Mega Man Zero (video game)
Encyclopedia
Mega Man Zero, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates
and published by Capcom
for the Game Boy Advance
(GBA) handheld game console
. It the first installment in the Mega Man Zero
series, the fifth series in Capcom's
Mega Man
video games franchise. It is the first Mega Man platformer
to appear on the GBA and was released in Japan
on April 26, 2002, in North America
on November 9, 2002, and in Europe
on November 26, 2002.
games and follows the Mega Man staple of side-scrolling platform action. The player takes control of the Mega Man X character Zero and guides him across several missions, defeating a boss near the end.
As is common with Mega Man games, touching spikes means instant death (except spikes touched during the limited invincibility period granted by taking damage). Continuing the "tradition" from the Mega Man X series, Zero
can cling to walls (albeit he slides down it at a uniform rate) and dash. When clinging onto walls, pressing the jump button and the D-pad
in the direction opposite to the wall, makes Zero soar off the wall halfway up the screen (referred to in the manual as wall-kick).
Unlike previous Mega Man games, instead of separate stages, there is a mostly single interconnected overworld with the Resistance base at its center, where almost every area in the game can be explored freely (a feature that is removed in later Zero games, but returns in Mega Man ZX
). In place of the stages is a choice of missions that Zero can undertake in each of the separate areas of the map, and completing one may unlock others.
There are still bosses to fight in these missions, but not every boss is fought near the end of the stage. It's also possible to fail non-critical missions and continue on with the game, either by using the "Escape Unit" or by choosing to "give up" a mission after losing a life. Doing so marks the mission as a failure, and it will no longer be available; as well the player will miss out on several important items in doing so.
Some elves can only be used once fed energy crystals found around the world or collected from defeated enemies.
Based on the total, the player is graded with a lettered rank - S, A, B, C, D, E or F. It's also accompanied by a codename determined by actions taken. Gaining an A or S rank will unlock the door behind Ciel, allowing the player to enter her room and retrieve a hidden cyber elf. It will also influence the attack patterns of the boss in the next level, giving them an additional special attack. This will continue as long as the player maintains the rank.
By meeting certain criteria, three additional modes can be unlocked:
After sleeping for a hundred years, Zero awakens to a world where Reploids are constantly accused of being Mavericks and systematically "retired", apparently under the direction of X himself. Zero assists Ciel to escape from the lab and reveals that he can't remember a thing - not even his name. The female scientist thinks of his loss of memories as a result of "hibernation sickness". Zero chooses to join the resistance and begins his fight against X's utopia, Neo Arcadia, and its Four Guardians: Harpuia, Leviathan, Fefnir, and Phantom.
Later in the game, Zero found that the X that is controlling Neo Arcadia is just a copy made by Ciel, because the original disappeared a long time ago, so in order to find a new leader for Neo Arcadia, Ciel built a copy of X. Since Copy X didn't have the experience of the original, he just focused in the security of the human race, believing that Reploids were dangerous for them and started an operation to destroy every Reploid who looked like a menace for Neo Arcadia, naming them Mavericks. Knowing this, Zero fought Copy X and defeated him. Before dying, he auto-destructs himself in order to destroy Zero in the process. Zero escapes just in time from Neo Arcadia as Copy X, and everything around him, is destroyed in a massive explosion.
With low energy to continue, Zero faints in a desert not so far from Neo Arcadia. After that, a mysterious voice is heard (the same that gave back Zero his Z-Saber and the one who helped him to enter Neo Arcadia), and a Cyber-Elf that has found Zero reveals itself; X has been Zero's guide the entire time. Since he no longer has a body, and was tired of fighting for a century, he tells Zero that he's going to leave him the duty of bringing peace to the world. After that, X disappears, and Zero revives and finds that a great number of Pantheons have him surrounded. Realizing what X said, he accepts the duty and decides to destroy Neo Arcadia once and for all, as he starts to destroy the Pantheons.
