Social Bubble Man's Jacuzzi (Mega Man Social Thread)

[Sorichuudo]

Some gaming music I absolutely love (does anyone here know or remember the Battletoads?)

Well... Rash is in Killer Instinct now so someone must remember them.

 

[Mega-Spider]

Is anyone else feeling like people see Mega Man as low tier? He's far from it, but the fact that we don't get any fancy new buffs that drastically improve him makes it all the more discouraging.

 

[ぱみゅ]

Nobody got any fancy new buff that drastically improve them.

 

[Mega-Spider]

Nobody got any fancy new buff that drastically improve them.

I'm talking about each patch update. While we get Leaf Shield buffs (which is good, BTW), it's not a whole lot nor enough to stand up to some of the high tier characters like Sheik, and those characters get off scott free without nerfs. Then again, Luigi was nerfed (albeit he was one of our better match ups IMO), so I guess it's a step in the right direction.

 

[Drarky]

I don't think people see Mega Man as a low tier, rather he is in the "mid tier pool" where a lot of characters fall, and they tend to be somewhat ignored due to their lack of strong players out there.

Now, I'm talking about what most people see, not what it is, Mega Man could easily be better or worse than considered, but that's another story.

 

[Splooshi Splashy]

I'm surprised that I haven't dropped by here until now, considering I have had all these sprited MegaYoshies adorning my avatar and signature for around a month & a half now, which I ripped from HedgehogMac/HM Hibki's MegaYoshi's files (which is free. Check out my signature if you want to download him, though if anyone has trouble with that, I could make good on my Dropbox link offer...) using Fighter Factory 3 (which is also free), plus importing the orange color from Mike's 2nd version (http://mugen.wikia.com/wiki/Yoshi/Mike's_second_version) of Mugen!Yoshi (free as well) for the avatar. Then again, I've been elsewhere on the boards, making many posts, mostly focusing on Jr & DH (especially him, considering how active his board is in comparison to Jr's) and the Online section. It's only been the last 2 weeks or so since I've started using the ripped sprites & animations from his and Royce's DH's files at various points in my posts, which I am adoring very much, due to the amount of occasions I'm finding for them.


I do occasionally play as Sm4sh MM from time to time (more often than Sm4sh Yoshi, but less often than some of my other characters like WFT, G&W, and Doc, but with Neutral 2 & Side 2 getting buffed, I might consider playing as him a little more often with Customs On. ), who I'm still glad is better than his Marvel 1 & 2 counterparts (where I geniunely believe he was a low tier, which I canNOT see Sm4sh MM being AT ALL, even with this patch's changes), because:

1. He's nowhere as pressured to do traditional combos here as he would be in Marvel 1 & 2 (which he wasn't too good at doing in that series, especially if you directly compare him to folks like Strider Hiryu or Wolverine or Iron Man), for outside of certain characters' grabs (ex. Mario, ZSS, Sheik), Bowser Jr's Side B Jump Cancel juggles, and Ryu's Weak/Strong DTilt/UTilt xx Specials, the overall lack of:
1a. reliable hard knockdowns deterring strong okizeme from hounding the knocked down opponent,
2a. corners with which to lockdown folks in,
and 3a. Instant Air Dashed Aerial attacks (landing lag can hinder this enough to prevent the next step from occuring) --> standing or crouching Normals xx Specials type of combos (IMO, Sm4sh Ryu comes closest to being capable of all this, for his Air FADC can serve as an air dash with an armored beginning), all help ward off the potential for touch-of-death infinites that the Marvel VS series is plagued with (Oh hai Marvel 1 Wolverine, Marvel 2 Magneto, and UMVC3!Zero during Sougenmu~).

2. His Custom Loadouts, much like so many of the cast, are geniunely awesome to use (I usually rep 33xx or 23xx or 13xx (though with Side 2's reduced cooldown, I might consider running that as well. ) depending not only on the MU (Down 2's for dealing with others' projectiles, while Down 3's for those without any), but also the stages, such at walled (Up 2~) and non-walled (Up 1 or 3~)). With the cooldown on Neutral 2 & Side 2 being reduced now, perhaps I'll start using those moves more often, since for as much as I love how early Danger Wrap can KO folks near the ceiling and how Shadow Blade lets us land some powerful followups while piercing through some projectiles, there are MUs where we'll want something else...

And the biggest reason to me, 3. For as tough as the likes of Pikachu, ZSS, and Sheik are, I don't believe that there is anyone in Sm4sh that I would consider to be on the same level of overwhelming might that teams like Strider Hiryu & Wolverine or Double War Machines in Marvel 1, or virtually any combination of the top tiers in Marvel 2 (Ex. Magneto & Storm & Psylocke or Storm & Sentinel & Captain Commando) have (I.E. MM actually has a shot at winning without constant super-clutch plays or an overreliance on his teammates' Assists). In other words, when I look at Sheik, I don't see her as dangerously great as, oh say, Marvel 2 Magneto. When I see Custom Villager, I may nickname him/her ChrisGer after ChrisG's inFamous UMVC3 Morrigan/Doctor Doom/Vergil team, but I don't see ChrisGer as unapproachably safe as, oh say, Marvel 2 Cable with the right assists to cover up the openings in his lameout style. I see them as folks that are as beatable as, oh say, the 75-ish% of the Marvel 2 cast that normally don't get played in actual tournaments.


However, there IS a version of him that I rep in a fighting game more than Sm4sh and even Marvel 1 & 2, and it's HedgehogMac / HM Hibiki's MegaYoshi in Mugen--

"I know, I know, it has a terribad reputation as a laughing stock of a broken mess that can't be taken seriously, what with Salty Bets, UFGT X's Salty's Silent Auction | Random Mugen Tournament last year, and the hordes of horrifically unbalanced characters & systems and amateur appearances that show up in both of the previous points..."

Still, I adore how MegaYoshi is such a significant improvement over Marvel 1 & 2 MM, that I would consider MY to be a direct upgrade over him.

How exactly is that so? To begin, his mobility, especially in the air, is AMAZING. He has a Flutter Jump that can let him either avoid committing to a single direction during a jump, maintain air hang time, or even quickly do aerial attacks (including air-thrown projectiles, including LEAF SHIELD! 8D) if Up is double tapped while on the ground.
He has an Airdash that knocks down on hit, yet can still be acted out of & be used multiple times in a single jump (regaining the 1 knockdown hit each time!), KOF styled rolls & spotdodges (which he can attack out of AND be cancellable into a super (ex. QCB, F + LP & LK or QCB + LK & MK) on hit), and a generally high ground movement speed (you can end his run with a roll if you press down while he's running, which can let him go under certain high-aiming attacks, and if you press forward again after ending your run with a roll, you can possibly get a normal or a special if you use 1 button (LP LK MP MK), or either a grab or even a super if you use both LP & MP or LK & MK together), which includes one of my most favorite walking styles to have ever graced a Yoshi:

'Tis be the 8th outfit (Start+MK/X/Button 2) for MY based on , btw.

