Mega Man 2 (NES / Famicom) Review

 (Originally posted on March, 2017)

(1988, NES)

(Note: The game was played as part of Megaman Legacy Collection for the PC)

Like many other kids in the 80s, Megaman 2 was discovered within Nintendo Power magazine. Whether or not I could read anything, the artwork, bright colors and huge sprites spread across the pages were a thrill. Without seeing it in motion, the screens alone had me convinced there was more going on than what I was used to. Experiencing just a handful of considerably less flashy NES titles up to that point, the first sight of that giant angler fish really caught my attention. Before getting my own copy much later, I had plenty of fun playing (and dying!) at friends' houses while being confused by that weird pea-green imposter from the Captain N cartoon. Now armed with the confidence of a Nintendo Game Counselor after beating the reputedly super-tough original, it's finally time to tackle what's essentially Megaman 2's "hard mode," the original Japanese release known as Rockman 2...

Just like Capcom's Street Fighter 2, some extra color and polish allowed Megaman to finally take off at the second entry. The precise, satisfying controls of the original remain. Programming bugs and the out of place, ridiculous challenges have either been toned down (blinking platforms) or eliminated entirely (collapsing belt ways). The game still has it's share of infuriating moments, especially when played on Difficult, but the entire package is smoothed out enough that even if one slams their controller in a fit of rage, they'll certainly feel compelled to continue. Back in the original, having one's will completely obliterated by the Yellow Devil surely led to some smashed screens and severe punishments.

What really propels 2 is it's sense of style, giving an irresistible pull into the world of fun more discreetly shown in the original. The color is not only much brighter and aggressive, but achieves one of the most pleasing and recognizable palettes of the entire NES era. The smart pixel economy and detailing of the stages make their way to 2, now made more exciting with the intricate background animation of the gears in Metal Man's stage, clouds adding tension as they cover segments of Air Man's level, a convincing illusion of depth in Heat Man's Factory and even simulated reflections within Flash Man's marble cavern. Like traveling the world in Street Fighter II, all the stages have a distinguished identity, each packed with their own quirky enemies exquisitely drawn to the last pixel. The sight of the huge, fire breathing felines and giant pink Oni heads still excite to this day. That's not even getting started on the huge bosses guarding Dr. Wily's castle, the infiltration of which now warrants it's own world map.

The level design not only makes the best of, but actually benefits from the brief 'loading' between areas. The most cleverly designed stages manage to feel like several acts compiled together. Bubble Man's level sets you in front of a huge waterfall, dealing with belching frogs and the constant worry of pits before the eventual descent to the bottom of the "ocean". There, you face the opposite danger of falling. With gravity's pull having less of an effect, one must always take care not to jump too high into the deadly urchins colonizing the ceilings. As if the new sense of buoyancy wasn't enough of a challenge, all new enemies swim and float throughout the water. This same kind of variety extends into Wood Man's stage. Guessing by the boss name, it's no surprise you'll be going through a forest. Not your average NES game, soon you'll burrow down into underground caverns, then exit further up in the air where apes and birds defend their canopy. Other stages may have less dramatic visual changes, but are just as refreshing in that certain areas will emphasize specific mechanics and skill sets. Megaman/Rockman 2 is an action platformer, yet so thoughtfully constructed that you come away feeling that there was a lot more to the action than just running and shooting. A mediocre action game is analogous to mindlessly wandering the gym and fiddling with the weights. Megaman 2 feels like a coach meticulously designed a program and is right there running you through it. The resulting experience is not only tougher, but so much more engaging and rewarding.

With arguably the best music heard on the system, the busy and energizing tunes never fail to both draw you into the action, while pulling out memories of what you were up to during the first Bush administration. Megaman's "upgrade" music is highly potent by simply yet effectively conveying the excitement of receiving a new weapon or item. Addictive, clever and at times almost drifting away, Clashman's stage has a carefree vibe as it mirrors the relative leisure of climbing all the ladders. Parts of Bubbleman's stage are somewhat sleepy and otherworldly to match your surroundings. Like the sudden appearance of darting robot shrimp, the fast pace quickly returns with a fun little guitar segment that keeps the mood lively. Airman's stage is possibly my favorite, as it gets remarkably complex without losing its immediate catchiness and sense of heightened stake. Even after all you've heard, the much celebrated "Wily 1/2" goes even further as it's packed with satisfying little solo performances set to a fast, tight pace and sense of imminent conclusion. Winning the final encounter is beautifully celebrated by the sleepy, warm and ever so sad ocean-wave like progression of the credits music. Even if you somehow hate Megaman 2 as a game, at anytime you're able to choose from the first 8 stages and just sit there listening to some of the best that the humble NES sound chip has to offer. Who's better than you?

Rockman 2 is a NES classic worthy of any skilled player's time, but there are still enough frustrating elements that it warrants consideration of what you're getting in to. The "sentinel" boss is just no fun and I'm puzzled how it got left in. The speed and insta-death severity of the lasers in Flash Man's stage turn a fun idea into an irritating task of memorization. Re-fighting all the stage bosses in a gauntlet is a demanding challenge that should have been left as an optional side quest. These new robot masters, while enjoyable for their pleasing designs, felt a bit too fast and spastic compared to MM1's original 6. Fights felt more like attack spamming than a fun duel that rewards pattern recognition. I could also be complaining somewhat because I went straight to difficult, which lead to using the save/load feature at a disappointing frequency: never quite cheating but quick to fast forward over redundant spawn points.

Even with some design issues, when Rockman 2 is "on," which it usually is, this is 8-bit heaven. A must play with all sorts of weapons to experiment with and classic levels to explore, all in the order of your choice. Ending with a final gym analogy, it's better to ease into a new challenge, then pump up the difficulty a bit later on. I'll certainly tackle this most famous and replayable of Megaman games again, but will ensure a better time by first "warming up" with normal mode.