Capcom understood that the classic Mega Man formula wasn't enough for the 16-bit era, so they created X, a robot wrestling with existential doubt in a world at war between Reploids. The opening highway stage is a masterclass in text-free tutorial design: the game teaches by letting you play. Keiji Inafune designed Zero, the charismatic red hunter, hoping he'd become the new lead; Capcom relegated him to a supporting role, and he stole the entire series anyway.
If you liked this one
