Introduction

It's been a long time since gamers have seen an entry in the classic Mega Man series. Capcom released its most recent (and assumedly final) offering way back in February of 1997 in the form of Mega Man 8. This 32-bit PlayStation game was typically looked down upon by gamers, and the series appeared to be all but abandoned thereafter in lieu of newer Mega Man-related spinoffs.

But flash-forward to the summer of 2008. Rumors arise about an upcoming Mega Man title, not in the Battle Network, Star Force or X series, but in the classic Mega Man continuity, allegedly abandoned but not so. Not only was Mega Man 9 coming, but Capcom made old-school gamers' faces melt when they announced that it would be in its 8-bit NES form. That's right -- Capcom intended to release its first 8-bit Mega Man game since the spring of 1994. And now, it's finally here.

Mega Man 9 plays in the same vein as Mega Man 2, and to many, that's going to come as a welcome surprise. But Mega Man 9 has something that Mega Man 2 lacked comparatively, even on "Difficult" mode -- endless challenges. Mega Man 9 is hard in ways that most gamers of the new generation won't even comprehend. That's not to say the game isn't beatable, however, because it is. And that's where IGN Guides comes into play.

Do you need a rundown of Mega Man 9's fundamentals? Visit our basics section. Our walkthrough will get you through every stage in the game, from Galaxy Man's to Concrete Man's to Dr. Wily's Castle and everywhere in between. Our bosses section will help you expel Wily's eight newest Robot Master's and his other new creations, while the weapons section will run down all of the weapons and gear that will help you take down Dr. Wily once and for all.

So gear up and get going! Dr. Wily must be stopped.

In this Mega Man 9 strategy guide, you'll find:

• BASICS // New to the old-school? 8-bit got you scared? Read away!
• WALKTHROUGH // Each and every stage covered from start to finish.
• BOSSES // Tips and tricks for every Robot Master and Wily's other creations.
• WEAPONS // Descriptions of each weapon and Rush Adaptor.

Guide by: Colin Moriarty