The Struggles of Mega Man Zero

[travis_stywall]

I've been playing through the Mega Man and X series, but I recently picked up the Mega Man Zero Collection for my DS. My struggles have been beyond real since I'm attempting to go for an A or a got damn S rank without using any Cyber Elves in the game. So I would love to hear the struggle stories of other people who love and hate this game for how brutal it is.

[Exhuminator]

I never went for the S ranks or ignored Cyber-elves, but I did beat all four of these games back in 2006. I absolutely enjoyed the MMZ series on GBA, and I agree with the general consensus that these are difficult games. Certainly MMZ is more difficult than MMX or classic MM. However, I honestly found parts of Mega Man ZX and Mega Man ZX Advent to be harder than anything in the MMZ games. If you've never played through MM ZX and MM ZX Advent, you definitely should give those a fair run.

Also, depending on what mode you play the Mega Man Zero Collection in, the games are easier or harder. If you play them individually, they are traditional difficulty. But if you play in that mode that combines all four games into one, it makes the games considerably easier (e.g. blocks covering spikes, no need to feed Elves, all Cyber Elf powers automatically activated, etc.).

[PartridgeSenpai]

Also, depending on what mode you play the Mega Man Zero Collection in, the games are easier or harder. If you play them individually, they are traditional difficulty. But if you play in that mode that combines all four games into one, it makes the games considerably easier (e.g. blocks covering spikes, no need to feed Elves, all Cyber Elf powers automatically activated, etc.).

I never even knew that was a thing in MMZ Collection! :O

Yeah, those games are hard, but I love them for it. I wasn't crazy enough to go for all S-ranks, but I loved the risk-reward system the game has between using your buster or your sword. It felt a lot like the original Rocket Knight in that way: Your sword does a LOT more damage, but it means you gotta get in realllly close to do it.

Personally, I think 3 is my favorite. Had the best story out of any of them, and the final boss was really challenging and just as memorable (for story reasons).

[Gunstar Green]

With the cyber elves the games aren't any harder than the previous titles. Without the cyber elves they're brutal.

Inti Creates also seems to have this masochistic love of building later levels almost completely out of spikes in their Mega Man games.

[Xeogred]

I recall having to grind quite a bit for the cyber elves or something in MMZ1. I wasn't a huge fan of that one, it was like half assed Metroidvania. I was glad the sequels kind of ditched that design and were more traditional and linear.

Whereas Zero breaks X4-X6 for me and makes them crazy easy, yeah the MMZ games are are actually hard. Maybe because there's a little less screen space to work with.

It's nice at least one Mega Man series has a true conclusion.

[Gunstar Green]

Yes, Zero 1 is really grindy not just with the cyber elves but the various weapons. The sequels are a big improvement.

Spoiler:

I wish Capcom would have had the balls to let them make X the actual villain like in their original proposal. It would have brought the Light-Wily rivalry full circle in an ironic conclusion and fulfilled X's request that Zero be the one to destroy him if he ever went Maverick.

[PartridgeSenpai]

Yes, Zero 1 is really grindy not just with the cyber elves but the various weapons. The sequels are a big improvement.

Spoiler:

I wish Capcom would have had the balls to let them make X the actual villain like in their original proposal. It would have brought the Light-Wily rivalry full circle in an ironic conclusion and fulfilled X's request that Zero be the one to destroy him if he ever went Maverick.

Me too. I did really like 3 though for when

It's revealed that Omega is actually the original Zero and is being controlled by Wily, where you're just a replica of the original Zero. That was such a powerful moment when you shatter Omega's armor and then kill the original Zero.

[Gunstar Green]

Indeed. And it was meant to be the actual conclusion of the series. Zero 4 feels a little tacked on but it was still good. Regardless of executive meddling (X6 coming out being another thorn in the writers' side) the Zero series has the best writing in the franchise.

[Xeogred]

I think they got lucky with the series and were able to keep the continuity stronger for a big overall plot. Even the MMX games at their best, every new game feels like a reboot and they kind of fall back on the safe tropes and stuff. The formula is the charm to the original series with Wily and all so there's nothing wrong there, but MMX always tried to build up to something bigger but would hit the brakes at the last moment. I'm a bigger MMX fan all around but there's no denying MMZ has the strongest storytelling.

X vs Zero should have happened several times throughout both timelines haha.

[travis_stywall]

Whereas Zero breaks X4-X6 for me and makes them crazy easy, yeah the MMZ games are are actually hard. Maybe because there's a little less screen space to work with.

I don't think less of a screen was a problem for me, it was how wide the battle area would be with bosses in Mega Man Zero — Maha Ganeshariff definitely comes to mind. I remember fighting him and getting some distance then totally being clueless as to what he was doing. I think that happened with normal enemies, too. They'd be readily prepared to attack before I even knew that existed.