Even though the older games aren't my forte, I still enjoy them in this great collection.
The stories remain pretty much the same throughout all of the games. Dr. Wily has created a series of evil robots, and it's up to you to travel through the levels and defeat them once and for all! However, it's different for megaman 7 and 8. Each game actually has its own anime storyline with animation clips and dialogue, making for deeper adventures.
The gameplay is very simplistic, because you'll basically be using the same two buttons the entire time: jump and shoot (A + B). For megaman 1 – 6, you'll be put through platform jumping, enemy shooting, and ladder climbing obstacles that can actually be quite challenging. In fact, you could get stuck on a certain part, and after memorizing the right way to get through it, it'll be up to luck concerning dodging the remaining enemies. Enemies usually stick to set paths, but that doesn't make them easy to dodge. In fact, it can be quite tricky to reach the end of a level with your health intact. When you finally reach the boss, it's up to you to dodge his projectiles and counter-attack with your own. Many bosses are also pretty hard to defeat, so expect to be killed a good amount of times. Having to go all the way back through the obstacles you just passed to attempt to beat an annoying boss is definitely a pain, and that's the difficulty you have to deal with while playing these games. Luckily, the game saves after each boss you defeat, so you won't have to worry about that. With megaman 7 and 8, the controls are a little different. In short, you can slide and use a charged up shot. They aren't big differences, but handy nonetheless. The levels are a tad bit easier than previous games, and the boss fights are somewhat easier. The goal remains the same in every game: defeat the boss waiting at the end. You receive a new power-up every time you finish a battle, which can provide an elemental advantage against future enemies.
The music is pretty good and stays true to the original style of the games. The difficulty can be annoying at times, but each game has its moments. Replay value is good, considering that to unlock all of the secrets and extra games, you have to complete megaman 1 – 8 all the way through. Plus, if you enjoy the games, then there's no doubt you'll be coming back for more.
Overall, this is a great collection. Megaman veterans and fans should definitely pick this up, and others who've always wanted to try the original games should consider trying it out. Enjoy!