Capcom | RVGFanatic

Mega Man X (SNES)

**Pub and Dev: Capcom | January 1994 | 12 MEGS**

The list of must-play SNES games runs long and deep. Over the years there have been hundreds of lists concocted and you could be sure of one thing: somewhere on those lists you would see Mega Man X. Released in January of 1994, it was a long wait coming for fans of the Blue Bomber… but boy, was the wait worth it. Mega Man never looked so good. 20+ years later, Mega Man X is still kicking ass!

THE ASCENSION OF MEGA MAN

Mega Man 2 made many of us blue bomber fans for life — *Mega Man 2* made many of us “true blue” fans for life

1989 is a very nostalgic year and holds a special place in my heart. Uncle Jimmy was in his prime, Hulkamania was running wild, Saturday morning cartoons was must-see TV and the 8-bit Nintendo was kicking butt. Thanks in no small part to Mega Man 2. I still remember seeing the game for the first time in ’89 at Ben’s house. All seven of us were blown away by the amazing intro. We marveled at how it scaled up the towering industrial building, the calm and serene city nightlife just below… and that music… THAT EPIC MUSIC. We were instantly hooked. Capcom struck lightning in a bottle as a promising debut morphed into a legendary series the second game on. And so, the Mega Man revolution was born [and milked… -Ed.]

Thankfully, the gameplay didn’t disappoint. It was the total package. What could be cooler than controlling a heroic robot shooting down rogue robots, stealing their weapons and using it against them? It was packed with masterful tunes left and right, along with some memorable enemies and levels.

In a game era where floaty jumps and erratic control was the norm, Mega Man 2 hit us like a breath of fresh air. You always felt in total control of the little blue guy. The jumps were responsive, so if you died, it was entirely your fault and yours alone. The game also gave you a long health bar so you could mess up a bit and still be okay. Granted, this was all done in the first Mega Man but it was the sequel that took everything and cranked it up.

Another innovative feature that came from the Mega Man franchise was the player’s ability to pick which level to tackle next. This gave you the freedom and opportunity to go through the game as you saw fit. It was unheard of for its time. It’s yet another brilliant feature that made it stand out and endeared itself to millions of gamers the world over. Each robot ended in MAN, and most of them required a specific robot boss weapon to kill. Part of the fun was figuring out whose weakness was what, and which robot boss to go after next. After beating all eight, you can finally head to Dr. Wily’s Fortress. It was simple yet compelling. And for those who aren’t very good at the game, it even gave you the chance to at least sample the eight various stages, so that you’re never stuck on the same one for days on end. The NES would go on to enjoy a whopping six Mega Man titles. At long last, the SNES came calling…

SOUPED UP FOR THE SUPER NINTENDO

It was a long time coming, but Capcom finally unleashed the Blue Bomber in 16-bit glory. And what a glorious debut it turned out to be, as MEGA MAN X took everything sacred about the Nintendo entries and cranked it up to the max.

The game felt like a big fat post-Christmas thank you to the loyal fans. Capcom stepped up to the plate and smacked a home run when Mega Man was at last revitalized in a whole new world on the 16-bit frontier. A marriage made in Heaven, it became an instant classic and was adored by everyone in my gaming crew. Mega Man was back, and he was better than ever, jack.

THE STORY GOES…

mmx8 — **“BUSTING MAKES ME FEEL GOOD!!”**

The X-Buster is back and has three different forms. The third being the most powerful and is nearly as DAMN BIG as X himself! This weapon made its debut in Mega Man 4 but it was about the size of the middle shot there. It blew our minds to see how big the X-Buster shot was in this game!

Mega Man games up until this point always started out by allowing you to choose your path. Capcom threw in a slight wrench here. You had to first blow through this intro stage. All it really does is to serve as a “how-to” tutorial of sorts as well as build up the story, which Capcom pulls off really well here.

There’s something really cool about destructible landscaping that makes a level a joy to navigate.

And Mega Man X is friggin’ loaded with them! The first of which is the Bee Blader A.K.A. MECHA MOTHRA.

As we all know by now, you can actually gain access to the fabled Hadoken fireball in this game, and it’s powerful as all hell. It’s one of the best easter eggs of all time ^_^

Not happy to just roll out a standard short intro stage, Capcom took measures to ensure its memorability. One of which includes this awesome bit that sees the decimated bumble bee bot crashing down alongside you as the overpass collapses.

Vile makes his debut into the Mega Man universe — Vile makes his debut into the *Mega Man* universe

You’re no match for Vile. Prior to him you were blasting with the greatest of ease, and it felt like your new X body was all that. But Vile quickly shows you just how much you are still underpowered. After a brief spar, he grabs you to signify the end. When from out of nowhere, a mammoth shot breaks the ride armor’s arm CLEAN OFF!

He gives ZERO f*cks... — He gives ZERO f*cks…

It’s the spectacular debut of Zero, a class-A Maverick Hunter. Vile doesn’t waste time to make a hasty retreat. It suddenly becomes clear that as strong as you are right now, Zero is that much stronger. Zero looks up to see Vile flying away, knowing full well this isn’t the final battle… not yet by a long shot. Meanwhile, X is looking pretty sorry and down and out, so Zero offers the blue dude a few choice words of encouragement…

X is so ashamed; he can't even bear to look at Zero — X is so ashamed; he can’t even bear to look at Zero

A save feature would have better but oh well

Remember the old NES Mega Man password screens? Yeah, I know you do. I always found them to be a bit cumbersome and clunky. Thankfully, in Mega Man X, like much else of the game, it’s as smooth and user friendly as you could hope for.

