Some video games are hugely original and manage to create whole new sub-genres by themselves. One such game franchise is Mega Man, a game that was originally released in 1987. The franchise has since seen an incredible eleven games in the original franchise, in addition to countless spin-off series and stand-alone games.
However, there are plenty of other games that aren’t part of the Mega Man franchise that were created after being heavily inspired by the blue hero. Mega Man created a unique style, and it led to many games picking up the torch left behind in order to carry on the great legacy of these titles.
6 20XX
Even the cover art for 20XX makes it look as if the game has been taking inspiration from Mega Man. This game was released in 2016 after a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2014. Players control Nina and Ace, an armored pair of warriors who have survived a robotic apocalypse.
With all the Mega Man elements of gaining upgrades to make future runs easier, difficult trial-and-error platforming, and plenty more, 20XX is perfect for Mega Man fans. Additionally, the perma-death system is a huge challenge added to the game. Players need to earn points by collecting soul gems to get enough upgrades to win on future attempts of runs after dying. An indie game that managed to garner enough interest to produce a sequel, 30XX is currently available through early access on Steam.
5 Mighty Gunvolt Burst
A game that was developed by the team known for creating the Mega Man games in Japan, Mighty Gunvolt Burst was the sequel to Mighty Gunvolt, which was released in 2017. Using pixel graphics and a wonderfully fun style, Mighty Gunvolt Burst lets players explore a cyber-futuristic world filled with enemies and difficult levels to navigate.
The simple style of Mega Man is an easy one to replicate due to the pixilated graphics and side-scrolling combat. While many have tried, Mighty Gunvolt and Mighty Gunvolt Burst are two games that succeeded brilliantly and have been highly entertaining fans of the Mega Man franchise since their release.
4 Cyber Shadow
Another indie game developed by a Finnish studio, Cyber Shadow is a side-scrolling platformer where players take control of a ninja in an 8-bit format. Definitely inspired by the classic Mega Man style, Cyber Shadow features great and challenging combat and a variety of weaponry add-ons that can be acquired as the game continues.
The plot is about Shadow, a cyborg ninja attempting to free his clan who are being oppressed by synthetics. Players get to battle across Mekacity in a game that includes a little bit more story and narrative focus than old-school Mega Man games, while providing a very familiar style of gameplay experience to fans of that series.
3 Blaster Master Zero 3
Ending off a trilogy of games that are all worth playing, Blaster Master Zero 3 has everything a fan of the Mega Man franchise could wish for. A game about taking on armies of mutants in various styles, BMZ3 features both traditional side-scrolling platformer action and top-down combat in various sections.
Fans of the Mega Man franchise will enjoy the super-dimensional space-traveling adventure of the trilogy while getting the retro graphical style and amazing music that will bring them back to the days of the classic Mega Man games. The high difficulty curve of BMZ3 will catch some off-guard, but it only makes the game more fun for true Mega Man lovers, and there are amazing tales about how the BMZ series began.
2 HUNTDOWN
A game released in 2020, HUNTDOWN was developed by Easy Trigger as a run-and-gun game that incorporates several elements familiar to the style of the Mega Man franchise. Players will see similarities in the style of bosses, the variety of weapons used, and the emphasis on a great soundtrack while also getting a lot more of a grindhouse feel to the game than they would get with the Mega Man franchise.
HUNTDOWN lets the player choose between playing as a cyborg, robot, or human who takes on a variety of criminals in a cyber-futuristic city. Available on a variety of platforms from Windows to PlayStation to Android and iOS devices, HUNTDOWN is one of the most accessible games in the style of the Mega Man franchise, and players who love those classic games should check out this update to the style.
1 Shovel Knight
One of the more famous recent entries in the Mega Man style, Shovel Knight follows an adventurous knight who uses only a shovel in combat. With a strangely large amount of lore to a world about a shovel-wielding warrior, Shovel Knight is a wonderful 8-bit adventure that explores a variety of stories in the various campaigns that have been released and added to date.
Shovel Knight’s initial story featured him trying to stop an evil Enchantress rising to power at the head of the Order of No Quarter, a group of knights he must defeat to reach the Enchantress. The story, narratively excellent, adds hugely to the enjoyment of a franchise that has made itself synonymous with the style of Mega Man.