, a company established in 1996 by several former members of Capcom
. Up until the game's development, Inti Creates was not a successful venture. Takuya Sotsu, a director and producer for the company, jokingly suggested to Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune
that they make yet another spin-off from the franchise. Inafune took the idea seriously. Although Mega Man Zero was created as a commission product for Capcom, Inti Creates was solely responsible for its design and premise. The game is an extension of the Mega Man X
series, which itself is an extension of the original Mega Man series. Inafune had originally intended for 2000's Mega Man X5
to be the final game in its own series, ending with Zero's death and his inevitable revival in Mega Man Zero. However, Capcom decided to continue the Mega Man X series for several more games alongside Mega Man Zero, much to Inafune's dismay. According to Inti Creates producer Ken Horinouchi, a developmental goal for Mega Man Zero was to make it the most challenging out of all the games in the franchise up to that point.
Mega Man Zero was first announced by Capcom on January 22, 2002. A copy of the game appeared at the 15th Next Generation World Hobby Fair in Japan on January 28 of that year. Mega Man Zero subsequently appeared in the Electronic Entertainment Expo show that May.
Mega Man Zero was the first new Game Boy Advance Mega Man game to go back to the traditional 2D platforming action of its prior series, and the game earned much praise for returning "to its roots". Overall, the game gained an average rating of 82 out of 100 and a favourable reception, despite its difficulty.
Reviewers across the board agreed that the game was the most difficult in the series, with one reviewer suggesting that it is not for younger or casual players. Avi Fryman of GameSpy.com states that the ability to give up on missions and still continue the game is a sensible feature of Mega Man Zero, whereas IGN states that given the difficulty of the game, no one would call a player "cheap" if they were to use the newly introduced Cyber Elf system to make boss fights easier.
Overall, the Cyber Elf System earned a lukewarm response, though many did acknowledge that it made an otherwise difficult game easier.
Common complaints with the game were slow down, "unseen deathtraps" and being required to make blind jumps. These, however, did not seem to detract much from the gaming experience as reviewers tended to recommend the game in their conclusions.
Inti Creates
is a Japanese video game development company formed by ex-Capcom staff in May 1996, best known for the creation of the Mega Man Zero series and Mega Man ZX series...
and published by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
(GBA) handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It the first installment in the Mega Man Zero
Mega Man Zero
The Mega Man Zero series, known as in Japan, is the series succeeding the Mega Man X story-line, and the fifth series in Capcom's Mega Man video game franchise, co-produced by Keiji Inafune, and directed by Mega Man Legends series director Yoshinori Kawano...
series, the fifth series in Capcom's
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
Mega Man
Mega Man
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
video games franchise. It is the first Mega Man platformer
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
to appear on the GBA and was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on April 26, 2002, in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on November 9, 2002, and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on November 26, 2002.
Gameplay
Mega Man Zero is set 100 years after the end of the Mega Man XMega Man X
The Mega Man X series is the second Mega Man franchise released by Capcom. It debuted December 17, 1993 in Japan on the Super NES/Super Famicom and spawned sequels on several systems, with the PC platform notably having the most releases within the series...
games and follows the Mega Man staple of side-scrolling platform action. The player takes control of the Mega Man X character Zero and guides him across several missions, defeating a boss near the end.
As is common with Mega Man games, touching spikes means instant death (except spikes touched during the limited invincibility period granted by taking damage). Continuing the "tradition" from the Mega Man X series, Zero
Zero (Mega Man)
is a video game character present throughout the Mega Man franchise. First appearing in the 1993 game Mega Man X for the Super Nintendo, Zero has since been the star of the Mega Man Zero series and has played a supporting role in other game series such as the Mega Man ZX series.First developed by...
can cling to walls (albeit he slides down it at a uniform rate) and dash. When clinging onto walls, pressing the jump button and the D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
in the direction opposite to the wall, makes Zero soar off the wall halfway up the screen (referred to in the manual as wall-kick).
