So much for returning to the usual Wednesday slot. Sorry about this being another late entry but life got in the way again. This time it is a combonation of school work and holiday travel. Now that I'm back in my old stomping grouunds, I thought that I would take a look at some bargain titles from the original Xbox that I have dug out of my closet. Reviewing tonight's title could not have come at a better time, as Capcom has just announced the 10th instalment of this franchise. Tonight we take a look Mega Man: Anniversary Collection (Xbox Version).

This game was released for the PS2 and Game Cube back in 2004 (although the Xbox version was released a year later) to coinside with the 15th anniversary of the franchise.

So, were Rock's classic adventures still considered Mega in this modern world? Or was it time for Dr. Light to flip the off switch?

Story: Well, there may be eight games in this collection but with the exception of a few minor tweaks, story wise they are pretty much the same. Dr. Wily takes control of or creates eight robot masters. You have to defeat the robot masters, go to Wily's castle and kick him in the ass. Short, simple, to the point, classic.

Graphics & Design: All of the games look as they did in their original formats. 1-6 are in 8-bit, 7 is in 16-bit and 8 looks as it did on the Playstation. It was a great idea to leave the games as they were without giving them  graphical updates, as it adds to the retro appeal of the collection.

Sound: For the most part, the collection features some of the best music of the 8-bit era. Mega Man 7 and 8 have decent music and some tracks like 7's level one theme and 8's Search Man's theme standout but they don't match the same quality of the 8-bit games. The only real compliant I have when it comes to sound is the sound the mega buster makes when performing a charge shot.
Gameplay: The classic Mega Man gameplay was not changed for this collection. It is the same shooting, jumping, sliding, and using of power ups to complete the level, platforming we all know and love. Although in the Xbox version you can perform a rapid fire shot by pressing the Y button. It is similar to the old NES Advantage controler. It can make the game easier but it is a welcome call back to a more obscure piece of nostalgia.

Extra Features: There are some remixed versions of classic Mega Man tunes from the entire franchise. In fact when playing through the first six games on Navi Mode, most of the music will be remixed. The Navi Mode itself is rather interesting. If you have the Navi Mode selected  as you are playing 1-6,  you can get assistance from Dr. Light, Roll, Proto Man, Kalinka or Dr. Cossack (depending on the chosen game). There is also an Easy Mode, which eliminates certain obstacles and gives you a choice of starting out with 3 or 5 lives. There is also an art gallery showcasing unused art from Mega Man creator, Keji Inafune. There is also an interesting interview done with Inafune which covers the entire history of the Mega Man character up until 2004, as well as the first episode of the Mega Man NT Warrior anime series. Of course there are also the Japanese imports of Power Fighters 1 & 2 but they aren't anything special, as they are pretty much just boss battles from previous titles with improved graphics.   

Replay Value: If you are a Mega Man fan or a fan of old school platformers (like I am) then you'll find yourself going back to at least three of these games for years to come.

Over All Value: Current Price- $20 (new)
                                 What it's Worth- $30

This is a must have for all fans of the Blue Bomber. Sure the later games (7,8, Power Fighters) have their faults but this is still a great collection for any fans who miss gaming's golden age. The only major complaint I have is that 8 keeps freezing up on me. I'm not sure if this just my copy of the game or if it is a design flaw but other than that it is one of my favorite titles in my Xbox collection.