Customer Reviews

Mega Man Anniversary Collection

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This collection is awesome. It contains all the original NES Mega Man games (I - VI) along with the SNES Mega Man VII and the PSX Mega Man VIII. Also, it contains the Japanese-only Mega Man: The Power Battles and Mega Man: The Power Fighters arcade games as unlockables. That's not all though! An entire episode of the original Mega Man cartoon TV series, remixed music, and concept art are all unlockable as well!

There's so much entertainment value in this collection it's ridiculous. Each Mega Man game is incredibly entertaining (and frustrating!); let alone eight of them and two arcade games on ONE DISC. Ten complete games of this magnatude on a single disc is astounding and worth $50+ alone. The game is so cheap ($30 for brand new) because newer generation gamers expect Final Fantasy XII graphics, AI, music, etc so a collection of older games may not entice them. However, Mega Man Anniversary Collection will provide you with countless hours of gaming fun as you nostalgically play through some of the best NES games ever released, along with very fun SNES, PSX, and arcade games. The unlockable extras really add to the package and are actually worth unlocking.

Each game is left intact and its entirety, except for two additions that are some nice little pluses thrown in to the games. First, the games feature some nice newly remixed music. Not all of the games do, however (the first NES games only contain a few remixed tracks). Second, there's difficulty settings and a "Navi" mode (which can be enabled in the Options menu) that provides updated life-meters, tips, and more.

Load times are cut down to nothing, the menus for selecting which games to play along with options and such are simple and easy to use, and every game looks, acts, and feels exactly like they did as the originals. This is defintely an amazing package; it's 100% perfect all the way around.

The X series and Gameboy series aren't in this collection, but Mega Man Anniversary Collection is full enough with everything it offers straight off the bat and as unlockables. However, there's even a Gameboy Advance version of Mega Man Anniversary Collection containing the five original Mega Man Gameboy games, with extras! Capcom will surely notice how well this collection will sell (it's already been sold out in a lot of places; act quickly!) and eventually release the X games as a collection, possibly with even more games and extras included.

Mega Man Anniversary Collection is a must own for any Mega Man fan, platformer/action fan, or NES-nostalgia fan. Simply put, it's for any gamer who wants a good old-fashioned (albeit frustrating sometimes due to the difficulty...but that adds to the fun!) gaming time. These games stand up to the test of time like champions. If you want gorgeous graphics, go with Doom 3. If you want a strangely cheap, extremely entertaining and addictive, plain old FUN time, go with Mega Man Anniversary Collection.

Pick this up now for the cheap price! HIGHLY recommended!

So....a collection to finally show modern-day gamers how hard it was "back in the day" to play games. I'm not a kid and i can honestly say I thought the day would never come. Personally, i think players today are spoiled by cheats and secrets and such, that assist them in conquering a game. Code books, maps, walkthroughs, all that mumbo jumbo that just get people to the end of the game without the endless hours of practice...doing the level over and over and over and over......it was frustrating then, but beating a game was so much more satisfactory.

I remember the days when you had to sit down.....and beat a game in it's entirety (NES) in one sitting because you couldn't save! not so with the megaman series (part II and on), but that didn't necessarily make it easier. With lives popping out of thin air very rarely, you really had to learn the rhythm of each individual stage to avoid damage....as WELL as the bosses. You had to know which weapon worked best on each boss.....know which order to defeat them....learn the pattern of attack...and after 8 grueling stages and boss battles.....You still had Dr. Wily to tend to...which meant an additional 6-8 stages as well as playing each boss all over again including Dr. Wily himself!

This made you great. Hours of mashing buttons, playing the same levels over and over again, just to die 2 inches after the last place you fell, or were destroyed. I'm reading reviews of people saying that these levels are too hard, or the bosses seem impossible. Well kids, thats how it was then, when we were your age. If we can do it, so can you. Try spending less time whining and crying about the difficulty and put a little mroe focus in actually playing the game. You'll appreciate it alot more. ;-)

The original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was a strong system due to the classic game series that graced it. You had the great Zelda, Mario, Ninja Gaiden, and the RPG games like Final Fantasy and Dragonwarrior. Among my favorite series of all time happens to be the blue bomber (as we true fans called him), Mega Man. There were six on the NES as well as the 7th one for Super Nintendo and the eighth one for PlayStation. For years I anticipated a treatment like they did for Mario All-Stars (although they made The Wily Wars for Genesis, which had the first three, but that wasn't enough...), and I finally got my wish... all eight original games on one disc.