Unlike previous Mega Man games, instead of separate stages, there is a mostly single interconnected overworld with the Resistance base at its center, where almost every area in the game can be explored freely (a feature that is removed in later Zero games, but returns in Mega Man ZX
Mega Man ZX
Mega Man ZX, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the first game in the sixth series of the Mega Man video game franchise. For the first time in the Mega Man series, the game features both a male and a...
). In place of the stages is a choice of missions that Zero can undertake in each of the separate areas of the map, and completing one may unlock others.
There are still bosses to fight in these missions, but not every boss is fought near the end of the stage. It's also possible to fail non-critical missions and continue on with the game, either by using the "Escape Unit" or by choosing to "give up" a mission after losing a life. Doing so marks the mission as a failure, and it will no longer be available; as well the player will miss out on several important items in doing so.
Weapons overview
The player begins the game with a Resistance buster and soon acquires Zero's trademark weapon, the Z-Saber. There are two other weapons that the player can acquire: the Shield Boomerang and the Triple Rod. By pressing and holding the button a weapon is assigned to, the player can charge a weapon and use a more powerful attack. There are two charged levels, but the second level can only be unlocked after prolonged use of the weapon. All weapons start off weak, but with constant use, the weapons level up, unlocking more advanced techniques and abilities.- Buster Shot - Also known as the Z-Buster, this weapon is a buster with long range distance, but weak attack power. It can be leveled up three times, decreasing its charge time and increasing its fire rate.
- Z-Saber - Zero's trademark and most versatile weapon, albeit also the one with the least range. It can be leveled up six times, each time adding a new technique to Zero's repertoire.
- Shield Boomerang - A shield which will reflect or negate certain enemy attacks without harming Zero. When charged, it can be thrown as a weapon. Zero cannot dash when it is being used, unless he is wall-kicking. It can be leveled up two times, increasing its range while decreasing the charge time.
- Triple Rod - A spear-like weapon that can attack in all directions. It can be leveled up three times, extending its length and shortening its charge time. Zero has to jump to strike downward. This weapon has the unique ability to cause Zero to bounce off an enemy if he strikes them with the tip pointing down.
Elemental damage
As well as levelling a weapon up, the player can use weapons in conjunction with elemental chips that they win from boss battles. There are three in all: Ice, Fire, and Thunder. By charging a weapon with a chip equipped, the charged attack is given elemental properties. As with previous Mega Man games, most of the bosses are weak against a certain element, and the use of it will cause 1.5 times the damage of a non-elemental attack. Conversely, use of their defining element causes no damage, and using the one they're strong against causes half damage.- Thunder Elemental Chip - The first available Elemental Chip. It shocks an enemy and makes them unable to harm Zero for a while. It is effective against enemies with a Fire Elemental Alignment.
- Fire Elemental Chip - Fire attacks damage an enemy slowly after the initial attack. It is effective against enemies with an Ice Elemental alignment.
- Ice Elemental Chip - Ice attacks freeze an enemy temporarily. It is effective against enemies with a Thunder Elemental alignment.
Cyber Elves
This game also introduces the concept of Cyber Elves, which are single-use aids with either temporary or permanent effects on Zero or the game's levels. They are hidden throughout the game as well as dropped by enemies. The use of Cyber Elves penalizes the mission score. There are four types of Cyber Elves:- Nurse - These are concerned with improving Zero's health, by increasing the life energy gauge, giving a subtank or dropping life energy.
- Animal - These are primarily concerned with improving Zero's abilities. They can help boost agility and some provide backup support during battle.
- Hacker - These are capable of rewriting Area and Mission data. Some are capable of cutting the level Boss' HP in half, others turn all enemies into Mettaurs or remove them entirely. There are some that can remove the danger of one-hit-kill zones such as spikes and lava permanently, or raise rank to A for one level.