Select from any one of eight stages. It’s this wide open exploratory nature about the Mega Man games that I always enjoy and appreciate. If you couldn’t beat one level, you could try another instead of being stuck on the same one for days and days on end. The levels here aren’t innovative or anything, with your standard forest, snow and water levels for example. But they’re all a blast to play through.

For the first time in Mega Man history, the bosses are no longer [Noun] Man. Now they’re all based off some type of animal. I thought this was a cool and necessary change to further separate it from the NES series. Here are the eight robot bosses, respective to the stages above. And yes, they do remind me a lot of my old favorite toy lineup from the ’80s… BATTLE BEASTS. Launch Octopus, Armored Armadillo, Spark Mandrill, Storm Eagle, Boomer Kuwanger, Sting Chameleon, Flame Mammoth and the [Chill] Penguin.

Look, it’s Launch Octopus and Armored Armadillo! Well, not really, but, well… actually… kinda! The one on the right is actually really named Armored Armadillo — strange but true. I wonder if Capcom had any existing knowledge of this back when they created their own Armored Armadillo…

They were all the rage back in the late '80s — They were all the rage back in the late ’80s

Remember Battle Beasts? If you grew up in the ’80s then you should. My favorite toy lineup, they sold in packs of two and were miniature two inch animal warriors. Their gimmick? Each beast had a stamp in the middle. When rubbed it’d reveal either wood, fire or water. The idea being that each has a strength and weakness. It essentially plays like Rock Paper Scissors. There was nothing better than walking into KB Toys or Toys R Us back in the late ’80s and seeing an entire wall blanketed by Battle Beasts. Well, one sad day I rushed to the usual spot where they sold them and it was just… GONE. I combed through the aisles to no avail. Finally, I had my dad ask a worker and to this day I still remember his haunting words: “Sorry, Battle Beasts are no more.” NO MORE!?! How could this be, why?! As a kid I just always assumed they would be around forever. I mean seriously, do you know how many different animal species exist? Hell, the brand should still be going strong today. Alas, that day I learned a valuable lesson. Perhaps it was the first time in my young life that I realized… nothing lasts forever. And that all good things must, eventually, come to a bittersweet end… whether you want it to or not. It’s a day I’ve never forgotten.

As silly as this may sound, or maybe not, one of the small pleasures in a Mega Man title is picking a boss and seeing its little introductory bit to said boss. I don’t know why but I swear it’s one of gaming’s sweet small pleasures ^_^

One of the few things Mega Man X didn't quite nail — One of the few things *Mega Man X* didn’t quite nail

A bit clichéd but it did add a nice wintery atmosphere — A bit clichéd but it adds a nice wintry atmosphere

Remind me of the bats from Wood Man's stage — Remind me of the bats from Wood Man’s stage

X’s ability to jump ON and OFF walls created a brand new experience for the player. This newfound skill opened up endless possibilities. Get to the capsule! [Don’t you mean choppa? GET TO DA CHOPPA!! -Ed.]

Capsules are scattered throughout the game. Each one gives X a major boost. As the game carefully plotted out in the introductory stage, there is a real palpable sense of X growing stronger and stronger, bit by bit, until he’s powerful enough to take on the evil Sigma himself. Capcom did a swell job of building this story.

And of course, the controls were super crisp

Scaling and jump off walls expanded the game's world — Scaling and jumping off walls expanded the game

So even though Mega Man controlled more smoothly than most other characters of the NES era, I still felt he was a little bit stiff. Sure, he could jump with the greatest of ease and yes, you had a decent amount of control over the direction of his jumps, but he could not duck and at times he felt a bit clunky. I guess you could argue it’s realistic seeing as how he is a robot, but damn if his newfound abilities in Mega Man X doesn’t make him a total flipping badass! The ability to scale walls and slide down them is just too sweet, not to mention practical.

X gazes down at this heart thumping green mile

The classic boss gate runway of the Mega Man games have always stuck with me. They do a good job of building up the anticipation as well as the tension. I just love the way the doors expand in slow motion while the screen scrolls to the right. One could almost think of this harrowing stretch as a “green mile” of sorts! Hell, it often is for first timers… until you can figure out the boss’ pattern.

Capcom nailed the drama aspect of the boss battles. After the runway, the boss drops out of the sky while a long energy bar fills up. This allows you enough time to sweat it out while the boss throws a taunt or two your way. Your finger is on the trigger ready to fire as soon as the battle commences. Good stuff.

"FREEZE! ... HAMMER TIME!" — *“FREEZE! … HAMMER TIME!”*

Although the game can be defeated in a non-linear fashion, there’s usually a boss everyone likes to tackle first in any given Mega Man game. For this rendition, the winner is the Chill Penguin. He can be defeated rather easily with the X-Buster. But at least Mister Chill Pill isn’t without some ahem, cool attacks.

*[Please, no more bad ice puns. NOT COOL -Ed.]*

For purpose of effect, I took the hit here to show off this attack in full

[Yeah sure you did -Ed.]

I wish Super Metroid's wall jumps were as easy to do — Yep, the Blue Bomber sure loves Parkour

The ability to jump on and off of walls, as well as sliding down them, created for a host of new gameplay opportunities never before seen in any previous Mega Man title. In particular, it brought a much needed breath of fresh air to the boss battles, as now you had even more strategy and options to evade the frantic enemy onslaught.

Need some good hand-eye coordination here

And, not one to just be defensive, sliding down walls also gave you the sweet option of charging your X-Buster for a mega attack upon descending. BOO-YAH!

After toying around with Chill Penguin for a bit, it’s time to put him on ice with a well placed mega charge X-Buster shot. Look at that serious swath.

