The hardest one in the series
First, why is this game on the Super Famicom and not on the Playstation? Simple, more Japanese people had more Super Famicoms compared to Playstations at home during 1998. Capcom just decided to make a game for the console that was more avaible at the time, re-using most of Mega Man 8 content while at it. Inafune said it himself.
This game is also secretly considered "Mega Man 8.5" kind of how Super Mario Galaxy 2 is secretly known as "Super Mario Galaxy MORE".
It's also considered a different continuation of the Classic Mega Man mainline series. Take the Mega Man games for the Game Boy for example. Which means the events of this game don't affect the overall timeline of the mainline series. It's canon then? Who knows! Nor the Mega Man Legacy Collections or Mega Man Anniverssary Collection include this game, excluded for all of them. Which probably means Capcom wanted just to do a one-side game for the Super Famicom in 1998, and just call it a day.
After getting that out of the way let's talk about the game itself. As the title suggest we can take control of either Mega Man or Bass. Mega Man can slide and charge his shots just like in the previous games while Bass can dash, double jump and rapid-fire. Bass is the safer option for beginners since his platforming skills greatly surprass Mega Man, combine that with the infamous level design.
The boss selection still stands at eight, 2 bosses from Mega Man 8 are present here: Astro Man and Tengu Man. 6 being original bosses exclusive to this game just like any other Classic Mega Man game. It uses a different system to progress the stage selection, where as Mega Man 1-6 used the classic 8 bosses selection, Mega Man 7 and 8 used the four and four system this one uses a more linear progressive system. Let me explain. After finishing the opening the game let's you pick 3 Robot Masters at first. Top, Center and Bottom. If you decide to go for the top, the next levels will be unlocked inmediatily, 2 in this case. A weird selection system that was never brought again. Needlessly convoluted if you ask me.
Let's talk about the infamous Level Design. The definition of bullshit should be erased from dictionaries and replaced with this game cover. It's very close to the old Mega Man 1 level design, yes the oldest one of the bunch. And that game is still easier than Mega Man & Bass with enough patience. This game takes patience, skill and memorization. Compared to past games, no rush adaptors or special weapons. Mega Man is totally screwed. Bass at least has a Dash and a Double Jump to compensate most of his glaring issues which is that he barely does damage to bosses. It's one way or another, you either suffer at the start or suffer by the end. Oh-ho boy don't get me started at the castle levels. But why it is bullshit then? Insta-kill spikes, botomless pits and bullshit enemy spawns are plastered everywhere. As a word of advice pick Bass in your first playthrough. I didn't.
In short, it's hard Mega Man game. A mean one at that. Forgotten by most but an interesting title nonetheless. Give it a shot if you want a challenge. I still like it more than Mega Man 8.
First, why is this game on the Super Famicom and not on the Playstation? Simple, more Japanese people had more Super Famicoms compared to Playstations at home during 1998. Capcom just decided to make a game for the console that was more avaible at the time, re-using most of Mega Man 8 content while at it. Inafune said it himself.
This game is also secretly considered "Mega Man 8.5" kind of how Super Mario Galaxy 2 is secretly known as "Super Mario Galaxy MORE".
It's also considered a different continuation of the Classic Mega Man mainline series. Take the Mega Man games for the Game Boy for example. Which means the events of this game don't affect the overall timeline of the mainline series. It's canon then? Who knows! Nor the Mega Man Legacy Collections or Mega Man Anniverssary Collection include this game, excluded for all of them. Which probably means Capcom wanted just to do a one-side game for the Super Famicom in 1998, and just call it a day.
After getting that out of the way let's talk about the game itself. As the title suggest we can take control of either Mega Man or Bass. Mega Man can slide and charge his shots just like in the previous games while Bass can dash, double jump and rapid-fire. Bass is the safer option for beginners since his platforming skills greatly surprass Mega Man, combine that with the infamous level design.
The boss selection still stands at eight, 2 bosses from Mega Man 8 are present here: Astro Man and Tengu Man. 6 being original bosses exclusive to this game just like any other Classic Mega Man game. It uses a different system to progress the stage selection, where as Mega Man 1-6 used the classic 8 bosses selection, Mega Man 7 and 8 used the four and four system this one uses a more linear progressive system. Let me explain. After finishing the opening the game let's you pick 3 Robot Masters at first. Top, Center and Bottom. If you decide to go for the top, the next levels will be unlocked inmediatily, 2 in this case. A weird selection system that was never brought again. Needlessly convoluted if you ask me.
Let's talk about the infamous Level Design. The definition of bullshit should be erased from dictionaries and replaced with this game cover. It's very close to the old Mega Man 1 level design, yes the oldest one of the bunch. And that game is still easier than Mega Man & Bass with enough patience. This game takes patience, skill and memorization. Compared to past games, no rush adaptors or special weapons. Mega Man is totally screwed. Bass at least has a Dash and a Double Jump to compensate most of his glaring issues which is that he barely does damage to bosses. It's one way or another, you either suffer at the start or suffer by the end. Oh-ho boy don't get me started at the castle levels. But why it is bullshit then? Insta-kill spikes, botomless pits and bullshit enemy spawns are plastered everywhere. As a word of advice pick Bass in your first playthrough. I didn't.
In short, it's hard Mega Man game. A mean one at that. Forgotten by most but an interesting title nonetheless. Give it a shot if you want a challenge. I still like it more than Mega Man 8.