In the early-to-mid 2000s, Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX brought hardcore platforming to Nintendo’s handhelds. Now the Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection is bringing all six games to modern hardware.
On Jan. 21, 2020, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection will make its debut on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and Steam.
What’s on the Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection?
Originally released on the Game Boy Advance, the Mega Man Zero series took Mega Man X’s Zero far into the future. Mega Man ZX took Capcom’s platformer series to the Nintendo DS and introduced Biometals, “living artifacts” that the player could fuse with to access new powers.
This is the fifth Mega Man collection Capcom has released on modern consoles. The Japanese publisher collected the Blue Bomber’s six NES games in 2015’s Mega Man Legacy Collection. Then, in 2017, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 gathered 7, 8, 9 and 10 in one place. In 2018, both Legacy Collections were combined and sold as one product on the Nintendo Switch.
Last year, Capcom applied a similar approach to the Mega Man X series, offering the Mega Man X 1-4 and Mega Man X 5-8, individually or together.
This time, though, Capcom is cutting to the chase, offering all the games from two separate series in one place. Additionally, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection is adding a pair of features that aim to make the notoriously difficult platformers more accessible. In Casual Scenario Mode, spikes and pits that would typically result in death simply cause damage. Save-Assist introduces mid-mission checkpoints.
The Collection also includes a new multiplayer mode called Z Chaser Mode, where two players can race each other through levels. If that seems vague, it’s because Capcom hasn’t said too much about it yet, though the trailer seems to indicate that it won’t be playable in split-screen.
More to love
Additionally, this Collection includes concept art, a music player, remixed versions of old tracks and some completely new music.
With Monster Hunter World, Devil May Cry V and Resident Evil 2, Capcom has had a great few years. Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection seems like another smart move for the publisher.
