Mega Man 3 (Nintendo / Famicom) Review

(Originally posted on May, 2017)

(1990, Famicom)
(Note: The game was played as part of Megaman Legacy Collection for the PC)

Never playing Megaman/Rockman 3 until this review is a bit shameful, but I still brought decades of simmering anticipation to the occasion. During the height of the NES, the big event that was the Megaman 3 Nintendo Power cover feature made it one of my most desired, yet (for whatever reason) just out of reach games of childhood. Highly impressed with Megaman 2, this sequel seemed to add a whole new layer of fun with the mystery of Proto Man and novelty of Rush. In the subsequent long months of youth, Megaman 3’s lasting presence in the Top 30 rankings never let me forget what I missing. Just recently clearing the last game, it was finally time to fight Snake Man, who for 27 years I considered the coolest of all the robot masters. Turning on the game, not even blasting a single robot, I was greeted with some of the most complex and evoking NES music I’ve (yet) heard. Did Dr. Light and Dr. Wily both bring the goods to keep this extraordinary pace up?...

Coming off the runaway success of Megaman 2, Capcom took what they learned and faithfully built upon the foundation which gloriously, if a still a bit wildly, shot for the stars. The immediate difference from 2>3 is less stark than 1>2, but without a doubt the core mechanics and moment-by-moment play bring a tighter, more deliberate feel. Megaman 3’s less eye catching and often thematically bland levels disappoint to a degree, but you’ll just as quickly appreciate their more methodical sense of design. Capcom once again constructed stages that feel like distinctive, smaller challenges pieced together into a cohesive whole. Once you’ve safely cleared a certain room from whatever which orientation, scrolling to the next screen may present you with a mini-boss, branching path, or some sort of neat, all new obstacle to figure out…

Plenty of quirky new enemies, both annoyingly tiny and NES-meltingly humongous are accompanied by a number of novel physics based challenges. Spinning platforms account for Megaman’s exact placement upon them as the NES simulates his 360-degree rotation. Enemies hover above; wielding giant cartoonish magnets which threaten to pull Megaman directly in if he gets too close. Even Dr. Wily’s huge battle machines emphasize paying attention to and planning around their deliberate mechanical movement. Before Mario hatched his dino-companion Yoshi, the robo-assistant Rush arrived, always a silent dogwhistle away from allowing Megaman to perform heightened jumps, float all around or even board an armed canine submarine. The new slide move felt a bit strange after being so used to dashing upright in the later X games, but was soon welcomed as it both aids the pace and serves as a final chance to flee oncoming danger.

While the gameplay is an overall improvement, a serious point of contention comes from the second half’s gratuitous boss fights, designed as if players must be kept busy until the next release about a year later. In each of the 4 trickier remixes to previous stages, not once but twice you’ll do battle with bosses of years past. Perhaps owing to the expense of precious ROM chips back then, the ghostly static images of Woodman, Airman and the others slowly sink into an appropriately parasitic, flea-like robot who dons their deadly leaves and whirlwinds. Not wanting to spend hours upon hours figuring out the perfect technique and weapon choice to take on this challenge, somewhat absurd even for this famously difficult series, I went ahead and used save states next to the encounters. Same for the recycled, time demanding robot master gauntlet near the end. Using whatever means, if you’ve stuck around and made it to Wily after all that, with the right weapons it’s surprisingly easy to send the evil scientist packing.

The new music isn’t as immediately catchy or aggressive as 2’s, but arguably just as good: the more subtle compositions reward careful listening. At other times they boldly extend towards new moods. There’s a noticeable deviousness to the isolated alien planet of Gemini Man. Top Man has the slightly harsher, adrenaline spiking style heard in Double Dragon. The progression to Hardman’s danceable beat reminds me of some 80’s group I can’t quite put my finger on. The intense, dreary resolve felt in Wily-2 is almost heart wrenching, making it the standout track by far. The stages are plenty fun, but rather lack a coherent connection to the boss, mostly taking place in forgettable cities, industrial and military areas. Few levels are immediately appealing other than the appropriately manned Snake Man stage and inexplicably ultra colorful alien fun that is Gemini Man’s stage. Minor technical improvements and clever artistry still make the game worth a good look. The glistening, web-like patterns decorating the subterranean depths of Gemini Man’s planet rather impressively create a sense of curious trepidation. Smart dithering techniques among metallic surfaces are embraced, a richly colored dusk is simulated and before the credits you’ll have to topple a wrecking machine that dwarfs even Mecha Dragon and Guts Tank of Megaman 2.

Megaman 3 gets a bit ridiculous with how draining the equally uninspired and demanding boss challenges can feel, but is otherwise a highly worthy sequel. If playing on an emulator or modern system, how you go about the most punishing parts is up to you. Since Nintendo’s no longer hiring Game Counselors (and possibly throwing this out to applicants), I can abandon that particular dream and enjoy the game even more by saving where I deem fair. In the end, Megaman 2’s more on point, saccharine presentation makes it a better overall experience, but I still came away from 3 thoroughly satisfied with the tighter, evolved gameplay and unobtrusive story inclusion as you unravel the mystery of Protoman/Blues. The small refinements and additions to Megaman 3 almost feel like the series is beginning to merge into the more immersive 16-bit era, but the Blue Bomber still has a few more adventures on the NES to teleport towards…