Its accurate-to-MM7 status is actually as practical as Sm4sh Marthcina's walks, due to the sheer speed he has with it (out of all the Mega Men and even Yoshies in Mugen, in terms of walking speed, MegaYoshi is the absolute fastest walker out of them all. It keeps up with air-thrown Leaf Shields + air-thrown Charged Mega Buster shots (which can be fired seemingly IMMEDIATELY in the air after throwing your Leaf Shield in the air, plus they have NO landing lag, whatsoever!) as well)), its allowance for Parries, and recently, after some testing in the Combo Labs inspired by OneSmash's 20XX series on Option Selects, I've found out that he has an aggressive OS featuring that, his 3S-styled Parry, Egg Roll, and even Tongue Grab (Hold Forward while you're walking (as pictured above by MegaSonicYoshi, which is NOT running), then press Forward + LK & MK (Delay the button presses for a little bit for the Tongue Grab)).

MY sadly doesn't have a wall-jump like what MVC1&2 MM has, but I don't believe he needs it. Flutter Jump can be a pseudo wall-jump, anyways.

While MegaYoshi's slide pictured above seems to start up & end faster as well as travel farther in less time, he doesn't get as many options for directly cancelling into specials & supers as MVC1&2 MM does (QCB + 2 Kicks and QCB, F + LP & LK after landing Slide does work for MY at least), yet it can leave his opponents knocked down for longer than MVC1&2 MM's Slide does, making it easier for MY to setup his strong okizeme (The question of "What can I make my opponent wake up to when he/she finally gets back up?" btw).

His combo-ing & pressuring ability is actually both easier and better than MVC1&2, because:

1. This is a bread 'n butter 1+ meter punish combo that he's got the mobility & methods to sneak in:
Airdash/Jumping (Down+)MK or HK OR Double Tap Up --> Jump MP/MK --> Jump HK --> MK x2 (links into itself with good timing/mashing) OR Standing LP --> LK --> MP/MK xx *Insert Any Special Here, though to continue onwards into a super, use QCB+LP* xx QCB+ Any 2 or 3 Kick buttons or QCB, F + LP & LK. If you use the QCB + Any 2 or 3 Kicks super, you're free to do whatever followups you want afterwards, since your opponent will still be suspended in the air for a little bit after the super's over.

2. He also has legit air-to-air combos, due to converting stray aerial normals into airdash, after which he gets to do whatever he wants. That is also what makes his meterless combos more punishing (without meter, for example, instead of going into QCB + LP after standing MP/MK, he can go for the Crouching/Standing HK Launcher into LP LK MP MK or LK x2 MP MK xx Airdash (hit or not) --> Anything he wants).

3. As stated above, you can double tap UP while on the ground to quickly activate Flutter Jump ASAP, which allows him to do WHATEVER aerial attacks you want (many of which are FAST overheads that MUST be blocked high, though J. HK doesn't count as an overhead for some reason...), including air-thrown projectiles (including Leaf Shield, though the timing seems inconsistently tough to do, even with drumming all 3 Punch buttons) and even supers (Air Protoshield Barrage is actually quite safe to do in the air, because you can IMMEDIATELY do whatever you want afterwards while in the air). His ground-level mixups when this is included with his numerous other options are countlessly powerful to wield and terrifying to confront.
This method of aerial attacking MIGHT even lead to a Skullgirls!Fukua / UMVC3!Zero-styled corner infinite by doing Double Tap Up --> MP --> HK --> REPEAT from Double Tap Up (timings seem quick 'n strict from what I've tried so far, much like UMVC3!Zero's Lightning Loops, so if you ask me, if you can actually pull this off in a real match, I'd say you've earned the win).

I'm thoroughly impressed with how much better Marvel 1 & 2 becomes when you put him in the body of a Yoshi and give him a bunch of traits that neither of them normally have when separated (ex. 3S Parries that cost meter yet are still do-able with no meter (Better than Akatsuki in Under Night In-Birth, but worse than a 3S char in that regard), MM2/Power Fighters Mecha Dragon Transformation, a W-Tank (Hold both HP & HK) to quickly build meter, etc). He's a deep, technical, quick (overall both in mobility and attack speed), and even high-damaging character with numerous viable options that can support multiple solid gameplans and playstyles wonderfully, which greatly helps him in adapting to various MU types.

As you may tell, I REALLY like playing as MegaYoshi, to the point that I could write up a gigantic post on what he's capable of (which I think I might've already done right here.... XD). It's just too bad that he's probably worthless in terms of advancing Sm4sh MM's meta with, despite his volume of unique multi-purpose projectiles (keepaway AND rushdown are both possible with MY) that Sm4sh MM has in common with him, but at least he has all these cool sprites for me (and possibly others) to use at various points, such what I've used in this post. :D

In regards to the Classic series, MM6 stands tall at #1 as my absolute most favorite game in that series, for it's the 1st MM game I've ever played and beaten, plus it's one of the easiest in that series ("With 9 E-Tanks, Power & Jet Suits, and an easier way to get Beat, it's no wonder why I was able to appreciate it & even beat it in my single digit years."). Its OST, to this day, I can make myself practically hear it playing in my head on command, especially Wind Man's stage. *Does just that, and zones out in imaginative bliss*
Oh, and Gaijin Goomba's coverage on its multicultural aspects... *squees!*
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFENe3sG-no
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwuWU4B4n2U

I may not have ranked MM7 among the Classic series too highly for years, but ever since repping MY since last year (a couple of his sprites and even sounds 'n riffs come from it), it's been going up on my list of favorite Classic MM games, perhaps high enough to compete with MM6 now, though MM7 shall stand at #2 for me. For all the flak that MM7 gets, I'd at least want to say that it brought us Danger Wrap (which is both the 1st Master Weapon I get & one of my favorites to use, due to its versatility) in Sm4sh, one of Mega Man's best Side B moves that anti-airs folks very well and even KOs them at shockingly low percents doing so. It also brought us an awesome OST that, to this day, still gets air time in my playlist. Its big 16-bit sprites are awesome, and I've not really had any super serious problems with platforming or fighting due to it. Sure, the last form of the Wily fight is among the most difficult endbosses in the entire series, and you only get to carry 5 E-Tanks (I consider the SP-Tank to be one, since it also refills all your Master Weapons), and only 4 Robot Masters are available to start off with instead of all 8 (unless you use a specific password), but those are the most serious blemishes I can give it that stops it from reaching #1, despite how much MY was influenced by it.

He's supposed to be actually firing uncharged Buster shots here, but I'm not sure how to replicate that here... >.<
Oh, and its 2 player VS mode was quite cool, though Bass was rather OP once you figured out his special moves. XP

3rd place would probably be between Power Battle (CPS1) & Power Fighters (CPS2) for the arcades/GC, for its sweet remixes (including those from MM6 & MM7 :>), it's simultaneous 2-player co-op that affected PF's endings & really should happen again someday, and playably cool Proto Man, Bass, and even Duo in PF, who I mained. Since both were arcade-only until the 2000's, the only other way to play them outside of the GC Collections were by a certain ugly E word, if you weren't close to an arcade that had them...

