Mega Man X Legacy Collection (Switch) review "Personally, I see it as Mega Man X2, plus three other fair-to-great games."

You might peruse the list of games offered in Mega Man X Legacy Collection and feel a tinge of irritation. You remember buying a similar compilation on PlayStation 2 or Xbox way back that gave you a grand total of six games. Now you only get first four entries, feeling as though Capcom is merely milking you for every cent. However, I want you look at things this way: Capcom gave you the better half of the series and left out the weaker installments that came after X4. In fact, they not only gave you four solid-to-fantastic games in one package, but they provided Mega Man X2 and X4, quite possibly two of the best offerings from the franchise as a whole.

For those not familiar with Mega Man X, I'll give you a rundown. This line of games transpires in a distant future from the original titles. You assume the role of X, an android created to have complete free will. He remained dormant after his creation, only to be reactivated by a scientist, Dr. Cain. The future in which he lives is populated by robots with sophisticated AI known as “Reploids.” However, some of these robots turn to lives of crime or terrorism, and are labeled “Mavericks.”

X teams up with another Reploid, Zero, becoming a “Maverick Hunter.” So, basically they're cops. While the series does kind of come off as “copaganda,” it also at least indicates that criminality is a side effect of the system, especially when you take into account how many Reploids were either manipulated or infected with viruses before going Maverick.



In each X game, you begin with an introductory stage that allows you to get acquainted with its mechanics. After that, you choose one of eight different levels that holds a Maverick boss. Each stage comes with its own theme and design. That's fitting, because each Maverick appears as a different life form mixed with an attribute. In other words, you battle robots with names like Chill Penguin, Web Spider, Crystal Snail, or Neon Tiger. If you enter Chill Penguin's world, it unsurprisingly features a lot of snow and ice, while Crystal Snail dwells in a deep cave.

Here's the truly defining feature, though: each boss carries a special shot that X acquires after defeating them. That weapon proves extra effective against one of the other villains, but the game doesn't tell you which one. You're left to either experiment until you figure it out or hit the internet for spoilers. Sometimes, the weakness is logical. Chill Penguin happens to work alongside another Maverick called Flame Mammoth. Fire melts ice, so you can safely bet that Mammoth's artillery gives Penguin one hell of a thrashing. Not only does it nail him for added damage, but it also puts a temporary stop to his operations.

The first of the X games is a pretty standard title, but older fans of the brand can tell you what a breath of fresh air it was upon release. The classic Mega Man games had staled by that point, so playing one with a darker tone and more action felt invigorating.

X and his opponents move quickly this time, able to dash across the screen fluidly and even perform speeding long jumps, all while also rapidly firing blasts. You can also charge X's ammo by holding down the attack button, then releasing it to unleash an even stronger ball of energy.



The primary entry also comes with absolutely banging music and levels rife with exploration. You find a ton of little nooks and crannies you can search out that hook you up with permanent power-ups that increase your maximum health or allow you to refill your hit points at a small cost. Some secrets, though, can only be discovered after you've acquired a certain Mavericks' arsenal, as they're sometimes blocked by destructible environments only susceptible to particular projectiles.

However, one of the best parts of the exploration here and in other X installments remains the body upgrades. Now and then, you find capsules left by X's creator, Dr. Light. Hopping into them updates a body part, thereby providing a new ability. With these add-ons, you can dash midair, charge up your newly obtained attacks, or mitigate damage.

The first X sadly ends with a rough run of final levels where you eventually take on the main antagonist. In this entry, the last stages just don't hit right, as they come across as a bit cheap and overlong.

Once you're done with that campaign, you can move onto the second title, which is one of the best the series has to offer. This one accentuates all of the best qualities of its predecessor while improving upon some of its shortcomings. X acquires some better body upgrades this time, fights a wild array of Mavericks, and explores levels that all standout in their own way. One stage has you riding a motorcycle of sorts through a good portion of it, while another sends you into the depths of the ocean to fight off a fish-shaped submarine. After that, you mosey onto challenges where you leap across abysses to reach moving, vertical platforms. It's not as difficult as it sounds, especially when you consider that X can slide along walls and climb them by repeatedly leaping against them.



The final stages culminate in some awesome and unforgettable encounters, not to mention a challenging final boss that perfectly caps off a terrific experience.

X3 represents an unfortunate step back in quality. Its soundtrack is merely so-so, and its stages just don't ooze the personality of its antecedents. While this game is easily the slump in the first tetralogy, it's still at least decent. Plus, this one allows you to play as X's partner, Zero, but with limitations. For instance, you can't take Zero to fight any of the Mavericks, which is a bummer and renders his inclusion more of an afterthought than a fully realized function.

Lastly, there's X4, which returns the game to the awesomeness of the second outing. This time, you can select either X or Zero, and each of the two handle differently. X relies on range for his offense, as he always has before. Zero, on the other hand, uses a beam saber that effectively transforms the experience into a hack 'n slash platformer where you gain new skills with each defeated Maverick.



If you're a fan of the series, you're probably wondering how the port job went with this one. Honestly, it's better than the PS2/Xbox collection, plus this one plays more effectively on HD televisions without noticeable input lag or wonky resolution. Granted, you only get four titles versus the other's six, but as I said before, at least three of the titles you get are among the best, and Mega Man X3 is no slouch, really.

There's one other special mode that appears in this anthology: X Challenge. This one has you choose three different weapons from the four games on offer, then pits you against duos of various Mavericks. You now have two different patterns to remember as you take on teams like Chill Penguin and Frost Walrus. Personally, I didn't find this inclusion very compelling. It's good for folks who want a boss rush mode that provides more than just a rerun of all the Mavericks, but I found this play mode to be more frustrating than fun, especially since some of the Mavericks come with patterns that don't leave you much wiggle room.

Mega Man X Legacy Collection is a fine gathering of X games that any fan of the series should check out. It offers three great-to-stellar platformers and one middling engagement that's still ultimately worthwhile. Sure, Capcom could've tacked on the other four games, but what you see is what you get. Honestly, given that X5 through X8 aren't quite as good as this first half, I'd say they kind of did us a favor by leaving them off...

Staff review by Joseph Shaffer (January 10, 2024) Rumor has it that Joe is not actually a man, but a machine that likes video games, horror movies, and long walks on the beach. His/Its first contribution to HonestGamers was a review of Breath of Fire III.