What a great start to this series. I’m gonna get my favorite thing out of the way with this game. The atmosphere is truly amazing. I love how it really does feel like I’m in an high level security asylum. Whether it’s the crazy sociopathic criminals that you have to beat the snot out of. The place itself. The dark muddy sky and ground. Not only that but how things could suddenly change like with Scarecrow and his fear toxin, or Poison Ivy’s plants taking over the place. The combat is simple yet really fun. It relies on reaction time, but also skill with the Critical Strike. If you wanna go crazy, you can’t just mash, and I really like that. Same for the stealth, which really can keep you on your toes sometimes. It’s also just real fun to knock these criminals lights out. Like really fun. The progression feels real satisfying as well. It felt nice getting each main gadget throughout the game. I feel the most disappointing part of this whole game is easily the bosses. Scarecrows set pieces were really cool and you have so much potential for him as a boss, but uh, it’s just an easy enemy gauntlet. Poison Ivy wasn’t anything special either. Killer Croc shouldn’t even count. Bane legit besides the final boss feels like the only real boss here if you ask me. Even then the variety with the bosses is really lacking. You’ll realize how they always have to spawn reinforcements for you to beat up, just to give these bosses some kind of substance. Also, yeah I know this game came out in 2009, but uh wow these models. Wow they did not age well. Batman looks like he’s constipated. The length of the game is actually really refreshing. I appreciate it. It doesn’t feel like some grand adventure but it’s not too short of one either. It feels like it hit the sweet spot for something like this. Overall, I think Arkham Asylum laid a great foundation for this series, and I bet it still has some merit to it to this day with how it handles things.

That was a really nice conclusion to the NES lineup of games. It felt like it was trying to give out a true ending to Classic Mega Man (Though we all know that didn’t happen). Overall this was a nice step up after how safe 5 felt. The graphics have been really impressive to look at. The game also has a lot of bangers for me. Who knows it may be in my top 3 for the OSTs so far. I loved the adaptor upgrades. It honestly makes me wish for more to be done with this concept in the later games… oh yeah X exists. Yeah, this feels like a precursor to X with how the upgrades are in this game. Makes it a lot more charming like this was the blueprint for that series. The levels were a treat. I never felt pooped out cause of the game itself, more so just the fact that I’ve been playing these games so quickly to the point where I can feel the fatigue but I’m still enjoying my time with them so I feel no need for a break. The premise is different for the story unlike 5 so that’s a plus. The power up selection felt meh here but at this point that’s not surprising anymore unfortunately, none of the games so far have had something crazy, but I liked upgrades like the Silver Tomahawk which was nice to aim with and shoot. The blizzard attack having multiple projectiles was cool I guess, but Flame Blast was the best, since it dropped a flame that could be used to trap enemies that were moving. Mainly though the adaptors were the best part. Using them felt so satisfying and they controlled well. I loved seeing branching paths have more of a purpose. It gives more reason to go back to levels in hopes of getting the upgrades. Felt like a mini Metroidvania for me. At the end of the day I really enjoyed this one. It’s as good as 4 for me honestly. I feel like I have different reasons to like both that much. I do think there is a lot more that you can do with these upgrades though which X already does and I know, but still.

Wow I’m conflicted. I don’t know how to feel about this one since when I started it, I found it really cool but by the end of everything I was just waiting for it to be over like with 3. I think the reason for this is a couple of things. 1. The enemies. This game has some really annoying enemies and some that just felt awkward to fight, and 2. The power ups were nothing crazy to me. Power Stone was weird to use, Gyro Attack was cool being able to shoot it upwards or downwards after throwing it, but that’s really the only power up I can think about positively right now. The wave one was weird cause you could only use it on the ground, the Star Crash is just another shield power up which sucks cause you can do more with stars than just making it be a shield, and I don’t even have to speak about the Charge Kick. Should’ve just been an upgrade is all I’m gonna say. Some levels were cool like Gravity Man’s but then his boss was annoying. Just one big waiting game while you have to worry about his random shots as well. Wave Man’s would’ve been cool if it weren’t for the mini boss. Star Man’s gravity is just the water physics so nothing special there. Charge Man’s level is cool I guess but only cause of the set piece of a moving train, and I do think this game got locations right. A lot of the areas felt cool. If only the gameplay could be as good. Overall I like this more than 3 and 1 of course, but I’d honestly prefer playing 2, and especially 4 over this one. It really did just feel like another Mega Man game, nothing special. Now don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean this isn’t worth your time or anything. I said at the beginning of the review that I was enjoying the game and everything. It’s just the more that I thought about it. The more I was like “Man this is just more Mega Man.” It doesn’t do anything to get a unique identity like other games did. Just a new game with some things there with the letters and Beat. That’s why I gave it 3.5,since I can still see myself coming back to this game, unlike with 3.

