Mega Manis one of Capcom’s oldest and most famous series, but it does not always seem like that is the case. While the franchise is known for its impressive longevity, it was only during the NES days that it struggled with not getting overshadowed by its Capcom contemporaries. Even then, that mostly applies to the first half of its NES lifecycle that saw the release of the first threeMega Mangames. During the 90s,Mega Manwas still successful, but it found itself competing for Capcom’s attention against the widely innovativeStreet Fighter 2in the Super Nintendo era andResident Evilduring the fifth generation of consoles. By the 2000s, the series was reduced to a relic of retro gaming untilMega Man 9came along and revived the classicMega Manspirit.
While the classic series has gotten some love over the past decade, the same cannot be said forMega Man X. While the original game is considered to be one of the strongest in the entire series and a must-play for anyone interested in Super Nintendo platformers, the sequels ended up polarizing the fanbase far more than the main seriesMega Mangames ever did. With almost everyMega Man Xgame being over two decades old, it is time for Capcom to give the series another chance in the form ofMega Man X9.
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Modern Yet Classic Mega Man X
While a rough transition in the modern era appears to be a platformer tradition, with Nintendo works likeSuper MarioandKirbybeing the general exceptions, the mainlineMega Mangames, includingMega Man X, barely have any proper 3D experience. The original series went back to the familiar 8-bit aesthetics withMega Man 9, which was essential to counter the alienation fans felt after seeing Capcom slowly getting confused with the franchise’s direction and temporarily abandoning it altogether.
Mega Man Xnever recovered from its descent into perceived mediocrity. The subseries has not properly seen the light of day sinceMega Man X8was originally released aside from miscellaneous ports. The series clearly is not meant for a 3D platforming experience, withMega Man X7in particular being a sour point in the series’ history. There is only one way forCapcom to properly familiarize audiences, old and new, withMega Man Xin the modern era, and that is through a sprite-based side scroller that plays similarly to the original titles.
A new sprite-based side scroller would not only spark nostalgia among fans of theMega Man Xseries, but it is also the kind of game that is the least at risk to be butchered by unfortunate aspects of the development cycle. There are enoughMega Mangames, let aloneMega Man Xgames, to provide a blueprint for an ideal experience, and bothMega Man 9andMega Man 10can teach potential developers how to bring a retro experience in the current age.
A lot of Capcom’s most well-known series managed to make a comeback despite facing certain challenges, whether it was related to the quality of the most recent installments or Capcom neglecting a property that made them what they are altogether. Most of these series, likeResident EvilandDevil May Cry, have made a comeback in some capacity, while some, likeDead Rising, remain dormant.Mega Manis an odd spot. It has not gotten much sinceMega Man 11, but that game’s existence proves that Capcom acknowledges the series’ existence. IfMega Man Xwere to come back with the intention of staying true to its roots and remain the modern gaming scene, then emulating the older games is the best way to do so.
Mega Man 11is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