I made it close for dramatic effect, y'see [Riiiight -Ed.] — I made it close for dramatic effect, y’see *[Riiiight -Ed.]*

Each boss has a weakness. Find out which to use

All of the weapons serve different purposes. Some were ideal for certain situations. You had to tinker with the game to find out the pros and cons. And now having the luxury to switch between them with the Super Nintendo shoulder buttons? Sick!

Stealing boss weapons is a classic staple of Mega Man — Stealing and using boss weapons never gets old

X can also do powered versions of these weapons!

I think I may have a slight affinity for the mid bosses over the regular bosses. I like the fact that they varied in size and shape, usually much bigger than X. I also like that there was no energy bar (it added to the drama). Sure you couldn’t steal their powers, but when they’re as cool looking as this guy here, you don’t really care about that.

Hmm, call it a hunch but... what about that lone eye... — Hmm, call it a hunch but what about that eye…

Your shots sail off his armor harmlessly. You’re going to have to find a different point of entry. I love the visual of your bullets bouncing off his titanium armored body.

Now claim your latest add-on prize: new body armor! — Go get your add-on prize: new body armor!

[Pretty sure Thomas Light doesn't speak like that -Ed.] — *[Pretty sure Thomas Light doesn’t speak like that… -Ed.]*

I call this enemy "ROCK MAN" [HAR HAR -Ed.] — I call this enemy “ROCK MAN” *[HAR HAR -Ed.]*

My favorite Mega Man regular enemies are any of the bipedal robots. I kind of wish the series saw more of them quite frankly. There’s something awesome about blasting the holy hell out of them. This guy here being a prime example. PELT AWAY!

Damn indeed. Back in the day my gaming crew used to speculate about how you could ravage the top wall down and enter this boss fight with armor suit intact. It sure was a fun thought. Sadly, that’s all it ever was, but it was a sign of the times. The memories you created with your gaming buddies pre-internet were sacred. Whenever I come to this point in the game part of me can’t help but reminisce of the good old days of early 1994 when life was that much simpler and so too were the video games.

A boss fight could go horribly wrong if you didn’t have the right weapon. If you had the right one though, the pendulum swings the other way. It certainly made for some serious note taking jones.

BEFORE GAMEFAQS OR YOUTUBE

I bought this guide back in 2006 when it was going for peanuts. Now like most SNES items, this strategy guide has skyrocketed in price (costing over $50). It’s a decent and cool little guide but it’s not worth it at that asking price. I love how it’s got my favorite mid boss on the cover there. RT-55J looks a bit like Auto (who was introduced in Mega Man 7) but there’s no proof that the two are connected. Nevertheless, I find it awesome how there’s one mid boss hanging out with all the main bosses on the cover. Maybe ole Stratton was a fan of RT-55J, too?

Speaking of tips and tricks, remember the Hadoken easter egg? It was brilliant. Back in the day this was one of the coolest secrets around. Capcom pulled off some other shenanigans, like seeing ole Chun Li in Breath of Fire, but nothing ever quite topped this one since it affected gameplay.

Throwing a flag. The Power Trip should be maxed out — Throwing a flag. The Power Trip should be at max

Dr. Light with the karate gi and headband! — You’ll find Dr. Light with a karate gi and headband!

Not just a mere cosmetic fan service, the Hadoken is death dealt at its finest. It will take out any enemy or boss in just one hit, sans the final form of the final boss. Now that’s what I call playing with SUPER POWER. It’s done with the same down, down forward, forward command as in the Street Fighter II games. There is a half second charge time that leaves you vulnerable, but damn is it worth it. It’s yet another brilliant aspect that only helped to further cement Mega Man X‘s well deserved place in the pantheon of great Super Nintendo games. It’s not quite in that ultra elite Mount Rushmore discussion, but it’s certainly up there.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Mega Man X has etched itself into Super Nintendo lore — *Mega Man X* has etched itself into Super Nintendo lore

Mega Man X scored rather rave reviews, although a bit lower than most of its fellow classic brethren. EGM made it Game of the Month in their January 1994 issue (#54) when they rated the game with marks of 9, 9, 9 and 9. GameFan was the one that shocked me a bit as they only doled out ratings of 89, 89, 87 and 82. Keep in mind this is the same magazine that gave Clay Fighter a whopping 97%! Super Play Magazine rated it a healthy 88%. In issue #100, Nintendo Power placed Mega Man X on their top 100 games list at #58. The game’s legacy is firmly cemented in gaming history. Fans often cite it as one of their favorite Mega Man games of all time, and it is highly revered in practically every retro gaming circle I have ever seen. Platforming blasters just don’t get much better than this!

AND THE SURVEY SAYS… X MARKS THE SPOT

[If only you included Mega Man & Bass in that poll, too... -Ed. — *[If only you included MEGA MAN & BASS, too… -Ed.]*

Several years ago I ran a survey asking which of the four traditional SNES Mega Man games people most prefer. The results weren’t surprising — Mega Man X won by a landslide. It had 55.56% backing it, while Mega Man X³ came in second with 26.67% of the votes. Mega Man X² and Mega Man 7 were tied for last with 8.89% each. While I enjoy all of the games, there’s something about the original that just can’t be beat. And in most circles, that seems to be the consensus. Like Mary, there’s just something about Mega Man X that hits the mark.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Can you stop the sinister Sigma and his Mavericks?

There’s no denying that Mega Man X is a bonafide SNES classic. Not only did it bring the Blue Bomber back in style but many still consider this one to be the finest hour in the entire Mega Man series. What made this game so epic? We can start off with the spiffy 16-bit visuals — up until that point Mega Man never looked better. While the tunes aren’t Mega Man 2 legendary, they’re still a treat with excellent tunes littered throughout. It plays enough like the old 8-bit Mega Man titles but has enough new features to give it its own unique feel. The control was flawless. Silky smooth and responsive. In a nutshell, take the 8-bit Mega Man which you love so much, add in 16-bit trimmings, and what you get is an absolute classic action title and one of the most beloved Super Nintendo games of all time.

