Poll of the Day > Megaman 2 is a prime example of the bandwagon effect.

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's just that go-to quick pick option people chooses because they've heard it repeated so many times.

First off, there is no Slide ability, there is no Charged buster, and there is no Rush.
3 things which are iconic to Megaman's history.

The robot bosses are arguably the easiest batch of the first 6 games, some even going down in as little as 1 or 2 hits.

Metal Blade turns the game into a total snooze-fest, and quick boomerang shreds any non-robot master boss. Alien-Wily being the exception.

You might argue 'but the music! it's so good!', and to that I say, have you not listened to the other megaman games? They ALL have pretty outstanding soundtracks.

So, what exactly makes this megaman game that lacks so much of what we associate with megaman, the BEST one?
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It was the first one most people played. But it also refined the gameplay of the first game, and cut down or improved on the parts that didn't really work like climbing sections. It also cut out things that didn't really make sense to be in there, like the scoring system.

The first game has some really wonky level design when you look at it. The balancing is all over the place, and some things seem to be there just to annoy the player.
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First off, there is no Slide ability, there is no Charged buster, and there is no Rush.
3 things which are iconic to Megaman's history.

Arent those mostly associated with the Megaman X titles?
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Mead posted...

First off, there is no Slide ability, there is no Charged buster, and there is no Rush.
3 things which are iconic to Megaman's history.

Arent those mostly associated with the Megaman X titles?

Sliding and Rush were introduced in MM3 and Rush isn't in MMX.
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papercup posted...

It was the first one most people played. But it also refined the gameplay of the first game, and cut down or improved on the parts that didn't really work like climbing sections. It also cut out things that didn't really make sense to be in there, like the scoring system.

The first game has some really wonky level design when you look at it. The balancing is all over the place, and some things seem to be there just to annoy the player.

Okay so..doing away with some dumb ideas is how you become the best?
It's pretty clear that 3-6 were much more polished games in just about every way.

Mead posted...

Arent those mostly associated with the Megaman X titles?

X uses a forward leaning dash which doesn't help him through narrow passageways, rush isn't even mentioned in any of the megaman x games, and Megaman used charged shots before X existed. He even has charged shots in smash bros.

So, no, not really.
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Four is my favorite. Charge shot, rush, slide. :)
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My favorite is MM3 since it's the most content-heavy of the classic series, giving you the ability to fight the previous game's robot masters as well. It also added the slide -- which I like -- but lacks the charge feature which I have mixed feelings about.
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Even without a few features it's just a good game. It was my first, borrowed from a friend the first time I went over their house on a snow day. If you want all the fancy stuff then vote 6, or 10, or MMX.

DPsx7, I'm not arguing that it's not a great game. It clearly is that.

What I'm arguing is that it's not the BEST.
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DrCidd posted...

It's just that go-to quick pick option people chooses because they've heard it repeated so many times.

Except that, even 28 years ago, before any one was "repeating" anything, I still considered it the best one.

I had way more fun playing it than I did Mega Man 1 (it didn't help 1's case that I played 2 first). And while Mega Man 3 certainly added new elements that were cool or interesting, even then it didn't feel quite as fun as 2 did. Nor did the bosses in 3 feel as iconic or cool as the ones in 2.

From Mega Man 4 on, the games seem to keep getting progressively worse and less interesting, which ultimately led me to stop caring about the franchise entirely.

To this day, if you ask me which of the games I still remember most fondly, or which I would choose to play over any of the others, I'd pick 2 100% of the time. And that has nothing to do with what other people think of it, because if I was the sort of person who gave a fuck what other people think, I probably wouldn't dislike Ocarina of Time as much as I do.


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DrCidd posted...

First off, there is no Slide ability, there is no Charged buster, and there is no Rush.
3 things which are iconic to Megaman's history.

How often is the slide really used? You can pretty much ignore it unless it's forced.
Charge Buster was a big mistake. It took away the need for the special weapons except for bosses.
Okay, I'll give you Rush.
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ParanoidObsessive posted...

DrCidd posted...

It's just that go-to quick pick option people chooses because they've heard it repeated so many times.

Except that, even 28 years ago, before any one was "repeating" anything, I still considered it the best one.

