Beginner’s Guide and General FAQ - Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection

Got questions about the Zero/ZX games or the collection itself? Start here. Covers a little bit of everything, including some things you might not think to ask about.

Getting Started

Do I need to know anything about Mega Man to enjoy this collection?

Nope! There are a few major connections to the Mega Man X series, and some minor callbacks to the Classic Mega Man series, but you can still enjoy the story and gameplay with no prior knowledge.

What’s available in this collection?

The Zero side of the collection contains four games: Zero 1, Zero 2, Zero 3, and Zero 4. The ZX side of the collection contains two games: ZX and ZX Advent. Both sides give you access to the Gallery, Music Player, Options, and Z Chaser.

If you’re ever confused, look at the bottom of the screen for an explanation of what you’re looking at and what controls you can use. Note that each page of the menu has different controls, so check the bottom of the screen after every selection; if you’re only looking at the options that can be selected with the cursor, you’ll miss out on a few things.

When you select a game, you can toggle Casual Scenario Mode and Save-Assist on and off. More on those later. You can also cycle through which Game Edition you want to play. Aside from the language differences, there are some gameplay and aesthetic differences between the editions. For example, the Japanese editions of the Zero games feature gore effects that are not present in the English editions. Note that each edition uses separate save data, so your save files don’t transfer between editions.

The Gallery contains promotional and concept art from all six games in the collection, some extra art related to these games and to the collection itself, and Bonus Cards for Mega Man Zero 3. More on Bonus Cards later. The Music Player lets you listen to original and remixed tunes from all six games, plus tunes from the collection itself.

The Options menu contains the following items: Language, Filter, PC Settings, Manual, ZZ Cards, Credits, Privacy Policy, and Special VGM. The ZX side adds Voiceover to the list. Check the explanations at the bottom of the screen if you’re unsure about what these are. Purists and first-time players may wish to disable the Special VGM for a more cohesive and authentic audio experience. More on ZZ Cards later.

After starting a game, you can open the collection’s in-game options menu at any time (consult the Manual for which button to press). Unique to this menu are the Screen Layout and Wallpaper options, which you should review at the start of each new game. The Save-Assist, Manual, and Filter options from the collection’s main menu are also available here.

Z Chaser is a separate game mode unique to the collection. More on that later.

Which game should I play first?

If you want to play the games in chronological order, both in terms of story and release date, start with Zero 1, and then play Zero 2, Zero 3, Zero 4, ZX, and ZX Advent, in that order. Zero 1-3 form a trilogy with a continuous story arc; the other games occasionally connect to previous installments, but each one can be enjoyed with no prior knowledge of the others.

If you’re looking for the most player-friendly place to start, try Zero 4. The game begins with a story recap covering everything you need to know, the gameplay is more streamlined and forgiving than in Zero 1-3, and the game as a whole is more linear and generally less complex than the ZX games.

Otherwise, start with ZX, which is the first installment in a new spinoff series, or ZX Advent, which is a sequel that might as well be another spinoff. ZX and ZX Advent were originally released on the Nintendo DS, so they have a more modern look, sound, and feel than the Zero games, which were originally released on the older Nintendo Game Boy Advance.

This guide assumes that you are playing the games in chronological order, so some questions you have about later games may be answered in the sections for earlier games.

General Collection FAQs

What are ZZ Cards?

ZZ Cards are Steam Achievements. When you unlock one of the game’s Steam Achievements, you earn the corresponding ZZ Card. Each ZZ Card unlocks a selection of Bonus Cards for Mega Man Zero 3; more on those later.

What is Casual Scenario Mode?

Casual Scenario Mode is the equivalent of Easy Mode. In fact, it’s the reason why Easy Mode has been removed from every game in the collection (Zero 4, ZX, ZX Advent) where it was an option in the original release.

In Casual Scenario Mode, the player is given certain advantages that are different for each game. These advantages may include additional lives at the start, certain upgrades being unlocked from the start, reduced damage from enemies and hazards, and the ability to recover from falling into a bottomless pit (similar to the Beat Rescue ability introduced in Mega Man 7), to name a few.

Note that Casual Scenario Mode and the normal mode for each game use different save data, so the progress you make in one mode does not transfer to the other mode. Also note that a handful of ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode.

What is Save-Assist?

Save-Assist adds save points (which look like miniature teleporters) throughout the game world. When you touch a save point, it quicksaves your game. If you die, you restart at the last save point you touched, and the game forgets everything that happened after touching that save point. As a bonus, your health is refilled and any mission-specific countdown timers are restarted, to ensure you can never quicksave yourself into an unwinnable scenario.

You can manually reload a save point from the game’s title screen and from the collection’s in-game options menu. Note that whenever the game is actively saving/loading data, the Save-Assist options will be temporarily ghosted on the collection’s in-game options menu. A save point can be used multiple times; simply leave the general area so that the save point can reset itself, and then return. Unlike Casual Scenario Mode, Save-Assist does not prevent you from earning any ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements.

With Save-Assist active, you can never get a Game Over, and thus you don’t need to worry about collecting Continues (extra lives) in any game or dealing with the consequences of dying during a mission in the Zero games. You can also practice and experiment freely without fear of consequences—if anything happens that you want the game to forget, simply reload your last save point.

Save-Assist can be toggled on and off from the collection’s main menu and in-game options menu. This may be useful in certain situations—for example, if you collect a special item and don’t think you’ll make it to a save point without dying, you might choose to sacrifice a life and restart at a regular checkpoint with the item still in your collection, rather than risk automatically reloading the last quicksave and losing that item. Note that turning off Save-Assist will delete your quicksave data.

What is Z Chaser?

In Z Chaser, you speedrun stages from all six games in the collection. There are two stages from each game, plus a secret bonus stage from ZX Advent (unlocked after beating every other stage with a rank of S or better), for a total of 13 stages. Online leaderboards allow you to compare your performance against other players around the world.

You have infinite lives, several upgrades are already unlocked, and spikes deal damage instead of killing you instantly. There are additional checkpoints (placed where Save-Assist save points would normally be), and any damage dealt to a boss or miniboss carries over between lives. This means you are guaranteed to succeed after enough attempts, though your time may suffer for it.

In Single Chaser mode, you race against a ghost whose actions have been prerecorded. The time to beat is determined by the rank of the ghost: P (personal best, so you’re racing against a recording of your own fastest attempt), B (very easy), A (easy), S (normal), Z (hard), ZZ (very hard). If you select the Dual Screen option, you can watch the ghost and learn from its strategies. On the stage selection screen, an arrow will appear below the letter rank of any ghost whose time you’ve beaten, regardless of whether you’ve ever raced against that specific ghost.

