collections

Mega man Mania is awesome. I couldn't stop playing it.

The Mega Man games have gone down in history as some of the finest side-scrolling action platformers out there. Five games from the original series got released on the Game Boy, but the only problem is many gamers failed to realize the existance of these games, due to their poor distribution. At long last, Capcom is rereleasing all five Game Boy Mega Man games, on a single Game Boy Advance cartridge! Read on for my review of Mega Man Mania.

Mega Man
Notes: This was the first Mega Man game for the Game Boy. It featured four robot leaders from Mega Man (NES), and four from Mega Man II (NES.) It also introduced a new robot master - Enker. All of the Game Boy games introduced one of these new leaders (I'm going to refer to them as Mega Man Killers in this review.) Also, this is the only game to feature the Carry - an accessory that lets you create platforms beneath you as you fall. The game follows a basic "revenge" plot.

Mega Man II
Notes: The second Game Boy Mega Man. This game took four robot leaders from Mega Man II (NES) and Mega Man III (NES.) The Mega Man Killer featured here is Quint. This was the first Game Boy appearance of Rush and the slide move. The plot involves Dr. Wily finding a way to time travel.

Mega Man III
Notes: Third Game Boy Mega Man. This one has Mega Man III (NES) and Mega Man IV (NES) robot leaders. Punk is the Mega Man Killer introduced here. The plot here involves Dr. Wily using a sea fortress to mine for elements which he can use to make stronger robots. This was the first Game Boy game to have the charge-up attack.

Mega Man IV
Notes: Fourth Game Boy Mega Man. You guessed it - robot masters from Mega Man IV (NES) and Mega Man V (NES) appear here. This was the first Game Boy Mega Man to feature the modernized Mega Buster, as well as the first Mega Man game ever to feature an item replicator and cut scenes. It's also the only Mega Man game to feature a fully-charged Mega Buster kick.

Mega Man V
Notes: The fifth and final Game Boy Mega Man. Unlike previous games, this one has its own storyline, involving Mega Man traveling the galaxy to defeat the Star Droids - Robots named for the planets they occupy. This is the only Mega Man game to include Tango (a robotic cat that attacks your enemies), as well as the only original series game in which Dr. Wily isn't the final boss (although you will fight him.)

Like with the consular Mega Man Anniversary Collections, Capcom has promised bonus material. It's tough to say what all they will be featuring, but it should be insteresting nonetheless.

Overall, these are five masterpieces of gaming, and if you own a Game Boy Advance, I strongly recommend purchasing this game when it comes out. If you've played Mega Man games before, you know how fun they can be. If not, you're in for a real treat if you like action platformers. Don't overlook this little gem - doing so will be the ultimate sin!