THE GOOD
Not ONLY do you get the original games on the one disc, you ALSO get the two previously Japan-only arcade games, Mega Man: The Power Battles and Mega Man: The Power Fighters. The arcade games you must unlock before playing. I don't see that as a drawback because gamers must experience the original games (especially you poor gamers that didn't grow up playing it). Most of the music in the first 6 games are remixed, most of them sounding quite good; the music in Mega Mans 5 and 6 are VASTLY improved over their original counterparts. Not only that, but you have the option of playing the games in their original forms as well. Mega Man 8 doesn't change much, but remember its crappy load time between sections? GONE. The game loads very quick-paced, and I am forever grateful to those involved with the game that eliminated it. Another secret you can unlock---and this surprised me---is the first episode of the short-lived Mega Man cartoon series (y'know, the one with Mega Man voiced by a GUY, and he was also Goku??). Not just a clip, not a collection of clips, THE ENTIRE EPISODE. That's the best secret to unlock aside from the arcade games. Also included amongst the secrets are picture sets of early drafts of characters, titles, and so forth (one of the original names for Mega Man is "Knuckle Kid." What a weird name.).

THE BAD
There's few wrongs with this game, but I mention them nonetheless. First off, when I said MOST of the music is remixed, by that I mean that Mega Mans 4,5, and 6 have totally remixed music but the first three do not. You'll hear, for example, Cut Man's theme and then when the boss music comes up, it's the original 6-bit music. Not necessarily bad, but I do wish they would've remixed every piece of music. Also, most of the secrets not mentioned in THE GOOD are mostly remixed music that has nothing to do with the series. Also, and I didn't see this as a terrible thing since the controls are set in my preference anyhow, but you can't change the control scheme. That might irritate some people, but thankfully, it didn't irritate me.

OVERALL
I didn't find much wrong with this game. It's a great anniversary edition of gamers' favorite blue bomber, and I'm glad that they finally brought them over to the PlayStation 2 and Gamecube for all gamers to play (Xbox, however, got the shaft.). Not only that, but it's only around $30. That's a GREAT price for 10 classic games on one disc. New gamers, do have the patience and the initiative to try out this collection. It's a piece of gaming history and my generation of gamers understand what I mean by saying that this is one of the best game series to ever enter our fertile imaginations.

I recently hauled out my old NES and SNES to play some old school games. Since I grew up on these machines, I really appreciate the simple controls and gameplay they offer, despite the stone age graphics and sound. I loved the original Mega Man series on the NES and just had to get this for PS2 when I heard it was coming out.

I played all 6 originals, but only owned 2 thru 5, so it is great to own those that I never had. After playing them again, I just can't believe how wonderful play control is in these original games. I don't think there are any games produced since with control this tight and crisp. I think the original 6 games have better control than 7 and 8.

Some notes on each game:

MM1-This game makes me realize why I don't get upset at games as much anymore. This game is so difficult and frustrating, I still haven't been able to finish it. No E-tanks, no slide, no Megabuster, just jump, run, and shoot.
MM2-This is the first Mega Man game I ever played as a kid. I loved it then and still love it now.
MM3-Probably my favorite of the original 6 games. The tunes are the most memorable. The stages where you face the MM2 robots are quite irritating.
MM4, MM5, MM6-All similar games, all very good but not quite as good as 2 and 3. 4 is probably most difficult, followed by 6 then 5.
MM7 and MM8-I had never played these in the past. I have played both a little, and they are not as good as the NES releases. More modern technology made these much more complicated than the originals. You can't just pick up and play them and expect to get very far.

This is overall a great collection, and I had been waiting for something like this probably since the original Playstation was released.

For fifthteen years, Capcom has kept the Megaman series alive by consistently giving us Megaman game one after another. The series was so well taken, that spins off the game were created. But no matter how many games there have been using the same formula; there is all but a singular series that makes it work so good and it all started on the 8-bith Nintendo Entertainment System. For the first time, long-time and newcoming fans have been given a royal treat, all eight Megaman games on one disc.

The plot is pretty much identical through the course of all eight games, Dr. Light created two coexisting robots who lived in harmony and peace, their names were Rock and Roll(Get it). Then, the nemesis rival of Dr. Light, Dr. Wily, created eight robots of his own. With the fear of terror on the way, Dr. Light rebuilds Rock into a major fighting machine known to you and me as Megaman.

The Megaman games have a certain style that differentiates from other action games. You start off by selecting one of eight side-scrolling 2-D stages, from there after passing the level you come across the boss of each stage. The boss fights usually resulted in having to logically find a pattern or strategic method of gaining success. This sometimes was something as simple as using a certain weapon that would counter-attack the boss' abilities. When you defeat a boss you can use their signature weapon for later use, after all eight stages have been trampled it's then time to head off towards Dr. Wilys' main fotress.