In Double Chaser mode, you’re competing against a live human player for the better time (note that this is not recorded for the online leaderboards). In World Record Chaser mode, you’re competing against the P-ranked ghost of the player with the fastest time in the world.

Before starting a race, you can change the music selection, and you can enter the game’s Sub Screen to customize controls and equipment. The latter is crucial, because the timer does not stop if you enter the Sub Screen during a race. Note that the touchscreen is not available in Z Chaser, which means that Buster Edit and other touchscreen-specific abilities are disabled for the ZX and ZX Advent stages. Also note that the collection’s in-game options menu for Z Chaser has different options than anywhere else in the collection.

Gameplay Basics (for All Games)

Can I customize the controls?

Yes. Each game has its own control configuration, accessible from the Sub Screen within that game. For further details about controls, consult the Manual. Note that you can use a keyboard or a controller.

What are my basic abilities?

In terms of movement, you can run, jump, and dash. Jumping while dashing will give you more distance. You can also slide down walls slowly by pressing against them as you fall. While sliding down a wall, you can jump repeatedly to scale the wall; jumping while dashing also works here.

In terms of combat, you can attack using a variety of weapons, which can be equipped on the Sub Screen and toggled using the Sub Weapon button. Holding the attack button will charge up a more powerful attack, which will be used when the button is released. Switching Sub Weapons will store your charge until you switch back to that weapon. Some weapons can be aimed in different directions, and some have unique attacks that can be unleashed with button combos or while performing other actions (such as attacking while dashing). Certain attacks are more effective against some foes than others, and some attacks may also affect inanimate objects or the environment.

In ZX and especially ZX Advent, your basic movement and combat abilities are subject to change. The abilities mentioned above are generally standard but may not always apply.

You can talk to NPCs and enter doorways in the background by standing in front of them and pressing up.

When you take damage, you become temporarily invincible (until your character stops flashing). During this time, you can walk through enemies and across spikes without taking damage. Note that some enemies are solid and cannot be walked through (though you may be able to stand or wall jump on them). Similarly, bosses become temporarily invincible when hit, but certain attack combos can cut through these invincibility frames and destroy many bosses in a matter of seconds.

How do Sub Tanks work?

Sub Tanks, which are tall containers with an “E” on the bottom, allow you to refill your health at any time. They appear in every game in the collection. Depending on the game, they are found lying around the game world (usually in secret rooms and hard-to-access locations), created using Cyber-elves, or received from NPCs.

Once you’ve collected a Sub Tank, it becomes a permanent part of your inventory. If you collect a health refill while at full health, that excess energy will be stored in a Sub Tank instead of wasted. Sound cues indicate when a Sub Tank is being filled or becomes completely full, and the icon on the Sub Screen will show you how full the Sub Tank is. Note that Sub Tanks can be used at any level of fullness.

To use a Sub Tank, activate it on the Sub Screen. Energy will be drained from the Sub Tank until your health is restored to maximum or the Sub Tank runs out of energy, whichever happens first. Sub Tanks can be used repeatedly to keep your health topped off, or they can be used as a last resort when you’re running dangerously low on health; it’s up to you.

What is “clear data”?

After beating any game in the collection, you will be prompted to save “clear data” (“clear” as in “beat the game”, not “clear” as in “delete your data”). This is essentially your New Game+ file.

In the Zero games, loading this save file will start a new game that gives you all the upgrades and collectables that you had when you beat the game, minus anything that needs to be re-earned for story reasons. On the save/load screen, clear data files are indicated with an extra number to the right of the play time.

In the ZX games, your clear save data remembers what upgrades and collectables you had when you beat the game, but loading that file starts you just before the final mission (so you can go back and get anything you missed). On the save/load screen, clear data files have “CLEARED!!” written on them.

Mega Man Zero 1

How does this game fit into the continuity of the greater Mega Man franchise?

This game takes place at least a century after the Mega Man X series. Supposedly, the end of Zero’s storyline in Mega Man X6 (where he is sealed in a stasis capsule for the next hundred years or so) leads into the beginning of Mega Man Zero. However, this is problematic because Zero continues to appear in subsequent Mega Man X games. This means that either:

1. The ending of Mega Man X6 creates a split in the continuity, where X’s ending leads to Mega Man X7 and Zero’s ending leads to Mega Man Zero;
   
2. Zero’s ending in Mega Man X6 inexplicably takes place after a huge time skip, placing it after all the other X games; or
   
3. Zero’s ending in Mega Man X6 isn’t actually the connection to the Mega Man Zero series, and Zero is just really bad at staying locked in a stasis capsule.

Why is Zero’s visual design so different from how he looks in the X series?

This was an artistic decision, not a story-related one. You might be tempted to come up with some sort of canon explanation for the discrepancy, but one of the later Zero games makes it clear that the audience is expected to ignore visual continuity and pretend that Zero has always looked like this.

Why do I get a Game Over every time I die, instead of only when I run out of lives?

As a story-driven game, Mega Man Zero wants to emphasize Zero’s role as a legendary hero who can’t afford to lose. If he dies, the Resistance dies with him, and you’re supposed to feel terrible for letting everyone down. This is probably why extra Continues (the “Z” emblems) are so scarce—rebounding from story-ending failure requires a miracle.

How does the ranking system work?

At the end of each mission, you are awarded a rank based on your performance. This rank consists of your LEVEL, which is a letter grade of either S (superior), A, B, C, D, E, or F; and a CODE NAME, which describes your gameplay style.

Your level is determined by several factors: MISSION (completing the mission objectives), CLEAR TIME (completing the mission within a specific amount of time), ENEMY (destroying at least a certain number of enemies), DAMAGE (how much damage you received), RETRY (how many Continues you used), and ELF (how many Cyber-elves you used). The first two categories are worth 20 points and the rest are worth 15 points, but you can earn partial points if you come close enough to the target numbers.

To achieve a high score, you’ll need to complete every objective as quickly as possible, destroy every enemy you see, avoid taking damage at all costs, refrain from using Cyber-elves if you can survive without them, and reload your last save instead of using a Continue if you die (or else use Save-Assist to ensure a perfect RETRY score every time). Your current overall level, displayed under the health bar and on the Sub Screen, is the average of all previous mission ratings. Thus, a single bad mission result can bring down your rank for the rest of the game.

In this game, the ranking system is mostly for flavor and bragging rights—and that’s important, because the requirements for a good rank are outrageously demanding, even for experienced Mega Man players. A couple of things can only be unlocked if you have a level of S or A, and some bosses have special attacks (called EX Skills) that are only used at those higher levels, but you can and probably should ignore the ranking system if you’re just trying to survive to the end of the game.

How do Cyber-elves work?

