Mega Man

Mega Man is the 1987 Capcom action-platformer that launched one of gaming's most beloved franchises, introducing the Blue Bomber to NES players and establishing the formula that would define six more mainline sequels. As the robot Mega Man, you take on six Robot Masters — Cut Man, Guts Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Fire Man, and Elec Man — in any order you choose, absorbing their special weapons upon defeat and using them strategically against the other bosses. The order you tackle them fundamentally shapes your experience of the game.

What makes Mega Man special is how its weapon system transforms the challenge. The Super Arm from Guts Man becomes essential in certain stages; the Rolling Cutter defeats multiple bosses with efficiency. Finding the optimal route is half the fun, and the gradual accumulation of weapons gives every run a different feeling. The stages themselves are inventive and punishing — disappearing platforms over bottomless pits, rooms of instant-death spikes, and enemy placements that demand precision movement.

The original Mega Man sold modestly enough that Capcom almost didn't greenlight a sequel. They did, and Mega Man 2 became a phenomenon. But the original's charm and tight design deserve recognition on their own terms: it introduced the stage-select screen that became iconic, established the robot-themed enemy design language, and set the foundation for one of the most consistent action-game franchises in history. This is where the Blue Bomber began.