I had way more fun playing it than I did Mega Man 1 (it didn't help 1's case that I played 2 first). And while Mega Man 3 certainly added new elements that were cool or interesting, even then it didn't feel quite as fun as 2 did. Nor did the bosses in 3 feel as iconic or cool as the ones in 2.

From Mega Man 4 on, the games seem to keep getting progressively worse and less interesting, which ultimately led me to stop caring about the franchise entirely.

To this day, if you ask me which of the games I still remember most fondly, or which I would choose to play over any of the others, I'd pick 2 100% of the time. And that has nothing to do with what other people think of it, because if I was the sort of person who gave a fuck what other people think, I probably wouldn't dislike Ocarina of Time as much as I do.

I'm sorry you took it so personally. And that's your opinion, but that still doesn't change the fact the bandwagon effect is in place here.
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DrCidd posted...

I'm sorry you took it so personally.

I'm not taking it personally, just pointing out that at least some of the people saying it aren't saying it because they heard other people say it, but because it's something they sincerely believe based on their own experience.



DrCidd posted...

And that's your opinion, but that still doesn't change the fact the bandwagon effect is in place here.

Except you've provided zero proof of that, other than essentially stating "I like other games better, therefore everyone else must be wrong."


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Bandwagon effect also applies to FF7 and game of thrones.
And I love both of those, same as I love megaman 2.

Just sayin'
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DrCidd posted...

Bandwagon effect also applies to FF7 and game of thrones.
And I love both of those, same as I love megaman 2.

Just sayin'

That isnt a bandwagon effect, thats just regular old popularity
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Let's not confuse Bandwagon effect with Tentpole effect.

Bandwagon effect - "Oh this is doing great, let's all jump on board"

Tentpole effect - "Oh, the 2 games were great, the expectations for a 3rd are great so we're gonna make it the best ever" (when in reality the game fails to deliver)
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3 > 4 > 5 > 2 > 6 > 1

Metal blade was a great part of the game. Finally a weapon that can be used during stages without running out right away. Won't be until mega man x that this comes back (and then never happens again)

Metal blade even has a very subtle disadvantage... you come to a complete stop while shooting it, making it ever so slightly slower than buster.
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DrCidd posted...

First off, there is no Slide ability, there is no Charged buster, and there is no Rush.

Mega Man 9 had none of those things and it was le ebin.
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I don't think TC understands.
People play games to have fun.
Easy games are (usually) fun.
People like Rockman 2 because it's an easy Rockman game. Much easier than Rockman 1 for example.

I am playing through Rockman 11 right now and it took me a good 5 hours to kill my first Robot Master (TorchMan) and I Only did it with 1 bar of health left.

And this is coming from someone who has statistically played more Rockman games than you.
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I've beaten every single megaman and X game
when i think of mega man I think of megaman 2 especially
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Mega Man 2 refined the formula for the series into what it became for all of the following games. One feature that it had that I wish had been extended to the other games was a choice of difficulty, though.
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I_Abibde posted...

Mega Man 2 refined the formula for the series into what it became for all of the following games.

No. That would be 4. Mm2 and 3 had unique boss setups.
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it would be hard to gauge what I'd think of it now if I had never played it before, but I've always liked it way more than 3 and 1, even back in the 90s.

my feeling is that it has the best music, bosses, levels, and weapons, than any other MM game I've played. MMX is the only other one that is comparable in terms of overall quality.

it does seem fairly subjective though, since I *enjoy* it more, but can't really argue that it's technically better necessarily.
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Judgmenl posted...

And this is coming from someone who has statistically played more Rockman games than you.

Well, I don't see how you could possibly know that. But I'll say pretty much all of them (including the power battle arcade titles) with the exception of the ones for gameboy.
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Have you actually played all of the NES games to completion? The best title is either 2 or 3. If anybody suggests otherwise, they are clouded by nostalgia or foolishness. To think the 4th one is the best is just silly. The added charge shot does not make up for the lame Dr.Cossick schtick or boring bosses (Dust Man???). The 5th and 6th ones were well polished but just lacked the same character of the earlier titles. The bosses in 5 suck. The sixth is also swimming in slowdown, it is a little too ambitious. Mind you, that kind of slowdown was acceptable at the time and is present in every single Mega Man NES title.

