Mega Man Legacy Collection makes you a better man (or woman)

Mega Man is all about muscle memory. You play through a level until something clicks. Pattern recognition is critical to success. Once you’ve experienced a situation enough, instinct takes over. Getting to the point where that happens, however, could be a challenge. It takes longer to grasp the intricacies of the games for some; it’s easy to give up. The Nintendo 3DS Mega Man Legacy Collection makes it more difficult to toss the games aside. It allows people more opportunities to grow as a player.

A big part of this is its portability. While the games were designed to be played on a big screen, they adapt well to a more mobile platform. There was a password system, so you could come back and complete a game later, but who among us could resist the allure of attempting a one-sitting run-through? Mega Man Legacy Collection makes truncated sessions more attractive. Each game lets you make one save state, turning all six installments into pick-up-and-play games.

More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to walk away. Mega Man was always a controller-throwing series for me as a child. (Well, not really. I would never risk hurting my precious babies!) Mega Man and Mega Man 2 were the most frustrating games I played, leading me to abandon the series until the Battle Network, Legends and Zero years. It was easier to walk away, abandoning any passwords I’d earned since the progress made was never enough, than persevere. With Mega Man Legacy Collection, you can make a save state. You can put the 3DS in sleep mode. You can do whatever you need to do to center yourself until the patience necessary to power through is restored.

But it’s Mega Man Legacy Collection’s other features that make the biggest difference. Sometimes, you want to try and learn from your mistakes, but don’t want to try and go through an entire level or game to do it. The Challenge Mode gives you that chance to go through a very specific instance, learn from it and maybe even master it. By going through these segments, you’re presented with some of the problematic parts of the games. You’re allowed to focus on that single moment, rather than worry about getting through a whole level.

The boss practice mode is equally educational. The fights against the robot masters and Dr. Wily are the most difficult in the games, after all. Being able to practice against them, with no consequences faced should you fail, is enlightening. Remember earlier, what I said about muscle memory and pattern recognition? You can develop both, penalty free. You’re allowed to grow and learn at your own pace.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is more than an opportunity to develop a new appreciation for the first six games in the series. It’s a chance to finally learn the skills that might have held you back years before. You can learn tricks and techniques at your own pace, eventually overtaking every robot master and restoring peace to the world. It allows for an amazing sense of accomplishment as you become the player you were always meant to be.