Mega Man X (1994, SNES) - Future Fighting Robot Chills with Penguins

Mega Man X is the first installment of the popular Mega Man spinoff series of the same name. Released in 1994, it was the first 16-bit Mega Man adventure, and would eventually see seven direct sequels of its own, an RPG based on its storylines (2004's Mega Man Command Mission), and its own spinoff franchise, Mega Man Zero. Written by longtime Mega Man designer Keiji Inafune, Mega Man X retains the basic formula of the original series while offering faster game play, more dramatic player control, and a more serious storyline. Looking back on it twenty years later, how well does is stand up today?

Click here for a complete gallery of screenshots taken during my play through of this game on the Wii U.

Review - Mega Man 9 (Wii, PS3, 2008)

Mega Man 9 is an 8-bit styled sequel to Capcom's long-running sidescroller series that attempts to take Mega Man back to his roots. Mega Man 8, the previous game in the mainline Mega Man series, was released in 1997, and the most recent 8-bit installment was 1994's Mega Man 6. The idea of a new 2D NES type Mega Man so many years after Mega Man 6 was an exciting prospect, and Mega Man 9 delivers on its promises perfectly.

Review - Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge (Game Boy, 1991)

Capcom's original Mega Man game, released on the NES in 1987, was a springboard for over two dozen sequels, spinoffs, and remakes. Many have been quite good, while a few are hilariously, strikingly terrible. I played and enjoyed all of the original six NES installments, most as they were released, but somehow managed to completely miss all five of the Game Boy games. Capcom recently added the first Game Boy Mega Man title, Dr. Wily's Revenge, to the 3DS Virtual Console, giving me a chance to catch up on some bygone Mega Man history. While it's not as good as any of the NES titles, Wily's Revenge is a serviceable Mega Man game that at the very least manages to be far superior to the terrible DOS version released around the same time.