Mega Man 3 Overdrive Review by: tornadocam - 8.2/10
Mega Man 3 Overdrive Mega Man 3 was and still is a very popular Mega Man Game. Mega Man 2 is what put the franchise on the map and made Mega Man one of most popular games in history. Mega Man 3 only fueled Mega Man's popularity. By the time Mega Man 3 came out Mega Man was and still to this day is ranked up there with Mario. So Mega Man 3 Overdrive is a hack of the original Mega Man 3 game. For all purposes I will be comparing this hack to the original game.
Story: 9 The story was left unchanged which I really like. I have played over hacks were the plot had been changed sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Basically, Dr. Wily appears to turn over a new leaf (really). Wily and Light have invented a peace keeping robot named Gamma. But to power Gamma they need 8 crystals guarded by 8 new Robot Masters. These Robot Masters have mysterious origins. Who created them and who are they answering too? Dr. Light sends Mega Man out to defeat the Robot Masters, retrieve the crystals, and find out who is in charge. So Mega Man along with his new side kick and robo Dog Rush set out. Has Dr. Wily really turned back to good and who are these robot masters working for hmmmm?
Okay, Mega Man 3's plot was awesome it gave gamers a sense of mystery and had a unique feel to it. So I was glad that the makers of this hack did not change a thing. There was really now need to make changes. I mean how do you top Mega Man 3's original plot anyway? Mega Man 3's plot had a lot of creativity to it. The 8 new robot masters, the mystery, and just the suspense of Wily turning good makes a good plot. Thus, I give the plot to Overdrive a very solid 9 out of 10.
Graphics and Controls: 6
If Overdrive suffers its mostly due to the graphics and controls. Mega Man 3 had awesome graphics and really showed what the NES was capable of. The makers of this Hack seemed to be trying something new and there were some good parts to the graphics. First of all, I like how some of Mega Man 2's enemies are in the background and even serve as obstacles. I really like that, that was nicely done. I also like how some of the robot masters have gotten new colors. Having Shadow Man appear Red was a nice touch. The stages have all kinds of colors. These things is what keeps me from ranking the graphics lower.
So what is the problem? Well, it seems like the background competes with the stage layout. Its hard to see what is in front of you. I do not know if that was done on purpose to make the stages difficult or what? But it can throw you off and it does seem like the makers of this game went overboard with the colors. In addition, there are times were this game lags especially when going down a shaft or moving to the next area. This will cause you to get hit or fall into a pit if you not careful. The original game did not have any lags and was smooth. But, to be honest since this was a hack I expected a few problems.
The controls can be a pain sometimes. It sometimes feels like you are fighting against the controls. Sometimes it seems that the controls lag a bit especially when you need to shoot an enemy it seems like there is a delay in firing. Also it seems like it takes a little longer to jump then the original game. Moreover, I also noticed at times the controls seem to slow down all of a sudden. This can get you into a jam. So, not the best graphics & controls but not the worst either. I give it a 6 out of 10.
Sound: 10The makers of this game must have thought what a lot of people thought Mega Man 3's soundtrack is so good so why change it. The soundtrack is left unchanged from the original game. I'm so glad they did not change a thing. Mega Man 3 had very awesome music and sounds. The stage themes sound exactly like they did in Mega Man 3 which is awesome. Mega Man 3 had really good stage theme music so relaxing and smooth. Also the sounds you bullets make when hitting enemies lets you know your doing damage. The sounds the enemies make lets you know they mean business. Thus, since the sound was not changed; I give it a perfect 10 out of 10.
Replay Value: 8 The Replay value of Overdrive is pretty decent. This is a fun hack to play and one of the better Mega Man hacks out there. I have played some such as Mega Man in the Super Mario Bros 1 that was not so good. So I will certainly play this hack again. I may not play it as much as the original mega Man 3 game, but this is a good game too. I really like how they blended Mega Man 2 enemies into this. They also seem to include future Mega Man enemies too. The helicopter Mets was a bonus too. Some gamers might be turned off though due to the difficulty (more on that later) but this is a fun game and if you want a different spin on Mega Man 3 Overdrive is a good starting point.
Depth: 8
The Depth in this game has been toned down a little from the original game. Mega Man 3 had increased depth to it due to its mystery blocks. In the original game you could shoot blocks with a ? on them to reveal a surprise. It made checking out every area a must. These ? blocks still appear in overdrive but they are not that many. Still this is a Mega Man game and Mega Man games are infamous for their depth. This game is no exception. There are lots of secret areas in this game. You will need to investigate every area in a game to get all the prizes. Also you have 8 new weapons to collect by beating robot masters. The stages are like the original game very long. So it will take a long time to complete this game. Thus, I give it a solid 8 out of 10.
