Since it first hit store shelves in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch has become one of the most popular, and successful video game consoles of all time, shipping over 107.65 million units in just five years, easily passing the likes of the Nintendo 3DS, the Game Boy Advance, the SNES, and even the Wii. With the pandemic somehow increasing sales on an unprecedented scale, the Nintendo Switch has become an outright phenomenon. Despite all that, the Nintendo Switch's online service still hasn't managed to grasp as wide of an audience as would be expected, with some severe latency issues and missing features dragging it back. However, with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, and the likes of the newly added Mega Man: The Wily Wars, the service may finally start to be worth the price of admission.
Released in 1994, Mega Man: The Wily Wars is an old compilation game from the Sega Genesis era. The Wily Wars collects the first three Mega Man games and remakes them, giving them a visual and audio overhaul, including some brand new music arrangements. After completing all three games, players then unlock another mode, Wily Tower, which delivers three additional stages and boss fights. Though the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is still looking a little bare right now, the addition of Mega Man: The Wily Wars helps to add some much-needed value to the service, and it continues Capcom's recent trend with the rest of the franchise.
The Mega Man Series Is One of the Most Accessible Out There
Over the last few years, Capcom has spent a lot of time and effort in porting over the vast majority of the Mega Man series. While other consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One often get the same ports, it's the Nintendo Switch that sees the most action, with new Mega Man collections dropping seemingly every year or so.
Beginning in May 2018, the Nintendo Switch received the Mega Man Legacy Collection, which bundled together the first six classic Mega Man games, all spruced up with HD 8-bit graphics. With a plethora of additional content such as a music library, physical collectibles, and artwork galleries, Mega Man Legacy Collection feels like a true celebration of the series, and the definitive way to play these games in the modern era.
On the same day, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 was released on the Nintendo Switch, which brought the remaining four original Mega Man titles to the handheld hybrid console. A few months later, the Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2 dropped on the Switch, bringing the entire Mega Man X saga to the Switch. Then, in February 2020, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection hit store shelves, bringing all four Mega Man Zero games and the GBA and DS sequels to the Switch.
Just the other week, the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection was announced. Heading to the Switch in 2023, this collection brings all the Mega Man Battle Network games together, widely considered to be some of the best Game Boy Advance games out there. Now, with Mega Man: The Wily Wars being available on Nintendo Switch Online, the console is quickly becoming a home for the franchise.
While the more cynical fans might see these collections as simple cash-grabs, others will be able to view Capcom's actions as slightly more positive, as they make these classic games more accessible to both newcomers and long-time fans of the Mega Man franchise. Making sure that more people can play a game is far from a bad thing, and thanks to Capcom's efforts, the Mega Man series has managed to remain in the public consciousness.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars is available now on Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.