"More faux retro goodness from Capcom."

When Mega Man 9 was revealed, it was a huge surprise. Going back to the visuals and gameplay of the NES era was a bold move. Generally, the response was positive. But with 9 already out, will Mega Man 10‘s continued use of the faux retro design feel as welcome?

Those who played the last entry will know what they’re getting into as far as the format goes. Eight new robot masters, new stages, and of course, new weapons. But there are a few new features this time around. Proto Man is available right from the start instead of being released as paid DLC. Those hungering for the charging and sliding abilities Mega Man left behind in his retro reboot might feel more at home with him.

With the return of Time Attack mode comes an all new Challenge Mode. Here you can play mini stages, some of which won’t be unlocked until you play through the normal game. The short nature of the challenge stages allows them to focus on difficult sections without forcing you to replay very much of them if you fail. They are set up in a way that could actually prove as a useful tool for players looking to hone their platforming skills.

The level design in Mega Man 10 is quite varied. Many of the stages have unique elements such as platforms that need to be powered up via a treadmill, sand storms that both obscure your vision and push you to the left or right, and even alternate paths. What’s impressive is that these elements never feel too gimmicky. Instead, each stage has a unique flavor, involving more than just changed aesthetics, without ever getting in the way of the core platforming gameplay.

You’ll run into mini-bosses in at least half of the stages. Like the stages themselves, each one is interesting and accent the levels effectively. The robot masters are a bit “hit or miss”. Bots like Sheep Man and Pump Man are just plain bizarre (in a good way) while others like Commando Man and Chill Man are largely forgettable.

Each weapon you receive is enjoyable to use, with the exception of Thunder Wool (Sheep Man’s weapon). In fact, I found it easier to defeat the robot master who’s weak to it with the Mega Buster. In spite of that, it can be useful for hitting things high above you. Other weapons that I thought were going to very derivative, ended up feeling fairly fresh. While there is a “leaf shield clone”, it behaves in a different enough manner, both while taking damage and while firing it at the enemy, that it felt justified.

Mega Man 10, while a bit daunting at first, definitely feels easier than 9. There are far less instant-death traps and extra wide gaps to jump. That isn’t to say that Normal Mode is a cakewalk. You’ll still die a lot, but it definitely feels like Inti Creates let up on the difficulty a bit on this one.

Of course, if you still aren’t able to get anywhere, you can always use the game’s new Easy Mode. Not only is it easier than normal, it’s quite possibly the easiest Mega Man experience out there (step aside, Mega Man 2‘s Normal Mode). It’s obviously not meant for seasoned players. Recovery items are laughably plentiful, enemies go down fast, and attack patterns are far simpler. One of the biggest changes, are the floating platforms above many of the pits and spikes. These platforms are all bright red and stand out in what I can only assume is an intentional way for the developer to secretly make fun of you.

Like Proto Man, Hard Mode is also no longer paid DLC. Unlike Proto Man, you’ll have to complete the game first to unlock it. Hard Mode has a lot of changes. Enemies are much faster, more plentiful, and utterly merciless. There are even some minor platforming tweaks. What I found most interesting, is that the robot masters have completely new attacks in addition to their old ones. The first time Pump Man grabbed his head and threw it at me I was shocked. I had no idea there would be sprites you’d only see in Hard Mode.

Mega Man 10 is an easy recommendation to fans of the 2D platformer genre, assuming they aren’t completely burnt out on the series. The superb level design with branching paths and unique features doesn’t disappoint. The music is as good as ever, and with Time Attack, Challenge Mode, and multiple characters and difficulty settings, there’s plenty of reason to keep playing.

This review is based on a the WiiWare version of Mega Man 10, purchased by the reviewer.

Tags: 2-D, capcom, Inti Creates, Mega Man, Mega Man 10, megaman, platformer, ps3, psn, retro games, Wii, WiiWare, xbla, Xbox 360

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 5:00 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.