It would be all too easy yet unfabashed to say these games are way behind the times. I'll be fair, and I believe anyone who is going into playing this little collection should. The graphics are 2-D levels with some momentarily parallex. The sprites are very basic as are the locations since they are seperated accordingly to theme, there are 'snow levels', 'fire levels', 'factory levels', 'mountain levels', 'air levels', etc. The original Megaman may not hold a torch compared to the modern marvel of today's games...it was a work of art at its' time and I assure you that Gutsman and Cutman were very good character designs, ones that still up-to-this day are eye-catchy. Megaman 2 had the most memorable intro of the bunch, after a small script introduces the game, Megaman can be seen atop a skyscraper with the equally awesome disco-savvy theme song kicking in. Megaman 3 introduced the sliding manuever while Megaman 4 brought forth extra animation for Megaman including the charge shot. The two most different looking games are Megaman 7, a release on Super Nintendo Entertainment System --the graphics were touched up, the storyline a bit beefier and the enemies were much smarter. And then there was Megaman 8, complete with anime-like cut-scenes and beautiful hand-drawn 2-D visuals.

I think for 30 dollars or probably even less, you cannot go wrong with buying Capcoms' lovely little compilation set. There are eight games here, all fun to play, I swear you'll say only one more level, then I'll quit and then find yourself up until 3 in the morning trying to beat Wily. There are two bonus arcade games never before seen in the U.S., of course you'll have to complete all eight games before you can unlock them. Trust me, it can be done, if you have a hard time with any of the games don't blame the controls. Capcom set-up a very easy system brought down to just jump, slide, shoot and run, so you have only yourself to reprehend. In a day and age full of online-gaming, advance graphics and hybrid genres, it's fastidious to sit down and play a celebrated package of games like this. Rather you pitch new school or old school; Megaman is truly one of the most revolutionary series and should be given the time of day from you.

Megaman Anniversary Collection is quite possibly the best game compilation ever. All eight console Megaman games are included plus two arcade ports from Japan. On top of that there's artwork to be seen, remixed music to hear, a producer interview for the Gamecube version, the Megaman "anime" for the PS2, (the "anime" in question is actually an episode from the crappy American cartoon from the U.S.) and both for the Xbox. Capcom released Megaman Anniversay Collection on June 22nd, 2004 for GCN and PS2 and on Xbox on March 15th, 2005. I just couldn't wait...

Here's a synopsis of what you're getting:

Megaman - This is the rock-hard game that started it all back in 1987 on the NES. At the time of its release it was cutting edge.

Megaman 2 - The greatest Megaman game of all time! Even the series creator Keiji Inafune thinks so. MM2 perfected the Megaman formula, gave us two difficulty settings, has some of the best game music EVER, and a killer ending. If you play any Megaman game, play this one.

Megaman 3 - In contention for the title of best Megaman ever. Some fans like their Megaman a little harder and a little longer. This game also introduces the slide move and Rush the robodog.

Megaman 4, 5 and 6 - these are like extensions of Megaman 3 with steadily improving graphics. All good in their own right.

Megaman 7 - Megaman goes 16-bit on the SNES in 1995. One of the great platformers for SNES. This is the game that introduces the character of Bass.

Megaman 8 - Megaman goes 32-bit in one of the last great 2D platformers. This game features anime cut scenes and fantastic visuals. This might actually be my favorite game in the series, but one sore point; the Anniversary Collection emulates the inferior PS version of MM8, I don't understand why the Saturn version wasn't used.

Megaman:The Power Battle + Megaman:Power Fighters - These are coin-ops that were previously found only in Japan. If you beat all 8 bosses in MM3 you unlock Power Battle. If you beat all 8 bosses in MM7 you get Power Fighters. These unlockables are basically fighting-style arcade games. It's nice two have some 2-player games included.

No matter what system you own Anniversary Collection is a great value, especially if you've never played a Megaman game before. But beware, if you're a long-time fan you will be frustrated by the Gamecube's control scheme: The jump and fire buttons are reversed and there's no option available to change it. I don't see how such a simple design flaw could be overlooked, in any case; the PS2 or Xbox version is the way to go if you're stuck on the classic control scheme; the Xbox version being far and away the best due to improved extras... too bad I couldn't wait for it. GCN:B+ PS2:A- Xbox:A

Mega Man might be old, but he's one tough little midget. Back in his heyday, he ran through a gauntlet of action platformers, foiling the ever-nefarious Dr. Wily and his band of unique henchmen over and over again. Unfortunately, there was one recurring frustration with Mega Man: his adventures had become too repetitive, each new game simply a mirror of the last.
In an ironic effort to keep the fading series fresh, Mega Man is constantly being re-imagined. Over the past few years, we've seen Mega Man X, Mega Man Legends, Mega Man EXE, Mega Man Zero, Mega Man Soccer, and coming soon, a Mega Man RPG. Cripes! All this for a robot-kid who didn't learn how to duck until Mega Man X5, some 20 games into the series? Rather than keep us interested, this overbearing diversity is enough to make us long for the simple action of the original games.

