Mega Man Series Guide

Few video game series have had as many different incarnations as Mega Man. From all the way back in 1987, the blue bomber has starred in countless games. Over the years, his appearance has changed quite a bit. Let's delve into the various series featuring this enthralling character.

Mega Man- The original. In the year 200X, robots are commonplace, made to help humans in their everyday lives. This amazing breakthrough in technology was heralded by brilliant scientist Doctor Thomas Light. Unfortunately, his assistant Albert Wily was tired of his getting all the credit, and soon took six of Light's robots and reprogrammed them to turn against mankind and help him conquer the world. To combat the maniacal scientist's newfound evil forces, Dr. Light converts his lab assistant Rock into super fighting robot Mega Man. The gameplay was quite simple: one traveled as Mega Man through six different worlds, facing each of Wily's six robots along the way. After each one was defeated, you gained their power, which could then be used against the others. The series lasted until 1998, when it simply stopped, no logical conclusion to the story.

Mega Man X- Set 100 years after the original series. All of our beloved characters are gone, lost to time. Scientist Dr. Cain uncovers a mysterious capsule containing Dr. Light's final creation: Mega Man X. Amazed by the doctor's designs, Cain set out to create similar robots who could have a sense of right and wrong. This proved disasterous, as soon a virus spread throughout the robots'--called repolids--ranks, causing them to malfunction and cause chaos the world over. As a result, the Maverick Hunters were formed, and Mega Man, his new friend Zero, and a group of other robots are sent to hunt them down, including their powerful leader Sigma. It's widely regarded as the most popular series, taking the formula of the original and expanding it into an amazing new world. It too suddenly stopped without a logical wrap-up to the story, not even delving fully into details on what happened in the 100 year period between this series and the original.

Mega Man Legends- Mega Man had hit 3D. This series was set an unspecified number of years after the X series, and featured Mega Man Volnutt and his sister Roll as they traveled the world in search of a grand treasure. Along the way they encounter a group of pirates known as the Bonnes and the adventure of a lifetime. The series played significantly different than it's predecessors, as well as having no clear connections with said series outside of the name. In true Mega Man fashion, the series ended after 2 games on a horrible cliffhanger. Unfortunately, due to low sales, the likelihood of seeing it resolved is quite low.

Mega Man Battle Network- Mega Man made his way to the Game Boy Advance in this series of RPG games. The world has gone from robots to computer technology, and almost everything is run by it, from televisions to toasters. Of course in the Mega Man world, you can expect a virus to go around causing havoc. Lan Hikari and his Net Navi (a type of computer AI) Mega Man set out to stop these viruses from running amok and causing trouble. The series proved to be a smash hit, enough to warrant six games and several spin offs. Unlike the platforming games of years past, this series was in RPG format, a move that alienated several fans. Unlike the other series, this is the only one featuring a solid ending.

Mega Man Zero- The only series that doesn't star Mega Man, oddly enough. Zero of Mega Man X fame has awakened in the future, one in which the organization Neo Arcadia is destroying reploids in fear of them eventually going maverick. The gameplay was similar to platforming games of old, but the series was often criticized for being too difficult. It ended after 4 games.

Mega Man ZX- ZX chronicles the story of various young boys and girls who have stumbled across mysterious biometals that allow them to transform into Mega Man (depite their gender, apparently). The gameplay is quite similar to that of other Mega Man platformers, as characters traverse across a large map system, taking missions and doing battle with "pseudoroids" to help save the world. The second game of the series, Advent, is scheduled for release this month.

Mega Man Star Force- Set in a world similar to that of Battle Network (with nearly identical gameplay), the world is now networked through EM waves. Geo Stelar was a normal boy until he encounters an alien creature known as Omega-Xis, who is on the run from his home planet after stealing something called the Andromeda Key. FM-ians, beings hailing from the same planet as Omega-Xis, come to earth to cause trouble, and it's up to Geo and Omega-Xis to merge together into the hero Mega Man and stop them. As was said, the gameplay is almost identical to the Battle Network series, causing many to see it as a logical extension of said series. Only one game has been released thus far, with a sequel reportedly on the way.

Yes, Mega Man has quite the resume, from robotic hero to robot hunter to treasure seeker to alien/human hybrid. As he enters his 20th year, there appears to be no signs of the series slowing down. What new adventures will we be seeing from the blue bomber in the future? Only time will tell.