Every Mega Man X Platformer Game, Ranked (2024)

Mega Man X is one of Capcom's subseries in the Mega Man franchise, boasting faster-paced action and various armor power-ups that set them apart from the original Mega Man series. These games follow Dr. Light's magnum opus, X, who can think, feel, and act independently without being given commands or protocols. His free-willed programming and intelligence were the basis for countless more free-willed androids, dubbed "reploids." Many reploids use their free will to rebel against humanity, which is given the phrase — go "Maverick."

The series revolves around X's efforts to quell Maverick uprisings led by the former leader of the Maverick Hunters, Sigma. The series' deuteragonist, Zero, is playable in most Mega Man X games and serves as a Z-Saber wielding foil to the X-Buster shooting X. A third playable character, Axl, was introduced late in the series with the ability to freely transform into most reploids he defeats, dubbed A-Trans. Most Mega Man X games are platformers — Mega Man X: Command Mission is the exception — and are generally considered awesome by its fans, though some titles are favored more strongly than others.

10 Many Issues Plague Mega Man X7, Especially Its Voice Acting

Mega Man X7 (PS2, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 5 (39 Ratings)

Mega Man X7 is the only game in the series to attempt fully 3D gameplay and movement, but it failed miserably. First, X — the very character the series is named after — is not playable at the start. He's replaced by a new Maverick Hunter, Axl, who plays like a poor man's X. Zero's still in the game, but he's slow and clunky. Second, the game has serious control and camera issues that make it difficult to play, let alone enjoy.

The third and final issue is the worst — the voice acting is atrocious. X sounds like a whiny child, Axl sounds like a prepubescent teenager, and most of the bosses are cringe-worthy. Flame Hyenard, in particular, is so bad that he's become a meme in the gaming community for his erratic and loud speech pattern of "BURN! BURN TO THE GROUND!" that repeats throughout the fight.

Mega Man X7

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

PC , PS1 , PS2 , PS4 , Switch

Released

October 14, 2003

Developer(s)

Capcom Production Studio 3

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

9 The Portable Mega Man Xtreme Shows the Series in 8-Bit Colors

Mega Man Xtreme (GBC, 3DS) — IGN User Review Average: 6.7 (16 Ratings)

Though Mega Man Xtreme takes place between X2 and X3 chronologically, it borrows stages and Maverick bosses from X and X2. It's the first Mega Man X title made for the Game Boy Color and an accurate depiction of how the series would look with 8-bit graphics. The levels try to recreate the ones from the SNES games, but it only serves to highlight how inferior Xtreme is in comparison.

The biggest issue is how difficult it is to dash in this game since the Game Boy Color only has so many buttons. It has two control schemes to choose from — one assigns the dash command to the Start button and the other makes the Start button do nothing. Both of these are awkward, and the former can make players dash into a hazard when they mean to pause the game.

8 The DNA Soul System Shakes up Mega Man Xtreme 2

Mega Man Xtreme 2 (GBC, 3DS) — IGN User Review Average: 6.8 (15 Ratings)

Mega Man Xtreme 2 is similar to its predecessor but includes more original content, such as the DNA Soul system. It borrows elements from X2 and X3 and features a younger Iris before her debut in X4. X and Zero are both playable in separate modes, and the Start button pauses the game this time. The DNA soul system allows players to buy upgrades for X and Zero, but they ultimately make the game too easy.

This game is ultimately an improvement over the first. The consistent loading screens are gone, and the additional Zero mode ensures it's not as repetitive. The Light capsules offer parts for both X and Zero, which don't make sense from a storytelling perspective but still provide additional fun. There was supposed to be an "Xtreme 3" to serve as the finale of the handheld saga, but the overall poor reviews of the first two cut this short.

7 Mega Man X6 is Cheap and Unpolished

Mega Man X6 (PS1, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 7.2 (57 Ratings)

Mega Man X6 shouldn't have existed — it was rushed and released during the end of the PlayStation's life cycle. To be fair, Mega Man artist and producer, Keiji Inafune, had no involvement in this game. It does have some good points, though. The game's controls are as tight as ever — running, jumping, dashing, and shooting feel perfect. The music is also fantastic, as any Mega Man music should be.

Everything else is downhill. X6's level design is horrible, with many unfairly placed enemies and cheap bottomless pits. The new Nightmare system is meant to increase a stage's difficulty, but all it does is exasperate the game's issues. Certain bosses are incredibly cheap — one can't be harmed without special weapons and the other can only be harmed by countering a specific attack. The latter also takes place over a bottomless pit, which only leaves players more frustrated.

Mega Man X6

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

PC , PS1

Released

December 4, 2001

Developer(s)

Capcom Production Studio 3

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

6 Mega Man X5 Was Originally Meant To Be the Series’ Finale

Mega Man X5 (PS1, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 7.7 (59 Ratings)

Mega Man X5 was meant to be the finale of this subseries before the saga continues with Mega Man Zero. It wrapped up the loose ends, made references to previous entries in this and the original Mega Man series, and even gave X and Zero some character development. It has a few issues that plague the otherwise smooth experience, like unskippable text that pops up during stages, but it's still a great game in its own right.

Sigma's early appearance and initial defeat hooks players, and Eurasia's impending collision with Earth adds much higher stakes. Unfortunately, this adversely affects the gameplay. Players are given a limited number of chances to explore stages. That's not bad on its own, but it's possible for players to "fail" despite doing everything right. The outcome is decided by random chance, which is just bad game design. If that happens, Zero becomes unplayable for the rest of that save file, and any upgrades he possesses go with him.