But have heart, young gunners - Mega Man Anniversary Collection hops aboard the time travel express and offers a nostalgic trip back to the classic Mega Man games. Newcomers might not get misty-eyed, but even they can't argue with the value-minded price. The collection includes all the classic games, Mega Man 1 through Mega Man 8, plus two average fighting games never before released in the U.S.

For newbies who don't know much about the series, Mega Man is a blue robot with a heart of gold. In Japan, his name was Rock Man. His sister robot was named Roll. Rock and Roll. Oh, the wit.

Anyway, Mega Man repeatedly fights against Dr. Wily, a crazed inventor who fashions eight evil robots of various talents. By beating these robots, Mega Man earns their weaponry, each of which is effective against some other major baddie. Eventually, Mega Man throws down against Wily in the evil scientist's skull fortress. Wily gets whooped, promises to always be good, brush his teeth, and never again wrong the world'and five seconds later, he does it again.

The good news is that there are no emulation problems in this collection - expect perfect 8-, 16- and 32-bit recreations all the way. You jump, you shoot, you gain new abilities, you jump and shoot some more. The games play just as they did originally, which means they're still hard, fun and classic.

That being said, some of the games are better than others. The original Mega Man was difficult and not particularly fun, and the same holds true today. Things pick up in Mega Man 2, 3 and 4, where the series truly found its groove and defined itself as a top-notch platformer.

Much of that has to do with the robots. Some of them look sharp, like the wicked Pharaoh Man and Snake Man, while others look improbably ridiculous, like the moronic Clown Man. As is usually the case with a series that has stuck around a little too long, the designs get less original and more far fetched as the years pass. The best robot designs, unsurprisingly, are in Mega Man 2, 3, and 4. With each new iteration, you can see Dr. Wily losing it more and more. Flower Man? Top Man? Wily, please.

Really only a few changes have been made to the games and they're very minor. The Navi remix mode that first appeared in Mega Man 8 is now in every game, which overlays intermittent, non-invasive directional arrows to help keep you from going the wrong way. Navi mode also replaces the original 8-bit midi tracks with actual instruments. The 8-bit versions still sound more fitting, but the remixes certainly aren't a problem.

A new quicksave memory card system has been grafted over the old password system, allowing easy automatic saves instead of the tedium of writing down all the grid information. Purists can still enter in the old passwords or start over if they die, however.

The interface wrapping everything together is kind of neat as well; instead of a normal menu, Mega Man runs through doors marked with the various games and options. While superficially clever, much more could have been done with this. Why not a museum for Mega Man to wander through?

It's a little hard to quibble about "extras' in a collection of this size, however. Mega Man Anniversary Collection does include plenty of art and audio to unlock as well as the two unreleased fighting games, both of which are pretty bad. The PS2 also enjoys a Mega Man cartoon episode.

For $30, there's no cheaper way to re-experience Capcom's mega-past. Though the series is pretty much stale these days, that wasn't always the case, and the Mega Man Anniversary Collection serves as a reminder that while the games might feel a little dated, the Blue Bomber still has some fight left.

About 2 years ago i was trying to buy all my nintendo games back. And when i saw how expensive the megaman games were (up to $20 a game) I thought I'd never get the whole collection. But this is unbelievable. There are 8 megaman games and 2 international ones. They are exactly like the nintendo games, sound, quality. There is a huge plus, you can save them!! Love it, i'm so happy i bought this.

man has really been this long since i have played the first mega man game way back on the NES? well i guess it has. this collection simply put is one of the best compilations of a game series ever made.
This collection gives you every mega man that was ever made on the NES and the SNES(mega man 1-8) plus two additional "mini-games". and it includes a full length episode of the mega man cartoon show (which must be unlocked first). those familiar with the series will definitely love this collection. however its not for every one. the early games in the series tend to be a bit hard and can be very frustrating.
over all this is one of the best games i have ever bought. and especially with such a low price tag should be a part of every body's video game library

Many people will probably look at this game and just think whats the point. A simple 2D side-scrolling platform has the appeal of a walnut to a wolf. But to old school gamers this is our meat and potatos. For those of us that were sick to death of bashing bricks with our skulls and crushing mushrooms the Megaman series was our deliverance. I loved everyone of these games as a kid and I forgot about that until recently. I probably haven't played a side-scrolling game in over 12 years, adjusting to that alone was a challenge. Then after a few hours of playing my thumbs really start to hurt a strange yet oddly familiar type of pain. This created a strange nostalgia which may have been the true source of my enjoyment. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone born after 94 but to any of us older gamers out there who started with pong, atari, caleco vision, and finally cut your teeth with MegaMan, it's definitely worth a 5 day rental at least.