Topic: RFN RetroActive #27 Poll: Epic Mega Man Showdown

[Jonnyboy117]

We recently discussed a Listener Mail question about our preferences between these two classic action games, and all of us had mixed feelings. It's time to settle it once and for all, the only way we know how -- your votes! You have until Wed. April 24 to vote. Both of these games are on Wii and 3DS Virtual Console, as well as included in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection (beware that the GameCube version has weird controls; PS2 version is fine).

[broodwars]

So my only choices are between two Mega Man games I'm equally sick of hearing about? Pass...

[Pandareus]

Something to keep in mind: Mega Man 2 on the PS2 and GameCube collections is the Japanese version and its difficulty is roughly equivalent to Hard mode on the NES (Wii and 3DS VC) version. Even though I own both versions of that collection, I'm probably still gonna buy the ROM.

[Pixelated Pixies]

Neither.

[Jonnyboy117]

So my only choices are between two Mega Man games I'm equally sick of hearing about? Pass...

If an excess of Mega Man discussion is a cause of concern, you need to get out more. ;-)

[Fatty The Hutt]

I voted for MM3 because...um...by the third one they should have gotten it right...?

[TJ Spyke]

Never actually played either. Since MM2 gets talked about much more, I went with MM3 son that can be talked about for once.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

I'll vote for Mega Man 3. I personally think Mega Man 2 is kinda overrated and could do without any more evangelising of that game.

[Rodrigue]

I went with MM3 because it gets less exposure as well.

[brasileiro007]

Uhm, I just went with 3 because... I like that number  ! Is that such a bad thing? Well but really, I played 1 from all the wonderfulness that Jonny spews about it (yes, spews) and I found it way, way, way, way, way, way too "I'm a classic game so I need to be really hard to control and overall tough to beat" so I hope that 3 is better... 

[Shaymin]

Never actually played either. Since MM2 gets talked about much more, I went with MM3 son that can be talked about for once.

Also, I'm voting for 2 after tossing a coin.

[Pixelated Pixies]

So....Ufouria?

[broodwars]

So my only choices are between two Mega Man games I'm equally sick of hearing about? Pass...

If an excess of Mega Man discussion is a cause of concern, you need to get out more. ;-)

I just feel like there's nothing interesting left to say about either game.  They're 2D NES side-scrolling platformers with very little depth and a great deal of notoriety.  The bulk of the discussion will pretty much boil down to the following, because it's just about all anyone ever has to say about those games:

Mega Man 2 - "iconic intro. Great music. The Metal Blades are ridiculously overpowered. Quick Man's stage is ridiculous.  You use WHAT to defeat Wiley?  The game's pretty hard. "

Mega Man 3 - "you can slide now. Fighting old bosses was cool. Snake man's stage is ridiculous.  Proto Man was neat.  The game's pretty hard."

And if they're playing the games on the MM Collection on GameCube: "Man, the controls suck."

I just don't feel like there are any hidden depths to plunder and nothing new to say about either game, especially with only those two extremely well-known MM games available.  Also, we just had RFN's discussion on both games when they answered that original Email.  That's why I said "pass" on this one.

[Shaymin]

Question: Is the loser of this poll going into Second Chance at some point?

[Jonnyboy117]

Probably not, Shaymin. If it won Second Chance, it might be too similar to the discussion that comes out of this poll. Plus, the whole point of a two-way race is that one must get left behind.

[Leo13]

I've never played a megaman game. I've never participated in a RetroActive (outside of listening).
Drum roll please........
I'm now going to do BOTH for the first time. I'm going to play whichever wins and I'll participate in RetroActive.
I'm voting 2 because I know very little, but on that recent episode of RFN they said 2 is easier for new comers.

[sirmastersephiroth]

I recently beat Mega Man 2 so I'd rather play Mega Man 3. I haven't played this game since probably the 90's, so I'm itching to play it again.

[TJ Spyke]

I do think other games should have been included in the poll. Both games have been discussed to death (albeit MM2 more so), even on RFN. What can be added that hasnt been many times before?

[Fjurbanski]

I vote 2, because MM2 has Woodman. And Woodman is awesome. He shoots leaves at you like a really ugly pokemon. And his stage has those wolves that for some reason always remind me of the wolf from The Never Ending Story. And now I'm just free associating nostalgic memories with Woodman's stage. And playing it over and over again, because it was the only stage I was good enough to beat when we went out of town to visit my parents' friends and all I could do for the weekend was play their NES and NEVER make any progress in MM2. or that infuriating Mickey Mouse game with the pirate ship....


Personally, I think that rather than voting for which one we should play, you should make us play both and then we duke it out for which one is best based on our discussion. Buuuut, if that's off the table, then MM2.

[Pixelated Pixies]

Just a quick thought. How does our votes settle the debate once and for all?
 
Those people who have played both games have already made up their mind which one they prefer. I guess you could say that whichever game wins the poll is the more popular game and is, therefore, the better game; but then we would have to assume that people are picking their favourite rather than the one they want to play for retroactive. I for instance would argue that Mega Man 2 is the better game. I have, however, played that game to death. So I'd probably pick Mega Man 3 for this poll because I've played that less.
 
Also, the fact that people who have played neither game get to vote tells us nothing about which game is better.
 
...damn...I've clearly thought way too much about this. 

[lolmonade]

lol, jokes on me, i'll be playing either of these on the Gamecube collection.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I have to agree that this RetroActive poll seems misguided. I'd rather vote none of the above, myself, given the option. I have little interest in playing or hearing about either of these.

[Jonnyboy117]

Come now, how often do you hear a detailed discussion of any particular Mega Man game? The series is only ever criticized or memorialized as a whole, if at all. I think this could be a lot of fun, and over 40 people in the first 24 hours alone seem to agree.

[TJ Spyke]

It seems like every gaming podcast (including RFN) have had detailed discussions about both MM2 and MM3. I just dont see what could be added that hasnt been talked about many times before.

As for voting, I vote in every RetroActive poll even if I have no interest in the games.

[lolmonade]

It seems like every gaming podcast (including RFN) have had detailed discussions about both MM2 and MM3. I just dont see what could be added that hasnt been talked about many times before.

As for voting, I vote in every RetroActive poll even if I have no interest in the games.

I guess I don't listen to enough gaming podcasts, because the most substantive MegaMan discussion I've heard is when the listener mail came up a few weeks ago. 

Agree on the voting comment though.  QTY of votes doesn't necessarily indicate the level of interest in the options or interest in playing along.

But as someone without a large amount of time to devote to games lately, something on the quicker end like a MegaMan game would be appreciated on my part.