It’s all downhill from here, right? I’m done with “Mega Man 2.”

Fortunately, that’s not entirely true. “Mega Man 3″ is also a terrific game, it’s just not as magical as the last sequel. It’s a little hard to top an all-time classic.

While playing through “Mega Man 3,” however, I got the feeling that series creator Keiji Inafune envisioned the first three “Mega Man” games as a trilogy. Even though the characters and world would live on far after this one (and Inafune would stay involved), there are many signs the first three games were seen as a singular whole.

Let me explain.

The original “Mega Man” wasn’t as popular as Inafune had hoped. Capcom never officially greenlit the production of “Mega Man 2.” Inafune and his team worked on the sequel in their spare time. When “Mega Man 2″ proved to be a breakout hit, however, Capcom poured extensive resources into “Mega Man 3,” and it absolutely shows in the production value of the third game.

“Mega Man 3″ is more detailed and more ambitious than its predecessors. Enemies actually have fluid animations, and there’s always something going on in the background. Even the music is more varied and intense. It looks, sounds and plays like the game Inafune would have created on the last go round, if it had been possible.

But what’s interesting are the built-in references to “Mega Man 2.” You actually end up fighting “Mega Man 3″ bosses that use “Mega Man 2″ robot master weapons on your way to battling Dr. Wily.

It’s almost disappointing that “Mega Man 2″ was the game that skyrocketed Mega Man into blockbuster territory. Imagine what “Mega Man 2″ would have been like if Inafune had been given access to the same resources as he was given for “Mega Man 3.” Granted, “Mega Man 3″ is a good game, but everything about “Mega Man 2″ is better. But maybe that’s the way it was meant to be. Perhaps “Mega Man 2″ wouldn’t have been as special if Inafune and his team weren’t behind-the-scenes renegades.

The world will never know.

I do have something to ask, readers, about how I play “Mega Man.” Am I the only person who ignores everything but the traditional mega buster, unless they’re battling a boss? I know that individual enemies have weaknesses to the different weapons, but it seems too tedious to learn them. Instead, I just pelt at them with the regular buster and move on. Maybe I’m just impatient.

In any case, on to “Mega Man 4.”

[Image Credit: Wikipedia]

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