Thursday, January 29, 2015

MegaMan 3 for NES (1990)

Mega Man 3 advertisment
Original ad published in the December 1990 edition of EGM (no. 17)
Press to view or download image in higher resolution.


Historical Background and Graphical Analysis


The much-loved MegaMan 3 (1990) was a smash-hit from Capcom that perfect the original formula devised in the previous blue bomber’s adventures. Today, most critics agree that MegaMan 2 and 3 are the best versions, ever, for the series. That’s saying a lot, considering that 100 different games starring MegaMan have been released to this day!

The full list of MegaMan games is a site to behold. However, every gamer knows the series achieved legendary status on the NES, where tight gameplay, imaginative bosses and fantastic music created memorable experiences that were later copied on modern consoles. 

MegaMan 3 stands head-to-head against the second game of the series, which, I believe, only surpasses it because of its unforgettable music. The third game would be just as famous for another reason: it’s probably the only video game by any company that features the protagonist shooting an enemy in the crotch.



That blast-in-the-balls artwork was dully copied to the advertisements of the game, which ran in every video gaming console in 1990. Every kid from the era remembers the ad you see here because of its (un)intentional humor. Even parents buying the game had a good laugh over Capcom’s faux-pas

The company would correct this with the artwork displayed for MegaMan 4. 

Besides that, it’s a well designed advertisement. The copy is solid. You see actual screens-shots in the lower-left corner. Plus, you see MegaMan in the background and even another enemy farther back, while SparkMan is strategically placed in the foreground in a menacing position. 

The artwork benefits greatly from the huge depth-of-field presented in the scene. It clearly places the potential buyer in an reflexive mood, yearning to join the blue bomber inside the science fiction surroundings of his quest. 



MegaMan 3 for NES print ad copy:


MegaMan 3. Anything else you need to know? 
SnakeMan, HardMan, GeminiMan, MagnetMan, Needle Man, ShadowMan, SparkMan and TopMan. They’re the eight new robomasters in MegaMan 3. Defeat them all and you’ll still have Dr. Wily to deal with. And possibly even a few of your old enemies from 1 and 2. Okay, now the only question that remains is how fast you can to the store and get 3.  
  • You’ll slide through secret tunnels to avoid bulldozing robots.
  • It’s hard to top TopMan’s dangerous spins.
  • You and your sidekick Rush will fly over enemy territory to avoid the walking time bombs.

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