Street Fighter X Mega Man (Video Game Review)

For the 25th Anniversary of Street Fighter, developer and publisher Capcom released new games including the 25th Anniversary of Street Fighter collection, new products including limited edition chess sets, apparel and more, and special Street Fighter anniversary events. To round out the year of fresh content, and to begin the 25th Anniversary celebration for the Mega Man series, Capcom released a fan made title called Street Fighter X Mega Man. The special crossover title combines the Mega Man and Street Fighter series in a classic Mega Man style game that features Street Fighter themed stages and classic characters from the series as bosses with special moves for the player to learn. Unfortunately, some poor design choices make this a game that isn't as good as the sum of its parts, but it's free, so it's still worth picking up.

As with most of the classic Mega Man titles, Street Fighter X Mega Man doesn't feature much in terms of an actual storyline. Mega Man will have to battle through eight stages in any order the player wishes all while battling Street Fighter characters such as Ryu, Chun Li and Blanka. Battling against these new bosses require Mega Man to dodge some of the toughest fight patterns ever featured in any Mega Man game all while the new bosses take damage that charges their Super Meters to unleash a heavy hitting attack. Completing these levels unlock special moves for Mega Man of course, and after completing all eight levels and a final level, with a special unlockable level to complete after meeting certain requirements. It's a classic formula and a fun concept, but the format feels dated and isn't helped any by the game's poor presentation. Fans of either series can find some enjoyment with the new release, but temper your expectations for the new release.

Street Fighter X Mega Man falls short of its potential thanks to a poor presentation that doesn't offer any way to record and save progress. The game features no save system, no password feature, and in fact, progress is only saved when checkpoints are reached while playing through stages. Street Fighter X Mega Man is not an easy game at all, and it can be unfair at times. The stage design isn't the best either, but at least they look really cool with Street Fighter themed items decorating the game's environments. Some of the enemies of the game are ripped straight from older games in the series while most are new creations that offer some of the more difficult encounters from non-boss enemies in the series. The game's soundtrack is great and features many remixes of classic themes from both series that are sure to entertain while raising a few goosebumps from nostalgia on their own. Overall, the presentation of Street Fighter X Mega Man leaves a lot to be desired but has its strong points as well.

Capcom didn't go all out with this new release, and the final product definitely could've used some polishing that could've made Street Fighter X Mega Man an instant classic. The lack of balance, a proper save system and a decent storyline holds the game back, but its availability for PC with controller support, free download and combination of two of gaming's most loved franchises makes it one worth checking out. Arming Mega Man with the Mega Buster and Hadouken is a thrill no other game can offer players. Check out Street Fighter X Mega Man today, but don't expect much before playing the game to prevent disappointment.

Street Fighter X Mega Man is now available free to download exclusively on PC. For more information or to play Street Fighter X Mega Man, check out the official Capcom Unity website.

Game Features:

Single Player

Free to Download

Mega Man Featuring Street Fighter Bosses

Independent Title

Controller Support

Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Capcom
Available exclusively for PC  (reviewed)
Release Date: December 17, 2012

Score: 6 out of 10