Capcom made us wait a while but it was worth it

For anyone who grew up holding an 8-bit Nintendo controller in their hands, Mega Man games have given us countless memories. Mega Man X exploded onto the 16-bit generation with style. From the start, the game puts you in total control of X. He dashes, scales walls and blasts with the best of them. Mega Man and the SNES controller was a match made in Heaven. While the game may lack in challenge, it’s forgivable given how much fun it all is. Like fine wine, Mega Man X has aged gracefully thanks to its timeless gameplay and protagonist. As long as bad robots roam the earth, and Super Nintendos function like the Hondas that they are, Mega Man will always be around to protect and serve. And serve us he has. For nearly 30 years now, he’s been providing us with countless memorable moments. Tunes and images forever etched into our gaming hearts. We can still hum certain Mega Man tracks. We still remember certain boss patterns. And we still love the Blue Bomber after all these years. Thanks for the memories, ye ol’ blue chap. Rock on.

Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 9
Gameplay: 9
Longevity: 8

Overall: 9.0

To quote the Kite Runner: "It was a way to be good again" — *Mega Man X* was one of the first titles I picked up

Simply freaking badass — Remember shooting its head clean off? SICK :)

Mega Man 2 (NES)

One of the true cornerstones of the NES library

For anyone who grew up on gaming in the late 1980s and had an 8-bit Nintendo, we all have certain games that we connected with. For many of us, one such game was Mega Man 2. Released in June 1989, Mega Man 2 rocked my world. It truly captivated my imagination. The ability to pick your stage, take enemies’ weapons and the fact that you’re a freaking robot made this game an absolute slam dunk. There’s not much left to say in 2016 that hasn’t already been said thousands of times before, but I still wanted to talk about this game for a bit. It’s an incredibly nostalgic piece of gaming history for me. Remember that intro? It set the mood perfectly and haunts me to this day.

I remember the first time I saw this, my eyes popped. I never really played the original Mega Man, so this stage select business was brand new to me. Back then all the games I had played were done in a linear fashion. The game had a set order of levels and you had no choice but to follow that order. Not so here. Capcom gave us the freedom to pick and choose. Of course, as we would come to find out, there was a method to their madness. The bosses all had a special weakness that required another boss weapon. So there was a hidden order if you will, but it’s always nice to be given a choice.

I selected Wood Man first because I liked his burly look. That plus I figured it would take place in a forest type level. I’ve always had a thing for forests in video games, even way back in 1989.

Who could ever forget the sleeping bats? As soon as you get near them they spring to life. The purple hare was always a favorite enemy of mine. It wasn’t big or tough enough to be considered a mini boss, but it was strong enough to sustain a few bullets. I love enemies that are a notch above cannon fodder. Of course, the big bad wolf/dog creature and his flaming breath is an image that has been burned into our memory banks, pardon the pun. Classic stuff.

Watch out for the bird which if not killed early on drops an egg that could be bad news for ya. Love the random sprinting chickens.

After defeating Wood Man, you take his weapon Leaf Shield. Discovering the proper order of a Mega Man game is all part of the charm and fun.

Ah, Flash Man. Another classic boss — Ah, Flash Man. Another classic

It’s your classic typical icy level where the surface is slippery. Ah, these images bring back such fond memories of a simpler time. I *hated* that robot rider with a burning passion. He always seemed to zap my health without fail each and every damn time.

One of my favorite things about fighting Flash Man is that his battle zone isn’t a straight flat surface. I like all the different tiers there. It just makes the fight that much more interesting.

This was one of my lesser favorite levels but it still has its moments. The giant spiked crane reminded me of Contra and the conveyor belt added a decent gimmick to this stage.

Those Metal Blades are deadly, slicing and dicing anything caught in its path. They become yours after you send Metal Man back to the scrap heap.

Like your typical forest and icy levels, you have your obligatory sky or air level. I’ve never been a big fan of these stages. Not crazy about instant game overs!

Those squiggly worms were a good place to “farm” for goodies. That big guy there tries to suck you in [Sounds like your standard Saturday night *rimshot* -Ed.]

One of the joys of playing a Mega Man title is figuring out which boss weapon works best on another boss. It’s a game of trial and error. Keep in mind too that back in 1989 there was no internet. There was no GameFAQs. And there was no YouTube. You couldn’t just find out the solution in mere seconds. Back then it was a real battle of wills. You traded secrets with your buddies on the playground. It was just a sign of the times. Signs from a bygone era.

When I was a kid I struggled with this stage. Hey, I was 6, OK? I always seemed to get hit by those damn floating Tellies. Especially right at the top just when I’m about to leave that bloody screen forever. Later you come to this makeshift ride with more annoying Tellies.

I remember watching my brother and his friends getting this far. I never could back in 1989. It’s funny how certain levels haunted us as kids, but we can now dominate as adults. The same applies for vice versa.

I watched in sheer awe as my brother and his friends made short work of Crash Man. I remember thinking to myself that they just accomplished the impossible. Ah, the innocent of youth.

I *hated* those laser beams. I never could get past them back in the day. I liked how the screen was dark except for when that enemy chucked his flaming ball.

Alright, another boss fight where the surface isn’t flat! [Wish I could say that about my wife… *rimshot* c’mon now what the hell -Ed.]

