Man games. This is a great game that everybody should play.
Username at Capcom City-Oncedead
Name-Matthew Smith

Man, I love this game! Well, anyway, on to my review!

Graphics 10/10: getting better and more cleaner!

Sound: 10/10: unchanged

Music 10/10: Oh man! This music is great! From the sad opening theme, to the upbeat boss select theme, it's all good! Oh, I love Protoman's whistle, too!

Gameplay:10/10: Cool! It introduces Rush, Mega Man's dog! He can transform into many things! Mega Man can also slide, too! Also, give a hand for Protoman! He will test your skill in some levels! After you kill all 8 bosses, you have to fight robots which have the moves of MM2's bosses! Fun!

Oh yeah! A masterpiece! I don't have the NES version, but I heard you can do some cheats with the second controller, too! Good luck!

The third time's the charm for Mega Man, and this is one of those games that strongly proves that statement. This remains as the most popular Mega Man entry to date probably because Mega Man by now was very popular among the fans and while I think this is a great game, sometimes people tend to overshadow later entries. In any case, Mega Man's back for a third helping of goodies and enemy bashing. Read on:

THE GOOD
TONS of more levels than the previous game. This game is harder in comparison to the second game (although easier if you use codes) and not only do you fight eight new robot masters, you have to tangle with Mega Man 2's bosses! The rock monster from the first game shows up again as well. Rush, your robot dog, is introduced here. Also introduced here is Mega Man's older brother Proto Man (disguised as Break Man initially...). Older, because he's a prototype. The music is very good for the series and many of the tunes including Spark Man and Snake Man stand out considerably. The best tunes are the title screen and the ending theme featuring Proto Man's whistle (AWESOME piece of music). The graphics are top notch for the NES and they would only improve...

THE BAD
I grew up with this game a lot and I really love it, but it does have a flaw that's a little hard to dismiss. Mega Man (1) and Mega Man 2 connected very well and Mega Man 4 really connects with 2. Unfortunately, this game doesn't connect as well with the aforementioned games, probably due to the music. I'm not quite sure why, but in whatever the case, I really hoped it would've connected better. Oh well.

OVERALL
What can I say? My personal favorite in the series and an NES gem. I love the Mega Man games a great deal and this one still upholds the tradition. Mega Man 4 would follow and also with stellar results. If you don't like this game, you know what that means... more copies for me!

This is a review of the MUSIC on this game! How many people would consider music on an old 8 bit video game as "art"? Yet listen to the opening titles and tell me if that isn;t the perfect example of working within limitations to produce excellent music!

The 8 bit NES was capable of producing only very limited sounds. Yet consider the beauty of the Proto Man theme, especially in the end sequence, with its reference to Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat"; or the thrilling sound of "Magnet Man" or "Spark Man", the latter of which ought to become a standard for musicians everywhere!

Play this game for the music! The MUSIC!!!

I got this game on my 10th birthday when I was in 4th grade I think... This was one of my favorite NES games, along with the 2nd one. If you haven't played the old school NES games, you have to. Personally I think that they are much more fun than any of the McMegaMan games Capcom has been putting out since.

Why wouldn't you love this game? Rush the robotic dog, your new ally, can transform into a springboard, submarine, or jet board! In addition to the standard "stop Wily" plot, there is a mysterious red stranger you will battle a few times. You'll even revisit stages and battle foes from Mega Man 2! There are even odd glitches you can pull off with a second controller (try holding right on Controller 2 and jump, and see what happens!)This is an easy game with many ways to cheat, but it's excellent. Once Wily is defeated, Mega Man narrowly escapes death (Wily wasn't so lucky, or was he?), and you'll learn the true identity of the red stranger. Got an NES? BUY THIS GAME!

In the late 80's, Nintendo ruled the world with its NES. Countless games had been released and created many memories for gamers around the world. The Mega Man series were running full steam thanks to the underground buzz of Mega Man and the breakout success of Mega Man 2. Revered for the classic shoot and jump game play, memorable Robot Masters and awesome music, the games were a joy to play through and Capcom had to keep up with the demand for more Mega Man games. After releasing a Mega Man title for the Game Boy, they headed back to the drawing board for 1990's Mega Man 3. It was at that point that many felt (including myself) the NES Mega Man series reached the highest point.

