Introduction
Today we are going to shoot up some classic enemies in a very difficult game. Can you be a mega man? There is only one way to find out! Since there are many Megaman games, I will specify this is going to be Megaman 1! Or Rockman, depending on what country you play this game in. There is not really a story in this Megaman game, for that, you need to play Megaman X! Since the different versions have different stories, I will not be going into that.
What did I think before playing Megaman 1?
I have played Megaman X before, but I have never actually played Megaman 1 before. I did hear this game is very difficult, and if it is an older game then I can understand that. It takes a lot of practice before you can efficiently shoot your way through this game. For good information, I have decided to check the Wikipedia page!
The Wikipedia page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_Man_(1987_video_game)
Holy moly, this game is old! It comes all the way from 1987! Yeah, beating this game is no piece of cake, just finding out the best route to take to get the most efficient upgrades is going to be hard. To actually beat this game, you might need a lot of tries. I hope you have some free time!
Rating
I rate Megaman 1 with a 7.7 before playing.
It is time for some old school fun!
Gameplay
The gameplay of Megaman 1 is very simple, you get thrown into the action immediately, well after selecting one of the six robot master, or mavericks, what are they called in this game. It gets confusing with all these Megaman games. Yes, robot masters, you need to choose what robot master to challenge and then fight your way through their level.
These levels consist of side scrolling and enemies that love to respawn, going left and right will make them come back. I quickly found out, the bomber power sounds amazing, but it is very useless. You can also climb up or down when encountering ladders. While you scroll through the levels, you will find items that will restore your health, or grant you more points, what are those points even for?
If you manage to reach the end of a side scrolling level, you will find the robot master waiting for you. Off course, you just crash in while blasting. If you manage to defeat the robot master, you will get a new power up. If you do manage to beat all the robot masters, which is easier said than done, a new level will spawn, a very difficult level.
Rating
I rate the gameplay of Megaman 1 with an 8.9
The gameplay is great, it will not change a lot over the course of games, but hey, if it works, don’t break it.
Sound and Graphics
Graphics
The graphics of Megaman were actually very good, despite the old age. It looked neat, polished and there are six distinct areas with all kinds of different enemies to face. We also have to keep in mind this game has been made in 1987, technology for games was not that advanced back then. The graphics do seem a bit spruced up.
Sound
The soundtracks of Megaman are fun, they are different for each level, and it creates a good atmosphere for each world. As for the sound effects, get ready to, pew, pew, pew your enemies!
Rating
I rate the sound and graphics of Megaman 1 with a 9.0
I have to admit, if you saw back in 1987, your mind would have been blown.
What did I think after playing Megaman 1?
I had expected the bomber power up to be very useful but, I made a wrong turn. I will be sure to not pick that level the next time as my first one. As for the controls, they are a bit slow and janky. But, I guess it is needed for the charm of Megaman 1. I expected the controls and responsiveness to increase with each installment.
I am quite annoyed by the enemies that keep on respawning. It is just such an annoying mechanic in games like these but hey, if you need health, and you are a master in dodging attack, you might be able to use them to replenish your health. If you are like me and are mostly annoyed by the slow responsiveness, you will lose more that you gain.
Rating
I rate Megaman 1 with an 8.2 after playing.
Indeed, some old school fun!
What are my personal thoughts about Megaman 1?
While I think, I might be more of a fan of the Megaman X games, I rather jump over to that series than continue this one. It might have to with the fact I grew up with Megaman X, or that they are just plain better, well I say better, but hey we have Megaman X6.
Rating
My personal Rating of Megaman 1 is a 5.0.
Not my Megaman.
Last Words
Pros
- Face off with six robot masters and steal their powers
- Respawn enemies in this side-scrolling adventure
- Enjoy the sweet soundtracks while looking at good graphics (for 1987)
- Make your way through six distinct area's and a secret level
- There are a lot of different enemies to kill
Cons
- Janky controls
- The difficulty is very hard
- This game has to be your thing
Why are there Megaman games, and Megaman X games? To be honest, I have no clue, it is quite confusing.
Final Rating
8.5
Let me know what you think of Megaman 1 in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
If you liked reading this review, maybe you would like to share this review with your friends!
Amazing thank you!
You are welcome!
classics! still good after time 🙂
Indeed!
Aside from the Megaman and Megaman X series, are you aware of the many other spinoff series of the franchise, such as Megaman Legends, Megaman Battle Network, and many more? Do you prefer them over the original games as well?
Yep, they are all on my radar!
There are so many games that I want to review!
A classic one, my childhood! Great review.
You are welcome!
im suprised that such an old game still holds up to today
It all depends on the game!
Integral part of my infancy!
Of course, this game, being the first in its series, was barely setting rules for the control scheme, though the theme is finely set up in this one.
Nice review! The first Mega Man was very challenging.
Yeah, I noticed!
Good review!
Thank you!
Un clásico que aún debo jugar!
Love megaman
Never played but get nostalgic vibes
Thanks for the review!
Good review, brutal game.
I agree on the brutal part!
Thanks for the review! I love both timelines with Rockman+Bass and X+Zero.
A good review of a classic
For its time, it was out of this world. It’s one of the classics that inspired many other games in its genre.
I wonder how many more Mega Man games there will be, but we’re nearing 40 years of Mega Man! :O
Countless games build on this concept, it is a building brick for 2D platformers and 2D shooters, if done right.
Yeah, the difficulty sounds like what I expect from such an old game… XD