I would LOVE to play a Classic MM-styled game starring MegaYoshi one day. If he had any of the capabilities he has in Mugen going into that game, as well as looking the way he does in my avatar or signature or possibly better...

 

[Mega-Spider]

I like both styles they had for Mega Man in MVC and Smash 4. Maybe it's because I never played MVC competitively (with all the 0 to death combos, why would I), but I just had a lot of fun experimenting with Rock in those games. I liked how you can change his attacks from the Mega Ball, Leaf Shield, and the Tornado Hold. The only thing I really hated was how limited and poor his up close options are, but then again, that makes sense seeing as how Mega Man's a distance fighter and not an up close one.

As for Smash 4, I adore how much respect to the source material he is. He behaves and feels like he does in the Classic series (albeit a few differences), and out of all the Smash 4 characters, he feels like he actually came right out of the game he came from. If you can get the little strut with his leg when you barely tap the D-Pad implemented, you know you're loyal to the source. Once again, Rock's up close options aren't that good and his ending lag on his kill moves makes his kill options strong, but unsafe as well.

If I were to pick which style I like more, Smash 4. The MVC one is fine (and looks like he came from the Archie comics), but I just have more fun playing the Smash 4 version. Here's how I see it:
MVC = Comic accurate
Smash 4 = Game accurate

Besides, at least we don't get the Mega Ball in Smash 4. >_>

 

[Nu~]

Hey mega mains! How much micromanagement would you say that mega man requires to play?

I'm beginning to steer away from pacman because of the high level of micromanagent that he requires (it's way too stressful for a person like me who sucks with details) and the amount of counterplay he has to him is frustrating.

I'm thinking of giving mega man a try alongside my new main Lucas.

 

[Mega-Spider]

Hey mega mains! How much micromanagement would you say that mega man requires to play?

I'm beginning to steer away from pacman because of the high level of micromanagent that he requires (it's way too stressful for a person like me who sucks with details) and the amount of counterplay he has to him is frustrating.

I'm thinking of giving mega man a try alongside my new main Lucas.

Can you give a better description of "micromanagement?" I'm not too sure what you mean by that.

 

[Nu~]

Can you give a better description of "micromanagement?" I'm not too sure what you mean by that.

I have to keep track of every little thing and make few mistakes. Controlling every part, no matter how small.

Pac-Man's nuetral requires a lot of this since you have to account for every last detail in your setups (due to the amount counterplay his tools have)

 

[Mega-Spider]

I have to keep track of every little thing and make few mistakes. Controlling every part, no matter how small.

Pac-Man's nuetral requires a lot of this since you have to account for every last detail in your setups (due to the amount counterplay his tools have)

Pac-Man requires the player to be smart with his traps and calculate on what can go right and wrong. He can be one of the trickiest characters to fight when a good Pac-Man player dominates the neutral.

Mega Man's a bit similar to this, albeit not as much. Mega Man requires a steep and long learning curve since his strategies are different compared to most Smash characters. Like Pac-Man, Mega Man has a great and I mean great item game with the Metal Blade. Compared to Pac-Man's Bonus Fruit, it seems like Mega Man doesn't have as many options, but in reality, he has a lot of options with it. It can be used to edge guard, combo, mix-ups, the works. Like Pac-Man, Mega Man benefits from spacing, though more so at mid-distance. Since shields were nerfed in this update, Mega Man's purely defensive options aren't as effective, but they still work fairly reasonably. Even then, you shouldn't be shielding constantly with Mega Man anyway. Short hopping lemons and moving forward and back are better than running and shielding. Something I do to mix people up is reverse Flame Sword. Since Flame Sword covers a good amount of space, I use it to back people away if they get too close.

I often spend a lot of my time in the air since Mega Man's aerial game is pretty solid. He covers a good amount of space and his air attacks are pretty sweet, with Air Shooter being my personal favorite. If not for killing, I use Air Shooter for racking up damage since it's also good at doing that. Z-Dropping Metal Blade is also pretty good for edge guarding, and if you're confident, you can go for a Hard Knuckle spike if you want, which is incredibly satisfying to win with.

To go back to the question, Mega Man does have some micromanagement of his own, mainly keeping track of your Metal Blade just in case it gets caught by someone and you have to constantly keep your distance. Maybe it's because I have a lot of experience with Mega Man, but I don't see a lot of micromanagement issues with him. The main hurdle is just getting used to how he handles and remembering how different he is compared to most of the cast. Since the defensive options were recently nerfed, it helps to be more offensive with short hopping lemons, reverse Flame Swords, and Metal Blade combos.

This video will teach you some MB set ups.

Mega Man just takes time and patience to learn to use him effectively. Is it frustrating? Sometimes, yes. However, if you can get through a steep learning curve, Mega Man is easily worth it.

 

[Nu~]

Decided to stick with my main lol. Shield stun finally allows me to go more aggro with pac-man

 

[Splooshi Splashy]

I liked how you can change his attacks from the Mega Ball, Leaf Shield, and the Tornado Hold.

The idea of switching Master Weapons in the middle of actual combat without pausing was and still is pretty cool. It was neat how Eddie personally gave you the MW that you could pick up yourself, just like in the platformers, even when you're knocked down (though unlike MegaYoshi, you won't be able to actually pick it up while you're lying down). MVC 1's MW Icon sticks around for longer on the ground than MY's version does, but Eddie has to be close enough to you before he'll give the MW to you, which can pose a problem if you're moving away from him while he's walking towards you, which MY does not have to be concerned about. Strangely, during a MY Ditto match, neither of the MYs can steal the other's MW drop, which is the exact opposite of the MM & Roll (Ditto) MUs in Marvel 1 & 2, where the both of them CAN do so. o_O

I do like the challenge of it for both MVC1 MM (not so much Marvel 2, given how hard that is) and especially MegaYoshi, for it's only for a surprisingly short duration that they have to hold the line (as soon as I get LS, I'm done with line holding for the rest of the round for that particular reason) in comparison to folks like Robo-Ky in GG or Phoenix Wright in UMVC3 or Markman in Divekick, who have more expensive reasons to hold that line for FAR longer. However, actually trying to switch Master Weapons in actual combat safely would likely require landing a knockdown before attempting to actually pick up RB/TH/LS, preferably while your Assists or other projectiles are covering you. Pulling this off when 1 or 2 Assists are summoned by the opponent, who is also closing in you while their Assist(s) are out 'n about is an incredible challenge, to say the least. 'Course, MegaYoshi probably has it easier when it comes to securing the MW of choice than MVC1&2 MM does, given the multitude of options he has to hold the line near the given MW, which is handy to have in team battles where 4 to even 8 characters are simultaneously on the battlefield at the same time.

