Eight years. That's how long it's been since the last Mega Man game, not counting the various collections of existing entries in the franchise. That changes in 2027, as Capcom is poised to release Mega Man: Dual Override, and I recently had the pleasure of visiting the famed developer and publisher to try the game.
I'm not new to Mega Man games, with Mega Man II standing tall as one of the most prized possessions in my NES collection. As such, you'd best believe that my face broke into a massive grin the second I loaded into the first level.
The game looking great is one thing, but we all know it's the intense platforming action that draws you to Mega Man, and, luckily, that's exactly what you get - a game that begs for a bit of patience, lest you launch your controller at the wall. Of course, I did try to rush through, and I'm pleased to say it wasn't a complete disaster, but learning the level and your enemies' movements is a must if you want to speedrun successfully.
Mega Man isn't an easy series; we all know this, whether that's through personal experience or hearing the many horror stories of players getting their asses handed to them. With that in mind, it should come as little surprise that Mega Man Dual Override poses quite a brutal challenge, through both the enemies and platforming throughout the levels and the bosses that await you at the end of them.
Of the three levels I got to play, the third was by far the most challenging, both in terms of the level itself and the boss that awaits at the end of it. The first one serves as a nice introduction, giving me the chance to reacquaint myself with Mega Man, before the second level reminded me of what it's all about, followed by the third well and truly putting me in my place, forcing me to learn the timing of tricky platforming segments and pick my jumps wisely to avoid taking damage from enemies.
While the platforming in each level asks the same of you each time - well-timed jumps, good shooting, and a bit of patience - each of the three bosses I fought forced me to learn something different, for each had their own set of attacks and styles to get accustomed to. Boss one went down without a hitch; I finished off boss two within five tries, but boss three, Twinkle Girl, obliterated me - to begin with, at least. She moves at top speed and hits like a freight train, with a nasty AoE attack that's tricky to avoid when phase two starts.
Luckily, I thrive under pressure, relishing the challenge, wanting to learn each time I fall. Heck, I got so good by the time I was done with the PS5 version that I practically sped through the levels on Switch 2, taking Twinkle Girl down on my second try. A new feature in the form of chipsets makes the game feel a bit fairer despite its difficulty, with you being able to choose between offensive and defensive options before you start the level, letting you embrace your preferred playstyle - I, of course, always picked the offense option. However, if you want that original MM experience, you can opt for a third chipset that offers no benefits.
Without question, it looks fantastic, and not just on the PlayStation 5 Pro, as I also had the opportunity to try it on the Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode, and I was pleased to see it ran just as well as I hoped it would. Mega Man is the perfect handheld game, and that still holds true. Considering games on the hybrid console tend to look a little worse in handheld mode, this bodes incredibly well for its docked performance.
I have to say that Mega Man: Dual Override is shaping up to be the comeback I've long wanted to see from MM, boasting excellent Switch 2 performance, engaging and vibrant levels, and a challenge that gives that sought-after sense of accomplishment. I can't wait to get my hands on the full game next year; it's officially one of my most anticipated new Switch games for 2027, putting it in excellent company alongside another Capcom game in the form of Resident Evil: Veronica.