The story for Mega Man 3 goes like this: After being defeated twice, Dr. Wily decides to be a good guy and help Dr. Light create a new peace keeping robot for their world. In order for it to be fully powered, they send Mega Man to get energy crystals. Just as he leaves for his journey, robots go crazy and threaten to halt the introduction of the new robot. Now, Mega Man had to get the energy crystals and find out why the robots went crazy. Of course, in the end, Dr. Wily was behind the commotion and stole the robot so he can use it to take over the world. Surely, Mega Man stopped him......and found out that he had a brother, Proto Man.

The premise of Mega Man 3 is the same as the previous two entries: Choose one stage out of eight stages filled with enemies and a Robot Master. Get the special weapons from all Robot Masters by completing all eight stages. Next, you moved on to the next set of stages (four "Doc Robot" levels where you face off against robots "possessed" by the spirits of the Robot Masters from Mega Man 2.) Finally, after you clear one extra stage, you reach Dr. Wily's castle and this time it was made up of six stages. By the time you beat the game, you would have played through 19 stages, the most in a Mega Man game out of the entire NES series. There were new additions first introduced to the NES Mega Man series: the ability to slide through narrow gaps between walls, Mega Man's new sidekick (Rush the robot dog) who came with his own adapters that transformed him into various objects, the ability to save up to nine energy tanks and Proto Man, Mega Man's brother who first appeared in disguise as Break Man to test Mega Man. The password system returned to help save your progress so you can continue your game later.

The PROS: Mega Man 3 perfected everything that the Mega Man games were known for: a good story, excellent graphics, superb music, good sound effects, perfect controls and a difficulty level that wasn't too easy nor was it too overbearing. Capcom hit all the right notes with new Robot Masters (for the first time one of them was based on an animal, portraying a hint of what has yet to come), new stage layouts, appearances from Mega Man 2's Robot Masters, new abilities, new characters and the longest Mega Man game to grace the NES.

The CONS: While it was mentioned in the story, you never ever picked up the energy crystals so it was kind of weird. Some gamers noticed that with this game, the Robot Masters were more prone to receive damage because they didn't have a grace period between hits. This was weird to see but it was just a small fraction against the game since you still had to memorize the robot's attack pattern and avoid touching it.

Many gamers agreed that Mega Man 3 was another fun game to play starring the Blue Bomber. It sold very well and ensured that we would see him again. There are good reasons that Mega Man 3 in particular was and is still fondly remembered. All you have to do is play the game. For Mega Man fans, it was awesome. If you weren't a fan by the time it was released, then this game wouldn't sway your opinion. For those who missed out on any of the NES games, you did miss out. Get yourself a copy of this game through any of these methods: the actual cartridge, the Mega Man Anniversary Collection disk (PS2 or GC) or download this game for the Wii from the Virtual Console Cartridge for US $5.00 (500 points.) Any way you choose is worth it. I highly recommend it.

I think so. Here's why:

1. Builds on Mega Man 2's excellent gameplay - MM2 and MM3 are very similar in a lot of ways, but to me, this game captures the Mega Man series in full stride. The new elements (slide move, Rush equipment, Proto Man, ability to save more E tanks, etc), aren't major, but they add quite a bit.

2. Awesome Music - Even by Mega Man standards, the soundtrack is outstanding. My faves: Gemini Man theme, Top Man theme, Needle Man theme, and the ridiculously infectious Spark Man theme. Great in all regards.

3. Enemies - A smidge less cool than MM2 in this department, but still creative and fun. Admittedly Top Man is kind of a silly concept, but the others are pretty stellar. The weapons you earn by beating the bosses seem more widely useful and unique in this game - every weapon is effective. I even like the top spin (some think it useless, but it isn't).

This is a great example of why the NES is still cool: Tight gameplay, catchy soundtrack, and even some cool graphics (Shadow Man and Gemini Man have really trippy graphics for an NES game - very cool). I rank it in my top 5 NES consoles and first (by a hair) in the Mega Man series. Buy this game.