- Rare - This hidden Cyber Elf (Jackson) can only be obtained by completing the game after all of the other cyber elves are found, fed to their maximum level, or 'grown up', and none have been used. This Elf operates by holding A for a couple seconds until Zero is changing colors. While Zero is Changing colors, he is invincible to all enemies and damage zones, but also can't pick up items or use doors or Transervers.
Some elves can only be used once fed energy crystals found around the world or collected from defeated enemies.
Ranks
At the end of each level, the player is scored on their performance on a scale of 1 to 100. The results are measured as follows:- Mission - How well the mission was completed, usually passing or failing.
- Clear Time - How quickly the mission was completed.
- Enemy - How many enemies were destroyed in the mission.
- Damage - How much damage was taken during the mission.
- Retry - How many times the mission was retried (akin to how many lives were lost).
- Elf - How many and how advanced Elves were used. The less, the better. Elves with permanent effects will continuously penalize Zero for the rest of the game, even after a New Game Plus has been started.
Based on the total, the player is graded with a lettered rank - S, A, B, C, D, E or F. It's also accompanied by a codename determined by actions taken. Gaining an A or S rank will unlock the door behind Ciel, allowing the player to enter her room and retrieve a hidden cyber elf. It will also influence the attack patterns of the boss in the next level, giving them an additional special attack. This will continue as long as the player maintains the rank.
Modes
When the game is beaten, a "New Game Plus" can be played by loading the completed save file. In the new game, Zero will start with all activated Cyber Elves used from the previous game still in effect (the penalties, however, will still remain).By meeting certain criteria, three additional modes can be unlocked:
- Hard Mode is unlocked by beating the game once. To play, hold L when selecting to start a New Game. In Hard Mode, Zero takes 50% more damage from enemies, cannot use Cyber Elves, and his weapons cannot level up. As such, elemental attacks are limited to the Shield Boomerang, the only weapon with a charge feature that doesn't need unlocking.
- Jackson Mode is unlocked by beating every mission in Hard Mode at A rank or better and collecting every cyber elf, or collecting and powering up every Cyber Elf. In Jackson Mode, Zero starts with every Cyber Elf including Jackson.
- Ultimate Mode is unlocked by beating the game after using every Cyber Elf, including Jackson. To play, hold R when selecting to start a New Game. Ultimate Mode starts Zero off with all Cyber Elves with permanent effects already in use and without penalty. Also, all of Zero's weapons are at full power, and he can use full-charge attacks instantly by means of simplistic button combos.
Story
The story begins with a human scientist named Ciel and her reploid companions being chased through an underground lab. Their relentless pursuers are mass produced X look-a-likes called Pantheons, among other terrible machines. After heavy losses, Ciel and the remaining resistance troops arrive at a sealed chamber containing Zero who has been powered down for 100 years.After sleeping for a hundred years, Zero awakens to a world where Reploids are constantly accused of being Mavericks and systematically "retired", apparently under the direction of X himself. Zero assists Ciel to escape from the lab and reveals that he can't remember a thing - not even his name. The female scientist thinks of his loss of memories as a result of "hibernation sickness". Zero chooses to join the resistance and begins his fight against X's utopia, Neo Arcadia, and its Four Guardians: Harpuia, Leviathan, Fefnir, and Phantom.
Later in the game, Zero found that the X that is controlling Neo Arcadia is just a copy made by Ciel, because the original disappeared a long time ago, so in order to find a new leader for Neo Arcadia, Ciel built a copy of X. Since Copy X didn't have the experience of the original, he just focused in the security of the human race, believing that Reploids were dangerous for them and started an operation to destroy every Reploid who looked like a menace for Neo Arcadia, naming them Mavericks. Knowing this, Zero fought Copy X and defeated him. Before dying, he auto-destructs himself in order to destroy Zero in the process. Zero escapes just in time from Neo Arcadia as Copy X, and everything around him, is destroyed in a massive explosion.
