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Best Mega Man Game for a First-Timer?

I like to go through a series chronologically to see how they progressed over time, adding mechanics etc. Mega Man 1 is bare bones but shows you the simple Rock Paper Scissors formula very well, 2 adds more movement items and refines the formula, 3 adds the slide and is practically a marathon with how many extra levels it has, 4 adds the charge shot…head over to X and you get the wall jump, etc.

It's fun to start with the basics and get into the more advanced games IMO. But Mega Man 2 is probably the game I'd tell a newb to start with, the US release even defaults to easy mode
 
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This is the correct answer.
 
Lol all these wrong answers. he guy asked for FIRST TIMERS. This is like telling someone asking the same for Contra to start with Hardcorps.

Mega Man 8, it's versatile compared to the other Mega Man games, has benefits and upgrades when you get the collectables, and it doesn't have the difficulty spikes of other games, it's arguably the easiest game out of any Mega Man series, so the franchise as a whole, it gets you used to the controls and gameplay so you can dive into other games.

The only game easier arguably than Mega man 8 in the entire franchise, are the two fighting games which don't make sense without you playing the min games anyway. Even the original NES version of Mega Man 2 with the busted Metal Blades is more difficult than Mega Man 8, and they fixed that with almost every other version/port.

So start with Mega Man 8.

I mean look at some of these suggestions, X4? Really? For a first timer? Legends? MM3??? Most people ahve hard time playing Mega Man games, that's one of the many reasons they generally don't sell well even with a good production budget. Either that or the gameplay is cumbersome and tedious, stat with the game that has near none of that, Mega Man 8.

It's also the easiest game to ignore going in boss order, and the other 4 bosses don't unlock until you beat the first 4 anyway (like 7 but that's much harder than Mega Man 8) so you aren't overwhelmed with a stage select of 8 choices no knowing how to tackle them and going through trial and error. In MM8 it doesn't really matter what boss order you choose the games piss easy (though fighting clown man without the weakness weapon might be marginally challenging but you'll probably only lose 1 or 2 lives then beat him.)

Even Mega Man powered up, is more difficult than mega Man 8, Mega Man 8 is the defacto entry level Mega Man game.
 
Grildon Tundy said:
First off: I like video games. Case in point, I have a NEOGAF account. I have an informal checklist to play classic series that still have good word-of-mouth in the 2020s, in the case that I missed them contemporaneously on their release.

One glaring blind spot in my CV is the Mega Man series. But there are a ton of them..and even multiple series and spinoffs within the franchise, as I understand it. It's a bit overwhelming.

So I wanted to ask you all: in 2022, what's your vote for the ideal Mega Man game to start with for someone like me? Someone who played Mega Man 3 when they were way too young to understand it and kind of liked Shovel Knight? Ideally there'd be a Mega Man game that the hits the sweet spot of: 1) released towards the beginning of the series, 2) holds up today, and 3) contains the elements which define the series. Or whatever game you think would be a good fit.

Thanks in advance!
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Megaman 2.

Try this and then try the others.
 
Definitely Mega Man 2 on the NES. It's the quintessential Mega Man. Perfect controls, the best music and while challenging, not TOO challenging. It's a great introduction to the series and what it is all about.

X series are fun but they are very different from traditional Megan Man. I don't think it's a fair comparison.
 
For a first timer, I would recommend skipping all of the original Mega Man series altogether. You will want to play Mega Man X. I highly recommend starting with X because it is very polished and balanced. You will find some levels and bosses difficult but not unmanageable. The controls are tight and sublime with wall jumping being one of the most crucial skills you will learn to employ even to cheap but high effect. I love everything about Mega Man X that I basically hate about vanilla Mega Man.

As some others pointed out, X2 and X3 are sort of like more of the same but I would also say they're a bit more difficult overall. X2 is a favorite of mine because there are a greater assortment of bosses and challenges. Sadly, I never got to play X4 but it looks amazing.

dcx4610 said:
Definitely Mega Man 2 on the NES. It's the quintessential Mega Man. Perfect controls, the best music and while challenging, not TOO challenging. It's a great introduction to the series and what it is all about.

X series are fun but they are very different from traditional Megan Man. I don't think it's a fair comparison.
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That's the entire point behind the X series. Original Mega Man controls like shit. That stuff is not tight at all....
 
If for whatever reason you need an RPG fix, play MMX Command Mission.

