Hot off the heels of the re-release of the Mega Man Legacy Collection for Nintendo Switch, Capcom brings every Mega Man X title to consoles in their own collection. And like it's predecessor, Mega Man X Legacy Collection is a Mega Man X fan's dream. It's filled with extras, historical content and bonus modes that give a lot more gameplay than what's found in the original titles.
PRESENTATION
The Mega Man X Collection allows fans to play through updated versions of all eight X titles in the series. Players can toggle between three types of screens, the first maintains the original aspect ratio but expands it to fit your screen with a border to fill the excess space. These borders can be filled with various wallpapers that depict characters from the games.
The second screen mode also maintains the original aspect ratio but doesn't fit to screen so it's a bit smaller. The borders are also present for this screen type. The final screen mode stretches horizontally, which makes the game's graphics wider than they were intended. I recommend not using this third screen type to play as it makes the 2D sprites look bad.
There are also filters that can give players a nostalgic feel by displaying the original graphics, or using the CRT filter to make things look more arcade-like or a modern Mega Man X look that has smoother graphics . This filter makes the game look fresh and it really pops, so I definitely recommend it.
GAMEPLAY
The Mega Man X series is one of the best action-platformers in video game history and the Legacy Collection maintains that amazing gameplay. From platform hopping to dashing to midair shooting, the controls in all of the Mega Man X games are slick and simple.
Players not familiar with the X series will also enjoy a new, darker story where Robots (led by Sigma) attempt to rule over the humans. The environments, characters and interactions are gritty and can be heart-wrenching at times. It's a noticeable change from the goofier, more lighthearted nature of the original Mega Man games, but a perfect balance that players of all ages can enjoy.
There are some holdover features from the Mega Man series like the ability to choose which stages to play through first. With so many different combinations, players can experiment how they want to navigate each game and which bosses to defeat. Players also have the option of playing the Japanese version of each game, which doesn't change gameplay but puts all the dialogue in Japanese. It's a nice touch for those who want to experience the games in their original forms.
And, of course, the difficulty level of these games can be challenging if not infuriating at times. Pinpoint jumps and dashes are necessary in many of the stages you'll play through, while many of the boss fights are some of the hardest you'll ever experience. There's a reason why Capcom put an easy mode in this collection. The Rookie Hunter mode scales back difficulty for less experienced players or those having trouble defeating a particular boss or level. Capcom allows for the easy mode to be activated in the middle of a level without having to restart, a nice touch.
FEATURES/GAME MODES
A big perk of purchasing Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 is the historical content. Both collections offer the soundtracks for each game, which are some of the best in video game history, and a detailed look at other products sold at the time of each game's release. From plushies to action figures to shirts and trading cards, the product gallery is a great look at how fans consumed the Mega Man X series. The Gallery offers concept art sketches, official game art and detailed information on the various characters, bosses and the story.
An amazing addition to the Legacy Collections are the inclusion of game trailers released in Japanese and English, and the animated short "The Day of Sigma" which is a prologue to the first Mega Man X game. It sets up the world and motives for the characters and is a great watch that makes you wish for more.
A huge new game mode is the X Challenge, which pits X up against two bosses at the same time. Players will select three weapons to bring into battle, and they have to defeat both bosses before either their life or time runs out. This mode is a lot of fun and really puts your knowledge of the bosses and your own skills to the ultimate test. There are online leaderboards and different difficulty options for players of all levels, so once you've played through all the games try your hand at the X Challenge for hours of extra gameplay.
VERDICT
Capcom put out a great title when they released the Mega Man Legacy Collection , but the Mega Man X Legacy Collection is more polished, filled with so much content that everyone should experience it (even though it doesn't have as many titles.) The added X Challenge feature and all the videos and galleries included in the Museum really makes the collection worthwhile.
The Mega Man X franchise represents some of the best platforming experiences in history and the Mega Man X Legacy Collection maintains the controls, stories and look of the originals while slightly upgrading the visuals with the various screens and filters.
Just re-releasing the Mega Man X games for PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch would be good enough for hours of gameplay, but the added features is what makes this a must-own for fans of the franchise
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Phillip Martinez is a game and culture reporter for Newsweek. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2018, he was a reporter ... Read more
