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« on: April 30, 2013, 01:07:49 PM »
Haven't played this game since the early 90's, but it's still a blast. I've completely forgotten the "correct" order to defeat the bosses, but I seem to have lucked out, since I picked Top Man at random. From there I've just been going clockwise, so aside from Shadow Man I haven't been exploiting any weaknesses yet.
On a related note, am I using Top Man's power incorrectly? I don't recall pirouetting into enemies to be the ideal way to use a boss' weapon, and I sometimes take damage when I use it...
On a broader note, the game's easier than I remember. I only died three times in four stages so far (twice to Shadow Man, before I remembered to try using prior powers. I couldn't figure out what pattern, if any, he uses, and his slides hurt).
I suspect though that's mostly because I recently replayed Castlevania, which has instilled a certain caution and deliberateness in me. One thing I really like about the series, and this game in particular, is that there are extremely few "cheap" moments, at least so far. There are plenty of death pits, and enemies placed in infuriating positions (hate those stupid hedgehogs), but you always get a chance to observe the danger in relative safety first, so you know how to approach the things. One example that leapt out to me was Shadow Man's stage, where the parachuting enemies can knock you back into a pit, but the first few stop high enough to warn you, with future ones gradually creeping down. By the time you encounter one that will hit you the moment you land on the platform, you've run into three or so such enemies, so dying there is really your own fault for not paying attention. Contrast this with other NES games, like the crows in Ninja Gaiden, and Mega Man III feels even more refreshing in its fairness.