Mega Man Anniversary Collection

by Capcom

Product Features

• 10 Mega Man games on one disk: Mega Man 1 through Mega Man 8
• Two never before released in the US Mega Man arcade games: Mega Man the Power Battle and Mega Man 2 the Power Fighters
• Additional content - Unlock hidden original artwork, producer interviews (GameCube only)
• Over 30 original artwork selections.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00019AZC8
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches ; 1 pounds
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 3, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,887 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Mega Man Compilation disc, put together in celebration of Mega Man's 15th birthday. Paying tribute to Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, Capcom's Mega Man Anniversary Collection anthology set will collect Mega Man 1 through 8 in a single package in addition to two arcade titles never before released in the U.S., Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man: The Power Fighters. In addition to an updated soundtrack, fans of the blue hero will also find a cache of unlockable bonus features that include 30 minutes of anime (PlayStation 2 version), producer interviews (GameCube version) and a history of the series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Better Compilations, October 5, 2005

By 

R.A. McKenzie (New York) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Mega Man Anniversary Collection (Video Game)

NOTE - I have not played much of the PS2 version of "Mega Man Anniversary Collection", but I have noticed the controller is much easier to use than the GameCube's. If you're interested in this title, the technical aspects of both versions should be identical.

REVIEW
Just how much fun is it to play that old-school, side-scrolling, blue bomber anyway? These games have not lost their touch at all. Both gamers who suffer from incurable nostalgia (like me) and those of the next-gen consoles (like most of today's generation) can enjoy this compilation.

The basic premise for this series is that as Mega Man, you will complete from 4-to-8 stages (depending on the game), each with plenty of side-scrolling shooting your way through robot enemies and jumping exercises, and each ending with a Boss battle. You must choose wisely, though, because although you can finish them in any order, certain bosses' weapons have a distinct advantage over another. After defeating these foes, Dr. Wily awaits Mega Man at his castle, which will require every weapon you've just gained to progress. It is this freedom-of-choice that gives the "Mega Man" franchise such a proud place in gaming history.

What Capcom did right with this series is not incorporate too many new features that weren't already in the games. For example, you won't be able to Slide until the 3rd game, nor will you charge up your Mega Buster until the 4th game. These games are properly ported form their original versions.
Sure, there are a few touches here and there. There isn't as much framerate slowdown as before, a useless map is now added to the PAUSE Menu, and the timeline references ("20XX") match today's timeline ("2004"). The best addition is a SAVE feature, that allows you to avoid those annoying Passwords, and just jump right where you left off. You'll lose you acquired Lives and E-Tanks, but the level-and-weapon status remains intact.

Many consider the first 3 games to be the classic titles.
The first "Mega Man" is still the hardest of them all. The enemies are unrelenting, and I've read that there used to be a Boss glitch that Capcom removed, forcing you to use your skills even more. Although basic in concept, the challenge is very unforgiving in some levels. This game is hard.

"Mega Man 2" is my favorite of them all, because the music is catchy as hell, plus the bosses and levels are expertly designed. For those who've played this game before, the fourth Dr. Wily boss is still a pain-in-the-ass though.

"Mega Man 3" is by far the longest in the series, as you'll battle 8 original bosses, then the 8 from "Mega Man 2", then tackle Dr. Wily's 6 stages of combat. This entry is also a little tough, because you're gonna have to be extra-smart to make it through this one.

Most fans consider the next three games ("Mega Man" 4,5,6) to be the money-making sequels. Back in the day, I would agree, but since the price of this disc is less than these 3 titles combined at original price, I won't complain. Also, they're so much fun that how can you resist the technical improvements.

The 4th game is when the powers and upgrades become more plentiful. Eight more levels await, and this time there are actually 2 castles to shoot your way through. This one holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first one I ever beat.

"Mega Man 5" and "Mega Man 6" share many similiarities. Both games start off with 8 robot bosses, then reveal the supposed enemy's castle of 4 stages, only to expose that Dr. Wily was behind it all, and give us a few more stages to battle through. The stories are a joke, but who's reading anyway. But neither of these games are bad at all, and proudly earn their spots in the classic NES sextilogy.

"Mega Man 7" was the SNES game that reinvigorated the franchise for many fans. Better graphics and sound quality, not to mention some unique bosses, gave this series some more life. To be honest, I think this game runs a little slower than my taste, as the NES games are much more faster-paced. Still, a worthy entry,

The 8th game was released on the PS-one, and to be honest, I haven't beaten it yet because the stages are truly mind-boggling in puzzles and challenging with their platforming sections. I'm having a great time with it, though, and eagerly await the concluding obstacles...

There are even two bonus fighting games that aren't too bad. They're both themed after the 8 previous games, and allow Mega Man, his brother Proto Man, and newfound ally Bass, to face off in classic Capcom 2D fighting. Think "Street Fighter" with "Mega Man" weapons.

Included on this disc are some bogus extra features that I could do without, but that's not why you buy collections like this. "Mega Man Anniversary Collection" is all about the evolution of gaming. The action of these titles was deceptively simple, and I have no problem recommending this disc to anybody. My minor quibble with this game is that the GameCube controller's D-Pad is too damn small, but that's a problem I can overlook. I'm recommending people buy this collection of titles because they are all about gaming. You won't find "Metal Gear Solid"-like complicated stories, or "Final Fantasy"-like levelling up, or "Resident Evil"-like puzzles. All of those are great titles, but "Mega Man" is much simpler. All you need are two hands, keen eyes, and a hunger to execute these commands..."Run---Jump---Shoot". Can you do that? Good, now stop reading my review and buy this already!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NnyCW for Capcom City, June 9, 2005

By 

momkidsweb (Racine, WI) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Mega Man Anniversary Collection (Video Game)

Mega Man Anniversary Collection takes the original 8 Mega Man games, throws in two arcade Mega Man games (one unrealesed in the USA until now) and combine them all to form one hell of a great Mega Man package. Then Capeven added Navi mode to all eight games (something that was added later in the series, and can be turned off if you want to play them as they originally were) added re-mixed music, and added in a save feature to replace the pass codes from the old games. The GCN version includes an interview with the creator of Mega Man.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every series should do this..., June 5, 2004

By 

rodge2001 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mega Man Anniversary Collection (Video Game)

First off, could you people remember to give the product some stars!?! You're killing its rating by giving it a praising review BUT not giving it any stars! Plus, this is all Capcom's doing, not Nintendo's. When it comes to releasing classics, Nintendo sucks. Just look at the overpriced, one game per cartridge "classic" series for Gameboy Advance. Or the Zelda compilation disc for GameCube that doesn't even have the SuperNES Zelda: A Link To The Past. Plus, you HAD to buy a GameCube to even get it.

As for MegaMan fans, this is a must. These game are better than anything recent from the series. MegaMen 1-6 were on the NES. Megaman 7 was on the SuperNES. MegaMan 8 was on the PlayStation. The other two game are arcade titles. It is worth it just for the 8 original games.

The NES MegaMen will set you back around $10-$20 for each NES cartridge. MegaMan 7 (along with the other SuperNES Megamen X, X2, X3) will set you back anywhere from $20-$100 a piece!!!! This compilation is a godsend form Capcom. Nintendo could learn a few things.