Mega Man games. Those three words are enough to excite many fans worldwide, particularly those who grew up playing them throughout the late '80s and '90s. With more than 130 games in the franchise, the chances are you've stumbled across at least one Mega Man game in your life. So, let's take a look at the best ones you can play on handheld devices.
Do you know what other series has a long history? Castlevania, and if you want to learn more about all the Castlevania games, here's a comprehensive list of the release date and chronological order in which to play them, as well as our personal opinion on what the best one is (it's hardly surprising). We also have articles about the best Tomb Raider games and Resident Evil games, both of which have routes dating back to the 90s.
Here are the best Mega Man games:
Mega Man 11
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, Windows handhelds
Mega Man 11 is the perfect Mega Man game if you're after the quintessential Mega Man experience that you've come to know and love over the years. It's an action-platformer, and, as the name indicates, it's the eleventh entry in the main Mega Man series. This time around, you need to stop Dr. Wily from using the double gear system, something he's apparently been sitting on for years as he created it back when he was at Robot University.
Overall, there are eight levels for you to blast your way through, each of which features a new Robot Master for you to face off against. Personally, I'm a fan of Impact Man, mainly because I find the name to be extremely ironic as he doesn't make much of an impact at all. But hey, I do remember the guy so maybe he did make an impact, just not in the way he thought he would.
As you probably expect if you're a longtime fan, you get new abilities each time you defeat one of the bosses, giving new gears and fun ways to traverse subsequent levels. For instance, the speed gear allows you to move so fast that you actually slow down time. That's an ability I wish I had in real life, so much to do, so little time.
Mega Man: Dr Wily's Revenge
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
While this is another Nintendo Switch entry, Mega Man: Dr Wily's is originally a Game Boy game and is actually the first-ever GB Mega Man game, so it's a neat bit of history for the franchise. If you want to know exactly how old this game is, it first hit the scene in 1991, this game is older than me, and I'm not sure if that makes me feel good or not to be honest.
If you enjoy the first Mega Man, I have good news, as this game follows on from the original storyline, meaning Mega Man is on a quest to stop Dr Wily and his Robot Masters. This time around, Dr Wily has eight masters for you to face off against, each one waiting for you at the end of every level. One of the more unique things about this game is that you don't have a set order in which you need to complete the stages; you have complete autonomy to play through them in whichever order you like.
When traversing the levels, you can expect to come across hordes of enemies to blast into space with your gun and a bunch of obstacles for you to overcome. It's a satisfying Game Boy game that continues to hold up well today. If you're someone who appreciates a good retro title this is the one for you, though maybe go for the Switch version, as the original is both pricey and hard to get ahold of.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 + 2
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
While we love Mega Man 11 enough to put it first on this list, you still probably want to know about the previous ten entries, right? Well, that's where this entry comes in. The Mega Man Legacy Collection gives handheld players the opportunity to play the first ten mainline Mega Man games. Yes, you read that right. This collection features ten games, making it a must-have if you enjoy Mega Man or even if you just want to dip your toe into the series.
As you can probably guess if you're familiar with the franchise, these games take you on fun platforming adventures. One of the best things about this collection is the price. It's not cheap collecting retro games, much less ones that date back to the NES, so having a viable option to play them on more of a modest budget is great. Admittedly, my original copy of Mega Man 2 is a standout in my NES collection.
However, they're still just as difficult now as they were back then, but the updated graphics make it a real pleasure to revisit such a prestigious series of games. Personally, Mega Man 2 is my favorite, but I can't say that any of them are bad, meaning you get even more value for your money.
Mega Man X
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
The only mobile Mega Man game you can play (besides Mega Man X DiVE Offline) is Mega Man X, a souped-up port of the 1993 original. While X may give some the impression that this is the tenth game in the series, it's not. Mega Man 10 came out in 2010 on the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Mega Man X, meanwhile, is the first entry in a sub-series, and this mobile port is lovingly crafted with optimized graphics. There are also two display modes. One fills out the entire screen, as is the norm with modern-day games, while the other gives you the same ratio as the original SNES game.
