Mega Man 3: The Robots are Revolting

The Good
One of the good things about this game over the first installment of the PC Mega Man games is the inclusion of more bosses. While Mega Man 1 PC only had three bosses, this game expands that to six. Also, Mega Man now has another interesting skill, the ability to swim. While he sinks in most Mega Man games, in this one, he can swim. Although it isn't major, I found it something interesting about the game.

The Bad
Mega Man 3 is filled with flaws. Being released in 1992, it would seem that the game should support something more than EGA graphics and PC internal speaker sound. Unfortunately, it doesn't, and you have to live with the PC bleeps, or turn of the sound (an option I usually choose). And even more funny, the first Mega Man game for the PC DID support VGA. Shouldn't the sequel be a step up, not a step down?

Despite these technical flaws, there is something even more annoying with the game. The bosses. While the bosses of Mega Man 1 PC were interesting, and fit fairly well with the Mega Man series, these bosses are completely unoriginal. Many of them don't even seem like they should belong in the game, like Shark Man. Others seem like rip-offs of other Mega Man bosses. Overall though, the most annoying thing about them, is that half of them are the same! About 3 of them have unique weapons, however most consist of the basic "jump around the room", and fire a weapon that is no different from Mega Man's default buster weapon, except that they have a different graphic. This makes them very boring, and it makes each battle seem like you are fighting the same boss. On top of that, the AI is very easy, using the same movement patterns the entire time, making the bosses easy to beat.

Another downfall of the game is its levels. Most fit within one of three basic themes: building, underwater, or sewers. A lot of them look similar to each other, and that makes them seem boring. But even worse, is that many are complete mazes. You will often find yourself running around in circles before you figure out where you even are. Another problem with them, is the fact that many have nothing to do with the boss that inhabits them. What is Torch Man, a fire shooting boss, doing in the middle of a sewer?

Finally, the game just doesn't feel like a Mega Man game. Mega Man games are usually filled with robotic enemies that have different abilities, but in this game, almost all enemies are organic. Most are also the most unusual and ugly looking things, such as the half-spider, half-cobra enemies. What does this have to do with Mega Man? Nothing.. And that just defeats the purpose.

The Bottom Line
Although it's a Mega Man game, it doesn't feel like one. It feels like just another platform shooter. The unoriginal bosses, bad enemies, and complex levels make the game even less attractive. While Mega Man 1 PC stayed with the original Mega Man theme, it seems like Hi-Tech Expressions put little effort into the sequel to achieve this same quality. Although I might play the game if I could do so for free, I would never willfully spend money to buy it. I would rather buy the original Mega Man for the PC, which, although shorter, at least deserves the right to be called a Mega Man game.