Ah, the mandatory water stage. I think pretty much everyone has the image of that giant robotic fish firmly implanted in their brains. One of my favorite things about any Mega Man game is reaching the boss zone. I loved the giant Dr. W sign and the “health bar door.” Come on, just look at it. It looks like your health bar!

Don’t jump too high! It made this fight a little more challenging than normal.

Those bloody Tellies are back to haunt me. And there’s your token disappearing block jumping section. Over a death pit, of course. Of course.

Heat Man’s weakness, surprise surprise, is Bubble Man’s Bubble Lead. Even I was able to figure that out as a kid. Thanks Battle Beast. Water always beats fire!

After defeating all eight robot masters, it’s time to head to Dr. Wily’s evil fortress. This reveals a series of more levels to further extend the game.

Some of the more iconic bosses in Mega Man history right here. They blew my mind back in the day, particularly the King Kong wannabe. He took up like half the damn screen!

It’s the final fight! Against Dr. Wily! *laughs* Right, because Capcom and “final” go hand in hand, and I’m not talking about Final Fight, either.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

There were a total of six Mega Man games on the NES. People often debate over the years which one is better: part 2 or 3. My answer remains the same throughout the years, Mega Man 2. Maybe it’s nostalgia talking, but Mega Man 2 just hits a sweet spot for me that very few NES games do. Even to this day, I find it to be highly playable — it’s held up well over the years. If it weren’t for Contra and Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, this would be my favorite Nintendo game. From the impressive visuals to the music to the whole novelty of it all, Mega Man 2 stands as one of the finest 8-bit video games ever created. Its lofty place in gaming history is firmly cemented.

I think back to the year 1989 and remember how excited my friends and I were playing Mega Man 2. Discovering each boss’ weakness, figuring out the best path to take and beating the boss with one pellet of health remaining… these were all part of the joy of playing any given Mega Man title. All those Saturday mornings spent in Ben’s garage that summer of 1989 provided a plethora of fond memories. It was the thrill of banding together as a group of friends and playing the game well into the afternoons. When we couldn’t just find out secrets and tips with one simple click. Those were some great times from a bygone era. Those memories stay with me to this day and I can’t help but reminisce about them whenever I think of the greatness that is Mega Man 2. Hats off to you, Capcom. This sequel truly made the Blue Bomber a force to be reckoned with.

OVERALL: 9.5

Fighter’s History: Mizoguchi Kiki Ippatsu!! (SFC)

I grew up loving fighting games. Being born in 1983, I was around 8-11 right when it was the “Golden Age of Fighting Games” (circa 1991-1994). I ate up the Street Fighter II clones that popped up overnight like a bad pimple on prom night. One of my favorites was Data East’s Fighter’s History (1993). The first time I saw its colorful, comic-book like cabinet, it was instant love. The game has a mixed bag reputation (leaning more toward “below par”) but I’ve always liked it.

One of my fondest gaming memories involves the summer of 1994. That was a summer for the ages. It was…

It’s a true story that was featured in Rob Strangman’s 2014 book “Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman” (which can be found on Amazon.com, cheap plug).

On one epic June morning, my old best friend Nelson and I came across three imports in the flesh that were months away from their US release. It was, in a word, glorious.

I have fond memories of playing Super Famicom Fighter’s History that hot summer day at Nelson’s. We would switch off and it was an awesome time to be a carefree kid growing up in suburbia.

This image is seared into my memory bank even 22 years later:

Conjures such nostalgic memories for me!

Takes me right back to Nelson’s living room on a hot June afternoon of 1994. Such amazing memories. On a side note, the SNES Fighter’s History port doesn’t get enough credit. It’s one of the best arcade-to-SNES translations I have played. Really well done by Data East.

Fighter’s History Dynamite came out in arcades in 1994. It is also known as Karnov’s Revenge.

But did you know there was a THIRD Fighter’s History game? And believe it or not, of all systems it was released ONLY on the Super Famicom February of 1995. Its full name is Fighter’s History: Mizoguchi Kiki Ippatsu!!

It’s a fascinating little footnote in Data East history. It included the two new characters of Fighter’s History Dynamite (Yungmie and Zazie) but unfortunately did away completely with these cats:

Of course, those five guys (heh, Five Guys…) happen to be my personal favorites of the series. Go figure. Instead, here is your roster:

Stripped down to 8, it seems like a massive step back. Especially considering the 1993 original had 9 characters to begin with, and the 1994 sequel had 13 characters. To go down to 8 in 1995 seems like a waste. Therefore, it feels like a weird remix of the first two games. Had it included all the characters, this would easily have been the definitive Fighter’s History game.

The game opens with a nice intro, at least. We’re (re)introduced to Data East’s Chelnov character, who appeared in Atomic Runner.

We’re also treated to the titular star’s special moves.

Of all people, why bring back Lee? Why? I miss Ray and his “BAKED POTATO!”

The game introduces mostly new backgrounds. Sadly, they’re not as memorable as the ones found in the first game. I always enjoyed the first game’s backgrounds. They weren’t flashy, but had a quiet solid quality backing them. By comparison here is Ryoko’s original stage below.

I love the basic simplicity of the original backgrounds — I love the look of the original backgrounds

Back are the weak points. Knock these weak points off and the characters become dizzy. I remember as kids we were all curious and excited wondering what Fei-Lin would look like after her top came off. Oh how we were disappointed. A sign of the times it was indeed. 1993, oh I miss thee…

Hate his stage's music — Hate his stage music

I loved Clown from the first game. There was a sinister element to him from the first game that is missing in this game. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but he doesn’t feel the same. Almost like it’s an imposter of the first Clown. Huh. Maybe it’s just me being weird. Good bet.