Best one so far for me. The levels hit the sweet spot that I felt was missing in 3 with them not feeling too short but none of them overstayed their welcome. It provided a nice challenge too. The upgraded Mega Buster allowing you to charge it up now is a great addition to me. It allows for a new style of playing. Would you rather wait for a more powerful blast or try to shoot down your enemies immediately Especially since they’re different levels to the charged version. Dr Cossack’s castle is way better than the Doc Robot levels and I’m hoping nothing as lazy and frustrating as those levels will show up in this franchise ever again. Wily’s castle isn’t stupid easy like in 3, and no stupid puzzle boss like in 2. I’m gonna be honest though some of the power ups kinda suck, but it honestly felt the most versatile for this game’s weapon wheel.Bright Man’s power is just the time ability Flash Man had. Pharaoh Shot is just a better Mega Buster and that’s cool I guess, but it shows cause I only used it for the final boss. Being able to detonate the drill bomb manually was nice as well but it’s just a better Crash Bomb from 2. The Dive Missiles were cool for taking care of enemies that were annoying to hit with your Mega Buster, and Rain Flush was a nice screen nuke ability. These are better than 3 and even 2’s weapon wheel since the only thing used there by everyone is the metal blade with how broken it is. Overall I could definitely see myself coming back to this one over the other 3 so far, but they’re flaws. I think some of the level design is a little odd but the branching paths were nice. Also we’re 4 games in and Mega Man’s gameplay hasn’t really done TOO much. That’s not a bad thing but it makes it a little harder to fully enjoy these games when you’re playing them back to back. I still really enjoyed my time though which is why it’s getting 4 stars from me.

Wow uh I’m not gonna lie that was worse than the 2nd game for me. It started off well but everything fell apart later. The atrocious lag (Which is concerning for a NES game), lazy 2nd versions of previous levels which are just harder versions of those same levels with the same boss character design having powers possessed by the robot masters from the last game which just sucks honestly and shows how rushed this was with them trying to pad the game or something. Dr Wily’s levels are piss easy too compared to the 2nd game and end way too quickly. A lot of ideas were just stolen from the previous games. (You can’t call it nostalgia when these came out like yearly too.). Anyways, overall it’s a good enough game but I don’t see myself having any reason for coming back to it. It’s better than the first game that’s for sure.

Overall this was amazing for a mobile game. It’s not doing anything that I don’t like in the game that I would want out of it. Rather, I just have things I’d want in it and that’s amazing for most 3D Sonic games (unfortunately). The music is also kinda okay for a Sonic game with me wanting more from most of the tracks, but this is the composer’s first time doing music for a Sonic game so that’s cool. The levels and platforming feel like a more fun and less of a Mario Galaxy knock off version of Lost World for me and I enjoyed all of them. The bosses are pretty fun too, and honestly, it’s just nice to play as Cream in a 3D Sonic game after idk how long? Since Heroes? It really does suck this’ll probably be stuck on Apple Arcade. Sorry for all my Android Sonic fans we’ll get em next time. (Hopefully this review ages like milk). Also also, I hope Sonic Team takes notes, I would love for these kind of levels to show up in Frontiers 2 or whatever they plan to cook for mainline Sonic games.

This game really has aged like fine wine. The fact this came out in 1994 is crazy to me with how it pretty much perfected the formula for the classic Sonic games. A "Magnum Opus" if you would. I enjoyed all the zones (Personally Carnival Night, Launch Base, Mushroom Hill, and Death Egg were my favorite). The gimmicks that came with each level all having an identity, and the different pathways that are meant for different characters is something I can really appreciate, even if I used the default Sonic and Tails route. The music is fantastic even if they all weren't composed by Michael Jackson. The bosses aren't anything to write home about, but I never really played 2D Sonic for the bosses anyways so it's fine. The special stages are great too and honestly more fun to play than the ones in Mania, in my opinion of course. Overall, I'm glad I finally got to this game and got through it. I feel like I got a newfound respect for Classic Sonic!