Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
Compilation of six Mega Man Zero and ZX games.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is a compilation from Capcom that brings together six games from the Mega Man series. It includes emulated versions of all four titles in the Mega Man Zero series, which originally came out for the Game Boy Advance from 2002 to 2005, as well as both games in the follow-up Mega Man ZX series, originally released for the Nintendo DS from 2006 to 2007. As with other entries in the Mega Man Legacy Collection line, this package adds extra features and behind-the-scenes content.
The collection contains the complete Mega Man Zero series: *Mega Man Zero* (2002), *Zero 2* (2003), *Zero 3* (2004), and *Zero 4* (2005). It also includes the sequel series *Mega Man ZX* (2006) and *ZX Advent* (2007), totaling six games. Both the Japanese and North American versions of each game are included, similar to other Legacy Collections.
New features include an optional checkpoint system that can be turned on to save progress within stages, and a "Casual Scenario" mode that lowers difficulty and provides extra assistance. A speedrunning mode called "Z Chaser" tasks players with finishing a level before a ghost opponent. For *Mega Man ZX*, a "Link Mode" recreates the original DS feature that connected to *Mega Man Zero 3* and *Zero 4* via the GBA slot; players can choose which game to link to before starting, allowing them to battle four extra bosses from each title. The modification cards from the Japanese e-Reader release of *Zero 3* are also present, listed as "ZZ Cards" and unlocked in groups by completing achievements. The collection further includes an in-game gallery and a music player.
The compilation was announced on August 27, 2019, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It was originally scheduled for release on January 21, 2020, in North America and Europe, and January 23, 2020, in Japan, but was delayed by one month for quality assurance. It launched on February 25, 2020, in North America and Europe, and February 27, 2020, in Japan. Ten additional music remixes were offered as a pre-order incentive and later released as free downloadable content in August 2020.
According to Metacritic, all versions of the collection received generally favorable reviews. OpenCritic reported strong approval, with 91% of critics recommending it.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- CapcomAdditional work by Access Games
- Publisher
- Capcom
- Director
- Makoto Tanaka
- Producer
- Tsukasa Takenaka · Kazuhiro Tsuchiya
- Released
- WW · February 25, 2020JP · February 27, 2020
- Genre
- Platform, hack and slash, Metroidvania
- Modes
- Single-player
- Series
- Mega Man Zero/ZX
- Engine
- MT Framework
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
- Title
- Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Zero/ZX Legacy Collection contains the complete Mega Man Zero series, consisting of Mega Man Zero (2002), Zero 2 (2003), Zero 3 (2004), and Zero 4 (2005). It also includes the series' continuation Mega Man ZX (2006) and ZX Advent (2007) for a total of six games. Like the other Legacy Collections, it includes both the Japanese and North American versions of each game. The compilation adds an optional checkpoint system, which can be enabled to save the player's progress in each stage, along with a new 'Casual Scenario' mode, which reduces the difficulty and adds additional assists. Another new mode, 'Z Chaser', is a speedrunning mode that challenges players to finish a level before a ghost opponent does. Additionally, a new 'Link Mode' was added for ZX to recreate the original release's ability to connect to Mega Man Zero 3 and Mega Man Zero 4 via the DS's GBA slot; by choosing which game to link to before starting play, players can battle four additional bosses from each game. The modification cards that were unlocked with the Nintendo e-Reader in the original Japanese release of Zero 3 are included, which are listed in the collection as 'ZZ Cards' and are unlocked in groups by completing achievements. The collection also includes an in-game gallery and a music player.
Reader's Guide
The compilation was first announced on August 27, 2019, for release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It was originally planned to launch on January 21, 2020, in North America and Europe, and January 23, 2020, in Japan, but it was delayed by one month for quality assurance reasons. The game was ultimately released on February 25, 2020, in North America and Europe, and February 27, 2020, in Japan. Ten additional remixes for the music player were available as a pre-order incentive, and were later released as free downloadable content the following August. All versions of Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 91% of critics.