Zazie is one of two new fighters from Fighter’s History Dynamite. I never liked him much.

And Yungmie is the other one. Never liked her either. It’s a shame these two characters made the cut and that Ray, Matlok, Samchay, Jean and Marstorius were left on the cutting room floor.

Karnov’s stage from Fighter’s History Dynamite is recycled. Not bad. I’ve always liked this background. A rare instance in which I prefer the sequel’s background to the original version. Here’s Karnov’s bare bones boring stage from the original game below.

"Not so damn fast!" — “Not so damn fast!”

Here’s the cheat code to use him in certain modes:

Press Down, Down, Up, Up, Right, Left, L, R at the title screen after the opening intro.

Yes, the goofy announcer is back. “MIZOGUCHI… LOSES!”

It's a battle of the 'Novs! — It’s a battle of the ‘Novs!

TAG MODE: FOUR PLAYER FIGHTER’S HISTORY

The game’s most interesting feature is undoubtedly its FOUR player tag mode. Yes, up to four human players can plug up and play. Not at once, mind you, but it’s pretty impressive for an early 1995 fighting game. Early shades of X-Men vs. Street Fighter and the like!

As far as I know, it’s the only “4 player” fighting game on the SNES. For that alone, it’s gotta be considered at the very least, “noteworthy.” Also throw in the fact that this is the only “sequel” to an arcade game that came out exclusively on the SNES. Data East breaking all sorts of ground with this game.

See the touch sign there? Simply hit select at those points to switch out to your tag partner. There is a slight half second delay but all things considered it’s not bad, especially for 1995 16-bit standards. Quite frankly, it was pretty innovative stuff.

Two different practice modes are also available. In addition, a survival mode rounds out the extra bonuses. Nice job, Data East. Still, these cool modes don’t quite make up the difference for gutting your roster. There’s no doubt the SNES could have handled those 5 fighters. Weird, and lazy!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I have mixed feelings about this game. The sound is pretty dang awful, but it’s nice to hear that wacky announcer return. The tag mode is an awesome feature, but on the flip side cutting those 5 characters really drag it down. Also, being a big fan of SNES Fighter’s History, this game doesn’t quite possess the same physics as that game. I can’t quite describe it but play it and you’ll notice the difference(s). I much prefer the gameplay and physics of the original.

As much as I want to like this quirky fascinating footnote of a game, there is just too much about it that I don’t particularly like that I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it. If it had the entire Fighter’s History crew I wouldn’t hesitate to call this a definite “hidden gem.”

As is, it’s only for the hardcore fighting game fans out there or for those of you who are fascinated by the idea of playing a Super Nintendo fighting game with three buds at the “same time.” All in all, it’s hit and miss. It certainly doesn’t play poorly, and the tag feature is undeniably dope, but that roster is way too thin and the sound is difficult to stomach at times. I’m glad I got a copy but it’s disappointing to think about how much better this game could have been and should have been. Oh well, can’t win ‘em all. Just ask Capcom when they tried to sue Data East in 1994 for copyright infringement

X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (SNES)

Pub: Capcom | Dev: Capcom | Nov. '94 | 16 MEGS — **Pub & Dev: Capcom | November 1994 | 16 MEGS**

Yesterday saw the release of the latest X-Men movie: X-Men Apocalypse. As I sat in my seat waiting for the lights to dim and the first trailer to play, I couldn’t help but think back 20+ years to the time Capcom released X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse on the SNES. All in all, I enjoyed the movie but felt it was a bit disappointing. Is that foreshadowing for the game itself? But as always, I’m getting ahead of myself a bit. Let’s rewind the clock back some shall we…

THE MARVEL SUBCULTURE OF THE ’90S

If you were a child of the early ’90s, chances were you somehow got mixed up in the superhero subculture. It was simply a sign of the times. From trading cards to cartoons to toys to video games, superheroes and super villains dominated the scene. My brother, our friends and I used to hang out at this card shop, Triple Play. It was right next to the local library and a mom and pop rental shop. What a great time to be a kid! We spent hours of our childhood down at the card shop, buying the newest Marvel ’91 series and trading them. When we weren’t trading or buying them, we played the Street Fighter II arcade cab right in the store. It was just an amazing time to be a young kid.

Who didn't love the bar stats on the back? — Who didn’t love the bar stats on the back?

My favorite thing about the Marvel ’91 cards? Hands down the enticing stats on the back of the cards. This is where my obsession with numbers and ratings probably first developed, and a large reason (EGM is another factor) as to why I personally like to rate video games. To me numbers have always been a fun snapshot at things. I remember Fin Fang Foom’s stats were off the charts. He had something nuts like three 7’s. Fun times.

It's 'uncanny' how bad this game is — Uncanny how bad this game is

As a kid I remember thinking to myself how badly I wanted to play a really good superhero game, particularly at home. Uncanny X-Men (NES) definitely failed to deliver on that front.

NES Wolverine? Better than Uncanny X-Men, but nope.

NES Silver Surfer? Heavens no.

NES Captain America and the Avengers? Try again.

Remember wasting hours and quarters with this game?

My wish for a good superhero game came true in 1991 with the arcade quarter muncher, Captain America and the Avengers. I was counting down until the inevitable Super Nintendo port. Unfortunately…

... we got this steaming pile of turd — We got this steaming pile of turd

When the port arrived, I nearly cried tears of sadness. It was such a watered down attempt and easily one of the most disappointing arcade ports to ever hit the SNES. My dreams were crushed. But a year later…

Now that's more like it! — Now that’s more like it!

The X-Men arcade game is one of the most iconic multiplayer arcade games ever created. When it hit the scene in 1992, it took everyone by storm, pardon the pun. I was eagerly anticipating the SNES translation but alas, it was never meant to be.