Cyber-elves are living programs who can be used once per save file to activate special powers. Some Cyber-elves have instantaneous effects; others join Zero in battle when used, orbiting around him until you start a mission, end a mission, or get a Game Over; still others grant permanent upgrades that persist even after a Game Over. Cyber-elves are represented as floating, glowing orbs; they are found inside destructible crates and appear after defeating certain enemies.

There are three main types of Cyber-elves: Nurse, Animal, and Hacker. Here’s a quick overview:

NURSE: Any of the ones whose names end in -pie or -tan permanently increase max health or turn into a Sub-Tank, respectively. Winkie permanently adds a second layer to your health bar. Everyone else provides a onetime health refill of some sort.

ANIMAL: Shelter permanently increases your defense. Everyone else alters the gameplay either permanently or for the duration of the current mission, which may or may not be desirable, depending on your playstyle.

HACKER: Any of the ones whose names start with Cloc- increase your time limit when there's a countdown timer. Totten permanently gets rid of all spikes in the game. Everyone else has an effect on the enemies that usually makes the current mission easier, regardless of playstyle.

The Sub Screen has a page that displays which Cyber-elves you’ve collected, but you cannot activate them from there. To add Cyber-elves to your inventory for use, visit any Trans Server and select the “DOWNLOAD ELF” option. You can choose up to three Cyber-elves to take with you, which can then be activated from the main page of the Sub Screen at any time. The most powerful Cyber-elves (the ones with bigger portraits) cannot be downloaded immediately; first, you must feed them Energy Crystals to level them up (via the “FEED ELF” option). A few Cyber-elves must be leveled up more than once before they become usable.

Cyber-elves have several drawbacks. First, using them decreases your ELF score on the mission result screen, even if you use them between missions. Second, because they can only be used once, it’s very easy to let their power go to waste, either from using them in the wrong situation or from being afraid to use them at all. Third, some Cyber-elf abilities (particularly the Animal ones) might actually make the game more difficult if you’re not accustomed to them. Fourth, Energy Crystals are not very plentiful, so you need to either spend excessive amounts of time grinding or be extremely selective about which Cyber-elves you feed. Fifth, from a story perspective, you’re expected to feel like a horrible hero because you’re commanding sentient programs to sacrifice themselves to make your job a little easier.

How do Element Chips work?

Element Chips, earned by defeating certain bosses, can be equipped to infuse your weapon with the power of the selected element (Fire, Ice, or Thunder). Enemies will take more or less damage depending on the element, and some of your attacks will have element-specific effects (for example, a charged Z-Buster shot with the Ice Chip equipped will freeze enemies).

How does weapon leveling work?

Every time you hit an enemy with a weapon, you get a little closer to unlocking a new or improved ability for that weapon. For the most part, abilities can be unlocked in any order; it’s not a completely linear progression of upgrades, despite what the stars on the Sub Screen may lead you to believe.

Certain abilities are unlocked faster if you perform attacks that are related to those abilities. For example, you will eventually unlock the rolling slash ability no matter which way you hit enemies with the Z-Saber, but you’ll unlock it much faster if you slash enemies while dashing. This is a critical time-saver if you’re planning to grind for upgrades; it should only take a matter of minutes to max out a weapon’s level if you’re doing it right.

Mega Man Zero 1 (cont'd)

Is anything in the game permanently missable?

Yes. Although you can revisit areas to clean up some of the things you’ve missed, several Cyber-elves can only be obtained from defeating certain enemies during certain missions, and a few Cyber-elves are hidden away in places that you may only get one chance to reach. One special Cyber-elf, named Jackson, only becomes available if you beat the game under very specific conditions. Failure to talk to all the NPCs repeatedly throughout the course of the game may have you miss out on some dialogue (which is true of every game in the series) and a couple rewards.

What’s more, some missions can be permanently failed if you die or don’t complete the required objectives. This will change Ciel’s dialogue when you return to the base, and it may lock you out of certain missions or prevent certain NPCs from appearing in the base. And, of course, you’ll miss out on any Cyber-elves, cutscenes, boss fights, and so forth that are specific to that mission.

The following ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements are missable: Permission To Enter (No. 9), Ice Breaker (No. 10). Additionally, the following cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: I’ll Leave This World To You… (No. 7). Lastly, the following is missable and cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: Patience Is a Virtue (No. 8).

All this is to say: Either commit to using a detailed walkthrough for the entire game, or just enjoy the ride and don’t worry about 100% completion on your first playthrough.

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Hard Mode, which imposes certain limitations and adjusts the game mechanics to put the player at a major disadvantage, is unlocked by beating the game. To activate Hard Mode, hold the left shoulder button (on a controller) or the “D” key (on a keyboard) while selecting NEW GAME from the title screen. A sound effect will confirm you’ve inputted the command correctly.

Ultimate Mode, which gives the player significant advantages beyond what can be found in the normal game, is unlocked by beating the game under certain conditions. To activate Ultimate Mode, hold the right shoulder button (on a controller) or the “C” key (on a keyboard) while selecting NEW GAME from the title screen. A sound effect will confirm you’ve inputted the command correctly.

How do I get past the NPCs who are preventing me from exploring outside the Resistance Base?

You’ll need to finish more missions before you can proceed. Missions take place across a series of interconnected locations; by the end of the game, you’ll be able to travel on foot from the Resistance Base to anywhere that a mission has taken place (or teleport there using a Trans Server).

How do I unlock the door behind Ciel in the Resistance Base?

You need to have a rank of either S or A. Your best bet is to ace the intro mission; otherwise, you’ll need to raise your rank with consistently excellent results on subsequent missions.

Why can’t I talk to Ciel in the Resistance Base? Did I glitch the game?

You’re probably standing too close to Ciel when trying to talk to her. Unlike every other NPC in the game, she’ll only talk to you if you’re farther away. Try standing under the ladder or on the left half of the screen.

I’m colorblind; is there anything I might have a hard time with?

Yes. Across the entire series, most bosses have health bars with two or even three layers, each one a different color. Likewise, Zero can gain a second layer to his own health bar. Some of the color combinations may be indistinguishable to you, making it seems like bosses aren’t taking any damage from Zero’s attacks, while in reality the top layer of the boss’s health bar is actually depleting.

Mega Man Zero 2

Have any core game mechanics changed from the previous game?

Yes. This game looks fairly similar on the surface, but it’s much more player-friendly than its predecessor.

Two new game mechanics have been added: Forms and EX Skills. More on those later.

Instead of having one big interconnected world to explore, each game location is now completely separate from the others. To revisit a location where a mission took place, stand on the big teleporter pad in the command room of the Resistance Base and talk to the Operator. Also, the Escape option on the Sub Screen is now used for returning to base when revisiting areas; it can no longer be used to abort missions in progress.

