Saturday, October 6, 2012

Favorite Tunes #30: Mega Man Edition

Super fighting robot! MEGA MAN! The Blue Bomber is turning 25 in just a few short months. In all this time I've been featuring games in Favorite Tunes, I cannot believe I've yet to do one based on Mega Man. Well, time to fix this. Enjoy a selection of music from the many incarnations of Mega Man.

Wily Stage 1 - Mega Man 7 (SNES)



Mega Man 7 may not have been perfect, but it's far from being the bad game so many make it out to be. This game introduced Bass and Treble, a rebellious rival to Mega Man & Rush. It's also got some of the best music of the series, especially the Wily Stage themes. The use of bass and electric guitar on Wily Stage 1 is just amazing.

Astro Man Stage - Mega Man & Bass (SNES)



This game marks Astro Man's second time being used in the classic series. Rather than recycle his theme from Mega Man 8, he was give a brand new stage tune. Quite a nice touch I must say. Astro Man's theme in Mega Man & Bass is far more spacey (no pun intended, really) and atmospheric in contrast to his upbeat theme in Mega Man 8.

Sigma Stage 1 - Mega Man X (SNES)



I've played Mega Man X so many times I could probably beat the game in my sleep. The first game in the X series is still one of the best as far as I'm concerned. The Sigma levels were given their own separate music theme rather than use the same one for two stages. Sigma Stage 1 has a great feeling of finality to it. It also sounds very encouraging.

Ice Brain - Mega Man Zero 2 (GBA)



With just four games, the Zero series ended up being a consistently good Mega Man spin-off. In many ways, the games were darker than the X series. The villain, Dr. Weil has done so many detestable things he makes Dr. Wily and Sigma look like saints. If you missed your chance to get the games on the GBA, you can pick up the Mega Man Zero Collection on the DS. You will not be disappointed.

Through the Air ~Theme of Quick Man~ - Mega Man Battle & Chase (PS)



Not the best Mario Kart clone, but I do have fun playing Battle & Chase. I like that rather than merely remixing old themes, Battle & Chase was given an entirely new score. Most of the music is of a cheerful flavor and it's quite good. Shame that it doesn't get the same recognition that the music from other games in the series does.

Title Theme - The Msdventures of Tron Bonne (PS)



Tron Bonne proved to be such a popular character that she was given her own game in The Msadventures of Tron Bonne. I really can't say much about it because, well, I haven't played it. I had a chance to pick the game up cheap years ago but I never did. She's got quite the catchy title theme.

Battle Field - Mega Man Battle Network 6 (GBA)



What could be described as Mega Man meets Pokemon, the Battle Network series isn't something that's for everybody. If you're looking for the same style of gameplay found the Classic and X series, that's nowhere to be found. If you don't mind boosting your stats, scouring the net and getting into random battles, then this series may be for you. I personally don't think it's bad. The series has had some spectacular battle themes but Battle Field is the cream of the crop.

Sigma 2nd - Mega Man X4 (PS, SAT)



The first entry in the 32-bit Mega Man X series allowed players to play through the entire game as either X or Zero with their own endings. X with his X-Busters was a long ranger fighter, while Zero focused on close combat with his Z-Saber. This gave the game some great replay value. Sigman's second, final form looked like something out of a horror movie and if you didn't know his patterns, this was quite a frustrating battle. Nothing like a frantic background theme to add to the pressure.

Tunnel Base Stage - Mega Man X7 (PS2)



Mega Man X7 was an awful game. It had some of the worst maverick designs in the series, the bulk of the dubbed voices were horrendous and it's stage designs looked like an afterthought. And why should we have to waste our time on some collecting before we get to play as the title character? Best thing about X7? The music, of course. That's the one thing no one will rag on when discussing this game.

Get the Punk Out (Special Stage 2) - Mega Man 10 (WW, PSN, XBLA)



Mega Man Killer No. 2, Punk appeared in the Game Boy version of Mega Man III or Rockman World 3 as it's called in Japan. A heavy hitter, Punk was only weak against the Mega Buster and could destroy Mega Man in 3-4 hits. Thankfully, his pattern was very easy to deduce. Punk has the honor of being the only Mega Man Killer to be featured as a Net Navi in the Mega Man Battle Network series. At the end of special stage 2, Punk is the end boss. Much of Special Stage 2 is designed like the final level in Mega Man III but it uses a remixed version of Punk's theme and it is glorious.

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