Backwards you would get, Man Mega!
Gameplay: This game introduced a new maneuver for Mega Man. Mega is now able to slide. While it doesn't sound like much; this is one of the most useful abilities in the game. You can use it to dodge enemy attack, find shortcuts, and even can be used to speed the game up for pros looking for one part of the level they like. The Mega Buster is as fun as always; sending shot after shot. Mega controls pretty much the same as two; just right.
This game introduces eight more robot masters; and they put up a pretty good fight. Their levels are a ton of fun; my personal favorites being Shade Man and Hard Man. Along with these levels; Protoman is here, and he provides mini-bosses that are very fun, albeit repetitive. As for challenge, this game is slightly harder than Mega Man 2 I'd say, due to the bosses but not the levels. Even if you know the Paper, Rockman, Scissors approach, even with enemy weaknesses equipped; these baddies still pose a decent threat. Also, enemies aren't elemental so much, so a lot of the challenge comes from finding out how to hurt your enemies. Seriously, how does a magnet hurt Hardman? The world may never know...
The biggest gameplay issue though, is a bit ridiculous. LAG. SLOWDOWN. The frame rate can get very bad; so that you are practically playing frame-by-frame. This applies to the NES, ROM, and Virtual Console version. I have died many times over lag when under attack by legion after legion of enemies. 8/10
Graphics: Amazing! Each boss is artistically sprited; and the enemies all have a charisma about them that makes each level unforgettable. One big "Oh snap!" moment for me was in Shade Man's level, where an enemy takes the form of a lightbulb, and when it goes out; the giant metalic factory turns into a dark, space-y vortex around you that you'd have to see to believe. If it can be done with 8-bit, Megaman 3 has done it. 10/10
Sound: The soundtrack is great enough; but never seems to reach the degree of excellency of Megaman 2. All the same, Snake Man and Top man have themes worth mentioning; and as far as NES titles go, Megaman 3 is superior to most. Sound effects are good and fantasy-ish. Each weapon has a fun sound effect; I love the Gemini Laser, even if it isn't that practical. Which leads me to another issue that I forgot to list earlier. The special weapons aren't as fun as the Megaman 2 weapons. All weapons seem to just shoot forward like a flashier version of the Mega Buster. There aren't any fancy charge shots like Heatman's or air strikes like Airman's weapons. It's a shame, cuz there are some very creative robotmasters in this game, and I feel their weapons coulda reflected this a bit better. 8.5/10
Replayability: Multiple paths, over sixty different orders to beat the bosses; many encounters worth repeating. About as replayable as a side-scroller can get. 9/10
Overall: Not as great as Megaman 2, but still one of the best NES games out there. If you don't mind a challenge; be sure to check out Megaman 3, it is just wonderful! ACTUAL SCORE: 9.3/10