Three Great Things About Mega Man
At long last, there's a new mainline Mega Man game in the works. Mega Man: Dual Override (basically Mega Man 12) is on its way in 2027, and as a huge fan of the Blue Bomber's classic adventures, I couldn't be more excited. And what do I do when I'm excited? I look back on how we got here!
For the next, well, however long it's going to take for Dual Override to come into existence, I'm going to be running through the entire classic series of Mega Man games and coming up with 3 things I like about them. Obviously, there will be some games that I like more than 3 things about. But in the interest of brevity, I'm sticking with the first three that come to mind.
So, without further ado, here are three great things about Mega Man.
That amazing box art
I unironically love this nonsense. You've no doubt heard the legend of this box's awfulness. It's found its way to the top of many a "bad box art" list. And honestly, how could it not? Just look at it. It’s astonishing. There’s no part of it that doesn’t amaze with its absurdity, but also its creativity. Mega Man’s stance alone should have been enough for someone in a position of power to send this back to the drawing board, or at least ask some very serious questions. But for all its terribleness, it’s actually pretty charming. It's also "state-of-the-art” so, it's got that going for it as well.
Pre-establishment lore
Mega Man’s lore was all over the place when the series first began, especially here in the United States. And while I’m glad we didn’t really hear much about Monsteropolis after this first entry, like the bad box art, there’s something really charming about it. I’m all for continuity, but there’s also something to be said for watching a series find its way over the years, and then looking back at its origins and saying “wow. That was weird.” Also, Dr. Wright. Ahh, good times. 
It just feels different
The original Mega Man has a very different feel from everything that came after it. I’m not sure if it’s my own personal nostalgia or what, but the mood of the music, the look of the in-game sprites, the weirdo box art, it all comes together to form something that’s unique from its brethren. The original six robot masters don’t quite match the new ones, and I absolutely love that. Similar to the original Super Mario Bros., Mega Man shows that the evolution of the series could have gone in several very different directions. I’m glad it went the way it did.
And there you have it. Of course, I like WAY more than just three things about Mega Man, and I could go on for days about all of them. The yellow Devil! The Magnet Beam! How hilariously fast he falls to his death when those moving platforms move out from underneath him in Guts Man's stage! But like I said, let's keep things simple. Instead, I'll turn the microphone to you. What are three things you like about the original Mega Man for NES?