With low energy to continue, Zero faints in a desert not so far from Neo Arcadia. After that, a mysterious voice is heard (the same that gave back Zero his Z-Saber and the one who helped him to enter Neo Arcadia), and a Cyber-Elf that has found Zero reveals itself; X has been Zero's guide the entire time. Since he no longer has a body, and was tired of fighting for a century, he tells Zero that he's going to leave him the duty of bringing peace to the world. After that, X disappears, and Zero revives and finds that a great number of Pantheons have him surrounded. Realizing what X said, he accepts the duty and decides to destroy Neo Arcadia once and for all, as he starts to destroy the Pantheons.
Development
Mega Man Zero was developed by Inti CreatesInti Creates
is a Japanese video game development company formed by ex-Capcom staff in May 1996, best known for the creation of the Mega Man Zero series and Mega Man ZX series...
, a company established in 1996 by several former members of Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. Up until the game's development, Inti Creates was not a successful venture. Takuya Sotsu, a director and producer for the company, jokingly suggested to Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune
Keiji Inafune
is a video game producer and illustrator. He was the former head of Research & Development and Online Business and Global Head of Production at Capcom, best known as the illustrator and co-designer of the character Mega Man, as well as the producer of the Onimusha and Dead Rising video game series...
that they make yet another spin-off from the franchise. Inafune took the idea seriously. Although Mega Man Zero was created as a commission product for Capcom, Inti Creates was solely responsible for its design and premise. The game is an extension of the Mega Man X
Mega Man X
The Mega Man X series is the second Mega Man franchise released by Capcom. It debuted December 17, 1993 in Japan on the Super NES/Super Famicom and spawned sequels on several systems, with the PC platform notably having the most releases within the series...
series, which itself is an extension of the original Mega Man series. Inafune had originally intended for 2000's Mega Man X5
Mega Man X5
Mega Man X5, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom. It is the fifth main installment in the Mega Man X series. It was first released for the PlayStation in Japan on November 30, 2000 and in North America and PAL territories the following year.Mega Man X5 is set in the 22nd century...
to be the final game in its own series, ending with Zero's death and his inevitable revival in Mega Man Zero. However, Capcom decided to continue the Mega Man X series for several more games alongside Mega Man Zero, much to Inafune's dismay. According to Inti Creates producer Ken Horinouchi, a developmental goal for Mega Man Zero was to make it the most challenging out of all the games in the franchise up to that point.
Mega Man Zero was first announced by Capcom on January 22, 2002. A copy of the game appeared at the 15th Next Generation World Hobby Fair in Japan on January 28 of that year. Mega Man Zero subsequently appeared in the Electronic Entertainment Expo show that May.
Reception
Mega Man Zero was the third best-selling video game in Japan during its week of release at 66,990 units. By June 2002, the game had sold 135,850 units in the country. Mega Man Zero sold a total of 231,166 units in Japan alone by the end of 2002.Mega Man Zero was the first new Game Boy Advance Mega Man game to go back to the traditional 2D platforming action of its prior series, and the game earned much praise for returning "to its roots". Overall, the game gained an average rating of 82 out of 100 and a favourable reception, despite its difficulty.
Reviewers across the board agreed that the game was the most difficult in the series, with one reviewer suggesting that it is not for younger or casual players. Avi Fryman of GameSpy.com states that the ability to give up on missions and still continue the game is a sensible feature of Mega Man Zero, whereas IGN states that given the difficulty of the game, no one would call a player "cheap" if they were to use the newly introduced Cyber Elf system to make boss fights easier.
Overall, the Cyber Elf System earned a lukewarm response, though many did acknowledge that it made an otherwise difficult game easier.
Common complaints with the game were slow down, "unseen deathtraps" and being required to make blind jumps. These, however, did not seem to detract much from the gaming experience as reviewers tended to recommend the game in their conclusions.
External links
- Official Mega Man Website at Capcom