Megaman 9-10
Notable Differences: (1) Revert to 8-bit style (2) Time Trials (3) Hard Mode (4) Survival Mode (5) Challenges (6) Play as ProtoMan (7) Hero Mode (8) Robot Masters receive damage and detrimental effect to their weakness (9) Achievements (10) Save Slots instead of Passwords (11) Costumes (12) Shock Guard
Difficult Robot Masters: "Laser Trident" against Concrete Man. "Concrete Shot" against Galaxy Man. "Magma Bazooka" against Hornet Man. "Black Hole Bomb" against Jewel Man. "Tornado Blow" against Magma Man. "Jewel Satellite" against Plug Man. "Hornet Chaser" against Splash Woman. "Plug Ball" against Tornado Man. Both Tornado Man and Hornet Man seem to be easier to defeat first with your normal mega buster.
Useful Weapons: All weapons have some sort of ability or technique that is useful. "Concrete Shot" shoots out a block that freezes enemies, freezes fire, and creates a temporary platform. "Tornado Blow" kills all enemies on the screen, lifts platforms, and blows out fire on specific enemies. "Laser Trident" has high damage, low energy cost, and destroys certain blocks. "Plug Ball" travels along the ground and walls revealing fake platforms. "Jewel Satellite" gives a protective shield that allows jumping platforms easier. "Hornet Chaser" chases after enemies on the screen and retrieves items from far-off places. "Magma Bazooka" can be charge for higher damage and fires in three separate directions. "Black Hole Bomb" sucks in invulnerable enemies and incoming shots.
Review: This is a game that is so well made that it is hard to hate. That said, this game is hard. Take everything you loved from Megaman 2 - the bosses, the weapons, the levels, the weaknesses - and everything you hated - the deep pits, spikes, appearing blocks - and stick it in this game. Then take all the advances of Megaman 7 - spike saves, pitfall saves, item shop, versatile weapons - and add them in the mix. You also have the modern gamer bonuses - achievements, challenges, leaderboards, hard mode, "hero" mode, other playable characters - to help the game have further replayability. There are also many little things, like turning black when inked, that make the game enjoyable. One thing I wasn't aware of is how you are unable to go to the store again after venturing into the Fortress. This means you must clear the whole place with 9 lives and whatever equipment you brought. Because of the low amount of available screws, gaining the right amount of equipment to make it through the whole game might seem impossible. This sort of creates a grind to finding more screws. Because I was ill-prepared, I only made it to the Twin Devils Fortress boss. If I had another go, I might have beat the game.
Megaman 10
Notable Differences: (1) Play as Bass (2) Easy Mode (3) Revisit Favorite Robot Masters
Difficult Robot Masters: Two bosses are incredibly difficult. Use "Commando Bomb" (From Commando Man) to counter Blade Man's tri-attack pattern. Use "Chill Spike" (From Chill Man) to counter Nitro Man's incredible speed. Two other bosses are more technical and could use a little help. Use "Wheel Cutter" on Commando Man. Use "Water Shield" (From Pump Man) on Solar Man.
Useful Weapons: "Triple Blade" gives a good amount of damage.
Review: One can't help but compare this with Megaman 9. The game continues to have various challenge stages and bonus material to appease the modern gamer. It has slave slots and achievements. They polished the usage of the shop by offering more screws within the levels and changing the costs of the items. Text runs a lot smoother. They managed to continue with classic Mega Man, giving its more advanced features of charging and sliding to Proto Man (like from Mega Man 9), and adding Bass (from Mega Man & Bass) to the mix. Each one has their own shop and playstyle. The game is still challenging but more forgiving. Sadly, nearly all the weapons are useless. Unlike "Jewel Satellite" from Mega Man 9 or "Leaf Shield" from Mega Man 2, "Water Shield" slowly decays as the bubbles pop. Half of the weapons take a few seconds to setup before they even initiate their ability. The good news is if Mega Man is normally too hard Easy Mode will reduce enemies, add platforms to half of the hazards, change enemy attacks, and allow you to save between each Fortress Level. For me, Normal Mode was just the right difficulty for the average gamer. Oh! And they also included Weapons Archive: A place where you fight against old (favorite) Robot Masters from all the other Mega Man titles.