Mega Man is one of the craziest video game franchises to actually sit down and reflect on. Not only has the series never actually sold particularly well, but it’s also a franchise made up of over 130 games spanning three decades and broken down into seven core sub-series. Anyone trying to get into Mega Man for the first time will find themselves struggling to find a proper starting point that isn’t Mega Man 2 or Mega Man X.
Which are both incredible games—the latter especially—but they don't really capture the scope of the franchise. The spin-offs do, and boy do the spin-offs vary in quality, to say the least. Some spin-offs make for truly incredible games. Others… not so much.
10 BEST: Mega Man & Bass
Before there was a Mega Man 9, Rockman & Forte was a Japanese exclusive Super Famicom game that gave Nintendo fans a new Mega Man game to play while the PS1 and Saturn got Rockman 8. Unfortunately, Mega Man & Bass’ GBA port was so bad that most western fans outright hate it.
Which isn’t fair since it’s actually quite the game, especially when played as Bass. Challenging, creative, and all around well designed (for the most part,) Mega Man & Bass is absolutely worth playing… on any console other than the GBA. Thankfully, it’s light on text and not a particularly expensive import.
9 WORST: Mega Man Soccer
What Nintendo did for Mario with Super Mario Kart, Capcom wanted to do for Mega Man with Mega Man Soccer. Unfortunately, soccer and go-karting aren’t really comparable. Worse yet, the Super Nintendo was a console that could handle high-quality racing games rather easily. High-quality soccer games, though? Not so much.
Certainly not helping matters is the fact that Mega Man Soccer was so rushed that Capcom didn’t even have time to program the ending. There is no reward for beating the game, as the ending was never properly implemented. The game more or less just stops, bringing a frustrating experience to an even more frustrating close.
8 BEST: Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters
Albeit brief, Capcom experimented with the idea of Mega Man as a fighting game. More specifically, a cooperative fighting game where players didn’t fight each other, but a score of bosses from the classic series. As a concept, it sounds fine enough, but in execution… it’s downright incredible.
In what world does Capcom manage to pull off not just one great Mega Man fighting game, but two? The emphasis on boss battling is so inspired, it’s a downright shock Capcom didn’t make the series into its own trilogy. For a crazy bit of trivia, this is the only Classic game to actually mention Zero, foreshadowing him outright.
7 WORST: Battle Chip Challenge
Already one of the more spin-offy sub-series, Battle Network tried its hand at a spin-off in the middle of the series’ run. Battle Chip Challenge released at the height of Battle Network’s popularity, and boy did it ever fall flat. The game isn’t even discussed in the series’ modern discourse anymore.
Time can be kind to some games, however, so it’s not unreasonable to expect that, in spite of its difference to its origin series, there may be something of value under the surface. Unfortunately, Battle Chip Challenge is as shallow as it seems, failing spectacularly to translate Battle Network’s signature gameplay.
6 BEST: Command Mission
Battle Network and Star Force are technically RPGs, but they aren’t traditional by any means. From an outside perspective, that seems reasonable enough. After all, how could Mega Man possibly make a good JRPG? Well, by expanding the series’ lore, featuring engaging gameplay, and telling a surprisingly adequate story.
Capcom managed to do the impossible with Mega Man X: Command Mission, a JRPG spin-off taking place after X8. Command Mission was the kind of game that understood its limitations and never tried to be more than it could be. While it never makes for any major highs, it does make for a compelling game from start to finish.
5 WORST: Network Transmission
Network Transmission should be a solid Mega Man game all things considered. Not only does it feature the RPG elements of the Battle Network franchise, but its gameplay is also directly lifted from the classic series. In combining the two best elements of its respective sub-series, Network Transmission would ideally be a clever melding of two Mega Man styles.
Unfortunately, the game suffers from a poor difficulty curve, sluggish controls, and an alarming lack of balance. What should have been a unique-but-welcome spin-off ends up failing miserably. If nothing else, the game offers the small consolation of adapting Zero into the Battle Network universe.
4 BEST: Mega Man V
What many fans don’t realize is that there were two Classic series running at the exact same time: the home console games and the handheld games. While the home console installments were the ones that defined the franchise, and rightfully so, this isn’t to say the handheld half was any less for wear.
In fact, Mega Man V is easily one of the best games in the series. Mega Man V is the only handheld entry to feature completely original content. New bosses, new stages, and a new storyline all made it a robust entry in the franchise tucked away on the Game Boy.
3 WORST: Battle & Chase
After stumbling to catch the Super Mario Kart fire with Mega Man Soccer, Capcom chose a more direct approach: their own racing game. Battle & Chase isn’t so much bad as it is bland and fairly derivative. Instead of trying to add anything new to the conversation like the failed Mega Man Soccer, Battle & Chase is just aiming for instant success.
Which, to its credit, isn’t necessarily a bad business model, but it does result in a game that lacks an identity of its own. It very much is a Mario Kart clone through and through, and not a particularly great one like something akin to Diddy Kong Racing.
2 BEST: The Misadventures Of Tron Bonne
Considering how insanely good of a game The Misadventures of Tron Bonne is, it’s hard to believe that Legends ended up crashing and burning as bad as it did. This is the one Mega Man spin-off that really goes above and beyond, offering a gameplay experience that’s uniquely Mega Man that can also stand on its own.
Blending puzzle-solving, exploration, and action, The Misadventures of Tron Bonne might very well be the best entry in the Legends sub-series, capturing the Zelda spirit better than either game while also just generally being a great game in its own right. Forget Legends 3, give fans Tron Bonne 2.
1 WORST: Rockman Xover
To put into perspective just how catastrophic Rockman Xover was, Capcom actually envisioned the game as the start of its own franchise and not just a short-lived spin-off. They truly believed that Xover’s cheap, mobile phone gameplay would be enough to win fans over. Not just that, it released at the height of Capcom criticism, making the game stand out all the worse.
At its core, Rockman Xover is a cash grab, but one that failed to connect with any kind of audience. Mega Man fans hated it, Gacha fans found it boring, and dedicated mobile game players barely knew it existed. The game came and it went with Capcom barely acknowledging its existence nowadays.