Personally, Megaman Volnutt in Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars greatly enhanced the mid-combat weapon-switching idea, for not only are his 3 weapons (Machine Gun, Drill, Shield) NOT tied to Eddie, he technically has a 4th weapon in the form of his default Fist. The way he switches between them is MUCH faster, safer, and even practical for extending movement distances, combos, and even mixing up approaches & blockstrings, for inputting QCB or QCF or even Down Down and then an attack button makes him move backwards or forwards or nowhere (respectively) while switching weapons. He can cancel his normals & weapon uses into those weapon switches, even when you WHIFF the Weapon Use, AND in the AIR! You can Weapon Change twice in 1 jump, which will ALSO give him 2 extra air dashes on top of his 1 air dash AND let him change weapons as well (depending on the buttons pressed, you could stay with the same weapon you started the extra air dashes with)! All of his supers can automatically switch weapons for him too:
Machine Gun Sweep super (QCB + 2 attack buttons, air-usable, 1 bar needed, leaves you with Machine Gun equipped)
Max Power Drill Uppercut super (DP + 2 attack buttons, ground only, 1 bar needed, leaves you with Drill equipped),
and Max Power Shining Laser (QCF + 2 attack buttons, ground only, 3 bars needed, leaves you with default Fist equipped).
Bringing Volnutt out as an Assist (which will always be 3B Drill, regardless of what weapon he had on when you tagged him out) after switching him out with your partner will always make his weapon be the default Fist when you tag back to him.
Because of the many ways he can switch weapons, what he sacrifices are the many special attacks he could've had instead, were it not for those Weapon Switch options (NO DP or RDP specials for him, for some reason... ). Forward Medium ("6B") and Down Forward Medium ("3B") are what we press to use those weapons (in the air as well!), not QCF + Any Punch, so he doesn't get 3 versions of any of his weapons to use like MVC1&2 MM & MY do. Basically, this style of weapon switching can allow him to be far more capable of aggressive rushdown and comfortable fighting upclose than MVC1&2 MM, which as someone whose main MO is aggro rushdown, I ADORED to the point of maining him in TVC, alongside Roll (if you use the Roll Mop Up Turbo Super on top of a puddle you've put on the stage, she can make every hit she lands do as much damage as any stray hit from Tekkaman or Alex, especially if you use Roll Power Up! beforehand)!), Saki, Doronjo, and secondaring Jun the Swan, Alex, Frank West, and Zero ("Hey, EG|Marn made him look really cool during 2010 when he ran Zero/Alex with Zero on point!" I myself would run Zero/Roll with Zero on point or Volnutt/Roll or Zero/Volnutt or Volnutt/Doronjo or Zero/Doronjo

).

I just had a lot of fun experimenting with Rock in those games.

Same here. :D It's been much fun going to the Combo Labs with Marvel 1 & 2 MM (especially 1, since that's the version I can actually get my hands on), TVC Volnutt & Co., and MegaYoshi in Mugen recently and experimenting with various movements & combos & other ideas. As someone who's been a traditional 2D fighter fan & player for at least 10 years now (2003 to 2004, specifically, was when I really got into traditional 2D fighters, due to having figured out how to do legitimate combos like Garou: Mark of the Wolves's Gato's Jumping D --> Close Standing C xx DP+B or D \ QCF+A xx Forward Forward+A or C) in comparison to Sm4sh's 1 year, it felt really nice to step back into a realm I'm still more comfortable being in. TBH, my 1v1 Sm4sh performance still pales in comparison to my traditional 2D fighter performances, and I'm personally OK with that, since I still see virtually every other fighter in the world as being more tailor-made for 1v1s than Sm4sh is, anyways. I'm more of a teams guy when it comes to Sm4sh, for it's quite rare to have teams in fighting games at all. Off the top of my head, outside of the Smash series, the YYH Genesis fighter, Bleach DS 1 & 2, Akatsuki Blitzkampf, Mugen, and possibly one I've missed, are among the only fighters to even offer teams at all. Plus, being able to directly convert stray Normals into Specials and even Supers, even in the air, is just so fun. :3

I'll admit, I personally have not played Marvel 2 very much (since I don't have it), though I've watched MUCH tournament footage over the years, and I can definitely tell you that MM does NOT get played at tournament level very often, if at all, much like around 75% of the rest of the cast. Judging by his lack of appearances in competitive play, he, much like the rest of the 75%, must be pretty bad in direct comparison to the top tiers in Marvel 2 (ex. Storm, Sentinel, Magneto, Iron Man, etc). Of the MM cast that was in Marvel 1 & 2 , at least Tron Bonne saw the most use in Marvel 2, due to one of her Assist Types being capable of setting up unblockables if used right (I think it was Gustaff Fire, which is no longer capable of unblockable setups since MVC3, hence her lack of air time in UMVC3). TVC:UAS was very kind to Volnutt, especially Zero (who I don't believe has EVER been any lower than top tier in seemingly any fighter he's ever been in, from UMVC3 when paired with Dante & Vergil (The Zoop Zoop song is one of my absolute favorite things to have come from UMVC3, along with Apologyman (whose representation of Lucario makes complete sense, given that he's the embodiment of Marvel 3's X-Factor), Phoenix Wright, and ChrisG(er)'s Morrigan/Doctor Doom/Vergil team. XD), to SVC Chaos as his MMZ self), and even Roll (whose MVC incarnation I'm certain was worse than MVC1&2 MM) in terms of tiers & air time.

Besides, at least we don't get the Mega Ball in Smash 4. >_>

I would've loved to use Mega Ball traps in Sm4sh like what David Sirlin described here: http://www.sirlin.net/ptw-book/love-of-the-game-not-playing-to-win

The rest of that article, much like his actual Playing to Win book as a whole, are highly recommended readings that have helped forge my own style throughout the years. I can thank that particular article, particularly the "Basic R&D" section near the beginning, for inspiring me to attempt to challenge seemingly every move I see, whenever & however I can, in whatever fighter I happen to be playing, even here in Sm4sh.

Believe it or not, Marvel 1's Mega Ball beats MY's version of it, for the Ball itself comes out faster (as does the start & end of the move itself) & closer to him (Crouching LK quickly & easily sends it flying, the MOMENT MM recovers from throwing out Mega Ball), and it does multiple hits (= more damage), including on block (no chip damage for either character's version). Were it to actually land, those multiple hits would add up for surprisingly good damage that can exceed MY's version, which only seems to hit once, even in the corner. Its space control is more consistent (MM produces them & can send them flying faster than MY can), it can force opponents back on the ground, and of course, you can have up to 2 other projectiles out there for traps. Both versions are pushblockable, however, and for some reason, MegaYoshi's Slide doesn't seem to consistently launch Mega Ball as much as MM's Slide does, yet his other normals do. Huh.

Why I don't hear MM say Rock Ball out loud like he does for Tornado Hold & Leaf Shield in Marvel 1 is beyond me (he probably did in Marvel 2, but again, I haven't personally played it very much, so I wouldn't know), but finally getting to hear him say Rock Ball out loud from MegaYoshi is SO adorable. X3 I just wish MY's version of Mega Ball was better, so I'd actually want to use it more....