This is only relevant if you don’t use Save-Assist, but it is no longer possible to permanently fail a mission. You’ll still see the “MISSION FAILED” message if you lose, but you’re immediately returned to the last checkpoint to try again, assuming you have any lives left. On a Game Over, you are given the option to retry the mission, load a saved game, or quit.

The ranking system is the same as before. However, the target numbers (especially for DAMAGE) are generally more lenient, there are new code names, and having a high level is now even more important for 100% completion.

Cyber-elf mechanics are unchanged, but because there are no Trans Servers anymore, Cyber-elves are managed by talking to Ciel. There are new Cyber-elves with new abilities, and feeding them requires considerably fewer Energy Crystals than before. Energy Crystals are more plentiful, too. Consequently, grinding is less necessary and less time-consuming in this game.

The weapon roster is mostly the same, but the Triple Rod has been replaced with the Chain Rod, which allows for more interaction with the environment. Weapon leveling mechanics are unchanged, but the available upgrades are slightly different.

In place of Ultimate Mode, an “Ultimate Form” can be unlocked under certain conditions.

How do Forms work?

Forms are essentially different suits of armor you can equip; each one grants special abilities and changes your attack power, defense, and movement speed. With a couple secret exceptions, new Forms are unlocked at the completion of a mission (maximum of one per mission) as a reward for performing certain number-centric actions during the mission—for example, killing 50 enemies with the Z-Buster or collecting 25 energy capsules.

Forms can be changed at will on a secondary page of the Sub Screen. Only one Form may be used at a time.

How do EX Skills work?

EX Skills are special attacks that Zero can copy from the bosses he defeats. Some EX Skills add new Z-Saber moves that can be activated with the correct button combo, while others improve existing abilities for the Z-Buster, Shield Boomerang, and Chain Rod. EX Skills related to the Z-Saber and Z-Buster are affected by which Element Chip (if any) you have equipped.

In order to unlock a boss’s EX Skill, you must have a level of S or A when you beat the boss. Your performance on the mission result screen afterward only counts toward the next mission. (In other words, the notification for unlocking an EX Skill shows up too late; it should really appear when you beat the boss, not at the end of the mission results.) Note that you cannot earn EX Skills from the boss rematches that occur toward the end of the game.

If you find yourself stuck at a level of B or lower, there are four Hacker Cyber-elves (Acool, Anurray, Ashiro, Aterner) who can temporarily change your level to A for the duration of a mission, thus allowing you to unlock the boss’s EX Skill. However, using one of these Cyber-elves still reduces the ELF score at the end of the mission, so use them carefully if you care about your rank in the long term. Also be aware that changing your level to A will cause bosses to start using additional attacks, so you may want to consider waiting until you’re close to victory before activating the Cyber-elf.

EX Skills can be toggled on and off via a secondary page of the Sub Screen.

Is anything in the game permanently missable?

Yes, though compared with the previous game, this game is much more predictable and forgiving about it.

EX Skills are very easy to miss: you only have one chance to unlock them, and even with the help of the four aforementioned Hacker Cyber-elves, you still need to maintain consistently excellent mission results throughout most of the game in order to get them all. Depending on your playstyle, some Forms are also easy to miss, and you can only unlock one per mission.

Two Cyber-elves can be missed if you don’t talk to certain NPCs in the Resistance Base (specifically, Andrew and the right-side turret gunner) early enough in the game. Some NPCs won’t show up in the Resistance Base if you fail to rescue them on certain missions.

The following ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements are missable: Lookin’ Xy! (No. 13), Going Out With a Bang (No. 14). Additionally, the following cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: It’s Not Over Yet (No. 12).

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Hard Mode is unlocked by beating the game. To activate Hard Mode, hold the left shoulder button (on a controller) or the “D” key (on a keyboard) while selecting NEW GAME from the title screen. A sound effect will confirm you’ve inputted the command correctly.

The Gallery (accessible from the title screen and separate from the Gallery on the main menu of the collection) is unlocked by beating the game on Hard Mode.

What happened to Game Link mode?

In the original release, two players could link their Nintendo Game Boy Advance systems to play minigames together in Game Link mode. Unfortunately, any multiplayer modes from the original games have been omitted from the collection.

Mega Man Zero 3

Have any core game mechanics changed from the previous game?

Yes, significantly. The core gameplay is the same, but everything around it has been completely overhauled. Moreover, you can now skip cutscenes by pressing the Start/Sub Screen button.

Three new game mechanics have been added: Secret Disks, Cyberspace, and Bonus Cards. More on those later. Additionally, several minigames can now be unlocked by beating the game under specific conditions.

Cyber-elves are now managed on the Sub Screen—you can use as many as you want, anytime you want, without planning ahead between missions. Cyber-elves are now classified as either “Fusion” (which die when used and count against your ELF score) or “Satellite” (up to two of which can be equipped at a time, and which do not count against your ELF score). As before, Energy Crystals are used to level up certain Cyber-elves (the ones with an “L1” or “L2” icon); however, Energy Crystals can also be used to convert some Fusion elves to Satellite elves and vice-versa. There is no limit to how many times you can do this conversion, so be careful not to waste all your Energy Crystals thinking you’re upgrading a Cyber-elf when all you’re doing is changing their type back and forth.

The ranking system is essentially the same as before, but the scoring is even more lenient—achieving a level of “A” is now within reach for normal humans. An AVERAGE score has been added to the result screen, which shows the average of all mission results so far; this number has always existed (it’s how your current level is calculated in every game), but now it’s finally visible to the player.

EX Skills have returned, but the Form system has been removed. In its place, the Chip system has been expanded to include more than just weapon elements: now you can find Head, Body, and Foot Chips that grant special abilities.

Weapons no longer need to be leveled up; EX Skills notwithstanding, all weapon abilities are available from the start. The weapon roster is mostly the same, but the Chain Rod has been replaced with the Recoil Rod, which allows you to destroy certain blocks and launch yourself into the air.

How do Secret Disks work?

Secret Disks are the main collectable in this game. They are dropped by certain enemies, earned by talking to certain NPCs, and found sitting around in plain sight. A Secret Disk might contain a Cyber-elf, a Chip, some Energy Crystals, or a data file with a tiny bit of information about someone or something in the game. To reveal its contents, a Secret Disk must be decoded either on the mission result screen (which only works for some disks) or by Cerveau in the Resistance Base (which works for all disks).

How does Cyberspace work?