It's not amazing or a classic Megaman game but it's fantastic break from traditional Megaman games if you're feeling fatigued.
 
for classics
Megaman 2

For SNES
Megaman X

For ps1 Megaman X4

Honestly you'd be missing out if you didn't play X1-X4... but stop there and never go further... unless you hate yourself
 
When I was a kid, I always thought Mega Man was one of the biggest names in gaming. Felt like he just disappeared. Maybe the sales weren't there but it bums me out.

I like all the different iterations, from 'X" to "Legends".
 
Start with Mega Man 2 regardless.
It is a gaming icon, the music in the 8 robot master stages + Wily's opener is some of the best 8bit music ever created, like front runner for #1 NES game soundtrack of all time.

Mega Man 2 still plays great, but yes Mega Man X1 and 2 both play better. So if you started with X1, Mega Man 2 might not land as well because you are going from dashes and wall jumping.... to not. You will appreciate X1 and X2 EVEN MORE having played at least Mega Man 2 first. As I said, Mega Man 3 is definitely worth playing as well.

Lot of people saying X4 is worth your time. I beat it and just remember the controls not being as tight as X1-3 and the change in art style being not my thing. But a lot of people are saying it is good so maybe it is just way better then X5 and X6 which I also remember not liking.
 
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Maddux4164 said:
Don't leave the OG out! Blasphemous!

The OG never gets any respect!
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Powered Up on PSP is arguably the best version and laid the ground work for 11. I need to emulate that on my Steamdeck…I prefer the collections package but that and the Castlevania Dracula X PSP game are probably never getting a re-release so I don't feel as guilty.
 
Naked Lunch said:
I can honestly say I dont remember a single boss or song from MM3.
MM2 - almost all bosses (even including the green dragon and final wily fight) and music tracks are legends.
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Mega Man 3 is the single greatest Mega Man ever made. All bosses are brilliant and the music is legendary. It was my number 1 played game as a child. It perfected everything from the 2nd game (music, graphics, level design, length etc).
 
Damn, I was too late to put my vote in for MegaMan X, but MegaMan 2 is outstanding as well.

MegaMan X is, in my opinion, the greatest sidescrolling action title of all time. I have literally beaten it hundreds of times, for whatever that's worth.

I don't replay many games, not unless they're truly spectacular, for whatever that's also worth.
 
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Bunch a pussies… I beat Mega Man 1 as a rental in 1988 when I was 8 years old. As did many of my friends. I didn't have a guide or anything, the releases got more refined with each release and added more gimmicks to Rush and Mega Man with each game like a double jump, then a slide, then a wall jump, etc.. Start at the first one!
 
I would say Mega Man 11 (the most modern MM game, it is set in the classic series) or Mega Man X if you want a game from the X series.

I'm making my way through the X games. I really didn't like X3. It has extremely specific requirements for unlocking certain armor and unlocking Zero's saber. The final boss seems designed for Zero's Z saber. You have one shot for getting Zero's Z saber and if you fail, you have to restart the whole game if you want to try again. With the Z saber, each form of the final boss can be taken out in a few hits. Without the Z saber, the forms of the final boss are extremely hard. The 2nd form of the final boss has an extremely tiny hit window and if you fully upgrade Mega Man's charge buster, the way it fires is bad for the shots making it inside of the tiny hit window. How would I know fully upgrading Mega Man's charge buster would be bad for the final boss? There's just too many irritating things about Mega Man X3. It has some beautiful SNES sprites but I can't recommend X3. I enjoyed X and X2 a lot but I didn't like X3. I'm now on X4. The 32 bit Mega Man X games are beautiful, IMO.

I haven't gotten around to them yet, but I'm getting the impression the RPG Battle Network/Star Force Mega Man games originally released on the GBA/DS have become more popular and beloved in retrospect.
 
I know this is sacrilege to most OG gamers, but megaman was a franchise that i never found good or fun... I wish I did.

So id love to say start with 3 but honestly I've not played one that ive liked
 
I know I'll get crucified here. But for the classic series, I'd say go with Megaman 8.

For the X series, there is no better game to go with than Megaman X4.

Edit: Oh, before jumping into the X series. Watch this:

 
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Megaman 8… kinda sucks.
Apart from the terrible VA, it's slow and uninspired. And then there's the snowboard levels and that ball… yuck.

It's my least favorite of the original series, by a wide margin. Not a contest for me. There's no other episode I'd put below 8.
 
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