Game Review: Megaman Zero 3 (GBA)

Introduction
Megaman/Rockman Zero 3, the 3rd installment of the MMZ series is what we've all been waiting for. Following off the storyline of MMZ 2, this is a great game with good points in every factor, and it's not just one of those sequels publishers release every 3 months to try keep the hype back up about the good original game. This series actually lives up to the good standard it set itself when the first title was released.

Game Play - 9/10
One great thing about this series is that Capcom has decided to keep the same style of play, with Side-Scrolling-Hack'n'Slash game play. You control Zero through various stages each with increasing difficulty, where you dice up enemies, collect E-Crystals/Disks, beat the sub-boss, fight the Stage Boss and get a Rank according to your performance. After each mission you are transported to the Resistance Base where you can interact with other characters, pick up freebies they give out, get information and teleport to various areas you've already covered to pick up any goods you've missed.

Zero can make use of different Weapons, techniques, wear different gear and use 'Cyber-elves', which boost his stats or alter the stage to the player's benefit. The style of play is simple, allowing new gamers to just pick the game up and master the basics, yet it will keep older MMZ fans satisfied with the same engine we're all used to.

Aside from the usual storyline/soundtrack/enemy change, MMZ 3 does have some more features. The "Cyber-Elf" system has changed along with some of your weapons and skills, but there are more additional features like the new mini-games you get when you finish the game and meet specific requirements. There is a "Cyber Space" section in every mission which you can choose to (or not to) enter. Once in this 'alternate' world, all your cyber-elves are automatically fusioned into Zero, giving you a great boost to your stats and ability.

Normally when you use Cyber Elves out of this alternate (and Matrix-Esque) world they get used up permanently, but when you enter this world they are temporarily fused into your body, and the effects wear off when you leave Cyber Space. Enemies also seem to drop more E-Crystals and Health in this world, making it much easier for less-experienced players. Although it sounds like a great feature, at the end of each mission your score is reduced by quite a bit. Players trying to obtain EX-Skills may find it hard to keep their score up this way, so it's best if you go into cyber space after you run through the mission and get a good ranking.

Secret Disks are also scattered all around the MMZ 3 world, which is something different from MMZ 1/2, and you can get various power-ups, cyber elves, enemy data and armor upgrades if you pick them up. There are 180 in total, and you probably won't be able to obtain them all in one run, so it also adds on to the replay-feature of this game.

Control - 9/10
The controls in this game are smooth and easy to master. You use the D-Pad to run, the A button to jump, B to shoot/use weapon, L to dash and R B to switch between your secondary/primary weapons. These controls can be configured as you wish, so the game handles really well.

Story - 8/10
Although you will probably have to have played most of the Rockman games plus the MMZ games to fully appreciate the story, new gamers will find the plot pretty deep and intricate. There is a great history behind the big story, and the interesting characters help fuel the drama. The conversations and storyline are a bit darker and more mature than your average MMZ game (IMO, that is), but it's what makes it different from all the rest of them beat-'em-up-and-save-the-day games.

Sound - 7.5/10
I'm not really a big fan of soundtracks in portable games, but MMZ 3 manages to keep the player going through the game. There's a darkish-action movie kinda theme running in the background when you play, and while it's not anything special, you'll still want to keep the volume up while playing this to get into the mood.

Graphics - 9/10
One of the great things that separate the MMZ series with the Megaman series is the graphics. I love the sprites of the characters, especially the various bosses you fight. It's not 'Freezeman' or 'Flameman' with their 8 bit digital suits you fight now, but instead you battle bosses with names like 'Chilldre Inarabitta' and 'Hellbat Silt' with various pipes and detachable heads that look like they've come straight from an Alien movie. The character models are colorful, imaginative and move fluidly and although MMZ 3 is a 2D side scroller, the sprites of enemies, bosses and characters feel 3D; they limp, jump, roll, hang and when you slice them open you get a brief glimpse into their mechanical organs.

I've played through dozens of side scrollers where the designers decide to loop one bit of continuous scenery in the background like some Tom and Jerry cartoon, but here in MMZ 3 the backgrounds in this game fit perfectly with the mood and the setting, and they're constantly changing so you can walk into an identical room and still feel like you've never been there before.

Replay Value - 9.5/10
This is where MMZ 3 shines.You won't be able to beat this game in one sitting and get all the good parts out of it. You'll want to go back to each mission and explore every hidden area for disks, E-Crystals and try improving your rank to obtain the different Ex-Skills. You'll get different mini-games after you run through the game and accomplish various requirements, and there's also the option of a sort of New Game . There is also an "Ultimate Mode" once you collect all 180 secret disks, where you start the game over with every Cyber Elf fused to your body, and you get no penalties at the end of missions for it. You get different combos as well to activate your weapon charges, and it's all the more reason to run through the game over and over to try get the best out of it.

Final Score - 8/10
This is an excellent game with a great replay value, storyline and controls. It's a perfect addition to the MMZ series and will appeal to both fans and non-fans alike. What put other gamers off from the previous MMZ games was the difficulty, and although this game has been slightly toned down for difficulty, fans will still enjoy the simple engine that makes this game great. So go out now and buy it.