Rating: E
Players: 1
Price Range: ~$33 USD
A compilation of the first six Mega Man X games.
Welcome back! Did you get a nice chair?
Yes, as I've already mentioned, I prefer the highs of the X games than Classic, but I prefer the lows of vanilla than I do this series.
So...general overview...
The X games are much more complex and fast-paced than the Classic series, along with a more serious tone and concept, although it loses most of that seriousness by the end. With a lot more enemies and flashy effects on screen, you have to be quick on your toes and dash around the place, whether it is on ground or in the air, in order to survive against the game's challenges.
In terms of plot, in the future of the Classic series, X, the successor to the original Mega Man, was awakened, with his unique, independent thinking being the basis for Reploids, replicant androids. However, this process was very flawed, and led to many becoming rebellious and dangerous, becoming known as Mavericks, leading to the formation of the Maverick Hunters. Along with Zero, the last creation of Dr. Wily upon gaining amnesia with a fight with the organizations leader, Sigma, one of the first Reploids, you fight these dangerous machines. However, Zero actually carried a virus that infected Sigma, but instead of simply corrupting him, it permanently became a part of his programming, leading to him becoming the most powerful Maverick to exist. As X or Zero, you have to stop him in this seemingly never-ending war for peace and justice. It's just a much more interesting premise than "it was Wily all along".
Also, the Mavericks are based on several animals, which is unique, but still fulfils the role of the Robot Masters in the Classic era.
Graphically, it is superb, although the Classic series has very charming 8-bit aesthetics. And musically, it is arguably that it is some of the best tunes in the series.
In terms of ideas, there are many. These games introduced Sub Tanks, collectables you would obtain in the games' levels to permanently get a fillable container of energy in your pocket from excess health drops to use for another time. In the Super Nintendo games, you got four, and in the PS1 games you got two. Eight Heart Tanks are also hidden in the game's stages, one per area, permanently increasing the hitpoints of whoever obtains it. The armors also set this series apart, as X can collect armor pieces from Light Capsules hidden in the stages to gain incredible abilities. These really spice up the gameplay.
And of course, I can't talk about the X games without talking about Zero. Easily one of the most iconic characters in the series that even overshadows X in some respects. With his Z Saber and a Z Buster, everything about him is just cool. And, in terms of story, he has some of the most important moments in the series...and arguably some of the worst. We'll get to those eventually.
Okay, as for the collection itself, unlike the Anniversary Collection, in the last entry, this game doesn't have any unlockables to ride home about. Mega Man: Battle Chase is a Mario Kart clone that is Japan exclusive, but even as a bonus in the game, I've heard it is super generic and...not really fun, so that is...rough. Because of this, the Legacy Collection versions are the superior versions of these games, even if the X Collection here also has save files for all the games, instantly making them better than the original SNES versions.
However, the control problem exists here as well. While the fire and shoot buttons are on the correct buttons here, B being fire and A being jump, but the X and Y buttons are to dash, which is very cumbersome and uncomfortable. It doesn't help that dashing and the momentum you keep from it is mandatory to finish these games, which is most unfortunate.

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