The cab was a monster. Unlike anything ever seen

Just look at that hulking beast. Six player cabinet. It was truly worthy of the superhero name. My friends and I loved dumping quarters into this machine and we pumped hours into this one like none other. I always used Colossus. That was my guy!

One of the coolest cartoons ever — One of the coolest cartoon series ever

That same year, Halloween 1992 to be precise, the X-Men cartoon hit television screens the world over. And our Saturday mornings would never be the same again. There was only one thing missing: a proper Super Nintendo representation of the X-Men. Finally, two years later, X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse was announced for the SNES. Better yet, it was developed by ever reliable firm, Capcom. Surely the Big C wouldn’t let us superhero fanboys down, would they? Surely console owners would finally get a good superhero game? Well, for the most part anyway. Let us delve in, then…

MUTANTS ON A MISSION

Right off the bat you have the choice of using one of five different members from the X-Men force. Each mutant has his or her own unique mission to complete. Each level is designed with that mutant’s abilities well in mind. After you finish off the first five stages, the game allows you to select any mutant to use on the final handful of levels. I like that each mutant has his or her own unique mission to begin with, and I like how Capcom allows you to select them in whichever order you please. It’s very Mega Man-esque. Let’s begin with my favorite of the group…

Wolverine knows how to make an entrance — *“Here’s Johnny!”*

Wolverine always knew how to make one hell of a dramatic entrance, didn’t he? Things start off hot as the savage mutant comes bursting out of a elevated window. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Each character has a few special moves that are executed via Street Fighter II-esque motions. As expected from a firm such as Capcom, the controls are tight and responsive. Pulling off special moves left and right is as easy as 1-2-3. I particularly love Wolverine’s Dragon Punch. I always thought to myself as a kid that it blows the real Dragon Punch out of the water on account of the flesh-cutting adamantium claws. Sorry Ken, not even your Burning Dragon Punch stands a chance.

This is a recurring mid-boss that you’ll encounter throughout the game. I was intimidated as hell when I first saw it as a kid, but it’s more bark than bite.

I'm a sucker for the red flash — *“Come here, bub!”*

Rock climbing must be a cinch for him — Rock climbing expertise

Wolverine can interact with his environment in the way of scaling tall walls. It’s not implemented as much as I would have liked, but the few bits you get to do it it’s undoubtedly satisfying.

Not only does that enemy get the worst of Wolverine’s claws, but he also got knocked into the razor-sharp robotic fingers for extra damage. Small moments like this delight — it’s a shame then that they’re too few and far between.

"Give me a hand will ya?" — *“Give me a hand will ya?”*

A giant pissed off Sentinel guards the end of Wolverine’s stage. Goons and cronies will come at you from both sides, so dispatch them quickly. The laser beams create a somewhat spooky look for the Sentinel. A nice, creepy touch.

Shades of Contra III…

Cyclops, not surprisingly, is slower to control than Wolverine. He’s also a bigger target which makes avoiding hits a bit more difficult. But he has one thing on Wolverine: long distance attacks. His optic blast is basic, but effective.

Somehow, this never gets old

Let 'er rip: Cyclops is pure devastation — Let ‘er rip!

Shades of M. Bison's Scissors Kick — Shades of M. Bison’s Scissors Kick

Gambit’s long legs allow him to take out the opposition within a very generous radius. The coolest part is seeing two bad guys approaching you, from both sides, and knocking them out in stereo with the Scissors Kick.

Even cooler is attacking them from below — Mega Man Gambit ain’t

Even cooler is when you deliver death from below. You just can’t beat it.

I love the preview in the background — Lovely background

Love how he flinches! — Make that bastard flinch like hell!

You don't bring a gun to a card fight — Don’t bring a gun to a card fight

Imagine Beast teaming with Blanka — Shades of Blanka

Where have I seen this before... — Where have I seen this before…

It's a pretty epic fight while it lasts — You again, huh?

What makes Beast unique from the others is his ability to hang from ledges. It sort of makes the game feel a bit like Metal Storm, at least, for a few minutes anyhow. An interesting gimmick that isn’t fully fleshed out due to the shortness of this level (in fact, all the levels are criminally short).

You gotta go through 3 Sentinels — What’s worse than a Sentinel? 3

"A feat with my feet that could lead to your defeat!" — *“A feat with my feet that could lead to your defeat!”*

A nice foreshadowing for what's to come — Lovely foreshadowing…

Olivia Munn, I mean, Psylocke gets blasted out of the air — *“Y’all done f*cked up now…”*

"Hey bozo, over here!" — *“Hey bozo, over here!”*

Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned screen-filling boss? We all have our own form of video game fetishes. For me it’s definitely towering end-level bosses and…

Paint the town red — … seeing them flash red like mad

I know. I need to seek professional help [Please, take all the time off you need… -Ed.]

Passwords are given once you get past the initial 5 stages — Passwords are given later on

You also get to use whichever character you want for the game’s remaining stages. Of course, different characters are more effective in certain stages. It’s fun to explore but I just wish the levels were longer.

Here comes the Brood... — Here comes the Brood…

X-PLOSIVE ACTION! ... sorry — X-PLOSIVE ACTION! … sorry

The Brood debut 3 years after Alien — Brood debut 3 years after *Alien*

Shortest level ever [Har har -Ed.] — Shortest level ever *[Har har -Ed.]*

No seriously, it really is. Walk about 20 feet over and then it’s boss time. What the flipping heck, Capcom? Makes you wonder if development on this game was rushed for it to hit store shelves in time for the Christmas season push…

Some of the choices boggles the mind, but on the bright size, the Tusk sprite looks pretty damn awesome. Look at how he towers over Wolverine. Heck, you can even see his bulging muscles. Great attention to detail for an otherwise forgettable boss.

