Retro Review: Mega Man (GB)

Player(s): 1
Platforms: Game Boy, 3DS (Virtual Console)

With the popularity of the Game Boy system, Capcom decided they wanted to capitalize on this by releasing a portable series to coincide with the console counterparts of Mega Man.

The size of everything feels right.

Mega Man (or Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge as it’s known here) is an interesting mix of the first two console games. Rather than creating a completely original game, the team behind this game ended up rehashing a lot of what has already been presented. I suspect this was done to make sure that players who didn’t have access to the NES could still experience the core of what made up the console versions. Despite this leading philosophy there are still some changes that are made.

The game starts off with you choosing between 4 of the Robot Masters from Mega Man on the NES. Their stages are heavily based on their NES counterparts, with modifications to better fit the screen size and hardware limitations of the Game Boy. Since the level design is re-done to cater to the system, it doesn’t feel weird or out of place. In fact, in some cases, it feels even better than the original game. This careful design approach applies to the game as a whole. The enemies are modified appropriately and the bosses are as well. All of this comes together to create a very enjoyable experience.

These Robot Masters look awfully familiar...

The password system that was introduced in Mega Man 2 to save progress is utilized here as well, encouraging the sort of burst play that portal gaming was designed for. This may not sound like much now, but it’s important to note that back then the Game Boy was the system that was establishing the norm for portable gaming as a whole. If you are playing this on the 3DS, then you are provided with the ability to create a save state, ridding the need for passwords beyond skipping content.

As you progress, you will go through Wily’s stages as normal, but in an odd twist you don’t face the same Robot Masters again near the end of his stages. Instead, you face 4 of the Robot Masters from Mega Man 2. Unfortunately, there are no stages linked to these fights, but you do get to copy their abilities which is a nice touch. After these fights you face the only new character in this game: Enker the Mega Man Killer. He has a unique attack pattern that had not been explored in the series up to that point, making him one of the most fun fights in the franchise during its release. To top it off, you get his power! The end fight is nothing unique though, being very similar to the Wily fights we’ve seen on the console versions already.

Jump and shoot man doing what he does best!

The game controls well and felt more responsive to me than the original game on the NES. While the game controls wonderfully on the Game Boy, I had issue with the 3DS version. It’s not that the controls are unresponsive, but rather that the button layout is awkward. Controlling movement is great, since you have the option of using either the D-pad or the Circle Pad. The issue is with the jumping and shooting. Since the 3DS is a 4-button system, it’s designed to have Y and B to be the main buttons you press with your thumb. This game forces the original button assignment, meaning you’ll be pressing B and A. I found that my hand would cramp a little due to constantly pressing both of those buttons. If they had allowed you to map the buttons this would be a non-issue. Ultimately it isn’t a huge problem, but it is something to note if you plan on playing on the 3DS. If you have access to both the GB family and 3DS family, I’d recommend considering the original cartridge in order to avoid this problem.

The music is slightly remixed from the games it’s based on, and still sounds solid. The issue is with the sound effects. They don’t sound bad, but the GB wasn’t able to do as many simultaneous sound effects as the NES, causing some sound effects to just mute the game or override another sound. The game should sound great by all rights, but this blemish due to hardware limitations causes it to become a disjointed experience.

The amount of detail they pulled off is surprising.

In the end, no matter what version you get, you’ll be getting a solid entry in the franchise that is fun and appropriately challenging through and through. The game is a tad bit shorter than the console games, at about half the length of Mega Man 2, but an asking price of $2.99 on the 3DS makes the play time forgivable.

The best thing about Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge is that it doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the series to enjoy. It successfully melds the concepts of the first two Mega Man games on the NES together in a creative way without depending on player experience. If you enjoy classic platform shooters then this is an easy recommendation.

- Teepu

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Graphics: A-
Sound: C+
Gameplay: A
Value: B+

OVERALL: B+

Pros:
+ Effective conversion of Mega Man to the Game Boy.
+ New boss is creative and fun.
+ Controls are sharp.

Cons:
- Short.
- Sound effects can often override each other or just mute the game altogether for a brief moment.
- Players of the console counterparts will find a lot of familiar territory.

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