Each mission location has ghostly doors that lead to Cyberspace, which for all intents and purposes is the “easy mode” version of the level. In Cyberspace, there are fewer enemies, and every enemy drops a health refill when destroyed (which, unfortunately, means that they cannot drop Secret Disks). Every Cyber-elf with an “A” label on its icon automatically activates, regardless of whether it has been leveled up enough to use normally, without being permanently sacrificed and at no penalty to your ELF score. However, entering Cyberspace during a mission will decrease your MISSION score…unless you happen to encounter and defeat a secret boss there.

How do Bonus Cards work?

In the original Japanese release of Rockman Zero 3 for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, the player could unlock bonus content by swiping collectable cards through a hardware accessory called an e-Reader. The Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection preserves this functionality in the form of virtual e-Reader cards (Bonus Cards, found in the Gallery section), which are unlocked by earning ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements and apply to both the English and Japanese editions of the game.

Most Bonus Cards have an effect on gameplay, aesthetics, or NPC dialogue. Some Bonus Cards have no effect and are purely for the sake of collection, and a couple Bonus Cards can be used to instantly reset which effects are active (instead of manually deselecting each card). There is no penalty for using Bonus Cards, and there is no limit to how many can be active at once (though some effects are mutually exclusive).

Is anything in the game permanently missable?

Yes. As before, you only get one shot at earning EX Skills. The Secret Disks in the Resistance Base (given by NPCs or found sitting on the ground) become available or unavailable at different points in the game, and several Secret Disks can only be collected during the final mission; however, the rest are found in mission locations that can be revisited if you miss anything.

The following ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements are missable: Does A Body Good (No. 18), Cyber Diver (No. 19), Try Growin’ That Back! (No. 20), Fated Rematch (No. 21).

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Hard Mode is unlocked by beating the game. To activate Hard Mode, hold the left shoulder button (on a controller) or the “D” key (on a keyboard) while selecting NEW GAME from the title screen. A sound effect will confirm you’ve inputted the command correctly.

Several minigames (accessible from the title screen) and Ultimate Mode are unlocked by beating the game under certain conditions. To activate Ultimate Mode, hold the right shoulder button (on a controller) or the “C” key (on a keyboard) while selecting NEW GAME from the title screen. A sound effect will confirm you’ve inputted the command correctly.

The new villain looks really familiar. Is it who I think it is?

Assuming you’re thinking of a certain mad scientist from the Classic Mega Man series, the answer is no. The name and appearance of Dr. Weil are suspiciously similar to Dr. Wily, but there’s no canonical evidence that the character in question is the same person or somehow related. Capcom just likes to design similar but unrelated characters that inspire fan theories (see also: Serges in Mega Man X2, Wily in Mega Man Legends).

I’m colorblind; is there anything I might have a hard time with?

Yes. At one point in the game, there is a memory puzzle involving color-coded doors. Although the puzzle can be completed through trial and error, your MISSION and CLEAR TIME scores will suffer for it, so you may wish to consult a map or walkthrough.

Mega Man Zero 4

Have any core game mechanics changed from the previous game?

Two new game mechanics have been added: a weather system and item recipes. More on those later.

Now there is only one Cyber-elf, given to Zero early in the game, who allows the player to select one Nurse ability, one Animal ability, and one Hacker ability to have active at all times. Additional ability options are unlocked by feeding Energy Crystals to the Cyber-elf. Each ability has a level number attached to it; the sum of the level numbers for all active abilities is called the Elf Total (or Used Lv.). This is compared against Elf Capacity (or Max Lv.), a number that increases with each boss you defeat. During a mission, you will suffer a penalty to your ELF score if the Elf Total exceeds the Elf Capacity.

At one point, Zero is prompted to give the Cyber-elf a name, using suggestions from the various Resistance members; the name that is chosen will give a permanent boost to one or more of the Cyber-elf’s abilities. For example, the name “Croire” speeds up the Nurse Lv. 1 and Lv. 6 abilities, whereas the name “Nouvelle” increases the damage done by the Hacker Lv. 2 ability.

The ranking system has been adjusted to accommodate the new WEATHER score, which rewards you for completing the mission with the weather gimmick turned on. Notably, the maximum ELF score is now 0—instead of being rewarded for avoiding a core game mechanic, you are penalized for taking advantage of that game mechanic beyond what you’ve earned the right to use.

EX Skills no longer have any connection to the ranking system. Instead, they are tied to the weather system. This effectively makes the ranking system completely irrelevant, unless you care about bragging rights or are trying to unlock the one minigame that requires you to have a level of S when you beat the game.

Element Chips have been removed. Instead, certain EX Skills and Animal Cyber-elf abilities inherently have an elemental effect. Secret Disks have also been removed, though Parts (more on those later) play a similar role. Head, Body, and Foot Chips have returned (albeit with a different assortment of abilities), but now they must be crafted using item recipes.

The Recoil Rod has been replaced with the Zero Knuckle, which allows you to steal enemies’ weapons and interact with the environment in ways that the other weapons cannot. Note that if you steal a weapon, you will continue to hold it—even if it has run out of ammo—until you toss it (using the new Toss button, which can be configured on the Sub Screen).

On the Sub Screen, you can now toggle Command Dash (double-tap to dash) on and off.

How does the weather system work?

Each mission to defeat an Einherjar Eight Warrior has two possible weather conditions, one favorable to the player (“easy”) and one favorable to the boss (“hard”). Gimmicks and hazards that exist in “hard” weather, such as slippery floors and vision-obscuring clouds, may be toned down or completely absent in “easy” weather. Additionally, bosses only use their EX Skills in “hard” weather.

There are two benefits to playing a mission in “hard” weather: first, you will receive full points for the WEATHER score on the mission result screen; second, you will earn the boss’s EX Skill, regardless of your level. However, missions are almost always more difficult this way, so it may be desirable or necessary to play some missions in “easy” weather.

On the mission selection screen, missions with “hard” weather are indicated by a glowing border around the location icon, and Rouge (the Operator) has extra dialogue when describing missions with “easy” weather. On Normal difficulty, you can change the weather before starting a mission; on Hard difficulty, you’re stuck with whatever assortment of weather conditions the game wants to give you.

How do Parts and item recipes work?

Parts are square-shaped items with a picture of a wrench on them. Enemies will randomly drop specific Parts when defeated, and a few Parts can be found lying around in secret areas. You can see which types of Parts you’ve collected, and how many, via one of the pages on the Sub Screen. Collecting Parts will automatically add new entries to the Database (accessible from the title screen).

To use the Parts you’ve collected, speak with Cerveau in the Resistance Trailer and select the “Item recipes” option. On the Plan tab, you can create specific items based on recipes you’ve learned, if you have the required Parts. On the Parts tab, you can combine Parts without following a recipe, creating mystery items that may or may not be useful. You can discover new recipes by talking to NPCs at various points throughout the game (make sure to talk to everyone twice after every major plot event).