To be more honest, Mega Ball is actually thee Master Weapon I've personally experimented with the least out of the 3 he can switch between in Mugen AND Marvel 1, if mainly because I kept getting distracted by Leaf Shield, especially MegaYoshi's version of it, which I adore for having not only virtually no endlag if thrown in the air (allowing for him to do whatever he wants afterwards), but also dealing shockingly high amounts of (chip!) damage by itself that not even MVC 1 MM could do with it (I've not actually tried throwing it in MVC2, though that's mainly because I don't actually have it. I can definitely say that Marvel 1's LS did NOT do any chip damage, and its actual damage by itself is pitiful for how hard you have to fight for it, plus MM just isn't fast enough to reliably follow up on it by himself, especially if he gets pushblocked). MY's version also generates more hit & block stun than in Marvel 1, due to LS's 8 hits racking up slower than Marvel 1's, making it easier to follow up with, the ease of which is enhanced further by MY's sheer mobility speed, and there's a higher payoff as well, beyond LS itself doing great damage. Remember that long-looking +1 meter punish combo I mentioned in my last post? That exact combo is what he can do upon LS actually connecting with the opponent, on block or especially on hit, and if it all hits, the whole combo can take off up to 1/2 or more of the opponent's HP. Oh, and it can also open the door for him to land his surprisingly-hard-to-consistently-do Skullgirls!Fukua-styled corner infinite, IF the opponent is in the corner, is a tall enough character, and guesses wrong on the incoming mixup (though Yoshi's trademark Flutter Jump noise will probably give away your high hitting mixup attempt).

If you block LS midscreen, MVC 1's version will only do 8 hits before stopping without any chip damage dealt. However, MY's version, if blocked outside of the corner, can deal way more than 8 hits, and he can make like Guilty Gear's Venom & simply WALK WITH his LS to increase the amount of hits it does, and thus boost the amount of chip damage it does. Even if you can't seem to throw it, both MVC 1&2 MM and MY can use LS to absorb 1 full hit, much like Sm4sh Ryu's Focus Attack, though without incurring any damage whatsoever, making it pretty handy for either getting in on or backing off from someone. As someone who loves aggressively rushing people down, it is only natural that I would lean towards LS more than the other MWs (especially with MY) for that reason. I just wish you could summon the Master Weapons in the air, as well as use Tornado Hold and Mega Ball in the air as well. Yet another reason for my Leaf Shield adoration.

I don't believe either MVC1 MM or MY are capable of unblockables with it, since a thrown LS doesn't force you to stay blocking either standing or crouching, so you can freely switch between both directions, giving you a chance at successfully blocking whatever incoming mixup is about to be used. Despite what I was expecting, neither MVC1 MM nor MY can grab you while the LS is actively being blocked (not even the Super version of his Tongue Grab); only a little bit after you're done blocking LS can he (Super) grab you, and the window for it seems small. Plus, LS itself can be pushblocked, pushing MM/MY back and preventing them from trying to sneak in a grab (MM's more hindered by pushblocks than MY is, imo).

Combo-ing into Marvel 1's LS seems easier to do than MY's, for MY doesn't seem to be able to throw it after attacks that you would THINK you'd be able to throw LS after (ex. Standing MK, Air MK, post Air Dash due to inputs making Rock Upper take precedence (even if your input is HCF + Any Punch), etc), yet MVC1's LS can be cancelled into after those attacks that you would expect it to smoothly connect after. This difference in direct combo-ing might explain MVC1's generally low damage & payoffs, as well as MY's generally high damage & payoffs.

Speaking of pushblocks, that's actually another ability Marvel 1 & 2 MM can do that MegaYoshi can't (press all 3 punch buttons at the same time). It's a pretty big deal, since that's one of his fastest & safest ways to push people away from him, so as to generate breathing room for himself to (re-)establish his range (Mega Ball) game, as well as a way to mitigate crazy-fast blockstring mixups. As tournament-level UMVC3 players have shown, it's also useful for reducing the amount of chip damage you take from specials & supers. Can pushblocks be punished? Yes, actually. This may be for UMVC3's Morrigan, but there's some good ideas for doing so here that COULD transfer over to other fighters featuring pushblocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkeAwxdOM8

So yeah, if you want to rep Mega Ball, go with Marvel 1 & 2's version. If you want to rep Leaf Shield like I do, go with MegaYoshi.

The only thing I really hated was how limited and poor his up close options are, but then again, that makes sense seeing as how Mega Man's a distance fighter and not an up close one.

Once again, Rock's up close options aren't that good and his ending lag on his kill moves makes his kill options strong, but unsafe as well.

While that certainly is true of Marvel 1 & 2 and even Sm4sh MM (which explains why the top tiers in those 3 fighters give him so much trouble), even if pushblocks are used properly in the former 2 and the x32x or x31x Custom Loadout is used in the latter, I thankfully cannot say the same thing for Volnutt (if he has Shield or Drill or even Fist equipped, his partner's still around, at least 2 bars of meter on deck for either a Mega Crash or 1 bar for a super, and of course the Weapon Switches and VAR Cancelling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmkPDO8Rfno ) and especially MegaYoshi. Their upclose abilities are actually better than Marvel 1 & 2 MM's as well, for they generally have more range and less start-up on their normals, as well as a better payoff for landing them, should they be able to hit-confirm into their (crouching) HK/3C Launchers or Specials or even Supers off of their stray normal pokes (Ex. As MY, at mid-screen with no meter, a tippered stray standing MK poke can convert into LK or EX Egg Roll for a soft knockdown, which does provide enough time to at least call for Eddie to switch to either Leaf Shield or Mega Ball). MY also has more good upclose moves to use as well to either stay upclose for dealing solid damage & applying strong pressure (ex. Egg Roll, Fire Storm, Instant Air Dash, etc), or for getting people away from him to switch MWs and (re-)establish his lameouts (ex. Z-Saber/Rock Upper, Fire Storm, KOF Rolls & Spotdodges (which he can attack during and cancel into Supers off of it), etc). While MY does share several of his normals with MVC1&2 MM, his versions of them seem to be blessed with more range, most notably on his MK button as a whole, with both Standing & Jumping MK being two of his best pokes to tipper.

MY's air normals by themselves, in terms of range & speed, may generally be on par with MM's, but the previously stated air movement options (air dashes, Flutter Jump, and even Ground Pound (it can ambigiously cross up folks like Yun & Yang's divekicks, along with positioning yourself straight down from where you were in the air), on top of his Super Jump) greatly help him out there. As stated earlier, if you hit-confirm an air normal (except for J. HK for some reason) either air-to-air or air-to-ground, you can cancel into his air dash that knocks down on hit, yet allows for him to do whatever he wants afterwards. Oh, and he's capable of blocking & using air attacks during his backdash (including Leaf Shield and supers!), due to it propelling him off the ground during it, which can help make his retreats safer, as well as give him a chance to fight back while retreating against an opponent giving chase. MVC 1&2 MM's backdash keeps him on the ground, so no air attacks during his backdash (all ground attacks~).

