Mega Man 9 & 10 Combo Pack Review

Mega Man 9 & 10 Combo Pack Review Screenshot 1

The Mega Man 9 & 10 Combo Pack is a great way for fans to experience two great games if they haven’t already played them before. Both games were released years ago but, both are worth your time. The games feature the classic gameplay and design of the old NES days. In both games, you will pick from a variety stages each of with their own Robot Master at the end. The formula is the traditional rock, paper, scissors, in which after you defeat a robot master you can use their weapon on another boss in hopes of exploiting their weakness. As with the games of the past, the stage designs will be unique to each robot master. Each stage is themed around its boss, which adds to the fun gameplay. Some fans will notice some changes in the gameplay. Mega Man no longer has his charge shot which was introduced in 4, and his slide is gone as well. While this may turn off some fans, it isn’t a huge issue as some of the older titles didn’t have these features. As with many of the older titles, the difficulty of these games is considerably high. This is especially true for nine as some of the platforming feels slightly off. Thankfully Mega Man has Rush to try and help him in situations like these. Returning from the old classics, Rush can once again be used to jump to higher platforms or fly across large gaps.

As with most of the other games in this series, the music is still a highlight. Everything from the intro and title theme, down to the robot master and fortress stages, is filled with charm. Some of my favorite stage themes from this collection would have to be;  Splash woman’s and tornado man’s theme from 9, and Strike man’s theme from 10. Each stage’s unique music helps engage the player further into the fast-paced action.

Mega Man 9 & 10 Combo Pack Review Screenshot 2

The story in the games is about on par with the other titles in the series though maybe,  just a little bit more involved. In Mega Man 9, Dr. Light is falsely accused of causing robots to go berserk. So it’s up to Mega Man to defeat the rogue robots and clear Dr. Lights name. In Mega Man 10, a new virus breaks out causing robots to rampage all over the world. While the plot isn’t bad in 10, I think the fan game Mega Man Unlimited executed the idea better. It used a similar virus in its story to slowly bridge the gap between the original series and the X series. As with most Mega Man games,  the most important reason to play is for the fun gameplay, so the plot isn’t a real big issue.

The graphics for this collection will be a blast to the past for anyone who grew up with the originals. All the environments and characters have that classic 8-bit aesthetic that many gamers have come to know and love. Although it may be 8-bit in design, much like the older titles there is still plenty of detail to the world.

My one major gripe with this collection is there is absolutely no reason for the DLC not to be included. Like I had stated earlier these games were released years ago, so for a bundle pack to not have the complete version of the game is kind of a shame.  Luckily both games are great so you’re still getting a lot of value in the pack. The DLC offers players a chance to expand and enhance what is already a fun set of games. They offer time trials, harder difficulty modes, plus extra characters to play as.

Mega Man 9 & 10 Combo Pack Review Screenshot 3

As with most of the Mega Man games, the replay value is high, these more so than some of the others. Like the other games, you have your typical speed runs you can do but, in these games, you can play as other characters. You have the option to go through the game as Proto man and Bass, both of which have their own unique play style. Plus the extra modes such as the time trials will keep you coming back for more.

This set of games was made for the fans of the Blue Bomber. It has the classic look and feel of the classic games. It also offers multiple ways to play with characters such as Proto man and Bass available to the player. The sound tracks of both games are on par with some of the best in the series. My only issue is that the DLC is not included otherwise it would be a near perfect experience for fans. That shouldn’t stop anyone from playing these two instant classics. It’s for these reasons that the Mega Man 9 & 10 combo pack gets an 8/10. Capcom if you’re reading this please make more Mega Man games.

rating-8

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Sony Playstation 3 code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.

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