Recipes technically aren’t necessary to create items; they’re simply a shortcut to create specific items instantly and without any guesswork. In fact, there are several secret recipes that only appear in the Plan tab after you create the relevant item in the Parts tab. Discovering every secret recipe requires close attention to dialogue clues (remember to talk to your Cyber-elf occasionally!), trial and error, and/or looking stuff up online.

If you blindly combine Parts without a recipe, you are likely to create Junk, which is a type of Part that is generally useless. However, there are secret recipes that use Junk as an ingredient, which is especially relevant if you’re trying to earn the “…What, This Old Thing?” ZZ Card/Steam Achievement.

Is anything in the game permanently missable?

Yes. If you play any mission with the weather gimmick turned off, you will not earn the EX Skill of the boss. Although all other Parts are found in mission areas that can be revisited, the one called Moloid is only available during one specific mission. Recipes can be missed if you don’t talk to certain NPCs enough times over the course of the game; however, you can still create the items in question without having learned the recipes for them. Head, Body, and Foot Chips can be created until you start the final mission, but it’s easy to miss some if you don’t know that they exist or how to make them. Similarly, if you haven’t collected all Sub-Tanks or leveled up your Cyber-elf to maximum before starting the final mission, you won’t have another opportunity to do so.

The following ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements are missable: Chip Maker (No. 24), Crystal Maker (No. 25), …What, This Old Thing? (No. 26). Additionally, the following cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: Watch, Zero… (No. 23).

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Hard Mode is unlocked by beating the game. When you select New Game from the title screen, you will be given the option of Normal Mode or Hard Mode.

Several minigames (accessible from the title screen) and Ultimate Mode and are unlocked by beating the game under certain conditions. Ultimate Mode is added as another option when you select New Game from the title screen.

What’s the significance of Ciel namedropping the space colony Eurasia?

In Mega Man X5, the heroes are racing against time to destroy the space colony Eurasia before it crashes into Earth. The story plays out differently depending on whether the heroes are successful. Because Area Zero is said to be the crash site of the colony, that means the Zero series exists in a “bad” timeline where neither the Enigma cannon nor the space shuttle destroyed the colony, resulting in a cataclysmic collision with Earth that nearly wiped out humanity.

I’m colorblind; is there anything I might have a hard time with?

One mission has a color-coded physics gimmick that may put you at a disadvantage, so memorization and/or an ability to adapt quickly to surprises may be required in place of color recognition. Also, at least one recipe clue relies on color recognition to be helpful.

Mega Man ZX

How is ZX different from the Zero series?

ZX is the start of a new spinoff series that takes place at least two centuries after the Zero series. The world has changed, and almost all of the characters (including the protagonists, Vent and Aile) are completely new. Several aspects of the Zero series have been overhauled or removed, often in favor of something more in line with the X series.

Whereas the Zero series gives you missions and then lets you return to the mission locations, ZX gives you an interconnected world to explore and then sends you to specific locations for the missions, many of which are optional. ZX also lets you choose between two playable characters at the start of the game; more on them later.

You can now transform into different forms that give you different mobility and combat abilities, so the gameplay is a little more focused on platforming and puzzle-solving. On the Sub Screen, the OPTIONS page now includes an Action Mode tab where you can specify whether hovering and swimming abilities are activated with a button toggle (Type A) or by holding the button (Type B).

Cyber-elves, EX Skills, Parts, and the ranking system have been removed, though your combat performance against the bosses is still rated (albeit quite differently); more on that later. Secret Disks are back again, but now they exclusively contain information about enemies and characters (no secret items); their contents can be read in the Lab in Area X-1. Life Up items (glowing orbs) that permanently increase your maximum health have been added.

E-Crystals are much less important than they were in the Zero series. Primarily, they can be used to repair Biometals (more on that later); additionally, they can be spent at the Arcade in Area C-2 and used to purchase special items from a couple NPCs.

Visiting a Trans Server will now refill your health and also replenish your Continues if you’re below a certain threshold. Large items can now be sliced into a random assortment of smaller items using an uncharged saber slash.

Various inventory items are given to you by NPCs, earned from completing missions, discovered as part of a mission, or (rarely) acquired through special actions such as beating the stuffing out of a particular doll hanging from a particular ceiling. More on these later.

Why are there two screens?

The game was originally released for the Nintendo DS, a system with a regular screen and a touchscreen. The Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection preserves the touchscreen functionality, except you use a cursor to interact with the screen. Consult the Manual for touchscreen controls. To change the position of the touchscreen, open the collection’s in-game options menu and select Screen Layout.

What’s the difference between Vent and Aile?
In terms of gameplay, Vent swims faster and has less knockback when hit, whereas Aile crawls faster and climbs ladders faster. Both characters have one optional mission that is unique to them, though the reward is the same. The color of Aile’s clothes can be changed by talking to a certain NPC.

In terms of personality, Vent is brash and headstrong while Aile is sensitive and circumspect. Some of the dialogue is different depending on the character, but the overall story is the same.

It’s unclear whether Vent and Aile are somehow related (perhaps brother and sister), not at all related (despite having a similar appearance, working at the same company, and having the same backstory), or alternate universe versions of each other. There is no “right” or “wrong” choice if you care about story continuity with the next game; ZX Advent treats both characters as equally canonical. Note that you cannot change characters after starting the game.

How do missions work?

Missions become available by progressing the main story and by talking to certain NPCs (try talking to everyone multiple times throughout the game). Once a mission is available, it remains available until you complete it. To begin a mission, go to any Trans Server or Data Station and select the MISSION REQUESTS option. Note that no distinction is made between mandatory and optional missions on the menu.

When a mission is active, a “G” (for Gyro Express) icon appears in the top left corner of the screen. When you have completed the mission objectives, the icon begins blinking and a sound effect plays. Visit any Trans Server or Data Station and select the MISSION RESULT option to complete the mission and claim your reward. Often the reward is E-Crystals, but you may also receive special items. After completing a mission, it’s good practice to go back and talk to the person who gave you the mission, in case they have anything more to tell you.

To abort a mission in progress, go to any Trans Server or Data Station and select the ABORT MISSION option. This will take you back to the Trans Server or Data Station where you initially accepted the mission. You will keep any E-Crystals and upgrades you collected, but any other progress will be reset. An aborted mission can always be restarted later.

Beware that aborting a mission can be very disorienting. It’s easy to lose track of what progress was undone, especially if you did a lot of exploration after initiating the mission. Save-Assist adds an extra layer of complexity: if you die after aborting a mission but before touching another save point, you might restart in a completely different area with the mission still active. It is highly recommended that you save your game at the Trans Server or Data Station closest to the mission location, and then begin the mission from there.