Standing MK is your farthest reaching ground normal poke that's generally safe on block:

Crouching MK, unlike MVC1 MM's, doesn't cancel into specials as cleanly as it should (some supers are fine). It reaches out farther than every ground normal you have, but its safety on block if you don't super cancel into QCB + 2 Kicks super is questionable:

Jumping MK is his farthest-reaching air normal that lets him compete in air-to-air clashes when without meter and you're charging the Mega Buster:

Standing MP has slightly faster start-up, but slightly less range than Standing MK (and it can miss some crouchers, like another Yoshi, and yes, MegaYoshi shares his low crouching profile with them):

Jumping HK's hitstun is fantastically long (the key move to land when going for (Air-Dash/Double Tap Up) jump-in combos or even the Skullgirls!Fukua styled corner infinite), and its jump-in angle is better than J. MK's when coming down from above:

Perhaps these being such good footsie buttons to press with the overall speed he has is a perk that comes from the Yoshi body? ;P Had he been around during Marvel 1 & 2, he would've been quite a strong character who might've seen actual competitive play, unlike the 75% who still generally don't, to this day...

If I were to pick which style I like more, Smash 4. The MVC one is fine (and looks like he came from the Archie comics), but I just have more fun playing the Smash 4 version.

Yah, I too prefer Sm4sh MM as a whole over Marvel 1 & 2 MM (I've not actually read any of the Archie comics...), both in terms of gameplay enjoyment, and even competitive viability (It's quite sad when the only characters I can confidently say MVC1&2 MM has the edge over in both Marvels are Roll, Zangief, Dan Hibiki, and Servbot. x_x). I'd definitely put TVC:UAS Volnutt & especially Mugen!MegaYoshi over Marvel 1 & 2 MM as well. It's really because of how difficult it is for MVC1&2 MM to handle the seemingly insurmountable power level of the cast around him, especially in Marvel 2. As strong as the likes of Tekkaman Blade & Zero and Co. are in TVC:UAS, Volnutt DOES have what it takes to hang in there, for he has air dashes (3 total if you count his 2 mid-air Weapon Changes), VAR Cancelling, Mega Crashes (if not baited & punished), and the Baroque system potentially doubling the damage he deals per hit (and rendering normally unsafe attacks safer), among other tools. With Sm4sh being as young as it is in comparison to the other incarnations I've mentioned, while Default MM's looking to be guaranteed to at least be above low tier (a step up from MVC1&2, if you ask me. :D), Custom MM still seems like someone who has what it takes to stand up to the whole cast. Perhaps Marvel 1 & 2 MM was the basis for which his later incarnations would improve themselves off of, with MegaYoshi being the most directly inspired by him (He actually has a viably & usefully huge movelist, for his data files come with 2 separate movelists, both of which are compatible with him. Only Egg Throw from the Mugen!Yoshi side of him doesn't work)...

For as much as I've practically ragged on Marvel 1 & 2 MM in terms of serious competitive gameplay (which is really where my issues with him are, tbh), I do want to say that everything else about the way he is in Marvel 1 & 2, outside of serious competitive gameplay, I'm quite a big fan of. He looks cool & smoothly animated, his voice sounds adorably feminine (though during my single digits, it momentarily fooled me into thinking he was a girl for a little bit. XD), and while his portrayal may not be completely accurate to the games, many a reference to them is made. Personally, the coolness and even cuteness of the MVC1&2 version is doubled when it comes to MegaYoshi. :3

 

[Mega-Spider]

Splooshi Splashy
MvC2's competitive scene is similar to Melee's I find when it comes to my personal experience. I find it more irksome in Marvel 2's case since a huge majority of the cast is pushed aside for the top tiers, but it isn't much better from Melee's. I find both competitive scenes both entertaining but also very boring at the same time. Entertaining when it comes to the game's overall mechanics but boring because of the characters used. There's only so many times I can find Melee Fox or Magneto, Cable, Storm or Sentinel entertaining before I want to see other characters (it's also a reason as to why I'm not a fan of tier lists). I understand that this is a personal issue and not an issue with the overall meta of both games (though it's still an issue), but I just get bored watching the same characters being used over and over again. Yes, they win tournaments, but still; gotta have variety somewhere.

When I played MvC2 for fun, my team was Spider-Man, Mega Man and Venom. Yeah, that's likely not a viable team in tournaments with the aforementioned characters, but the Spider-Man and Mega Man fanboy that I am couldn't resist having them on a team. Even then, when I tried taking MvC2 more seriously, I couldn't really get into it because of the amount of characters used (which in MvC2 standards is incredibly low), and seeing as how there were so many people that were much more experienced than I was, I figured that trying to be an MvC2 player (especially with the team I used) was a waste of time.

As for Smash 4, I've been much more active because I find myself having more fun with competitive Smash Bros compared to competitive MvC. It also helps that I'm much better at it as well seeing as how I win a majority of my online matches in Smash 4. I understand Smash 4's meta is still really early in development, but I hope Smash 4 isn't pushed aside because Melee is the preferred tournament game, kinda like how UMvC3 was given the short stick compared to MvC2 on every level. Besides, playing Mega Man in Smash Bros was a dream I had for years and seeing as how it finally came true, I'm currently living the dream (or at least one of my dreams).

 

[Diamond Octobot]

@Kodystri and Jehtt should really hang out together someday XD

https://youtu.be/IDR9ywTKMYM
https://youtu.be/vAplyc8vd6c

 

[Jehtt]

Yeah, that "guy named Jake" that Kodystri was talking about was me.

 

[Diamond Octobot]

Well guys, the time has come.
The Wombo Combo is back. In HD
https://youtu.be/qB0BjJWq2iU
(How do I even post embbed vids now btw)

P.S.: If you ever see this, you da real MVP @MagicScrumpy

 

[Mega-Spider]

Last night, I decided to play Mega Man 6 again just for the hell of it and I found myself having a great time with it. I consider MM6 to be in the middle of the road when it comes to the Classic series games for me. Even though 6 has my second favorite soundtrack in the Classic series, the weapons system is improved from 5's, the stages are well designed overall, there's one issue I have with it: you can't transition a jump from a slide. This problem alone makes Mega Man 6 a mid-tier game and it makes the controls stiffer than they actually are. I like the Robot Master roster in this game (heck, I'll be the odd-man out and say that I actually like Plant Man), with my personal favorite being Knight Man.

Have I mentioned that I love Wind Man's theme, because I do.

 

[Drarky]

Last night, I decided to play Mega Man 6 again just for the hell of it and I found myself having a great time with it. I consider MM6 to be in the middle of the road when it comes to the Classic series games for me. Even though 6 has my second favorite soundtrack in the Classic series, the weapons system is improved from 5's, the stages are well designed overall, there's one issue I have with it: you can't transition a jump from a slide. This problem alone makes Mega Man 6 a mid-tier game and it makes the controls stiffer than they actually are. I like the Robot Master roster in this game (heck, I'll be the odd-man out and say that I actually like Plant Man), with my personal favorite being Knight Man.

