Summary
Mega Mancertainly makes the best case to be Capcom’s mascot, and it’s not as though there isn’t any tough competition.Street Fighter,Devil May Cry, andResident Evilare just some of the most iconic franchises that Capcom has ushered into the halls of gaming history. However,Mega Manhas certainly been on the back foot lately, which it can recover from by taking a page out ofResident Evil’s book.
Resident Evilhas been through a major resurgence in the last few years. This follows pretty much the opposite trajectory ofMega Man,which has seen very little fanfare for a long time now. There has only been one major release in the past ten years, and evenMega Man 11was released nearly six years ago. There have been very few re-releases to boot, and in that regard,Mega Manwould do well to learn fromResident Evil.
Mega Man Needs to Go the Route of Resident Evil Remakes
Mega Man is a Household Name of Action Platformers
Titles likeMega Mancertainly don’t come along every day, and it’s hard to imagine any new title reaching its iconic status any time soon. As much asMariohas defined the platforming genre for generations,Mega Manhas done as much for action platformers. Despite its rich history, and even the name recognition the series still carries, it’s hard to callMega Man"relevant" in modern gaming.
As hard as it may be to get any series to thelevel of acclaim thatMega Manhas, it’s nearly as difficult to lose that iconic status.Mega Manhas gone through its phases of being considered a dead series, and some even claim it is right now. However, the memories of the series that many hold in their hearts don’t wash off easily, and those memories could provide the future ofMega Man’s success.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Perfected a Classic
Resident Evilhas been on the cutting edge of survival horrorfor quite a long time, and at the forefront of Capcom’s library for nearly as long. However, the road toResident Evil’s modern status of mass acclaim has been a long and winding one indeed. Most importantly,Resident Evilwas once in the rut thatMega Mannow resides in, and shows the perfect game plan for escaping it.
While there had been other efforts before, and more planned still,Resident Evil 4’s remakewas the title to truly rocket the series into unknown heights.Resident Evil 4is already considered one of the greatest games of all time, and the fact that the remake was able to live up to that reputation at all is astounding, let alone some reviewers saying it even surpassed the original.
Resident Evil 4was proceeded by remakes ofResident Evil 3andResident Evil 2, with a remake of the very firstResident Evilgame rumored to be right on the horizon. What’s more important is that the series has begun to release new titles again.Resident Evil 7: Biohazardwas released a few short years before the recent wave of remakes, andResident Evil Villagecapitalized on the series' renewed popularity.
Mega Man Remakes Could Match Resident Evil’s Revival
Resident Evil’s recent remakes have put the series in the spotlight even more than ever before, and the horror franchise isn’t showing any signs of stopping. WhileMega Manis in a more significant drought thanResident Evilever was, Capcom can still learn a valuable lesson on how to pull off another revival. Success is never found in a vacuum, butResident Evilhas proven a much more consistent method than actively trying to capture lighting in a bottle. As much as legacy collections are great,Mega Manneeds to take that next step.
Mega Manhas more than enough iconic games to pull in for remakes. After all,Mega Manis an expansive franchise, and side series such asMega Man Battle NetworkorMega Man Xhold as much weight as mainline games. In fact, some characters fromMega Man Xhave become as iconic as the blue bomber himself, with Zero standing besideDevil May Cry’s Vergil in the video game rival hall of fame.
If aMega Man Xremake was announced tomorrow, it would likely take the world by storm due to all the fond memories associated with that game. More importantly, the series as a whole would return to the forefront of conversation, and pave the way fornewMega Mangames. Remakes are great for allowing players to relive old memories, or play games previously inaccessible to them. However, their most important role will always be creating room for the future, a future whichMega Manmost certainly deserves.
Mega Man 11
WHERE TO PLAY
Mega Man jumps into battle once again!This entry in this iconic series blends classic, challenging 2D platforming action with a fresh look. The stunning visual style refreshes the series' iconic colorfulness, combining hand-drawn environments with detailed, 3D character models.To save the day, the Blue Bomber must battle Robot Masters and take their powerful weapons for himself, which now changes the hero’s appearance with added levels of detail. The innovative Double Gear system lets you boost Mega Man’s speed and power for an exciting twist on the satisfying gameplay the series is known for.A variety of difficulty modes makes this the perfect opportunity to experience Mega Man for the first time!
