Since it first hit store shelves in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch has become one of the most popular, and successful video game consoles of all time, shipping over 107.65 million units in just five years, easily passing the likes of the Nintendo 3DS, the Game Boy Advance, the SNES, and even the Wii. With the pandemic somehow increasing sales on an unprecedented scale, the Nintendo Switch has become an outright phenomenon. Despite all that, theNintendo Switch’s online servicestill hasn’t managed to grasp as wide of an audience as would be expected, with some severe latency issues and missing features dragging it back. However, with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, and the likes of the newly addedMega Man: The Wily Wars, the service may finally start to be worth the price of admission.
Released in 1994,Mega Man: The Wily Warsis an old compilation game from the Sega Genesis era.The Wily Warscollects the first threeMega Mangames and remakes them, giving them a visual and audio overhaul, including some brand new music arrangements. After completing all three games, players then unlock another mode, Wily Tower, which delivers three additional stages and boss fights. Though the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is still looking a little bare right now, the addition ofMega Man: The Wily Warshelps to add some much-needed value to the service, and it continues Capcom’s recent trend with the rest of the franchise.
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The Mega Man Series Is One of the Most Accessible Out There
Over the last few years, Capcom has spent a lot of time and effort in porting over the vast majority of theMega Manseries. While other consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One often get the same ports, it’s the Nintendo Switch that sees the most action, withnewMega Mancollectionsdropping seemingly every year or so.
Beginning in May 2018, the Nintendo Switch receivedtheMega Man Legacy Collection, which bundled together the first six classicMega Mangames, all spruced up with HD 8-bit graphics. With a plethora of additional content such as a music library, physical collectibles, and artwork galleries,Mega Man Legacy Collectionfeels like a true celebration of the series, and the definitive way to play these games in the modern era.
On the same day,Mega Man Legacy Collection 2was released on the Nintendo Switch, which brought the remaining four originalMega Mantitles to the handheld hybrid console. A few months later, theMega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2dropped on the Switch, bringing the entireMega Man Xsaga to the Switch. Then, in February 2020, theMega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collectionhit store shelves, bringingall fourMega Man Zerogamesand the GBA and DS sequels to the Switch.
Just the other week, theMega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionwas announced. Heading to the Switch in 2023, this collection brings all theMega Man Battle Networkgames together, widely considered to be some of thebest Game Boy Advance games out there. Now, withMega Man: The Wily Warsbeing available on Nintendo Switch Online, the console is quickly becoming a home for the franchise.
While the more cynical fans might see these collections as simple cash-grabs, others will be able to view Capcom’s actions as slightly more positive, as they make these classic games more accessible to both newcomers and long-time fans oftheMega Manfranchise. Making sure that more people can play a game is far from a bad thing, and thanks to Capcom’s efforts, theMega Manseries has managed to remain in the public consciousness.
Mega Man: The Wily Warsis available now on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
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