Have I mentioned that I love Wind Man's theme, because I do.

You are not the only one that likes Knight Man and Plant Man here

Mega Man 6 comes to me as a high-low tier representation. I like the level design and most of the challenge seems legit, but it lacks some of the level design fun I had with 5 and the weapon system is just decent. The soundtrack is not the one I like the most overall, but it's a strong one. I liked it in somewhat of a reverse manner on which I like 5's soundtrack. (I don't really like the overall music in 5, but themes like Dark Man and Wily Stage are probably some of my favorites.)

 

[---]

Plant Man's dope.

His theme has really grown on me over time. It's just so catchy.

 

[Drarky]

Plant Man's dope.

His theme has really grown on me over time. It's just so catchy.

That actually happened to me with the overall soundtrack of Mega Man 6. At first I didn't really liked it all that much, but after hearing over and over again, it started growing on me, with the extra help of those remixes.

Also, I forgot to mention: 6 probably has the BEST Wily Battle Theme in the entire franchise, such a shame that the battle is not as great as the song (X5's X vs Zero much?).

It just fills you with Determination...

...get out of my head Undertale.

 

[meleebrawler]

That actually happened to me with the overall soundtrack of Mega Man 6. At first I didn't really liked it all that much, but after hearing over and over again, it started growing on me, with the extra help of those remixes.

Also, I forgot to mention: 6 probably has the BEST Wily Battle Theme in the entire franchise, such a shame that the battle is not as great as the song (X5's X vs Zero much?).

It just fills you with Determination...

...get out of my head Undertale.

It helps that the game makes you think you've finally stopped Wily for good until MM7. Gives it a sort "very definitely final battle" feel.

 

[Mega-Spider]

That actually happened to me with the overall soundtrack of Mega Man 6. At first I didn't really liked it all that much, but after hearing over and over again, it started growing on me, with the extra help of those remixes.

Also, I forgot to mention: 6 probably has the BEST Wily Battle Theme in the entire franchise, such a shame that the battle is not as great as the song (X5's X vs Zero much?).

It just fills you with Determination...

...get out of my head Undertale.

I had that same feeling towards Mega Man X2's soundtrack. Even though I still don't care much for it, I don't hate it like I used to. I used to call it the worst Mega Man soundtrack ever. Oh, the noob days were bad. *Insert Mega Man World 2 music here*

 

[SimonBarSinister]

That actually happened to me with the overall soundtrack of Mega Man 6. At first I didn't really liked it all that much, but after hearing over and over again, it started growing on me, with the extra help of those remixes.

Also, I forgot to mention: 6 probably has the BEST Wily Battle Theme in the entire franchise, such a shame that the battle is not as great as the song (X5's X vs Zero much?).

It just fills you with Determination...

...get out of my head Undertale.

I've only played MM6 once so far, so I don't remember all of the tracks offhand.

Out of the NES games I think MM3 had the best soundtrack.

I had that same feeling towards Mega Man X2's soundtrack. Even though I still don't care much for it, I don't hate it like I used to. I used to call it the worst Mega Man soundtrack ever. Oh, the noob days were bad. *Insert Mega Man World 2 music here*

I used to think X3(PSX version)had the worst soundtrack of the series, but as I listened to it more and more, I started realizing that it was very well done. X2 is alright, but kind of weak compared to the rest.

 

[Drarky]

The overall X franchise has a pretty cool soundtrack, even the game that should not be mentioned has some good songs. Although for me X5 is the one with the best (The music hype gets to a whole new level on the Sigma stages.)

Also, I really wish Battle Network's music was better, because even if there are some pretty good songs (Great Battlers from BN3 comes to mind), the overall selection feels just... bland. It's probably the only thing I really dislike about those games.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

The overall X franchise has a pretty cool soundtrack, even the game that should not be mentioned has some good songs. Although for me X5 is the one with the best (The music hype gets to a whole new level on the Sigma stages.)

Also, I really wish Battle Network's music was better, because even if there are some pretty good songs (Great Battlers from BN3 comes to mind), the overall selection feels just... bland. It's probably the only thing I really dislike about those games.

You mean X7?

It gets a lot of flak for not being a solidly designed game, but at least the quality of music didn't suffer. I don't know anything about X8, though. It's the one game I didn't play.

 

[Mega-Spider]

The overall X franchise has a pretty cool soundtrack, even the game that should not be mentioned has some good songs. Although for me X5 is the one with the best (The music hype gets to a whole new level on the Sigma stages.)

Also, I really wish Battle Network's music was better, because even if there are some pretty good songs (Great Battlers from BN3 comes to mind), the overall selection feels just... bland. It's probably the only thing I really dislike about those games.

I love Battle Network's music (well, not all of it, but I personally love a lot of the music in those games). One of my favorite songs in Battle Network is Two of Braves from Battle Network 6. It has a lot of emotion and it screams "finale" to me. For something made on the GBA sound chip, I think it's well done.

 

[Tino]

It's funny how Mega Man is one of my mains in Smash and yet I've never played any of his games before...

 

[Mega-Spider]

It's funny how Mega Man is one of my mains in Smash and yet I've never played any of his games before...

Talk about extreme irony.
If you want some games to help you get introduced to the series, my personal recommendation is Mega Man 3. It's not so easy like MM2 is, but it's not ball-bustingly hard like the original was on my first try. 3 felt like a balance of easiness and difficult, hence why it was the first Mega Man game I finished (and my favorite for that matter).

 

[Tino]

Talk about extreme irony.
If you want some games to help you get introduced to the series, my personal recommendation is Mega Man 3. It's not so easy like MM2 is, but it's not ball-bustingly hard like the original was on my first try. 3 felt like a balance of easiness and difficult, hence why it was the first Mega Man game I finished (and my favorite for that matter).

Sounds good to me, though I still wish to play all the games in the series if I ever get the chance.
What about the X series or the Battle Network series?

 

[Mega-Spider]

Sounds good to me, though I still wish to play all the games in the series if I ever get the chance.
What about the X series or the Battle Network series?

X is pretty simple to get into. The original X is a great starting point, and X4 is right up there.
As for Battle Network, it's tougher to get into because the first game has some pretty archaic design choices, and BN2, while much better than the original, it has one really dumb part in it. 3's a generally good starting point if you want the best experience (though BN6 is the better game if you ask me).

 

[Tino]

X is pretty simple to get into. The original X is a great starting point, and X4 is right up there.
As for Battle Network, it's tougher to get into because the first game has some pretty archaic design choices, and BN2, while much better than the original, it has one really dumb part in it. 3's a generally good starting point if you want the best experience (though BN6 is the better game if you ask me).

I was pretty much interested in trying out the Battle Network games since I remember watching the anime show about that back in the day.

