Now that the Mega Man X Legacy Collection is out for all major platforms, retro gamers will have eight classic platformers to occupy their next few weeks. Debuting in 1993, the Mega Man X series has enchanted gamers for 25 years, following the adventures of Maverick Hunters X and Zero as they square off against the villainous Sigma and his animal-themed subordinate robots.
But not every Mega Man X game is created equal. Whether you're diving in for the first time or ready to re-experience the classics, we've ranked every title in the series, from worst to best, to help you determine which games come fully equipped and which are destined for the scrap heap.
MORE: Mega Man X Legacy Collection Review: A (Mostly) Great Retro Package
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X7
Even though it didn't work, you have to give Capcom credit for trying something new. After six side-scrolling entries, the Mega Man developer decided that it was time to give X and Zero a shot in three dimensions. The resulting game wasn't quite unplayable, but it still made a lot of bad decisions. The 3D platforming proved clunky and confusing, the boss fights were groan-worthy and the story was just a rehash of tired tropes. Worst of all, Mega Man X himself had to take a backseat role to Axl, an obnoxious new character with complicated copycat mechanics. It's not good, but you kind of have to see it for yourself.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man Xtreme
Mega Man X's first portable outing was tolerable. This Game Boy Color game saw X download himself into the Mother Computer in order to fight Mavericks in the futuristic internet. Most of the levels and bosses were just low-res rehashes from Mega Man X and X2. But the gameplay itself was solid enough, and the GBC sprites resembled their SNES predecessors admirably well. Everything about the game feels unpolished, though, from the imprecise platforming to the slapdash new boss fights. For killing an hour or two on an airplane, it's a viable choice (and it's now available on the 3DS virtual console), but if you skip it, you're not missing much.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X6
Although the game deserves some credit for its inventive storyline (Sigma isn't the villain, for the first time), Mega Man X6 demonstrates just how tired a series can get after six installments without much innovation. In addition to scraping the bottom of the barrel for animal-themed boss designs (this time around, we got a clam and a water flea), the game's central selling point turned out to be a meaningless feature. In this game, X got to wield Zero's trusty Z-Saber — it's even on the cover — but only as a slow, arcing slash that didn't do much damage. The game's rough translation also made it tough to enjoy the plot, unless you wanted toenjoy it ironically.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man Xtreme 2
X's second adventure on the Game Boy Color proved to be much more enjoyable than his first. Rather than making players run through a Normal Mode and a Hard Mode to get the whole story, this time, it split the game into X Mode and Zero Mode. Each character had unique abilities and upgrades, giving the game a bit more depth than players might have expected from a short, simple, handheld spin-off. The translation is still laughably bad (some of the action takes place at the "Reploid Research Lavatory") and the game is short, but it's a pleasant diversion that you can take with you.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X5
Mega Man X5 was initially supposed to be the last game in the series, and it would have been a reasonably high note to go out on. For the first time, players could switch between X and Zero between stages, which let them see a variety of endings, depending on how they played. The game attempted a few new things, such as giving X multiple armor sets and awarding life upgrades for tackling tougher bosses early on. The resulting mechanics were a little confusing, but the story felt suitably climactic. Plus, all the bosses were named after members of Guns N' Roses, and it's hard to be mad at that.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X2
Looking back, some of Mega Man X2's stages were too short and too simple. But in general, it did exactly what a good sequel should do: take the best ideas of the first game and then build on them. Mega Man X2 introduced the X-Hunters — three difficult, optional bosses who held the keys to reviving a favorite character from the first game. Players had to figure out a strategy for defeating the X-Hunters while still running the gauntlet of standard bosses, since the trio would disappear permanently after a set amount of time. Beyond that, the new vehicles were a ton of fun, and the game's experiments with 3D wireframes were cutting-edge at the time.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X8
By the time Mega Man X8 came out, a lot of fans had probably written off the series. That may have been preemptive, as Mega Man X8 is easily one of the better games in the franchise. X, Zero and Axl (with a much more balanced personality) face off against recurring villains Vile and Sigma, but they discover an even greater threat behind the usual suspects. The 2.5D graphics were gorgeous, the gameplay was tight and the upgrades were easier than ever to manage, thanks to the introduction of an inventive currency system. You could even unlock three secret characters — the first playable female protagonists in the main series.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X: Command Mission
While Mega Man X: Command Mission doesn't have any bearing on the overall series narrative, it's a side story well worth exploring. Rather than releasing another action/platformer, Capcom delivered a turn-based RPG, complete with a customizable party, purchasable equipment and plenty of side quests to tackle. X, Zero and Axl take on a mysterious new foe known as Epsilon, but even more sinister Maverick forces may be behind the new villain's plot. In addition to the regular three heroes, you could also recruit four charismatic new characters, including a ladylike thief, a conflicted strongman and a sly gambler. Longtime fans need not worry; it's still pretty difficult.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X
The original Mega Man X is still one of the best. When Capcom made the jump from the 8-bit NES to the 16-bit SNES, the company decided that the Blue Bomber needed a suitable makeover. Rather than just continuing the lovable little robot's adventures, the developers created Mega Man X — a futuristic freedom fighter with bigger levels, a darker setting and more hidden upgrades to find. To square off against Sigma and his eight animal-themed bosses, X would need to collect armor upgrades, heart tanks and life-restoring sub tanks — all well-hidden and most requiring multiple play-throughs of each stage. Mega Man X remains a deep, difficult, satisfying adventure.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X4
Mega Man X4 marks the first time that Zero joined the cast as a fully playable character, and to mark the occasion, he got his very own story mode. To get the full Mega Man X4 experience, you have to play it twice: once as trusty Maverick Hunter X, and once as the brooding, beam-saber-wielding Zero. Because each character had distinct abilities to collect, figuring out the eight bosses' weaknesses was a rewarding challenge. Additionally, each character got one special boss fight, which took advantage of X's or Zero's unique skills. The anime cutscenes' laughable voice acting drag the whole production down a notch, but from a gameplay perspective, Mega Man X4 is almost as good as it gets.
Credit: Capcom
Mega Man X3
X's last adventure on the SNES was arguably his best outing in the whole series. Mega Man X3 had it all: eight extremely tough bosses, three optional villains to fight, tons of armor upgrades to find, four hidden mechs to ride, Zero as a playable hero (for a brief time) and even a secret weapon that could fell the mighty Sigma in two hits. Every level is chock-full of secrets; every boss requires cunning and strategy to defeat. Even the story throws a few curveballs, including a revelation about the nature of Sigma that would drastically change the course of the whole franchise's narrative. Mega Man X3 is one of the toughest games in the series, but the rewards are well worth it.
Credit: Capcom