DrCidd posted...

What I'm arguing is that it's not the BEST.

so which one is the best then?
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V on game boy is the best :v

JTekashiro posted...

(Dust Man???)

As if log man, toaster man, or disposable camera man are any better. Also bubble man and air man. Yes, air and bubbles....

If you're gonna criticize robot masters, you're just gonna have to go ahead and admit that they're all pretty bad, ok?

This coming from someone who adores the franchise as a whole.
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DrCidd posted...

Judgmenl posted...

And this is coming from someone who has statistically played more Rockman games than you.

Well, I don't see how you could possibly know that. But I'll say pretty much all of them (including the power battle arcade titles) with the exception of the ones for gameboy.

I've played several of the Gameboy titles as well.
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Mega man 2 was the 1st one in the series for me, and my favorite.

2, 9, and 10 were the only ones I could get into. (Haven't played 11 yet.)

It's the best Mega Man game for introducing a working formula that every other mainstream Mega Man game derives from as well as a high quality soundtrack, and if your so called "iconic" abilities are so important then why were they removed in Mega Man 9 and 10?

It's because no one gives a shit about them.
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aHappySacka posted...

and if your so called "iconic" abilities are so important then why were they removed in Mega Man 9 and 10?

They were removed because of the pedastal that all the megaman 2 fanboys have placed it on.

"Megaman 2 is the most popular game, let's copy it to the letter so this new game will sell just as well."

Plus, if they remove said abilities, they can just give them to another character (Protoman) and sell it as DLC.

Why do you think they were brought back with Megaman 11? Because they realized how dumb it was to take them out in the first place.
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I've been complaining about the removal of slide and charge in MM9 and MM10 as the primary example of the Mega Man 2 bandwagoning since 2008.

It's as close as you can get to the blatant 'because Mega Man 2 did it' mentality and was incredibly obvious pandering to anyone who realized they deliberately moved the needle on his move list back to a specific...point.
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The jump in quality from 1 to 2 was easily the biggest improvement between any of the NES games, so thats a big reason. Robot masters were among the most memorable, as they started to go in weird directions after MM3 (MM2 did have a few that didnt obviously convey what the robots did just by name, such as Crash Man and Flash Man, but I feel it go weirder with each game). Music is good in my MM games, but again, there was a pretty decent jump in quality from 1 to 2, making it stand out. Wily stage 1/2 theme is widely regarded as the best song in the NES series (not saying that it is the best, but it is widely regarded as such).

Im just giving some reasons as to why people hold the game in such high regard. Personally, MM3 has and always will be my favorite.
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HippopotamusRex posted...

I've been complaining about the removal of slide and charge in MM9 and MM10 as the primary example of the Mega Man 2 bandwagoning since 2008.

It's as close as you can get to the blatant 'because Mega Man 2 did it' mentality and was incredibly obvious pandering to anyone who realized they deliberately moved the needle on his move list back to a specific...point.

Are you me?
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Judgmenl posted...

I am playing through Rockman 11 right now and it took me a good 5 hours to kill my first Robot Master

I am assuming you put the game on Hard...

demonfang178 posted...

I am assuming you put the game on Hard...

To be fair, before you realize how much you have to abuse the double gear system to do any good at all, the game does seem a little hard.

It's all about the speed gear though.
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demonfang178 posted...

Judgmenl posted...

I am playing through Rockman 11 right now and it took me a good 5 hours to kill my first Robot Master

I am assuming you put the game on Hard...

To be fair I am just bad at video games. 6 hours and I have Blast/Torch/Tundra down. I am not buying consumables from Dr. Light's lab.
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I do think that 3 is probably a better game, but 2 is just nostalgic for me. It is the one I played the most, it is easily my favorite Mega Man game, and it is just the most fun to play. 3 honestly felt like Capcom throwing shit at the wall hoping something would stick (and only the slide and Protoman did). And if we are being honest 4-6 are all basically the same game. Not bad, just pretty much interchangeable. I am glad they removed the charge shot in 9 and 10 though, it always felt out of place in Megaman games, because those where more about hitting the sweet spot with your shots vs. overpowering your enemies. At least in X it made sense due to the faster pace (risk vs. reward).
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