Mega Man X5

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

PC , PS1

Released

January 31, 2001

Developer(s)

Capcom Production Studio 3

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

4 Hours

5 Zero Is Playable for the First Time in Mega Man X3

Mega Man X3 (SNES, PS1, Saturn, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 7.9 (67 Ratings)

Mega Man X3 marks the first time Zero is playable, though he can't be used against most bosses and sub-bosses. He can't use any special weapons or Armor Parts, but his life gauge starts higher than X's. From a gameplay perspective, Zero exists to balance out the increased difficulty of X3 compared to its two earlier entries. If Zero dies for any reason, he can't be summoned for the remainder of the game.

X3 is the only game that includes multiple Ride Armors and additional enhancement chips that are compatible with the Armor Parts. Ride Armors are divided into four models, each with unique characteristics — Chimera, Kangaroo, Hawk, and Frog. X can only equip one enhancement chip at a time, but can effectively gain all four enhancement chip upgrades with a secret Hyper Chip if none of the other enhancement chips were obtained.

Mega Man X3

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

Android , iOS , PC , PS1 , Sega Saturn , SNES

Released

January 4, 1996

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom , Virgin Interactive

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

4 Mega Man X8 Marks the End of Sigma

Mega Man X8 (PS2, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 7.9 (42 Ratings)

After X7's attempt at 3D gameplay failed, Mega Man X8 reverts to the traditional side-scrolling action while retaining 3D graphics. Axl returns from the previous game, but plays differently from X to set them apart — he can rapid-fire his weapons in seven directions compared to X's single-direction charge shots, much like Bass' gameplay in Mega Man & Bass. Certain enemies can now guard attacks, but each Maverick Hunter has a Guard Break to overcome it — X's fully charged shot, Zero's third Z-Saber slash, and each of Axl's eighth shots.

X8's voice acting is vastly improved from its predecessor and combines the earlier titles' "one Armor Part at a time" feature with X5 and X6's multiple armor feature. Players utilize two Hunters at a time and can switch back and forth between them during gameplay. Most notably, this game also marks Sigma's final and ultimate defeat, which explains his absence from Mega Man Zero onward.

Mega Man X8

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

PC , PS2 , PS4 , Switch

Released

December 7, 2004

Developer(s)

Capcom Production Studio 1

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

3 Mega Man X2 Features Semi-Transparent and 3D Effects

Mega Man X2 (SNES, Wii, Wii U) — IGN User Review Average: 8.2 (82 Ratings)

Mega Man X2 has the same graphics and gameplay as its predecessor but includes a "Cx4" graphics chip that allows 3D and semi-transparent graphics that wouldn't normally be possible on the Super Nintendo. While X had to find the leg Armor Part in the first game to dash, he retains this ability naturally from this game onward. It seems like a small deal, but players are no longer forced to move at the original Mega Man's pace toward a certain boss route this time.

Each new Armor Piece feels like an upgrade over its counterpart from its predecessor, which gives X a true sense of progression. These new abilities include an air dash, the ability to hold two charged shots, and a secret-uncovering helmet. Along with the standard eight Maverick bosses, three optional bosses dubbed the "X-Hunters" challenge X within alternate boss doors in each stage. Defeating them rewards players with a part of Zero, and having all three slightly modifies the game's ending.

Mega Man X2

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

Android , iOS , SNES

Released

December 15, 1994

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

2 Mega Man X4 Is the First Title To Be Made for PlayStation

Mega Man X4 (PS1, Saturn, PC) — IGN User Review Average: 8.4 (86 Ratings)

While X3 was released as an enhanced version on the PlayStation as an enhanced port of its SNES counterpart, Mega Man X4 is the first game in the series that was truly designed with the PlayStation in mind. It contains spectacular anime cutscenes with full voice acting, albeit with comically bad voices. Graphically, it's leagues above the three games before it, with beautifully intricate sprites and animations.

Another comparison between X4 and its predecessor is the inclusion of Zero. While Zero was just a "better X at first" in X3, he's now fully implemented as a separate playable character that revolves around close-range combat. He doesn't gain special weapons upon defeating Maverick bosses, but new techniques. To use them, players must input specific commands to use them, much like the special moves in a 2D fighting game.

Mega Man X4

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

PC , PS1 , Sega Saturn

Released

September 25, 1997

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom , Virgin Interactive

Genre(s)

Action , Platformer

How Long To Beat

4 Hours

1 The Original Mega Man X Is Considered the Best

Mega Man X (SNES, Wii, Wii U, iPhone) — IGN User Review Average: 8.9 (270 Ratings)

Even after 30 years, the very first Mega Man X is considered the best by players. It dials everything the original Mega Man series prides itself on up to eleven, with faster gameplay, smoother stages, and many upgrades throughout each stage's nooks and crannies. While later Mega Man X games offer more in terms of content and gameplay mechanics, the original is still a masterclass in what a very challenging, but very fair, game should be.

X1's bosses are likely to overwhelm first-time players over and over. Attack patterns must be learned and the then-new dash and wall kick mechanics must be utilized to avoid damage to prevail. Some bosses are completely neutered with the right special weapon, which gives players a power trip at first, but the final stages are there to remind them what game they're playing. Mega Man X is truly one of the finest games ever designed, and no sequel has ever surpassed it.

Mega Man X

Franchise

Mega Man

Platform(s)

SNES , PC , Android , iOS

Released

January 19, 1994

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Platformer , Action

How Long To Beat

4 Hours