Mega Man 11 Demo Proved That Capcom Is Doing This Sequel Right

Some of us are old-fashioned and still like to go down to the video game store in-person and pick up a physical copy of our games. On October 2, 2018, for the first time in 20 years, we’ll be able to go there and pick up a brand-new, mainline Mega Man title when Capcom finally drops the much-anticipated Mega Man 11.

But even a devotee of physical media can’t resist it when Capcom puts out a downloadable demo of the new title a month ahead of it hitting shelves. With one playable level featuring Block Man, the demo of Mega Man 11 – available for free on Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 – shows a promising new direction for the series while staying true to the Blue Bomber’s run-and-gun roots.

Fans on Twitter have mostly praised the new game. Luis Illingworth, a freelance video editor who’s been featured on Did You Know Gaming posted from his personal Twitter that Mega Man 11 “Definitely feels much faster paced than classic Mega Man, and everything is fortunately built around that.” Fans also praised the game’s tight controls and the new Double Gear system, which adds a new wrinkle to Mega Man’s arsenal by allowing him to slow down time or power up his Mega Buster.

So after playing the demo for about 15 times (out of which I was able to complete it only 5) I can confidently say my early impressions of Mega Man 11 are really great! Definitely feels much faster paced than classic Mega Man, and everything is fortunately built around that. pic.twitter.com/YL3TP1qBMW

— Luis Illingworth (@HeyRaguio) September 16, 2018

 Mega Man III is the first video game I can remember playing. I was no older than 5 and was dazzled immediately. The music, the graphics, the design of the characters – all of it had me hooked. Mega Man 11 captures much of that same sense of wonder. Playing it, I felt again like that five-year-old sitting three feet away from the TV with my jaw open.

When Capcom released the first trailer, I was leery. The series has tried to update its graphics before, with such mixed results that for Mega Man 9 and 10, Capcom went back to 8-bit. Once in hand though, it’s clear that Mega Man 11 goes out of its way to nail the feel while updating the look. Mega Man moves at the right speed, he takes up the right amount of screen space, and he jumps the right height.

Though the overall reaction has been enthusiastic, some gamers have found faults. The demo level is long, and far less forgiving in its checkpoint and save system than modern gamers might be used to. But a longer level just means more Mega Man, which we’ll argue is a good thing.  

Another common complaint is comes from nostalgia for a quirky feature from older games. In previous Mega Mans, when you jumped at a boss gate, the Blue Bomber would float rather humorously through the door. In Mega Man 11 when you attempt to jump through a boss gate, Mega Man drops down and walks through like a weirdo. Fans loved bursting through the door with a mighty jump rather than trotting through on foot. This is a simple complaint, but with all the work put in so far, it’s not one that has to go unaddressed by the development team.

Mega Man 11 is a bad game. 0/11. Does not Rock, man. pic.twitter.com/JzlDa01ZCB

— MegaQuint (@megaquint) September 7, 2018

With the popularity first and second Mega Man Legacy Collections  and the more recent Mega Man X Legacy Collection, Capcom’s once-flagship franchise indeed appears in the midst of a revival. Mega Man plushies and collectibles can be found at collectibles stores all over now, and the Blue Bomber himself is now a staple member of the Super Smash Bros. roster.

As a franchise, Mega Man has been somewhere between stagnant and completely dead over the last 20 years. For fans of the series, 2018 is bringing a peak for the franchise not seen since its heyday. If the other seven stages are as solid as the demo stage, then when Mega Man 11 finally gets its full release, it just may put Mega Man back in business for good.