With it being released after the first two Mega Man X games - but presumably before X3 which might explain a lot - it seems that Mega Man 7 took on a different approach entirely by taking the essence of the original games, then upping everything with its bigger, bolder sprites plus a load more colour partially owing to it taking cues from the Mega Man cartoon series of the same era. So as you load up the game you are greeted with the games story which unfolds exactly like this; "DR. WILY ALWAYS KNEW HIS SCHEMES MIGHT END IN" on the first screen followed by "FAILURE AND HAD PLANNED FOR JUST SUCH AN OCCASION" on the second screen, awkward it might be but the accompanying cut-scenes detailing the story are most welcome being that it would all just have been left to the imagination before, there's even a nice bit of humour involving Mega Man wearing a hard hat at the start too which is a nice bonus. 

All of the stage design is decent enough even if it all feels a little more straightforward than some of the previous games, though I would easily take simple design which is at least done well as opposed to the complete mess that is Mega Man X3 as at least here everything feels fresh if only a little uninspired in places; it's all made up for in just how much fun each area is. You can collect blue bolts which are used to purchase extra items - should you need them - from 'Auto's Shop' but quite honestly so long as you're good at using restore points it never feels necessary, even if you couldn't save anywhere I still don't think many players would be requiring too many extra lives as this isn't the most difficult game in the series.

Interestingly this outing is where we first get introduced to Bass & Treble who are very much 'of the era' in their design adding a lot to the game overall, this is certainly Mega Man with buckets of added charm. This time around you only have a selection of four Robot Masters to begin with as the other four are only unlocked following the defeat of the first set, this is all very well for creating more focus but it does break with the more open tradition of being able to choose from eight different stages from the start; this does at least add a bit more balance to things dividing the simple stages from the more deviously designed ones, all of the controls are perfect thankfully as they never feel sluggish for a moment, playing this title with a SNES classic controller is an absolute dream.

Giant sprites, a robotic Polar Bear... this game has it all!

Undeniably the Mega Man series is one of Capcom's most popular franchises but after eight numbered titles in succession the developer decided to try something a little different, in doing so they created the Mega Man X series which would go on to become the most popular era of Mega Man to date, thankfully the first entry in the excellent evolution of the series is now available on the Virtual Console (and now on the New 3DS) to be enjoyed by a new generation of gamers and most likely enjoyed again by those who have already experience its brilliance.

Providing you've played a Mega Man game before then you should feel instantly at ease with this title for it retains the same basic mechanics from the early games only in a refined form, you still run 'n gun as before but this time you can now hang on to ledges plus jump up walls - not to mention upgrading your weapons along the way – all of which are very welcome additions along with the absolutely perfect controls which are incredibly responsive. Starting off is still a simple case of picking a stage, to do this you must pick a 'Maverick' – the replacement name for 'Robot Master' in previous games – and away you go to the stage of your choice; there is of course as always an order which will enable you to progress faster due to each boss having a weakness to the others weapons which you acquire but the fun of it all is discovering that route for yourself. 

There's a lot to love about this game including the boss battles themselves which seem rather dynamic as they will constantly keep you on your guard, you'll need to put a bit of thought into defeating them at times which is a welcome change from bosses in games these days which can seem painfully easy in comparison. It never feels unfair though as there is a balance which is maintained throughout which ensures that you'll never be annoyed at the game for very long, only at yourself as you analyse your performance and try to work out various strategies in your head to try next time which adds a tonne of replay value.

Is it a bee? Is it a helicopter? Nope, it's a Bee Blader!

As you might expect the visuals are of a very high standard indeed featuring some of the nicest graphics ever seen on the SNES or even in the history of the series, the actual character model of 'X' is realistically rendered featuring some genuinely astounding animation which really sets it apart from other side-scrolling platformers. Thankfully the classic chip-tunes of the original games haven't been forgotten about as that same style is  present and correct with some nice touches only made possible by the SNES hardware, there are some truly fantastic tunes here in addition to the sound effects which are also of the high quality fans have come to expect from the series.

If you like Mega Man then you'll absolutely love the 'X' series, given that this is the first with the precursor attached to it that's highly regarded as one of the best then you should really invest in this title as it's an excellent starting point or indeed a fantastic way to reignite your love for the franchise if you haven't played a Mega Man game in a while. Clearly this can't come recommended enough on its own merits but the relatively cheap price alone compared to buying the original cartridge should be enough to persuade you into purchasing this outstanding title.  

That's it for another installment of VC Weekly which will return again soon. So until then, enjoy the rest of the week and Game On!