System: NES
Company: Capcom
Released: December 1990
Catagory: Action/Adventure
Here is a GREAT Mega Man game! Capcom made the third installment in the Mega Man series even better than the first two mega hits. There were alot of "Mega" Christmas presents in 1990 due to the release of this great game just before the holidays. What a great job of Capcom getting everyone excited about this game. I visited a Powerfest in 1990 and you wouldn't believe how many people crowded around the Mega Man 3 game just to play it for 5 minutes!! There are two new robots to help Mega Man in this game to boot!(Rush and Protoman)
Storyline: Dr.Wily has changed his evil ways and has finally found his sanity to help mankind. He and Dr.Light are busy making a BIG peacekeeping robot by the name of Gamma and they need the energy crystals from the nearby robot worlds. The trouble is not Dr.Wily this time but eight rampaging robots causing havoc. You must stop them Mega Man! I personally like this storyline. Hey, Dr.Wily is finally good! Who would expect that? Or is he???
Graphics: One thing that I must say now is that you're not going to hear me saying anything negative about the graphics of the NES Mega Man games. Mega Man 3 has some of the best graphics that I've ever seen for the NES!! From the double scrolling background of the Gemini stage to the peaceful sky of the Magnet Man stage, MM3 has it all. This may be the best Mega Man game ever due to the perfect layout of the graphics. You feel like you're really in a greenhouse in the Top Man stage and in an underground passage in the Shadow Man stage! The last stages also have nice graphics.
Music: This is what REALLY could make this the best Mega Man game ever. Mega Man fans, this IS true video game music. EVERY single track has a catchy beat and is perfect for the stage(s) that it's in. I can't choose a favorite song, but I've always thought that the Magnet Man theme was a great theme. If you're looking for a game with GREAT music, then get the third Mega Man game for the NES.
Play Control: Mega Man 3 has better play control than its predecessors due to one of the greatest additions to the MM series. The slide. Sliding made the control SO much smoother and fun! I also like the new sound that Mega Man makes when he falls to the ground. Everything fits together really well in MM3 as far as play control goes. Using the weapons is even better and more fun than the first two MM games. The controls for using your new robodog Rush are GREAT as well.
Challenge: Mega Man 3 has a GREAT challenge. Believe me, the first time I played this game, I was challenged. The Gemini stage is especially challenging in the fact that you have to get REALLY far just to start halfway if you lose a life. Like all Mega Man games, I like how challenging MM3 is. It's not too hard and not too easy.
Funfactor/Lasting Value: Let me just say this. Mega Man 3 is an EXTREMELY fun NES game due to the combination of great graphics, music, play control, and challenge. Don't forget the fantasic gameplay. As far as lasting value goes, MM3 has more stages than any other MM game and has cameo appearances of ALL of the Mega Man 2 robots! Talk about a complete Mega Man package! This game will never wear out its welcome. I play it whenever I get a case of "Mega Man" fever!(which is quite often) Any true video game fan MUST play this game if they haven't already.
Ending: The ending to Mega Man 3 is GREAT! After defeating the last boss,(I won't spoil this for anyone.) Mega Man and the boss are smashed by huge blocks! The castle destructed before Mega Man could get out! But a mysterious stranger saves the Blue Bomber and takes him back to Dr.Light's lab. Dr.Light says that he doesn't know who returned you until a familar whistle is blown in the distance. It is Mega Man's loyal and true brother Protoman. Mega Man runs through a field and thinks about all of Dr.Light's creations until he comes to Protoman. And there in the sky...is Protoman. Afterwards, the credits are shown along with some more GREAT music!!
Here are my personal ratings for the game Mega Man 3 on a scale of 1 to 5:
Storyline: 4.5
Graphics: 5.0*
Music: 5.0*
Play Control: 4.5
Challenge: 4.3
Funfactor: 5.0*
Ending: 5.0*
Negatives: As you see in my ratings, Mega Man 3 could do no wrong. MM3 deserves those three perfect ratings due to the hard work that Capcom did to get this game on the shelves. However, there is ONE thing that I would have liked to have seen. It would have been cool to see a cinema storyline like in Mega Man 2. Instead, MM3 goes straight into the title screen with no storyline. Besides that, MM3 has NO flaws.