Mega Man Zero 3 review (Game Boy Advance)

Mega Man Zero 3 takes a more lenient approach by distinguishing between "satellite" and "fusion" cyber elves. Fusion cyber elves still disappear when used and still count against your overall letter grade, whereas satellite cyber elves can be equipped and swapped out during a level, and they don't disappear or count against you in your evaluation. Zero can have up to two satellite-type cyber elves equipped at any given time. Due to this one "little" change, Mega Man Zero 3 comes across as more open-ended and flexible than either of the two previous Zero games.

Capcom has also gone to great lengths to make the overall packaging and presentation of the game's 16 levels seem interesting. With the exception of a few specific levels here and there, you can pick and choose the order in which you want to complete the levels. The level selection is handled from a home base area that has its own rooms to explore and characters to interact with. Most of the story is told here too, through conversations between Zero and the other rebel reploids. Longtime followers of the franchise will likely be overjoyed with the story in this installment, since it fills in the gaps between the Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero timelines, and finally reveals the origin of the reploids and cyber elves.

The background and character graphics in Mega Man Zero 3 are a little behind the times when compared with similar games like Metroid: Zero Mission or Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, particularly because Capcom recycled some of the graphics from Mega Man Zero 2 to put this game together. But the impressive amount of animation and detail nearly makes up for the game's dated overall look. Zero, the enemies, and the bosses all transition smoothly from one action to the next, and there are lots of reactions to look out for--such as the way some enemies burn up after being hit with the fire shot or split in two after being hit with the Z-Saber. A number of different environmental effects spice up the otherwise average-looking backgrounds, such as falling snow, raindrops, fog, and underwater distortion. As for the audio, the music is fast-paced and suits the action fine, and the sound effects are, for the most part, the usual assortment of explosions and laser-gun noises you'd expect to hear in a game like this. The exception are the dozens of different vocal responses that Zero and the other characters have for various situations--namely for absorbing damage and discovering secrets--all of which are great.

The game has a number of miscellaneous features that further enhance its appeal. After completing it for the first time, you'll unlock a "hard" mode and a minigame based on the recoil rod weapon. Seven other minigames, along with an even tougher "ultimate" mode, can be unlocked by playing through the game multiple times and achieving certain letter grades or beating it with different weapons. Each time you start over, you have the option of starting a whole new game from scratch or starting a new game but holding onto the upgrades and cyber elves you collected in the previous game. This carryover option isn't just a tacked-on bonus. Many early levels have spots that can be reached only with upgrades found later in the game, and some of these spots lead to areas and items that you can't otherwise get to during the first run through.

Lastly, if you happen to own a copy of Mega Man Battle Network 4, you can use a link cable and another GBA to send battle chips into Mega Man Zero 3. Some chips give Zero additional EX attacks and extra cyber elves to use, some chips change the appearance of Zero's weapons, and some chips can transform the enemies in certain areas into creatures from the Mega Man Battle Network series. There's nothing exclusive gained by using the link feature, but it's a nice bonus for anyone who has Battle Network 4 and a spare GBA lying around.

Overall, Mega Man Zero 3 is easily the most diverse and accessible Mega Man game yet. All the various weapons, suits, body upgrades, and cyber elves provide endless opportunities for customization. Fans of the series will be glad that the levels and bosses are just as challenging as always, and tickled pink to finally learn the true story behind the existence of the cyber elves and reploids like Zero and X. At the same time, less-experienced players will appreciate how Capcom has fine-tuned the gameplay. If you've enjoyed Mega Man games in the past or have been waiting for one that's a little less punishing, Mega Man Zero 3 is the game to get.