Note that mission objectives can only be completed while the mission is active. Mission-critical characters and objects do not appear in the mission location otherwise. If someone or something isn’t showing up where they’re supposed to, make sure the “G” icon is present, otherwise you’ve forgotten to actually start the mission.

Mega Man ZX (cont'd)

How do Biometals work?

Biometals allow you to transform into different forms with different combat and mobility abilities. They are given to you during the main story and collected by defeating Pseudoroid bosses. You can change forms at any time, as long as you’re not currently performing an action such as shooting or crawling. Note that some NPCs will respond differently if you are in any form other than Human.

The abilities for each Biometal are varied and not always obvious. You might be able to hang from ceilings and chains, dash vertically in the air, destroy special blocks with a charged shot, or swim freely in any direction underwater, for example. Try pressing different buttons while in the air, and try holding different directions when you press buttons. Also look at the touchscreen; some Biometals display useful information there, and one adds a Buster Edit feature where you can modify the movement pattern of your shots.

Some Biometals have an energy meter, which can be refilled by the rectangular items dropped by enemies and found lying around the world. Charged attacks use a set amount of energy, and Overdrive mode slowly depletes energy. When in Overdrive mode, your attacks are more powerful, and one model gains invincibility while dashing. Overdrive mode can be toggled on and off using the button you’ve configured on the Sub Screen.

Each Pseudoroid boss stores its Biometal in a different part of its body, which you can see on the touchscreen if you’re playing as one particular model. The more times you hit that body part during battle, the more you damage the Biometal. A sound effect and flash of light will let you know if you’ve damaged the Biometal, and the boss’s health bar will start flashing red. When you defeat the boss, the amount of energy the Biometal starts with is determined by how much the Biometal was damaged in the fight.

The worst result is a Lv. 1 Victory, where the Biometal is heavily damaged and starts with greatly reduced energy. The best result is a Lv. 4 Victory, where the Biometal is not damaged at all and starts with maximum energy. A Lv. 4 Victory also adds a plushie of the boss you defeated to Prairie’s room in Area X-1.

Don’t worry about achieving a Lv. 4 Victory on your first try. Over time, Pseudoroid bosses regenerate and can be re-fought in the room where you originally found them; a text popup will notify you when that occurs. Additionally, Fleuve in Area X-1 can repair damaged Biometals in exchange for E-Crystals, so you can effectively buy your way to a Lv. 4 Victory (minus the plushie).

What’s the difference between Item A, Item B, and Item C?
The ITEMS page of the Sub Screen has three categories of item that you can collect. Item A is for consumables that you use manually (don’t be afraid to use these; you can always get replacements from where you first collected them). Item B is for equipment that you can toggle on and off. Item C is for items that are used automatically when needed.

How do I read the map on the Sub Screen?

Unfortunately, the map doesn’t accurately depict the layout of the world. You’re better off finding a fan-created map online. The map is mainly only useful as a reminder of which Areas you’ve explored and which ones connect to each other; the relative locations of the Areas and their connections are meaningless. If an Area is flashing, it means the boss you previously defeated in that area has regenerated and can be fought again. Upward-swooping arrows indicate Trans Servers, and “T” symbols indicate Data Stations. The bouncing arrow points to the Area you’re currently in.

How does the Arcade work?

The Arcade in Area C-2 is purely for fun and offers no rewards other than bragging rights. Two arcade games become available automatically as you progress through the game, one unlocks after you beat the high score in one of these games, and one unlocks after beating the final boss.

What is Link Mode?

In the original Nintendo DS release of Mega Man ZX, players could insert a Mega Man Zero 3 or Mega Man Zero 4 game cartridge into the DS to unlock one of two special doors in Area N-1. The Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection preserves this functionality in the form of Link Mode.

From the main menu of the collection, select Mega Man ZX and then press the button for Link Mode indicated at the bottom of the screen. A new menu will pop up where you can select whether to link ZX to Zero 3 or Zero 4 (or neither, but that’s no fun). In Area N-1, the door that corresponds with the game you linked will be unlocked.

Completing the challenge behind either door will allow you to enter a side room containing a special item. You can also gain access to the side room by beating the secret boss of Area N-1, regardless of whether Link Mode is used.

Is anything in the game permanently missable?

Shockingly, no. Even when it looks like you’ve made an irrevocable mistake (eg, achieving lower than a Lv. 4 Victory against a boss or answering a quiz question incorrectly), there is always another way to get what you missed. Thanks to clear data, you don’t even need to have collected everything before beating the game (in fact, there are a couple things that you can only get after beating the game).

The following ZZ Cards/Steam Achievements are easily overlooked (though not permanently missable): Like Taking Candy From A Baby (No. 29), To The Nines (No. 30). Additionally, the following cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: Towards The Future I Believe In (No. 28). Lastly, the following is easily overlooked (though not permanently missable) and cannot be earned in Casual Scenario Mode: Bloodthirsty Messiah (No. 32).

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Hard Mode and a new game in the Arcade in Area C-2 are unlocked by beating the game. When you select New Game from the title screen, you will be given the option of Normal Mode or Hard Mode.

If you’ve beaten the game on Normal Mode or Hard Mode as both Vent and Aile, you can continue to use Model X after unlocking Model ZX in any new game.

If you load a clear data file where you have the Mysterious Rock, you can talk to Fleuve in Area X-1 for a special reward.

What do I do with the Mysterious Rock?

As mentioned above, bring it to Fleuve in Area X-1 after beating the game.

The leader of the Guardians seems really familiar. Is it who I think it is?

Assuming you’re thinking of a certain Resistance member from the Zero series, the answer is probably yes. It isn’t officially stated, but her stuffed animal and certain dialogue clues heavily imply that Prairie is (or used to be) Alouette.

I’m colorblind; is there anything I might have a hard time with?

Yes. Certain doors are color-coded and can only be opened using a card key of a corresponding color. These doors will open automatically if you have the correct card key, but trial and error may be required to determine whether a door matches a card you have. Additionally, one of the games in the Arcade in Area C-2 relies on color recognition and may be difficult or impossible to play.

Mega Man ZX Advent

Have any core game mechanics changed from the previous game?

Yes. After you defeat a Pseudoroid boss, you can now transform into that boss, dramatically altering your mobility and combat abilities. Because of the size differences between forms, you can only transform if there is physically enough space to accommodate the form you’re changing into. Your transformation options can be accessed from the touchscreen if desired, and you can rearrange the order. The controls for your current form are now listed on a secondary page of the Sub Screen.

The map has been overhauled to be more useful, and victory levels have been replaced with a medal system. More on those later.

