Unfortunately, it did not take long for Mega Man X to suffer the same fate as the original series. By the time the series was releasing titles on the PlayStation, the games, with the notable exception of Mega Man X4, were considered mediocre compared to the franchise’s previous outings. They were also criticized for being products of Capcom’s demands rather than love from the developers. By the mid-2000s, Mega Man X was a nostalgic relic, and Capcom never revisited the series aside from porting compilations of the first six games to most major platforms. Due to the main series having returned to relative success, it would not hurt Capcom to try reviving Mega Man X.
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The Potential of a Modern, But Old School Mega Man X Game
Aside from the first three games in the original series, especially the second one, the original Mega Man X is arguably the most popular and beloved Mega Man game. The more traditionally “cool” X was a neat alternative to the cutesy regular Mega Man, and fit the cartoonishly “hardcore” tone of 90s pop culture. Zero was even more lauded for similar reasons, and became the series’ breakout character. The animalistic maverick bosses were also popular, especially the likes of Boomer Kuwanger and Storm Eagle.
However, by the time the novelty wore off, the series quickly fell into the same repetitive pattern as the mainline Mega Man games. Both Mega Man X2 and X3 got good reviews that were nevertheless lukewarm when compared to the acclaim the first game got. X4 picked up some steam, but by the time X5 and X6 came out, the series was generally considered to have fallen into mediocrity. X7’s poor quality sealed the deal, and X8 was Mega Man X’s final hurrah before abruptly ending.
Mega Man’s latest big release was the main series’ 3D entry, and considering the disastrous results that came out of Mega Man X7’s creative decisions, staying away from 3D is the best possible decision. If Capcom were to revisit Mega Man X, the hypothetical new game would look perfect with 16-bit graphics. Not only would it reflect the aesthetics the series is known for and emulate the original Mega Man games’ comeback with the ninth and tenth entries, but it would stand out even today.
Strangely, despite the console generation being home to dozens of classics, the 16-bit nostalgia is not being utilized to its fullest potential. Aside from Freedom Planet, there are no “modern 16-bit side scrollers” in the way that Shovel Knight was a modern NES game and A Hat in Time was a modern 3D platformer. Without being a brand-new title, a future Mega Man X9 with 16-bit graphics would tackle nostalgia for an era that the industry is currently uninterested in aside from porting the big hits of the time.
Despite some hardships, Mega Man remains one of Capcom’s most well-known series, and Mega Man X is its most well-known spinoff. With a market that demands blasts to the past, Capcom could use these current circumstances to its advantage. A 16-bit Mega Man X9 has the potential to not only please older fans, but attract new ones as well.
Mega Man 11 is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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