Mega Man (classic series)/Mega Man 3

Mega Man 3 is a platformer released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990.

Storyline
Part 3 in the Mega Man Classic series, Mega Man 3 once again pits Mega Man and his new canine companion Rush against Dr. Wily's latest creations. Featuring the new slide maneuver, as well as Rush and his three forms, Mega Man 3 is the pinnacle of the NES classic series.

Gameplay
The gameplay of MM3 is almost identical to that of its predeccesor, MM2. However, there are a few added features.

Most notably is Rush, a mechanical dog that has three forms Mega Man can use to travel. The default form is Rush Coil, where Mega Man can jump on Rush's back for a spring-loaded boost. This is used for reaching ladders and ledges that Mega Man could normally not reach with just his jump. There is also the Rush Marine, where Rush transforms into a one-man marine transport. While in this form, Mega Man can route his buster through Rush and fire straight ahead at enemies. Third and the most popular of the three is the Rush Jet, where Rush transforms into a flat jet board that Mega Man can fly on. There are some stages where it is required to use this in order to proceed.

There is also the new slide feature. Holding down on the directional pad and pressing A will cause Mega Man to slide for a moment. This is useful for reaching areas that Mega Man could normally not walk to. It is also useful for dodging enemy attacks. Many players use the slide technique to traverse the level as it is faster than walking.

Magnet Man Stage
Typically, this is the first level that players will play, although it is possible to start on any level. Obviously, the magnet theme is prevalent and many enemies and obstacles involve Mega Man being drawn towards something via magnetic attraction. Proto Man also makes an appearance early on in this level.

Magnet Man has three actions. He can jump twice to the other side of the room (here, the slide is useful for avoiding contact), he can jump very high and fire three Magnet Missiles, which will make a single 90° turn towards Mega Man, or he can generate a magnetic field that will make him invulnerable and draw Mega Man towards him. He is weak to the Needle Cannon primarily, but also takes damage from the Spark Shock. Defeating him grants Mega Man the Magnet Missle, which is identical to the ones that Magnet Man himself fires.

Hard Man Stage
Hard Man's stage is quite similar to Guts Man's stage. Mega Man will travel through excavated tunnels, dealing with construction robots as well as giant bees that drop a cluster of smaller bees to attack. Proto Man also makes an appearance in this level, and is a bit harder to deal with due to the layout of the room.

Hard Man is much simpler than Magnet Man. He will fire two fists that will go towards Mega Man for a distance, then return back to Hard Man. He will then jump into the air above Mega Man and land head first into the ground, causing a shaking that freezes Mega Man. However, he will not attack while Mega Man is frozen as he is stuck in the ground, so this is more of a superficial effect. Since his body is made of many layers of hard metal, the Magnet Missile can be devastating. Defeating him will give Mega Man the Hard Knuckle, similar to the ones Hard Man used. A large knuckle appears in front of Mega Man and fires straight ahead, moving slowly at first, then accelerating.

Top Man Stage
This stage earns points for uniqueness. The level is very grassy and features a few top-themed obstacles, notably at the end where Mega Man must jump between spinning tops that are traveling vertically over a pit.

Top Man is quite straightforward. He begins by throwing three tops into the air that suspend for a moment, then converge on Mega Man's position. He then starts spinning quickly which makes him invulnerable, then dashes across the room to the other side. He repeats this strategy over and over again. The Hard Knuckle makes short work of Top Man, apparently by throwing off his momentum. Defeating him earns Mega Man the Top Spin. This weapon is unique in that Mega Man does not fire anything. However, by pressing B while Mega Man is in the air, he will spin for a moment, damaging enemies who come in contact with him.

Shadow Man Stage
Set in what appears to be some sort of smelting facility (because of the "lava"), Shadow Man's stage has many pits into what appears to be lava. There are also special light bulbs on the ceiling that turn the entire room dark when they appear on screen. Proto Man appears in this level in a situation almost identical to his appearance in Magnet Man's stage.

Shadow Man is very agile. He slides and jumps around the room throwing shuriken. This makes him quite dangerous, as he will attempt to damage you as much as possible in a little amount of time. However, by using Top Man's Top Spin attack, Shadow Man is quick to defeat, though Mega Man will probably take quite a bit of damage himself. Defeating him equips Mega Man with the Shadow Blade, which is identical to Shadow Man's shuriken attack. A large shuriken can be fired in three directions (forward, up, and diagonal) and it will return to Mega Man if it does not make contact with an enemy.