Capcom has an annoying habit of periodically forgetting about its iconic blue mascot, but Mega Man's impact on gaming culture cannot and should not be understated. In 1987, Capcom published a visually stunning but hard-as-nails action platformer called Rockman to rapturous applause from critics and a shrug from customers. Three decades later, has 11 core games, six other series with their own range of sequels, various spin-offs, and more remakes than Disney's latest release schedule. Reports estimate Capcom's franchise has surpassed worldwide, a figure pre-dating Mega Man 11. Stepping away from gaming, Capcom’s hero has starred in a handful of anime and Western cartoons, with 2018's serving as the most contemporary example. Rockman’s appeal transcends genre, medium, or deca🍬de.
Understandably, a franchise responsible for producing approximately 10 million games is destined to run the gamut in terms of quality. While Mega Man has unquestionably produced some stinkers, most of the main games hold up reasonably well and even the lesser titles offer something to enjoy. While the classic series appears set to continue until the end of time, Capcom loves to explore fresh storylines in lines like Mega Man X, the 3D Mega Man Legends, and the RPG-inspired Mega Man Battle Network. Some have aged better than others.
In an attempt to keep this list’s length somewhat reasonable, only main series entries shall be considered. Spin-offs (Mega Man & Bass, Mega Man Soccer, Mega Man Xtreme), remasters/remakes (Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge, Mega Man Powered Up) and mobile games (Rockman Xover) are out of contention.
Updated July 8, 2021 by Russ Boswell: The Mega Man series may not be as prevalent as it was in the 90s but it still maintains a strong cult following that is always itching for Capcom to notice and revitalize the action-packed platforming franchise. Even in 2021, there are constant murmurs and rumors pertaining to "what the next Mega Man release is going to be." With such a rich history and a multitude of mainline entries and spinoffs, it's pretty hard to define the best Mega Man games in order. Each sub-series brought its own unique flavors to the historic series but some stand out enough to be worthy of classification of some of the best Mega Man games ever made. But which title reigns supreme as the definitive best Mega Man game ever? To help decide, this list has been updated with pertinent information, better photos, and increased clarity. Here's a look at all the Mega Man games, ranked.
35 🐬 Mega Man X7 💧
While not consistent enough to automatically serve as a stamp of quality, Mega Man's name holds a significant amount of weight. When it comes to the core lines of games, Capcom almost never misses the mark completely. Mega Man X7 is a rare exception.
How about some positives? Mega Man X7 deserves credit for daring to trade 2D for 3D, a first in the X series. It is just a shame this change meant the gameplay had to be scrapped and simplified to such a bothersome degree. Adding ♈insult to injury, Mega Mꦬan plays second fiddle to an annoying new character, Axl, for most of the campaign.
34 ౠ Mega Man X6ꦬ
Mega Man X6's existence goes a long way in forgiving many of its sequel's shortcomings. Analyzed in a vacuum, Mega Man X7 is undoubtedly a worse offender; however, 2001's sequel marks the lowest point in Mega Man X's history.
Along with wholeheartedly opposing the urge to inject any innovative twists or interesting gimmicks, Mega Man X6 cannot even claim to be a redundant but adequate rehash. Owning the worst level design in the series, Mega Man X6 was bad enou🌊gh to force Capcom to take the sequel in a different direction.
33 Mega Man Star Force (All Of 🐲Them)
Due to none of the entries altering or improving the formula in any significant way, Mega Man Star Force's three games are going to be lumped into a single spot. Players shouldn't let the name fool them, Star Force is basically Mega Man Battle Network with a 3D combat system. Like the Game Boy Advance RPGs, battles are enjoyable enough in their own right, although Star Force's over-the-shoulder camera limits Mega Man's field of play.
Straight out of the gate, Star Force felt tired and devo𝐆id of original ideas. There are worse RPGs out there, but that is not really saying much.
