Best Mega Man Zero Games

By this point, there are so many Mega Man spinoffs that it can be pretty easy to get confused due to the sheer amount of entries in this beloved franchise; however, by far the most well-known is Mega Man Zero. These games focus on the fan-favorite character Zero and his constant battles with the evil and dystopian government known as Neo Arcadia.

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By  Anthony Taormina

It's fair to say, though, that is just a very brief outline of what each of the four games entails, with them all featuring plenty of exciting twists and reveals that help to expand the lore and give us a closer insight into the incredible world of Mega Man. They're all definitely worth playing through at least once, and to be honest, there really isn't too much separating them in terms of quality, other than a few small features and design choices that make some a little more enjoyable to play than others.

4 Mega Man Zero 4

By far the biggest drawback to Mega Man Zero 4, and the issue that many fans hold against this otherwise pretty decent game, is the lack of challenge. This primarily is due to the enemies, which tend to be very slow and easy to avoid. This is a serious downgrade when compared to previous games where even the weakest of targets would always be throwing projectiles or racing toward Zero to keep him on his toes.

There are also many new features introduced in Mega Man Zero 4 which, while very fun to use, can be considered pretty broken for how easily they make mowing down enemies. This includes the Knuckles weapon which replaces the Shield Boomerang, and the revamped Cyber-Elf system which can be pretty overpowered when dropping life capsules throughout a mission. Overall, while an extremely easy and fairly repetitive experience, the story and music of Mega Man Zero 4 still make it a worthy entry in the franchise.

3 Mega Man Zero

The very first Mega Man Zero game is great and manages to remain challenging throughout without ever feeling unfair or frustrating. There are, however, just a few smaller issues that can dampen the experience, one of which being the pretty lackluster design of the levels themselves which don't always compliment the close-quarter combat that the Zero games encourage the player to lean into.

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The plot also feels a little bare bones, which does make sense since it's the very first entry in this spinoff series, but paired with the short length of the game, it makes it pretty hard to become invested in the narrative and characters. Luckily, these problems are largely overshadowed by the addictive gameplay and endless charm of this game, but this is without a doubt the game that needed the upgrade it received in the ZX Legacy Collection the most.

2 Mega Man Zero 2

Considering how short the development time was for this game, it's astonishing that the team at Inti Creates managed to craft a sequel as well-polished and consistent as Mega Man Zero 2. The movement felt just a little faster than in the original game which made it a ton of fun to dash through smaller stages, and the Chain Rod made for a pretty fun gimmick that helped keep the platforming sections fresh.

The game really does provide an excellent experience throughout, there are just a few chinks in the armor that prevent it from being perfect. For example, the slow grind that's featured in the first game is still present here, which can end up harming the pacing of the fairly average story, but this is all admittedly still a lot better this time around than it was in that first entry. If players can manage to ignore the strict ranking system, they can look forward to a fast-paced thrill ride full of surprises and fun encounters that's only outshone by one other game in this spinoff series.

1 Mega Man Zero 3

After beating the incredible game that is Mega Man Zero 3, it becomes pretty easy to understand why many fans refer to this as their favorite Mega Man entry in the entire series. The game really does excel in all areas, but if there's one major factor that makes it so enjoyable and addictive, it's the amazing amount of replay value. All the enemies feel challenging but still fair, and many of them have some extremely unique designs, such as the Totem Cannon and Carrybee, which are all a blast to fight.

The addition of the Recoil Rod, which essentially acts as a pogo stick, allows Zero to dart around stages at lightning speed, making the game just as fun to watch as it is to play. The Satellite System also provided a much-needed overhaul to the way Elfs worked in previous games which always felt a little unbalanced, and the Cyberspace Doors helped to even out the difficulty just in case the player was struggling with the mission. Mega Man Zero 3 also contains what could definitely be considered the most ambitious story in the entire series, picking up not long after Zero's victory over Elpizo with plenty of plot twists and revelations scattered throughout that make it a joy to experience, even those who might not even already be fans of the series.

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