"Mega Man is back!" That's what the back of the box art for Mega Man 11 proudly proclaims and it is what everyone else has been saying. And yeah, I pretty much have to strongly agree with everyone else and the box art. The Blue Bomber is back in action.
Yes, it is a big deal that Mega Man has finally returned in some form (in this case, the Classic series), but what I find it to be an even bigger deal is the way Mega Man came back: not in 8-bit. That isn't a complaint. In fact, I think Mega Man 11's 2.5D look is for the best. The last time Mega Man returned from a long hiatus in 2008 for Mega Man 9, he was rocking his 8-bit, NES look. Mega Man's classic sprite is as iconic as Mario's Super Mario Bros. sprite or Sonic's classic Sonic sprite. However, I think it would have been a huge disservice if Mega Man 11 was done in the 8-bit style that the previous two entries were. As great as it was to see Mega Man come back in 2008 for Mega Man 9, that title is responsible for thrusting the Blue Bomber back into a look he really shouldn't have returned to. I say this is a someone that grew up playing and loving 8-bit Mega Man games.
When Mario leaped onto the N64 with the landmark Super Mario 64, he made a nice, clean break, leaving his 8-bit roots behind. Occasionally, Super Mario titles will dip back into the old style with games like Super Mario Maker or the 8-bit sections of Super Mario Odyssey but for the most part, Super Mario titles steer clear of the 8-bit look. There is zero reason for Nintendo to make a Super Mario game with the visual style of the NES games or Super Mario World.
Mega Man 11 is a much needed reminder that you can bring back a well known series without making it look just like it did years ago. Unfortunately, there are some that are still butthurt that it isn't an 8-bit game. I've actually seen comments from some saying that they aren't going to buy Mega Man 11 because it doesn't look like the NES games. Like, seriously? You need Mega Man to be 8-bit in order to enjoy it? I like pixel graphics and chiptunes but they are not required for an optimal Mega Man experience. As pathetic as it sounds, there are those that believe that Mega Man games are only good because they are in the 8-bit style. To those that hold this belief, I'd like to point them to Mega Man II for the Game Boy. It has the same look as the NES games but when playing it, one can tell that it just feels off. For the shortcomings that Mega Man 7 and 8 are often criticized for, they are far and away superior games to Mega Man II on the GB. Good games are good, regardless of whether they are done with 8-bit visuals or a 2.5D style. Having said that, the visuals of Mega Man 11 pop in a way that just wouldn't be possible if it had been another 8-bit rendition. I love the temple backgrounds of Block Man's stage and the props and amusement scenery of Blast Man's level, a stage I cannot get enough of.
Mega Man11 also brings back the Charge Shot and Slide. Or I guess I should say, it gives them back to Mega Man. If Inafunae would have stayed in charge of Mega Man, I don't think Mega Man would ever get these abilities back. It is a well known fact that his favorite Mega Man game is Mega Man 2 and in an effort to make 9 and 10 more like those games, Mega Man was stripped of two abilities he had since the third and fourth game respectively. I really like Mega Man 2 but that doesn't mean every single game should play just like it. I found 9 to be the biggest offender with it's blatantly reuse of 2's jingles, but 9 had much bigger problems than that. 9's level design was borderline obnoxious with an overabundance of spikes in just about every single level. Perhaps this could be because 9 and 10 were developed by Inticreates who also made the Mega Man Zero titles, but even for Mega Man standards, 9 felt way harder than most classic entries. There were some instances in 9 where death was just plain cheap.
Inafunae wanted to set the Mega Man games back. The team behind Mega Man 11 wants to push the series forward. Not only do they do that not running to the 8-bit comfort zone, instead using slick 2.5D graphcis, but with the introduction of the Double Gear system. It isn't a game changer but it is a much needed shot in the arm for Classic Mega Man. This handy invention lets you give Mega Man a bump in power not only to his Mega Buster but to all of the weapons he acquires. Mega Man 11 has some outstanding weapons and they get even better when the DGs comes into play. Chain Blast can be turned into a huge bomb that can one-shot the most annoying of enemies, Tundra Storm becomes a screen nuke and Bounce Ball is chaos for enemies in any and all directions. Plus it makes a cute little squishy sound.
Mega Man 11 is an important game for two reasons. One, it brings back our favorite lemon shooting protagonist and two, it does so without bathing itself in nostalgia a filled tub. That second one is a pretty big deal because relying on nostalgia too much is a short term solution. It is one of the biggest issues hampering the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise currently but that's a topic of discussion for another day. Developers looking to bring back an old franchise or pick one up that has fallen by the wayside, take notes from Mega Man 11's development team.
As of this writing, I've complted two play throughs of Mega Man 11 and I'm itching to start up a third. Welcome back, Mega Man. We missed you lots.
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