Yeah, don't stand underneath that — Yep, don’t stand underneath that

Speaking of bright sides, at least there are a few fun little gimmicks thrown in here. You can knock Tusk into the lava BUT do watch out for that falling lift!

"Come and get me, bub!" — *“Come and get me, bub!”*

Just for fun, I like scaling the wall and making the bastard try to reach me. It’s oddly entertaining but then, the little things tend to be that way, don’t they?

The next level forces you to move swiftly as a lava gives chase. This is where the game sure could have used a dash option. Thankfully each of the characters have some sort of dashing special move you can pull off as a substitute for a lack of a dash button, except for Cyclops (who I definitely don’t recommend you selecting here).

Get stuck in front of a pillar though and you’ll have to smash your way through. This can cause for some intense moments to say the least!

I'm sweating bullets over here... — I’m sweating bullets over here…

"GET OUTTA MY WAY!" — *“GET THE HELL OUTTA MY WAY!”*

Thank God that's over with... — Thank God that’s over with…

"Oh for f*ck's sake!" — *“Oh for f*ck’s sake!”*

"Move it or lose it, bub!" — *“Move it or lose it, bub!”*

They never listen... — They never listen…

... wait, that's it? — … wait, that’s it?

For a big bad boss whose name is featured in the game title itself, the encounter with Apocalypse is a bit underwhelming to say the least. His special moves all sort of look weird and as it turns out, he’s not even the final boss. After defeating him you’re transported back to the Danger Room for more training. It’s a bit jarring… almost like Capcom said, “Oh crap, we need to throw in a little more shit because this game is way too short!”

Ugh, I hate this level... — Move it, Logan!

Exodus was such an annoying boss fight — Exodus can be VERY annoying

After this it’s off to face the final bad guy of the game: Magneto. Good luck.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

EGM's biggest issue ever, December 1994 — EGM’s biggest issue ever, #65, December 1994

I have fond memories of EGM issue number 65. It came right in time for the holiday season of 1994 (what I consider to be an epic year both personally and in terms of gaming) and clocked in at over a massive 400 pages! I always said EGM sold their souls to the devil… for EGM in my humble estimation was never the same again after producing this tree-killing monster of an issue. I remember the joke that this issue was bigger than some small towns’ phone books! And I believe that. It had a badass cover featuring X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse. The critics were not too kind to this game. EGM gave it ratings of 8, 8, 8 and 7. But GameFan, who was notorious for handing out high scores like free condiments, gave it shockingly “low” scores of 78, 75 and 70%. Super Play Magazine, who were much harder graders in general (not to mention they weren’t huge fans of the beat ‘em up genre) rated this game 52%. Public fan reception has been a little more positive though. Most gamers would agree that this is a pretty good game, especially by X-Men standards at that time.

Size matters. Oh, how the mighty have fallen

CLOSING THOUGHTS

It's fun to tear sh*t up — ***“EAT THIS, BUB!”***

I enjoyed playing this game back in 1994, and revisiting it again this past week leading up to the new X-Men movie has been, for the most part, an enjoyable experience. It’s definitely not Capcom’s best effort and certainly feels rushed at times, but it’s still quite fun to play through the game using the various characters and utilizing their unique special moves. The graphics are big, bright and bold — it has that classic SNES look to it where you just know at a glance that it was made in the year 1994 (if that makes sense). It has a pretty rockin’ soundtrack to boot. Not in the same league as say a Mega Man X or a Donkey Kong Country but I dare say it more than holds its own. Control is tight and crisp, but the levels are way too short. Just as you’re about to sink your teeth into a stage, it ends. It leaves you with sort of an empty feeling. It’s fun while it lasts, but it never lasts long enough to kick the game playing experience into that extra gear that very good or great games have. Had Capcom spent a little more time fine tuning this aspect, this game could truly have been one of their many SNES classics. Instead, it’s simultaneously disappointing yet fairly solid in spite of its flaws.

Where's Colossus when ya need 'im?! — Paging Colossus…

I don’t mind single-plane beat ‘em ups, although I prefer more traditional “free roaming” ones such as Final Fight or Streets of Rage, but it works here. The inclusion of special moves done via Street Fighter II motions is pretty neat, and there’s a little more platforming here than seen in most typical beat ‘em ups. Instead of each mutant having a “clear all” attack that takes a little health off their health, each one has special mutant powers that can be executed without penalty or limit. I thought that was a pretty cool twist on the whole beat ‘em up trope. X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse feels like a bit of an amalgam of three classic genres: beat ‘em up, action platformer and in some cases, hints of a 2D one on one fighter. There were certainly instances (like the fight with Juggernaut) where I started daydreaming about this game actually being a legit Street Fighter II clone. Man, too bad Capcom didn’t incorporate a bonus mode where you can pick any of the superheroes and villains to duke it out, Street Fighter II style. Sure, it wouldn’t be terribly polished, but we got such bonus modes in NES Double Dragon and SNES Combatribes. Mutant Apocalypse would have done it better. Anyway, it’s not fair to criticize a game for not including a mode that thinks outside the box, but it is an indication that the game could have been more (generally speaking) and that Capcom didn’t let this one “cook to perfection” for one reason or another. Still, it’s a rock solid title that’s worthy of a spot in any Super Nintendo collection. It’s just a shame it wasn’t even better but hey, it’s hard to complain much when you see all the gems Capcom gave us during the vaunted SNES era.

Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 7.5
Longevity: 6

Overall: 7.5
Bronze Award