A Sequel Born from Determination
When the original Mega Man shipped in 1987, its modest sales made Capcom reluctant to approve a sequel. Director Akira Kitamura wanted one badly, but producer Tokuro Fujiwara opposed the idea. Kitamura eventually won over Capcom's vice president, though with a condition: the team had to keep working on other studio projects. The crew developed Mega Man 2 in their spare time, a constraint that shaped the entire production. Keiji Inafune, who had been an artist and character designer on the first entry, was pulled into the sequel's team while still juggling a separate game. He later described it as his second year in the industry, noting the stress of mentoring a newer colleague. The whole development window lasted only three to four months. Content cut from the first game due to cartridge space found a second life here, and the team worked within the NES's pixel-art limitations to keep designs consistent. The core gameplay loop carried over, but extra traps were added, and three support items were introduced to ease the difficulty that had drawn complaints from players and Capcom's marketing department. Kitamura himself admitted he was unsure whether the Energy Tank would prove useful.
A Web of Weapons and Strategy
In Mega Man 2, the player guides the titular hero through eight distinct stages, each anchored to one of Dr. Wily's newly built Robot Masters. Every boss wields a signature weapon tied to a thematic environment—Air Man hurls tiny tornadoes in a sky-themed level, while Wood Man raises a shield of leaves in a forest. Defeating a boss unlocks that weapon for the player, and because each Robot Master is vulnerable to specific other weapons, the order in which stages are tackled becomes a central strategic decision. Special items scattered through certain stages generate floating platforms that open otherwise unreachable areas. After all eight masters fall, the player enters Wily's fortress, a five-level linear gauntlet where each boss is fought a second time. This time, however, the encounters happen in a single room connected by unlabeled teleportation devices that can be entered in any order. The game also introduced the Energy Tank, letting players refill health at will, and a password system that records which bosses have been beaten and how many tanks have been collected. Notably, the score counter from the first game was dropped, and completed Robot Master levels could no longer be revisited.
A Legacy That Outlasted Its Era
Upon release, Mega Man 2 was met with widespread critical praise. Reviewers singled out the audio, visuals, and gameplay as clear improvements over the 1987 original, and many publications went so far as to rank it the finest entry in the entire series and one of the greatest video games ever made. Takashi Tateishi's soundtrack, programmed by Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, earned its own reputation as one of the best in gaming history. Commercially, the title sold more than 1.51 million copies, a figure that kept it as the best-selling Mega Man game for over three decades until Mega Man 11 surpassed it in 2019. The game's afterlife has been remarkable: it has been bundled in multiple compilations, including the Mega Man Legacy Collection, and made available on mobile platforms and console emulation services. A direct sequel, Mega Man 3, followed in 1990, cementing the franchise's momentum. For fans who grew up on the NES, Mega Man 2 remains the benchmark against which every subsequent entry is measured, a testament to how a small team working in stolen hours could produce something that feels timeless.
A Story of Deception and Mercy
The narrative of Mega Man 2 picks up a full year after Wily's first defeat. The scientist, undeterred, constructs an entirely new set of Robot Masters—Metal Man, Air Man, Bubble Man, Quick Man, Crash Man, Flash Man, Heat Man, and Wood Man—specifically designed to counter Mega Man, along with a fresh fortress bristling with robotic henchmen. Dr. Light dispatches Mega Man to put an end to the threat. After systematically dismantling all eight masters, Mega Man confronts Wily directly. The final battle takes an unexpected turn when Wily retreats into the caverns beneath his fortress and stages an elaborate deception, convincing Mega Man that an alien impostor has been masquerading as him. Mega Man defeats the supposed alien, only to discover it is merely a holographic projection device, its controls operated by a now-malfunctioning Wily. The scientist, cornered and desperate, begs for his life. In a moment that sets the tone for the series' moral complexity, Mega Man chooses to spare him and walks home. It is a quiet, almost gentle ending for a game built on relentless action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What games are included in Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection?
The package bundles all four Mega Man Zero titles (originally released on Game Boy Advance between 2002 and 2005) along with both Mega Man ZX entries (originally on Nintendo DS, 2006–2007), for a total of six games.
What platforms and release date does Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection have?
It launched on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on February 25, 2020 in North America and Europe, and February 27, 2020 in Japan.
What era of the Mega Man series does this collection cover?
It spans the mid-2000s legacy era, following post-apocalyptic settings roughly a century after the classic Mega Man games, with the Zero series centering on a young Zero and the ZX series introducing a new protagonist wielding a Reploid-blade weapon.
What bonus content does the collection add over the original GBA and DS releases?
Consistent with other Mega Man Legacy Collection entries, it layers on extra behind-the-scenes material and additional features that were not part of the standalone GBA or DS cartridges.
How did critics receive Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection?
It earned generally favorable reviews on Metacritic, with reviewers highlighting its value as a single, convenient package for experiencing the complete Zero and ZX sagas.
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