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Timeless level design; six classic 8-bit games; tons of concept art
Not much incentive for fans who have already played these games
There are few 8-bit icons as memorable and beloved as Mega Man. Since the NES days, Capcom’s Blue Bomber has been a staple of the industry, appearing in dozens of games across nearly every platform imaginable. Mega Man Legacy Collection brings together the character’s first six 8-bit outings, in a package that’s a must-have for fans, as well as those new to the franchise.
Capcom’s latest compilation perfectly emulates the original NES versions of each title. Mega Man 1-6 are all offered exactly as they originally appeared on the console, warts and all. On one hand, it might have been nice to see Capcom polish up the games a bit: the password save system is fairly antiquated, and enemy respawns can be frustrating at times. Purists would likely decry it, however. After all, the level design and gameplay still hold up very well. Newer fans will find the difficulty level can be a bit punishing at times, but there is a real sense of satisfaction to be found from defeating each of the many Robot Masters. It might take a few tries to figure out the best way to go about it, but that’s always been part of the charm of this series.
Legacy Collection offers some nice extras to fill out the overall compilation. All of the games feature a plethora of concept art, including the box art that the games had in each region. The box art is a really interesting addition; seeing Mega Man’s design evolve into the one fans are most familiar with really shows how far the franchise has come over the years! The game does offer 3D as an option, but the effect is limited and makes the already stiff difficulty level of the games in the package a bit harder when focus shifts to staying in the older 3DS’s “sweet spot.” The effect is better left turned off.
Capcom has released Mega Man Legacy Collection on 3DS in a couple of different formats. Fans can get the 3DS game by itself (for about the same cost of all six games individually on the Virtual Console), or they can pick up a limited collector’s edition. The collector’s edition is easily a better deal, offering a digital soundtrack, two 3DS themes, a set of postcards, stickers, and a gold Mega Man Amiibo. The game features a number of timed challenges based on the six games in the compilation, and the Amiibo unlocks eleven additional challenges. Fortunately, the regular Mega Man Amiibo also supports this feature, for those who already have it. The challenges are a nice addition, but nothing that Mega Man fans absolutely must play. The Amiibo challenges also have to be unlocked with a new scan every time the game is reset, which can be a bit frustrating.
The biggest problem with Mega Man Legacy Collection is the fact that it features a group of games that have been readily available in several different formats over the last decade or so. 2004 saw the release of Mega Man Anniversary Collection on Nintendo GameCube, and all six of the titles in Mega Man Legacy Collection are available on Wii, Wii U, and 3DS Virtual Consoles. Odds are, most Mega Man fans have already had plenty of opportunities to access these games. As a result, many will find the compilation a bit redundant, despite the extra features.
There are plenty of nitpicks that can be made about Mega Man Legacy Collection, but at its core, the title is a compilation of some of the best games of the 8-bit era. While there have been plenty of other ways to acquire these games in the past, it’s impossible not to give the game a high recommendation. There’s a reason the Blue Bomber has proven so enduring. Fans new to the series and those that have yet to experience the games will find a lot to love.
Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard criteria.