Difficulty: 10
This game is difficulty for the right and wrong reasons. I will start off with the right reasons. Oh how this game is a pain sometimes. You will die a lot in this game I can guarantee that. The enemy placement is just brutal in this game. Enemies will hit you from behind, appear out of nowhere and gang up on you from all directions. In addition, the hit boxes of the enemies are smaller in this game then the original game. Also obstacles in this game now come at you from any directions. Fireballs, will even come out from all parts of the screen require epic dodging. Another thing that is brutal in this game is the pits. Pits are wider and longer requiring creativity and luck to get across. I like games that really test your reflexes, dodging, creativity and luck to beat. I really like games that offer a challenge and this one is no exception.
Now here is why the game is difficult for the wrong reasons. First of all, the controls will cause you to get hit or fall into a pit. The controls slowing down and taking a delay can really be a pain. The lag can cause you to fall into a pit. But the delay when you have to shoot can cause you to lose health quickly. The reason being is that while there is a delay in you firing enemies can get a lot of hits on you quickly. Also the graphics can cause the game to overlap. Sometimes it is hard to see what is in front of you and were your going. Due to the graphics its easy to mistake a platform for a pit.
The difficulty in this game can either be good or a pain depending on your perspective. If your a lot like me then this can be good as it really challenges you. However, if you get frustrated easy and difficult games want to make you scream then this game may not be for you. Mega Man games are known to be difficult anyway. But Overdrive takes it up a notch. Thus, I give the difficulty a 10 out of 10.
Overall: 8.2
As I stated earlier Mega Man 3 Overdrive is a decent hack of Mega Man 3. This game had a lot of good points and some bad points too. I mean this is a hack so I expected a few flaws. But before I get into the negatives I will be talking about the positives.
I really like how they did not change the story. As I mentioned earlier the original game had an awesome story to it that added suspense. So really the story did not need to be changed and it was not. I also like how the makers of this game included Mega Man 2 enemies in the background and in some stages they are obstacles to get across like walls and stuff. It made me think the makers of this game were trying to combine other Mega Man futures into this game. This is evident by them putting future Mega Man enemies into this game. Examples are fireballs the ones that come from the screen were seen in future Mega Man games. The helicopter Mets are from future Mega Man games. I think the helicopter mets appeared in Mega Man 4 maybe I know they were in 7 and 8 for sure. Also the sound was amazing and left unchanged. I also like how in some ways they upped the difficulty. As I mentioned I like games that offer a challenge.
Now for some of the negatives. The graphics and controls are the main thing. I know this is a hack but I think the makers of the game could have done better in this department. The colors are not bad but sometimes they compete with the stage layout. It is so easy to not see in front of you. The controls are a bigger issue and one of the main flaws in this game. There is a lot of lag at times in this game. Going from a stage area to another can cause a really slow lag. This can get you hit or cause you to fall into a pit. Also there is delays when returning fire at enemies. It takes a few seconds for you to start firing again this can cause you to lose health quickly and suddenly. Also the lag in jumping can cause you to fall into the pit. I found myself fighting against the controls more than anything. I lost a lot of lives due to the controls alone.
The second flaw is a minor one and that is the depth being toned down. Mega Man 3 had a lot of depth to it especially since Mega Man 3 had ? blocks in it. This game still has them but they have been cut back. Still, this game maintains a high depth feel, due to the weapons, long stages and lots of hidden areas. I was hoping they would not change the depth in this game since Mega Man 3 had very good depth to it.
So overall, Overdrive offers a unique spin to Mega Man 3. This game does have some flaws though. To some gamers the flaws are minor others they might be a big deal. Moreover, some gamers might be turned off due to the difficulty. Other gamers might be like me and love the high amount of difficulty. If you are a gamer that gets frustrated easy and does not like to die a lot in games. Then this game is not for you as you will die a lot in this game. Still, though this is a fun game to play and I had fun playing it. I will certainly play this game again. Maybe not as much as the original game. But if your like me and like a different spin on things you will certainly enjoy this game even if it is difficult. As for recommending this game. I'm going to say Yes I would recommend this hack of Mega Man 3. If you like different takes on games and do not mind challenges then you will enjoy this game and have a good time playing it. On the other hand, If you get frustrated easy then yeah this game is not going to be fun for you. Another thing to note is I would not recommend this game to anybody who has not played Mega Man 2 or 3 first. If your wanting to introduce your children to Mega Man then I would say let them play 2 or 3 first. If a first time Mega Man player plays this game they could get turned off from the difficulty. Still, at the end of the day I give Overdrive a solid 8.2 score. I recommend this game for veterans of Mega Man games, people who like challenges and a different take.
Graphics
6 Sound
10 Addictive
8 Depth
8 Story
9 Difficulty
10
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