Mega Man III (GB, 1992)
Graphics-8.5 Sound-8.5 Control-8.5 Challenge-7 Story-5.5
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-4.5
Overall Score-7
+
Proper sliding
Charge beam (makes bosses and some enemies easier to deal with using just the buster)
New levels (to ~75%, some new enemies and bosses as well, faster than average bomb platforms added to shadow man’s stage)
Good variety
Can pause while MM’s bullets are on screen and pausing on a ladder doesn’t make MM loose his grip
Somewhat harder mini-bosses in snake man’s stage
Can replay beaten levels (for lives and e-tanks)
Harder dive man
Better spark weapon (you can switch weapons while it’s in effect)
Nice new cutscenes (no intro though)
Faster boss intros than on NES
Different wily boss (kind of easy though)
+/-
Password save
Mixes MM3 and MM4 levels and mechanics
Only four stages available from the start (gemini, snake, spark, shadow; then a mid stage and after that four more are unlocked: dust, drill, skull, dive)
1-up and e-tank limits (9 and 4 respectively)
A buster charge is kept until a slide is finished even if you release the button
Fairly long knockback
Easier to reach the light bulbs in shadow man’s stage
Harder MM4 stages overall
Slightly harder dustman (still easily falls into his boring vacuum pattern though)
Can’t shoot while sliding
No delay when starting to move (just a tiny little bit when turning around)
-
More slowdown than in the NES games (MM4 especially)
More of those annoying mayfly enemies in gemini man’s stage
Repeats the giant eye block enemy (giant Suzy) boss once
No cloud platforms or bullet bills in snake man’s stage
Some cheap enemy placements (dust man’s/drill man’s/skull man’s stages, wily 1)
Some difficulty spikes (harder ‘junk pressing traps’ segment in dust man’s stage, the new boss before wily’s water fortress (Punk), giant Suzy)
No alternate path in skull man’s stage and he’s a bit easier
Easier spark man stage boulder traps
Quite a few shielded enemies (breaks flow)
Two potential leaps of faith into spikes (if you press forward)
Worse percussion sounds than on NES
A few empty rooms
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-4.5
Overall Score-7
+
Proper sliding
Charge beam (makes bosses and some enemies easier to deal with using just the buster)
New levels (to ~75%, some new enemies and bosses as well, faster than average bomb platforms added to shadow man’s stage)
Good variety
Can pause while MM’s bullets are on screen and pausing on a ladder doesn’t make MM loose his grip
Somewhat harder mini-bosses in snake man’s stage
Can replay beaten levels (for lives and e-tanks)
Harder dive man
Better spark weapon (you can switch weapons while it’s in effect)
Nice new cutscenes (no intro though)
Faster boss intros than on NES
Different wily boss (kind of easy though)
+/-
Password save
Mixes MM3 and MM4 levels and mechanics
Only four stages available from the start (gemini, snake, spark, shadow; then a mid stage and after that four more are unlocked: dust, drill, skull, dive)
1-up and e-tank limits (9 and 4 respectively)
A buster charge is kept until a slide is finished even if you release the button
Fairly long knockback
Easier to reach the light bulbs in shadow man’s stage
Harder MM4 stages overall
Slightly harder dustman (still easily falls into his boring vacuum pattern though)
Can’t shoot while sliding
No delay when starting to move (just a tiny little bit when turning around)
-
More slowdown than in the NES games (MM4 especially)
More of those annoying mayfly enemies in gemini man’s stage
Repeats the giant eye block enemy (giant Suzy) boss once
No cloud platforms or bullet bills in snake man’s stage
Some cheap enemy placements (dust man’s/drill man’s/skull man’s stages, wily 1)
Some difficulty spikes (harder ‘junk pressing traps’ segment in dust man’s stage, the new boss before wily’s water fortress (Punk), giant Suzy)
No alternate path in skull man’s stage and he’s a bit easier
Easier spark man stage boulder traps
Quite a few shielded enemies (breaks flow)
Two potential leaps of faith into spikes (if you press forward)
Worse percussion sounds than on NES
A few empty rooms