Mega Man X2

This fires a stream of bubbles. When charged, the bubbles surround the user and allow him to jump higher while underwater.

Fires a small blue crystal which can encase enemies in crystal. This crystal can then be used as a stepping stone over spikes or to reach higher areas. When charged, this creates a pod which floats forward, sending the entire area into a sea-like slow-motion mode.

Shoots a mine horizontally, although its direction can be influenced with the control pad. If it hits a wall, it will attach itself there. Explodes when it comes into contact with an animate object. When charged it creates a slow-moving ball of energy that travels forward.

Fires a clump of debris. When charged, this weapon pulls debris to you which you can then hurl at enemies. If you charge the Silk Shot at certain spots (try where the helmet targets) you will draw in lots of energy instead of junk.

Fires half-moon shaped bits of energy. When charged, causes sonic slices to be rained down from above.

Under normal circumstances, this shoots fireballs. However, when charged it allows the user to dash while surrounded by fire, literally turning himself into a giant fireball.

A large wheel grinds along the ground. This is capable of cutting through certain floors. When charged, wheels are fired in eight directions.

An energy-based chain jets forward a short distance. This can be used to grab onto objects; doing so will pull the user to the snared object.

Energy pellets refill your life meter. The small ones refill 2 units—not a whole lot, but it can really add up. They will also fill your Sub-Tanks if your life meter is full.

These globes are the same as energy pellets except that more energy is refilled.

The colored pellets are weapon energy. They refill your current weapon when picked up. If you aren’t equipped with a weapon or your weapon is full, the energy goes to another weapon that needs it.

These are the same as weapon energy pellets except that more energy is refilled.

Extra lives. If you have one of these when you bite the dust, you’ll be given another chance at the stage.

This adds two units X’s energy meter. That’s two units to his maximum health—you can literally increase the total size of your energy bar with these.

These are permanent containers that can be used to store spare energy and carry it around until it is needed. They are reusable and can be refilled as often as necessary. To fill a Sub-Tank, acquire energy when your energy meter is full, and the energy will go to your tank instead. Tanks which are not completely full may still be used, but they won’t restore much of your energy. A full tank, on the other hand, will always completely refill your health no matter how large your energy meter is. Passwords record which Tanks you’ve found, but they never make note of how full they were; thus whenever you restore a game, all of your tanks will be empty. You must refill them whenever you start the game.

This is a robot walker than X can get into and maneuver around. Most of the controls are the same while in the Ride Armor (jump, attack, and so forth). When you are in a Ride Armor and get hit, the armor takes the damage, rather than X, but after it suffers too much damage, it will be destroyed. (You’ll notice it flashing before this happens.) To hop out of a Ride Armor, press up + jump.

X can dash from the start in this game; thus, the boots in this game allow X to air-dash. The air-dash is simply a dash while X is in the middle of a jump; while in mid-air, use any of the methods of dashing to cause X to thrust himself horizontally in the direction he is facing. You can only air-dash once per jump, and if you dashed (on the ground) before jumping, that counts too and thus you won’t be able to air-dash for that jump.

This helmet finds secrets. Activate it and a targeting cursor will travel forward. If there is anything to point out, the cursor will move to that spot and target it, then vanish. The area targeted isn’t always specifically where the secret is hidden, but rather the target stops on a spot that is designed to give you a hint as to how to uncover the secret. For instance, if you need to climb a wall to find a secret passage, the helmet will target the wall, not the passage. If you need to drill through the floor... you get the idea. Incidentally, if the helmet targets in the middle of an empty room for seemingly no reason, it’s probably a Silk Shot room. Try charging up the Silk Shot and see what you find.

Since just decreasing damage is a bit dull, Capcom gave the armor in this game an actual use. When activated, the armor allows X to concentrate energy and release it in a massive explosion. The armor has its own energy meter which is recharged as the armor absorbs certain hits. Generally, X must be struck with energy-based weapons in order for the armor to absorb the hit. You will hear a special sound effect when this occurs.

In addition to allowing X to charge up special weapons, this gives him the ability to charge both arm cannons separately, thus being able to fire two super shots in succession.

In the style of the Fireball, there is a Street Fighter move in this game as well. This is a Dragon Punch, executed using forward, down, down-forward and the fire button. Note that you do not regain control of X until he lands, and since he moves forward while punching, you need to watch out that you do not land him on spikes. Something else to note is that X must have full health to pull off the maneuver, and he must be standing on the ground.

Commonly called simply “X,” this robot was built by Dr. Light for reasons unknown. He fights Mavericks to aid both humans and Reploids, but an inner hatred for violence prevents him from being as good of a Hunter as he could be.

A skilled Maverick Hunter who lets nothing hold him back. After being destroyed and rebuilt, Zero fights with X and the other Hunters full time.

Sigma is one of the Reploids Dr. Cain built from information gleamed from X himself. After going Maverick, Sigma has apparently determined that the human race is inferior to Reploids and must either be enslaved or killed. Like a persistent bug, he always returns even after he is defeated, usually in a new form, since though his bodies are defeated, apparently his programming continues to live on to cause more damage.

One of the three X-Hunters. He might be the leader of the three, although the personalities of these three are not well defined. It is unsure where the X-Hunters came from, although they were most likely working for Sigma.

Another of the X-Hunters, this large brute is probably more brawn than brain. He has a mace on a chain that he loves twirling around, smashing things.

The third X-Hunter, this guy is tall and thin and fairly fast, although the second (and last) time you meet him, he fights from within a machine instead of hand-to-hand.

This is the man who uncovered Dr. Light’s laboratory during a dig. He released X and built the Reploids, which were robots built with the help of X’s design.

The creator of X who manifests only as holograms in capsules. His capsules give X upgrades for his struggles ahead.

The room here is filled with water, but only partway, so you can’t use it for jumping. Bubble Crab uses a bubble as sort of a shield, but you can break through his defenses with a Spin Wheel, or just lots of arm cannon shots.

As his name suggests, this robot has a snail’s shell and he likes hiding in it, too. However, you can knock him out of it with a Magnet Mine. For even more fun, attach a mine to the wall behind you, then hit the snail. He will shoot out of his shell and smack into the mine you’d planted on the wall!

Residing in a volcano, this guy’s room has more height than width. He can be a flurry of activity, but if you splash him with some bubbles, you can occupy him so much that he won’t get around to most of his attacks.

This guy has a magnetic personality, but you can gunk that up by blasting him with the Silk Shot. Otherwise, you’ll not only have to worry about being attracted to him (groan) but you’ll also have to dodge his Magnet Mines...

Now this is one of the more original—and adorable—of the Mavericks. He begins the battle as a teeny little moth robot that is capable of drawing debris to himself in a spiral (to avoid this, try circling the room by running along the floor, climbing a wall, air-dashing over him, and repeating). Only after you damage him significantly does he show his true form. Try the Speed Burner.

This guy has an almost endless span of desert for a battle room. When Ostrich goes into the background, don’t bother running very far; if you manage to keep ahead of him, you will run forever. Instead, wait until just before he leaps, then move out of the way before he lands on you. Use the Crystal Hunter on him.

This battle takes place in a room filled with a strange flowing liquid. This liquid will not harm X, however; so it’s safe to stand there. Although the temptation is to climb the walls to get out of the gunk, it is actually to your favor to remain on the ground unless Wheel Gator goes under. Hit him with the Strike Chain to do more damage.

This is it: X is fighting a sponge. A sponge with pretty good range with those wire blades. If you want to do some slicing and dicing, use the Sonic Slicer, and watch that final hit!