Collection essentials #218: Mega Man X2 (SNES)

Capcom sure loves to pump out their Mega Man games. With the success of Mega Man X, they knew they wanted to make X its own series. And so, a year after the first game, they cranked out Mega Man X2.

This game is very much like the first game, so I’m not going to spend much time describing how it all works all over again. A nice little upgrade is enhanced graphical effects at times thanks to a new chip that the game takes advantage of. 

There is now a side goal that affects the end of the game and the ending if fulfilled. X can fight a few optional bosses to try and collect pieces of a disassembled robot friend of his (a popular character from the series) in hopes of putting him back together. 

There’s a good variety to the stages. For example, one of them involves stealth, as X tries to stay away from searchlights throughout the level. 

One of the upgrades is a radar that helps you search for hidden upgrades, which is a great addition because otherwise a game like this practically requires a guide or a friend’s help in order to actually find everything. 

Mega Man X1 set a high bar, and I think X2 pretty much matches it. X2 tends to get less recognition, perhaps because it’s not the first, and it’s quite a bit harder to find so it probably didn’t sell nearly as well for whatever reason. In comparison, I think the first game wins in the music department, and X2 also lacks the neat feature of X1 where completing certain stages causes other stages to change. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s no wrong choice if you have to pick between these two games, and I consider both excellent essentials.