The Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is incredible
Quality of life features and surprisingly fun additions make the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection a must-have.
Earlier this week, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection dropped on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PS4. I happened to have a chance to sit down with the Switch version of the game and I am happy to say it’s phenomenal.
I will admit that I am a Mega Man fanboy so I’m somewhat biased but these games really are solid. Unfortunately, as they all mostly dropped on the Game Boy Advance, a lot of people didn’t get a chance to play these gems.
For those who aren’t familiar with these particular titles, the Mega Man Zero games take place well over 100 years after the events of the Mega Man X series. It stars a modified version of Zero who has lost most of his memories. The world has become a weirdly apocalyptic landscape and the politics of everything have gone haywire.
Two of the big things that makes Mega Man Zero stand out over traditional Mega Man games is that you have four weapons. Your gun is probably one of the last weapons you will use as you focus mostly on melee weapons. As you beat more bosses, you gain the ability to add elements, like fire, to your weapons or extend your combos, which really works well because the controls are exceptional. Combined with the dash mechanic, this game gave me memories of playing Celeste for the first time.
Another thing that makes the game different is the story, which is continued from one game into the next. You’ll watch governments rise and fall, people question themselves, enemies regret their actions and heroes fall. It’s a surprisingly serious story and it’s incredibly interesting to watch unfold.
When you’re done with the Zero games, there are also the two ZX games. These take place even farther in the future and add a bevy of cool options like different armor builds.
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In addition to the standard fare of the original games, the collection adds a ton of really cool features. There’s a mode that makes the game easier so spikes are covered and your defense is raised. There’s also the ability to choose between the Japanese and English versions. There’s an option that allows you to drop a save point wherever you need, so if you’re having trouble with a particular segment you’ll pick up from there.
A feature I really liked but didn’t expect is ZZ Cards. As you complete random hidden accomplishments, you unlock ZZ Cards which not only feature beautiful concept art but also enable some pretty weird changes to the game when activated. They can change the look of Ciel’s computer setup or the appearance of the menu screens. They can alter sounds or even grant some abilities. It adds a little extra to boost replay.
All in all, the Mega Man Zero/ZX collection adds a lot. Even if you’ve never played these games before, I 100% recommend playing them as they gameplay styles, options and everything make this a collection you’ll want to tear through over and over again.
A slew of quality of life features, as well as some surprising cosmetic features, add to an already impressive collection of games. Solid controls, beautiful sprite work and a killer story make this a must-have.