Mega Man
Mega Man is Capcom's legendary 1987 NES action-platformer that launched the Blue Bomber. Battle six rogue Robot Masters across freely chosen stages, copy their powers, and storm Dr. Wily's fortress in this timeless classic.
About Mega Man (NES)
Mega Man is the 1987 NES action-platformer from Capcom that introduced the world to the Blue Bomber. Built by the kindly Dr. Light as a peacekeeping robot, Mega Man is forced into battle when the mad scientist Dr. Wily reprograms six of Light’s industrial robots and unleashes them on the world.
What made Mega Man revolutionary was its non-linear structure: instead of a forced gauntlet, you can tackle the six Robot Master stages in any order. Defeat a Robot Master and you copy its signature weapon — and every boss has a hidden weakness to another boss’s weapon, turning each playthrough into a satisfying puzzle of discovery. With razor-tight controls, unforgettable chiptune music, and a tough-but-fair challenge, it became an instant classic.
Detailed Gameplay
Stage Select and the Six Robot Masters
After the intro, you pick from six stages — Cut Man, Guts Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Fire Man, and Elec Man — in whatever order you like. Each stage is a handcrafted gauntlet of platforming hazards and enemies themed around its boss, ending in a one-on-one duel.
Copying Weapons
Winning a boss fight adds that Robot Master’s power to your arsenal: the Rolling Cutter, Thunder Beam, Fire Storm, and more. Weapons consume weapon energy shown on the pause menu, and switching to the right tool for each fight is the heart of the game.
Boss Weakness Order
Every Robot Master is weak to another’s weapon — for example, Elec Man melts Ice Man, and the Thunder Beam shreds the infamous Yellow Devil. Experimenting to find the optimal route is half the fun, and the classic community-discovered order (Guts Man first for the Super Arm) remains the smartest path.
Dr. Wily’s Fortress
Once all six Robot Masters fall, Dr. Wily’s skull-marked fortress opens: four brutal stages with rematches against every boss, new traps, and Wily himself waiting in a transforming machine. Stock up on Energy Tanks — you will need them.
Game Highlights
- Non-linear stage select: six Robot Master stages in any order — groundbreaking freedom for 1987.
- Weapon-copying system: steal each boss’s power and discover their hidden weaknesses.
- Tight, precise controls: jumps and shots that respond exactly as you expect — fair difficulty, no excuses.
- Legendary soundtrack: Cut Man, Elec Man, and Wily Stage themes that defined NES chiptune music.
- Iconic bosses: from the Yellow Devil’s blob-splitting attacks to the giant Copy Robot, every fight is memorable.
- Birth of a legend: the origin of the Blue Bomber and one of gaming’s longest-running franchises.
Controls
Mega Man uses the classic NES layout. The D-pad moves Mega Man and climbs ladders. Press A to jump, B to fire the Mega Buster or your selected special weapon. Press Start to open the weapon menu and swap powers or use Energy Tanks, and Select has no in-game function. Landing from a jump is forgiving, and holding B charges nothing here — this is pure rapid-fire shooting, so keep moving and keep firing.
Tips and Strategies to Win
- Start with Guts Man. His stage is manageable and the Super Arm (lifting blocks to crush enemies) makes several later stages far easier.
- Farm Energy Tanks and 1-Ups. The pause menu lets you refill; grab tanks before entering Wily’s fortress.
- Learn weakness chains. Elec Man’s Thunder Beam devastates Ice Man and the Yellow Devil; Fire Storm melts Bomb Man. One right weapon turns a nightmare boss into seconds of work.
- Use the Magnet Beam. Earned in Elec Man’s stage, it creates platforms to cross otherwise impossible gaps — essential in Wily’s fortress.
- Stay mobile against the Yellow Devil. His blob splits and reforms on a rhythm — shoot during the reform and keep moving so the flying pieces miss you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: In what order should I fight the six Robot Masters in Mega Man? A: A popular route is Guts Man, Cut Man, Elec Man, Ice Man, Fire Man, then Bomb Man — the Super Arm and Thunder Beam open doors and melt the Yellow Devil.
Q: What is the Yellow Devil’s weakness? A: The Thunder Beam, won from Elec Man. It hits multiple segments at once, melting the Yellow Devil far faster than the standard Mega Buster.
Q: Is Mega Man (1987) the first game in the series? A: Yes. Released by Capcom in 1987 for the NES, it introduced Mega Man, Dr. Light, Dr. Wily, and the Robot Master formula that defined the classic series.
Screenshots