Biometal energy now refills automatically when not in use. This ensures you’ll never get stuck anywhere, as the game occasionally requires you to use energy-consuming transformation abilities to proceed. A new item called a BM Upgrade, which looks like a jar with three swirling orbs inside, permanently increases your maximum Biometal energy.

There are now two types of missions: Missions (capital “M”), which advance the main plot; and Quests, which are optional. Missions and Quests begin automatically when you receive them, can be completed in any order, and cannot be aborted. This means you can work toward completing multiple missions at once, but it also means you might get distracted or sidetracked by missions that you don’t want to deal with yet. You can keep track of your Missions and Quests on the Sub Screen. Rewards for Missions are given automatically when you use a Trans Server after completion; rewards for Quests are given immediately upon completion.

Trans Servers are now one-way teleporters to Warp Points that are scattered around the world. Two-way teleportation between Trans Servers is no longer possible. Warp Points are typically discovered during normal exploration and must be activated using E-Crystals (except in Casual Scenario Mode, where they’re free). Some Warp Points are provided automatically as part of the story. Instead of selecting your teleportation destination from a list, you select an active Warp Point from the map.

What’s the difference between Grey and Ashe?

In terms of gameplay, Grey has less knockback when hit and his uncharged buster shots have a higher rate of fire, while Ashe climbs ladders faster and her uncharged buster shots do more damage. (The “Rapid Fire” and “Attack” abilities mentioned on the character selection screen refer to uncharged buster shots.) Both characters have a different intro stage as well as different special attacks for their humanoid transformations.

In terms of personality, Grey is an amnesiac who is confused or surprised by basically everything, while Ashe is a spunky bounty hunter. Although the main story plays out the same for both characters, several elements are highly personalized. Of particular note, Grey’s story has a connection with Aile from ZX, while Ashe’s story has a connection with Vent from ZX.

How does the touchscreen map work?

The map has two views: Rough Map and Detailed Map. The button in the bottom left corner of the touchscreen (the one with two rectangles) toggles between these two views. The button in the bottom right corner of the touchscreen (the one with either an “A” or an image of a globe, depending on which screen you’re on) toggles between map view and transformation view.

The Rough Map shows you the relative locations of all Areas you’ve discovered, and which ones connect. It also shows which Areas have a Trans Server (indicated by an upward-swooping arrow). Any Area with an active Warp Point will glow red; when using a Trans Server, choose the Transport option and select one of these Areas to teleport there. You can scroll the map by moving the touchscreen cursor around; to re-center the map on your current location, press the smallest button on the touchscreen (the one with a circle atop a triangle).

The Detailed Map shows you the layout of the current room. Each square represents one screen. Red arrows indicate exits to other Areas; blue arrows indicate exits to other rooms within the current Area. The red circle atop a rotating red arrow indicates your current location. The Trans Server symbol is the same as on the Rough Map.

Note that while you are using certain transformations, the map will be replaced with that transformation’s special touchscreen ability. The aforementioned globe image will change to the icon for that transformation.

How does the medal system work?

Medals are earned by defeating Pseudoroid bosses in very specific ways, such as only hitting one particular body part or using a particular attack to finish the fight. Medals come in Bronze, Silver, and Gold, indicating the relative difficulty of each victory condition, but all medals are equally valuable. The NPCs standing on the rooftops in Hunter’s Camp1 will explain the victory conditions once you have the transformations necessary to achieve them. The medals you’ve earned are stored in the back room of the café (the building labeled “01”) in that same location.

One ZZ Card/Steam Achievement is tied to medals, and a secret bonus is awarded when starting a new game after collecting all medals.

Are there any rewards for beating the game?

Several minigames (accessible from the title screen) and Expert Mode (the equivalent of Hard Mode in the other games) are unlocked by beating the game. When you select New Game from the title screen, you will be given the option of Normal Mode or Expert Mode.

If you beat the game on Expert Mode, an extra cutscene will play after the credits.

If you load your clear data file, a door in Oil Field3 (which must be excavated by paying an NPC) becomes unlocked. Behind the door is a unique item that is different depending on what month of the year it is, according to your computer clock.

The Sage Trinity and Model A look really familiar. Are they who I think they are?

Thomas, Mikhail, and Albert of the Sage Trinity certainly seem to be related to Dr. Thomas Light, Dr. Mikhail Cossack, and Dr. Albert Wily from the Classic Mega Man series. Model A certainly looks, sounds, and transforms like Axl from the Mega Man X series. However, this may be another case of Capcom designing similar but unrelated characters. Some of the dialogue and voice acting make any connections seem unlikely.

I’m colorblind; is there anything I might have a hard time with?

One Area has color-coded machines that must be destroyed to release corresponding color-coded door locks. However, all you need to do is destroy all the machines in the Area, so color recognition isn’t technically necessary to succeed. Also, the arrows on the touchscreen’s Detailed Map are color-coded, but color recognition once again isn’t technically necessary for them to be useful.

What happened to the Gem Buster minigame?

In the original release, two players could connect their Nintendo DS systems to play a minigame together called Gem Buster. Unfortunately, any multiplayer modes from the original games have been omitted from the collection.

Acknowledgments

Although much of this guide is based on my own experience and research, I relied heavily on the expertise of more devoted Zero/ZX fans to fill in the gaps. Here are some of the most useful resources I consulted (and remembered to make a note of) in the course of writing this guide:

The StrategyWiki pages for the Zero games: https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Category:Mega_Man_Zero

Mega Man Zero 3 Rank Requirement Guide by Desert Gunstar: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/gba/920055-mega-man-zero-3/faqs/60177

Mega Man ZX Guide and Walkthrough by snkupo: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ds/931475-mega-man-zx/faqs/49041

Mega Man ZX Subquest Guide by Magnus_Gallant: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ds/931475-mega-man-zx/faqs/43885

This thread on GameFAQs about Vent and Aile: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/931475-mega-man-zx/56485483

Mega Man Knowledge Base page on the Overdrive Invoke System: https://megaman.fandom.com/wiki/Overdrive_Invoke_System

Mega Man ZX Advent Guide and Walkthrough by snkupo: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ds/937937-mega-man-zx-advent/faqs/51430

Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection Missing and Altered Content by CrowRising: https://steamsplay.com/mega-man-zero-zx-legacy-collection-missing-and-altered-content/

Mega Man Zero ~ How Weapons TRULY Level Up (Weapon Leveling Guide) by Magnus Zero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we3jtErpRP8

Special thanks to Zapetroid for providing a sanity check of this guide prior to release.

[Mainboard]

small itty bitty minor tiny correction on the ZX section... the G logo is not for the giro express, but it is the Guardians logo.