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Mega Man X3, called Rockman X3 in Japan, is an action-platform game made by Capcom for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. It was first released in Japan on December 1995, and came out in North America and Europe in 1996. It’s the third game in the Mega Man X series and the last one made for the console.

Compared to the original NES, the Super Nintendo did not have as many Mega Man games and that was probably a good thing. The first series had six games that felt boringly similar, which made it repetitive. With the jump to 16-bit, Capcom changed things up by creating Mega Man X, which kept the same fun gameplay but added a deeper story and more features. Instead of flooding the market, only three games were made in the X series for the SNES. Because of this, Mega Man X3 feels familiar to the other X games but is not boring or repetitive.

Japan only box cover art (Image source)

The Story

Mega Man X3 picks up right where X2 left off, continuing the story of X and Zero. In this world, intelligent robots called Reploids were created and can think and feel like humans, but some get infected by a virus that turns them Maverick, causing trouble. To stop them, the Maverick Hunters were formed. However, before the first game, their leader Sigma went Maverick himself, forcing X and Zero to fight him. After Sigma’s defeat and Zero’s temporary loss, X continued to protect humanity.

In Mega Man X2, X fought the X-Hunters, who tried to revive Sigma, and successfully brought Zero back. Now, peace seems restored when a scientist named Dr. Doppler creates an antivirus to stop the Maverick virus. But that peace doesn’t last long. Dr. Doppler and the Reploids using his antivirus suddenly go Maverick too. Once again, X and Zero must jump into action to stop them.

Box and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

The graphics here are just as great as in the first two games. Everything looks sharp and colorful, and the backgrounds are really well done. Thanks to the C4 chip in the game cartridge, some bosses even have cool wireframe effects. Both X and Zero are nicely animated, though Zero looks a bit strange compared to how he appears in later PS1 games. Still, his beam saber looks awesome. Overall, the X series had some of the best graphics on the console and while it doesn’t compare to newer games like Mega Man X4 or X5, it is still impressive for its time.

The sound effects are okay, reusing ones from the earlier games, but the music is where things go down. Capcom went for a more techno or electric style, but the songs are repetitive and not catchy. They loop so much that it can get annoying, and you might even prefer playing with the sound off. If the tracks had more variety, it would have been better. Thankfully, Capcom improved the music in later games.

https://youtu.be/lUlHBc_t94c?si=DVNDjKWUrOEKQdlH Gameplay video sample of Mega Man X3 on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

The gameplay is excellent. X controls smoothly and feels very responsive, and calling his friend Zero or using Ride Armors is simple and easy to understand. The stage design is great, too — the developers avoided overusing bottomless pits and moving platforms, making each level feel fair and enjoyable. Every area looks and feels like what it is supposed to be as hangars look like hangars, and warehouses feel like warehouses.

The Maverick bosses are tougher this time around. Using the correct weapon doesn’t guarantee an easy win anymore, which makes the fights more challenging and satisfying. Some bosses can be frustrating, but overall the battles are fun. There are also optional bosses that appear based on your choices, giving the game nice replay value since each playthrough can feel a bit different.

The addition of Ride Armors is one of the best new features. You can now choose whether to use one or not, and different types of Ride Armors add variety and strategy. They finally feel like a real part of the game rather than just a one-time gimmick. Only a few stages do not have Ride Armor pads, so they’re a frequent and fun option.

As for Zero, he’s powerful early on but comes with many limits. You can only use him once per stage, and he can’t enter most boss doors, use Sub Tanks, or use special weapons. Plus, if he dies, he’s gone for the rest of the game. Because of that, most players use him for short sections filled with enemies, then switch back to X before he gets too weak.

The armor chip system is another interesting addition. The Max Armor is already a big improvement over past versions, and adding enhancement chips makes it even better. However, you can only install one chip at a time, and once you pick one, you can’t change it. For that reason, it’s usually best to skip the four basic chips and go for the Golden Chip instead.

Overall, Mega Man X3’s gameplay is strong, challenging, and fun. It has only a few small flaws holding it back.

Like most games in the series, is fairly short, but it has plenty of secrets and special events that make it worth playing more than once. Its unique features and hidden content give it a lot of replay value and help it stay fun even after finishing it a few times.

My Verdict

Mega Man X3 is one of the most creative, detailed, and unique games in the series. It has great gameplay, strong visuals, and sound. Many of its new ideas were not used in later games, which makes this one even more special and valuable especially among Mega Man fans.

Play it on the dreamy Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a wonderful emulator.

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