Mega Man 2 is an action platformer developed by Capcom and released on the North American
NES in 1989.
The game was a smash hit for Capcom, catapulting the franchise into the hearts of millions,
and still remains relevant even today.
The premise of the game is very simple.
Dr. Light sends our robotic hero Mega Man to defeat the eight new Robot Masters created
by super villain Dr. Wily.
After running through this gauntlet, Mega Man makes his way through Dr. Wily's Fortress
before finally taking down the bad boy himself.
I love the simplicity of the 8-bit plot, letting the focus of the game be, well, the gameplay.
One of the first things that struck me the first time I played Mega Man 2 was the controls.
I knew Mega Man 2 was a beloved game, but I wasn't prepared for the insanely tight controls.
The running and jumping is superb, easily rivaling the best platformers of the era.
Mega Man's momentum is spot on, and landing tricky jumps feels natural and intuitive.
Even better, the action elements are blended in with the same care and precision.
Mega Man's arm cannon allows him to quickly dispatch foes without much trouble.
Combined with the excellent jumping, Mega Man is quite the protagonist.
However, the main hook of Mega Man is the upgrades.
After defeating a Robot Master, Mega Man can equip that master's weapon at any time.
Items like the Metal Blade can shoot in 8 different directions and dramatically increases
our hero's versatility.
These additional weapons can sometimes serve a secondary purpose as well.
The bubble can be used to find trap doors in the floor, the leaf shield can protect
against pesky birds, and the crash bombs can be used to take down certain walls.
While the 8 new weapons aid in the action, there are 3 items which enhance the platforming.
These come in the form of temporary platforms, which can propel Mega Man across the stage,
allow him to reach higher areas, or may even be required to progress through a level.
The beauty of Mega Man 2 is the discovery.
As you can play the initial eight stages in any order, each play through can feel different.
You may notice hidden items and extra lives, but if you don't have the appropriate item
to reach it, you may alter the order you play the game the next time through.
And you'll want to play through multiple times, as the game design is fantastic.
Mega Man 2 is not a hard game, but it is challenging.
The game never asks anything impossible from you, but will require you to think now and
again, and learn from past mistakes.
When entering this screen, you'll see a moving platform on rails.
However, the platform is on the far side of the screen, and it loops around, giving you
plenty of time to assess the situation and come up with a game plan to make it through
the obstacles.
Mega Man 2 doesn't just drop you on the platform unexpectedly, it does so thoughtfully, and
I absolutely love little touches like this, and Mega Man 2 is full of them.
For better or worse, there is some trial and error thrown in.
During this boss fight, Mega Man has just three different blocks he can stand on and
attack.
Upon getting hit by the Dragon, Mega Man will get knocked back and die.
Knowing this, we can alter our position the next time, standing on the top block, now
knowing we'll get knocked back, to safely land on the middle block.
Quick Man's stage is a little more annoying.
You have to drop down the screen before the lasers get you.
At first, quick reflexes are enough to get you through.
Later on, memorization is required for progression.
I'm not a huge fan of elements like this, but they are few and far between.
Thankfully, Mega Man 2 has unlimited continues and a password save system, so you're never
left starting over from the beginning, while learning the game.
The sound gameplay mechanics are matched with some equally sound levels.
First, the eight main stages, and the Wily's Fortress levels, are incredibly varied.
No two locations look the same, and they feel sufficiently different as well.
Some stages are traditional side scrolling levels, simply taking you from left to right.
Others go vertical, using a combination of ladders and jumping for progression.
Other stages feature hazards like conveyor belts impairing your mobility.
There are underwater segments, which alters your jump.
The amount of variety, and the thoughtfulness of the placement of every platform, makes
Mega Man 2 an incredibly fun experience.
Finally, we must also talk about the Robot Masters themselves.
The beginning of each level has an entry screen that shows you which Robot Master you'll be
fighting at the conclusion of the stage.
The most unique aspect to these bosses is they each have a weakness or two that can
be used to quickly dispatch them, sometimes in as few as two hits.
The discovery aspect I mentioned earlier is further enhanced by this mechanic.
In addition to going through levels in a different order to reach alternate paths or secret areas,
you'll want to experiment with each different weapon to determine which is most effective
against each boss.
While having 8 different weapons and 3 different items could easily overwhelm lesser games,
Mega Man 2 pulls it off effortlessly.
Switching between items on the pause screen is slick, and the color change makes it easy
to remember what all the weapons and items do.
Mega Man 2 just has a rhythm to it that few other games possess.
The levels are fun, with the perfect amount of challenge and length.
Items and weapons are introduced at just the right rate, and bosses encounters are short
but intense.
It's simply brilliant.
Also brilliant is the soundtrack.
The composers for this game not only understood the NES's limited hardware; they also had
a firm comprehension of what makes music, good.
Nearly every piece is a joy to listen, with awesome layers of fast beats, catchy melodies,
and excellent progression that define what 8-bit music is all about.
Also technically great are the graphics.
Again, the designer's understood fully what is visually appealing.
The color selection is perfect, with everything on the screen always complimenting each other,
with nothing ever looking strange or out of place.
Some stages feature solid backgrounds, other's feature complex sprite work, the variety is
excellent and nearly everything in the game is gorgeous.
I especially enjoyed the large enemies, which really elevates Mega Man 2 past it's contemporaries,
and makes the game feel like it's being done on more advanced hardware.
From start to finish, Mega Man 2 is a feast for the eyes.
Overall, Mega Man 2 is a phenomenal game worthy of the praise it receives.
Not only do the audio and visuals push the NES hardware, they're still amazing today.
The soundtrack is still exceptional, and the 8-bit visuals are still stunning.
Most important of all, Mega Man 2 is tremendously fun.
The game brilliantly blends together tight platforming, with satisfying action.
The game manages to be challenging, without being unfair.
The level design set the standard for how levels should be constructed, and there is
rarely a platform out of place.
The same goes for the enemies, which have different weaknesses and patterns, yet rarely
feel overwhelming or cheap.
Few games manage to get everything right, but Mega Man 2 does exactly that.
The game is in a league of its own, in nearly every way.
Five out five.