The Mega Man Anniversary Collection for GameCube is a game that can be appreciated by all generations of gamers. It contains games 1-8 in the Mega Man series, as well as two bonus 2-player battle games that can be earned after beating several games in the series. Also up for earning is a ton of bonus features. From music to a behind the scenes interview with the creators of the little blue hero.

Mega Man is a classic "the fate of the world is in your hands" kind of series. You play as the blue robot hero Mega Man (known as Rock Man in Japan), who was created by the good Dr. light to stop the evil activities of Dr. Wiley and his own robotic creations. All of the games in this great collection (with the exception of the two bonus battle games) function in the same manner. You can always move left and right on the screen, and you can move up and down when you find a ladder or platform. The controls are very simple, you control Mega Man with either the control stick or with the + shaped button, and you jump and shoot with the "a" and "b" buttons. And that's about it, but although the controls and gameplay may be simple and player-friendly in design, the games are not easy ones to defeate.

One of the best features found in the Mega Man series is the player's ability to choose the game's path. To be more precise, you begin each game on a level select screen, and on each level is shown the boss of that stage (one of Dr. Wiley's evil creations). From this screen you can choose any level you want, the only drawback is that some bosses are harder than others. So if you choose one of the harder bosses at the beginning of the game, you may have a VERY tough time beating the level. But don't worry, even if you die all your lives, you'll simply go back to the level select screen where you can choose somewhere else.

Before reaching the boss, however, you have to travel through the level you choose. This is a lot like the first Mario Bros. game, in which you travel through the level fighting enemies along the way with your buster (basically Mega Man shoots an energy shot from his arm cannon). You fight the enemies in real time, this means that both you and the enemies are continually moving and attacking each other (or you can just run around them). Only by passing through the entire level do you get a chance to face the boss.

Another great feature found in the games of the Mega Man series is the ability Mega Man has to gain a "power" from a defeated boss. Let's say I beat Woodman (a robot who looks like a tree stump). From that victory I would gain the "Leaf Shield" power. What this does is that Mega Man now has the ability to produce a shield of four big leaves around him. All powers have a meter which shows how many times they can be used before they have to be refilled. Also, each power has a special purpose in defeating a certain boss. In other words, every boss has a weakness to a certain power gained from another boss; and by exploiting that weakness, you can defeat a boss far more easily than it would otherwise be.

In games 1-4, the graphics are pretty much identical. They were all for the NES, so that is the kind of graphics you can expect. Although gamplay for all for is the same, each one has a special trait unique to itself. In Mega Man 4 (I'm pretty sure this is the right one), you can combine Mega Man with his robotic dog Rush; allowing him to hover or punch depending on the formation chosen.

After Mega Man 4, the graphics move up to the Super Nintendo quality. Gameplay remains the same, but the fun keeps getting better. Once you reach Mega Man 7 and 8, you've reached Playstation graphics. Gameplay is still the same, but the new graphics keep your interest.

As I continue to mention, gameplay for all the Mega Man series is the same. I think that this is a good thing because it allows a person to be able to play eight games after only learning to play one. The only exceptions to the gameplay rule are the two bonus battle games. In these two games you can choose who you want to be (like Street Fighter). Your choices consist of Mega Man, Proto Man, Bass, and Duo. You still get to choose which boss to fight, but the fight occures in a more Street Fighter like atmosphere, and there isn't a level to progress through before reaching the boss. Both games are great fun, and they can be two player.

This collection is tons of fun, and worthy of any gamer's library. It has player friendly controls and gameplay that are easy to learn (my little brothers love to play it). And with eight regular games and two bonus games, it's a real deal. It really is a must have.

Recommended: Yes