Mega Man X3 (SNES) review "The prolificness of Mega Man X3 is something that very few games can stand up to. It is clear-cuttedly the sleek and shiny diamond of Capcom’s notorious Mega Man X series, having just rebounded off the lusterless sapphire known as Mega Man X2. Orgasmic platforming festiveness doesn’t come in a better configuration of recreation than this, and a player will find this credible as they sink into the addicting gameplay like a weight worker at late night into a boiling tub. "

The prolificness of Mega Man X3 is something that very few games can stand up to. It is clear-cuttedly the sleek and shiny diamond of Capcom’s notorious Mega Man X series, having just rebounded off the lusterless sapphire known as Mega Man X2. Orgasmic platforming festiveness doesn’t come in a better configuration of recreation than this, and a player will find this credible as they sink into the addicting gameplay like a weight worker at late night into a boiling tub.

The infamous plague of Mavericks has been halted by the contrivance of Reploid Dr. Doppler – a Maverick antivirus. The neutralized Mavericks decided to countervail their unpremeditated peccancy, and erected the prominent metropolis, known as Doppler City. All this to reside with the one who rescued them from a perchance sempiternal lifespan of misdoings.

Nevertheless, it turns out that Dr. Doppler isn’t on the side of homo sapiens at all. In a backstabbing maneuver, all the Reploids injected with the antivirus have turned Maverick. The game starts off with the trademark character X and his pal Zero being dispatched to Maverick Hunters Headquarters to terminate the Maverick incursion.

On X’s way, he must go through eight Maverick leaders, who will conclude their duties at no juncture in time. This is what the Mega Man and Mega Man X games have always been favored over other platformers for – their non-linearity. Each captain of the majestic anti-human swarm is assailable to one of his accomplice’s weapons of devastation.

However, to even attain the mandate of dueling in a contest to the death with a Maverick, X must peregrinate through a laborious and perilous stage freighted with enemies who seek nothing more than to bedevil X. To accomplish this, X can be meliorated by finding one of four items across the eight domains of the Mavericks. The first are the Heart Tanks, which will lengthen X’s life bar. The second are the Sub Tanks, capable of accumulating energy to supply X with when power levels are near rock-bottom. The third are the Light Capsules, designed by X’s dead creator Dr. Light to give him certain body power-ups, such as the Leg Upgrade, allowing X to dash upwards, and the arm upgrade, able to tease the X-Buster into a more powerful form. The last of the four items are the Chips. Each of these can upgrade certain aspect of X – however, only one can be installed at once.

This game is difficult. That can be affirmed by the utter insanity of facing most Maverick leaders without the weapon that they are vulnerable to, and the three secret bosses of the Nightmare Police Bit and Byte, and Vile, are relentlessly unpredictable. Kaiser Sigma is easily one of the worst bosses in any game to be stuck with while lacking any healing items.

One of the more gaiety parts of this game is the inclusion of the ability to battle as Zero. Although restricted to only being able to traverse stages and fight one boss, his techniques and Z-Saber will draw an involuntary gasp of enjoyment from even the most intransigent of people.

Aesthetic power can easily be one of the most important roles in a platforming game, as it sets the mood. Would you rather be playing in diverse, breath-taking games, or pixilated crap? Thankfully, Mega Man X3 adheres to the former. Animations have been uniquely done for each enemy, bosses are larger than ever (Kaiser Sigma, anyone?), flashy effects strike more suspense than Mega Man X3’s predecessors, and the boss attacks have been done with expertise animations. No Boomer Kuwanger-class animations here, no siree.

Graphics still can be toppled in qualification of significance by music and sound quality. But not to worry, for Mega Man X3 incorporates good music like most Capcom games. Blizzard Buffalo’s stage is very haunting, and you may never know if an enemy is or is not going to jump out of thin air and attack you. The Zero Theme in this game is in my opinion the best out of the whole series. The Sigma stages launch an unprecedented assault of scary stuff to ready you for combat.


As far as my opinion goes, Mega Man X3 on the SNES was the best out of the series. It proves that sometimes a Capcom rehash can leave it’s predecessors in the dust. One thing’s for sure, you won’t be getting me questioning the quality of this game.

Community review by yamishuryou (July 21, 2004) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.