32 Mega Man Battle Network 4 𓂃
In hindsight, Mega Man and JRPGs are a match made in heaven. Capcom's handheld Battle Network line has to rank among the franchise's most beloved secondary series. It's safe to assume that many have an admiration for Final Fantasy, Pokémon, and every JRPG caught in between. Nevertheless, the same may begrudgingly admit that Battle Network 4 is slightly awful.
The fourth entry's saving grace is Soul Unison, an ability allowing Mega Man to temporarily assume another character's attributes. Battle Network 4 also introduces Dark Chips, a mechanic influenced by Mega Man's emotional state in battle. While they provide a temporary power boost, Dark Chips come with too many consequences to be viable options.
31 💖 Me🔯ga Man 6
Addressing solely the core series, Mega Man has never truly produced an awful 🎉sequel. As nearly all of the entries have their positives and negatives, newbies should consider playing through the entire collection rather than sticking to the conventionally adored games.
Mega Man 6 reeks of complacency. With Mega Man X on the horizon, Capcom's 1993 sequel feels like an afterthought created to tide fans over until the debut of the 16-bit series. The story, stages, and bosses are – at best – serviceable; at worst, Mega Man 6 is redundant.
30 🌌 Mega Man 7 𝔍
The only entry in the main series produced for the SNES, Mega Man 7's colorful 16-bit aesthetic distracts from the sequel's refusal to alter anything about the core experience. Just to be clear, 1995's platformer is perfectly playable – few Mega Man titles fail t🐠o exceed such a low bar – and the visuals are pleasing on the eyes.
The gameplay is fine, although there is less of it than the preceding entries. In fact, Mega Man 7 drops the eight selectable stages for a measly four. Despite its shortcomings, Mega Man 7 is a-okay.
29 Mega ඣMan Battle Network
The original deserves credit for boldly altering the fundamental ingredients associated with Capcom's license. Gone were the platforming sections and situational weapons, replaced by real-time action-RPG battles and a card-based attack system. Mega Man Battle Network has our respect.
The sequels improve pretty much every element introduced in 2001's original RPG, but Battle Network 💝is still a satisfying experience in its own right.
28 Mega Man X5 𝓰 💖
Taking into account Mega Man X5 was meant to be the last entry in this particular series, the subsequent games' noticeable decline makes a bit of sense. For all intent and purposes, X's story reaches a satisfying conclusion in Mega Man X5. Everything past this point is filler.
Mega Man X5 is a fitting finale. While a couple of interesting mechanics are introduced, including the ability to freely switch between X and Zero, Mega Man X5 understandably prioritizes its st♛ory over altering the formula. A worthwhile ending to a fantastic adventure.
27 🤪 Mega Man 8
Up until 2018, Mega Man 8 owned the distinction of being the prettiest entry of the core series. In fact, some may argue Mega Man 11 does not compare to the series' only 32-bit release. Published for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, Mega Man 8 is arguably the license's most divisive representative.
Ignoring the laughable voice acting and the unwelcome return of Mega Man 7's four stages, Mega Man 8 satisfyingly reproduces many of the franchise's central elements in a fresh coat of paint. Want to experience a classic Mega Man adventure in 32-bit? Mega Man 8 should hit the spot.
26 Mega Man Lege༺nds ♕
Mega Man Legends' status comes down to a user's willingness to forgive archaic 3D controls. Originally released on the PlayStation 1 but later ported to the Nintendo 64 and PC, Mega Man Legends is the lovable mascot's first proper 3D adventure. Permitting no shooting is involved, Mega Man moves well enough for the era; unfortunately, Legends predates The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and its lock﷽-on targeting s꧙ystem. Consequently, the gameplay falls apart the second Mega Man remembers he is in a third-person shooter!
Mega Man Legends' world-building is impressive, with an NPC's dialogue options evolving along with the narrative. Now Capcom has finally remembered Mega Man exists, a Legends remake needs to happen!