 

[Xzsmmc]

Little late to the party, but imo Mega Man 6 is better than 4 and 5 and is a seriously underrated game in general. I really like the international vibe, as it gives the robot masters and their stages a bit more identity (seriously, what the hell is Snake Man's stage?) and I find the combining mechanic to be super fun. Weapons are meh, but they're way better than 5's. 6 also has an absolutely killer soundtrack, with Flame Man, Plant Man, and the final boss themes being my favorites.

 

[---]

Sounds good to me, though I still wish to play all the games in the series if I ever get the chance.
What about the X series or the Battle Network series?

X is super easy to get into, though I'd play a couple Classic games first. X1 is very beginner friendly.

The Battle Network series is mixed bag due to the randomness of the battle system, lack of reward in regards to random encounters, and meh storyline. That said there is a lot of fun to be had in creating your own battle chip folder, fighting bosses, and upgrading/customizing yourself.

For this series definitely find a ripped sprite map as the in-game world gets very confusing to navigate. BN1 is the simplest to get into and after each battle you regain your HP. BN2 and 3 both expand upon customization, albeit 3 is probably the hardest game in the series (get Blue over White).

BN4 introduces Double Souls (beat bosses obtain their powers) which is less random than the customization options unlocked overtime in the last games. Only downside is you have to beat the game on Super Hard mode to unlock them all and that it probably has the weakest story in the series (IMO Red Sun over Blue Moon). It also adds an Emotion system (basically critical hits) and Dark Chips (makes you OP at the cost of upgrading/increasing randomness).

BN5 removes the Double Soul unlock BS, and expands upon it by letting you have access to other playable characters. Half of the story has been turned into turn based strategy missions, it cuts down on random encounters/navigating the overworld but it's an acquired taste. Play the Double Team version if you want the full experience.

BN6 revamps Double Souls with the Cross System (basically Double Souls that are easier to use but you don't have as many) and introduces Beast Cross(ing) to give you extra options.


Network Transmission is also worth looking into if you like the Classic games.

 

[Tino]

X is super easy to get into, though I'd play a couple Classic games first. X1 is very beginner friendly.

The Battle Network series is mixed bag due to the randomness of the battle system, lack of reward in regards to random encounters, and meh storyline. That said there is a lot of fun to be had in creating your own battle chip folder, fighting bosses, and upgrading/customizing yourself.

For this series definitely find a ripped sprite map as the in-game world gets very confusing to navigate. BN1 is the simplest to get into and after each battle you regain your HP. BN2 and 3 both expand upon customization, albeit 3 is probably the hardest game in the series (get Blue over White).

BN4 introduces Double Souls (beat bosses obtain their powers) which is less random than the customization options unlocked overtime in the last games. Only downside is you have to beat the game on Super Hard mode to unlock them all and that it probably has the weakest story in the series (IMO Red Sun over Blue Moon). It also adds an Emotion system (basically critical hits) and Dark Chips (makes you OP at the cost of upgrading/increasing randomness).

BN5 removes the Double Soul unlock BS, and expands upon it by letting you have access to other playable characters. Half of the story has been turned into turn based strategy missions, it cuts down on random encounters/navigating the overworld but it's an acquired taste. Play the Double Team version if you want the full experience.

BN6 revamps Double Souls with the Cross System (basically Double Souls that are easier to use but you don't have as many) and introduces Beast Cross(ing) to give you extra options.


Network Transmission is also worth looking into if you like the Classic games.

The X games sounds like a lot of fun I might try that one out first. As for the classic series, I'll probably hold off on that since I heard there's gonna be a Legacy Collection coming out.

 

[ぱみゅ]

>X1 is very beginner friendly.
Still it was one of the latest games I finished (because reasons).
Any X game is good for picking up, seriously, just grab one and boom! guaranteed instacrush.

 

[Splooshi Splashy]

Just to remind ourselves, the Legacy Collection is only going to have MM1 thru MM6, so if you're wanting any of the other entries in the Classic series (7 thru 10, MM & Bass/Rockman & Forte, Soccer, Power Battle/Fighters, and Battle & Chase), you'll have to look elsewhere.

At least MM7 is on the Anniversary Collection (alongside 8 and Power Battle/Fighters for both the GC & PS2), as well as on the Wii U Virtual Console/E-Shop, which lets you fully customize your controls for multiple controller types (I've personally not tried using the GC Controller with any of the Wii U VC games yet, but if it does work, I'd be impressed), plus it gives you 1 free reusable save state, and the instant save/pause-anywhere-you-want-to-stop-at-with-Home-Button convenience (withOUT having to use that 1 save state at all), so that if you save & quit at any point and then come back later, you'll immediately resume where you left off when you load it up again.

I too would agree that you could pick any part of the X series and have a blast-- *Thinks of X6 & X7* Well, ALMOST any part. X1 & X4 are definitely great to start with, and X1 through X3 are on the Wii U VC as well, with the same benefits that MM7's VC release has. :D

there's one issue I have with it: you can't transition a jump from a slide. This problem alone makes Mega Man 6 a mid-tier game and it makes the controls stiffer than they actually are. I like the Robot Master roster in this game (heck, I'll be the odd-man out and say that I actually like Plant Man), with my personal favorite being Knight Man.
Have I mentioned that I love Wind Man's theme, because I do.

The underlined sentence is what makes MM6 less of a speedrun-friendly game than the other Classic MMs as well, even though it never really bugged me casually. SGDQ 2014's MM6 Race started off with that very statement uttered out loud, which also explains why the other Classic MMs are more often picked for speedruns (including the big name events like SGDQ/AGDQ and ESA) than MM6. Oh, and you lose your charge upon getting hit, which sucks. Despite those issues, it still stands at #1 for me.

I too am a big fan of pretty much the entire Robot Master lineup in MM6 (even Plant Man & Centaur Man, whose appearances in Power Battle/Fighters were awesome) and their Master Weapons (even Wind Man's & Plant Man's), and I've also nicknamed a few of them, since I like 'em enough to do so:

Flame Man = Arabian Fighter
Wind Man = Shameimaru Aya
Knight Man = Knightmare Frame
Yamato Man = Japan Man (well, that's what he's called in the BN series XD)
Tomahawk Man = Tomohawk

It's sweet to read folks around here digging Wind Man's Theme as well-- *Spontaneously hums it aloud while making parapara hand movements like as if he's playing the arcade-only Dance Maniax*

 

[ぱみゅ]

Man, it's kind of a shame MM6 is just not as good, but I still love it to no end.

It's like being a gourmet chef and liking junk food.

 

[Xzsmmc]

Man, it's kind of a shame MM6 is just not as good, but I still love it to no end.

It's like being a gourmet chef and liking junk food.

I sort of like X6 and X7. That's like being a gourmet chef and eating grass.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

Yamato Man = Japan Man (well, that's what he's called in the BN series XD)

Wait. Does that mean Beast Man from BN3 is actually Slash Man?