Mega Man X takes place 100 years after the original games, and you play as X, the last creation of Dr Light. Unfortunately, his existence leads to the creation of a bunch of free-willed androids who are ready to rebel against humanity in an all-out war, so X has little choice but to do what he can to help fight back against them.
As is the case with any Mega Man game, you can expect to engage with numerous linear, platform-based levels full of enemies and obstacles to overcome. It's a lot of fun, and it still holds up well today, especially with its modernization on mobile.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
Much like the Legacy Collection for the mainline Mega Man games, there's one for the Mega Man X series, too. This set of games includes Mega Man X through to Mega Man X8, meaning you have eight adventures to go on. The 'X' is very important when picking up one of the Mega Man Legacy Collections.
You know the drill at this point: you need to traverse different levels, overcome various obstacles, and do all you can to help humanity against a robot uprising. There are many different bosses for you to fight, most of which give you a new ability upon defeat, and part of what makes the Mega Man games so enjoyable is those abilities.
As stated in a previous entry, the first Mega Man X game was released in 1993, but the latest numbered X entry, X8, was released in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, so this collection offers more than ten years of history.
Mega Man III
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
If you have access to Nintendo Switch Online, you can experience the original version of Mega Man III, a Game Boy game from 1992. As is the norm with this franchise, Mega Man is out to fight back against the forces of Dr. Wily, and on this occasion, the sinister scientist is using a converted oil rig to draw power from the Earth's core way out in the middle of the ocean.
Of course, you need to defeat Dr Wily's robot minions before you can access his lab. It's up to you how you get here, as, like with other Mega Man games, you can choose which stages you complete in any order you like. They're all quite difficult no matter what, so there really isn't a set way to do it. Although you do get new weapons for each of the eight bosses you defeat, if you struggle with a particular stage, maybe getting a new weapon or two can help you out.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Windows handhelds
Why settle for two collections full of great Mega Man games when you can have three of them? Like X, Mega Man Zero is a sub-series in the MM franchise, and this time, the story takes place 100 years after the Mega Man X storyline. The collection features the four Zero GBA games released between 2002 and 2005 and also features the two Nintendo DS sequels, ZX and ZX Advent, giving you six great games to enjoy.
You know the drill by now: you need to run and gun your way through various levels with a touch of platforming (okay, a lot of it). There are plenty of bosses for you to fight and a good variety of weapons that have their strengths and weaknesses.
Mega Man V
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
Not to be confused with Mega Man 5, Mega Man V is the fifth entry in the Game Boy line of Mega Man games, while the former is the fifth installment in the original series. If you're a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, Mega Man V is one of the Game Boy games you get access to, offering you more of the same experience you're used to, but that doesn't make it any less fun.
Taking place months after the events of Mega Man IV, the titular hero once again finds himself fighting against the odds in a bid to save the world from Dr. Wily once more. As with any other entry on this list, you can expect some fun platforming mixed with delightful combat that makes for a challenging yet rewarding experience.
Mega Man II
Not to be confused with Mega Man 2 on the NES, Mega Man II is the second entry in the Game Boy series of titles, following on from the events in Mega Man: Dr Wily's Revenge. What you get with this game is much of the same as the other entries - fun side-scrolling action, as you guide Mega Man through a series of stages, though you also have his loveable canine companion, Rush, along for the ride, too.
What is the best Mega Man game?
With more than 130 games in the franchise, you ask people what their favorite Mega Man game is, and you're going to get all sorts of answers. However, there are a couple that are more likely to pop up, and those are Mega Man 4 and Mega Man 2, the latter of which is a PT favorite. But, if you really want to know what the best Mega Man game is, maybe you should give them all a go and make up your own mind. What opinion is better than you're own, after all?
Now that you know what the best Mega Man games are, maybe you want to catch up with some other great gaming icons; in which case, our Sonic games, Mario games, and Crash Bandicoot games guides may have something for you.