With all these games, it may be tricky for a newcomer to decide which ones are worth the bother. Of course, a decision on what game to buy often depends on what games can be found in the stores, because most of these games are out of print and thus difficult to find. However, not withstanding that, here are some of the ones which stand out in my eyes. Remember, everyone’s opinions are different so take this with a grain of salt.
If you’re wondering where to search to find some of these, try the Buyer’s Guide.
- Mega Man V and/or Mega Man IV
Two of the best games in the original series, hands down, even despite the fact that they are for Game Boy. - Mega Man 2
If you’re going to truly experience Mega Man, you have to try the classic that started it all. Well, technically the first game started it, but the second one is the real classic. - Mega Man Legends
Okay, so this isn’t even remotely a Mega Man game, but hey, it’s still a brilliant game and lots of fun. - Mega Man X
Just a high-quality game all around. Sort of the classic for the X series. You can alternately try the port Maverick Hunter X if you have the right game system. - Mega Man 3
Okay, so I have to list this one, as it’s my favorite of the NES games. This game hit the peak for play control, Rush Jet was actually useful in it, and it broke away from the trend of “eight stages and a fortress or two.” - Mega Man X Command Mission
An RPG rather than a classic game, but it has a good battle engine and is a lot of fun to play. Just ignore the plot. And the ending. - Mega Man ZX
It’s like a Zero series game, but without the insane difficulty. Overall a very solid title. - Mega Man Battle Network 3
It’s hard to recommend a specific game in this series because they’re all so similar; I personally like the Style Changes in Battle Network 3 better than the Soul Unisons used in later games, but later games are more polished. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, however. (You could also, if you wanted, substitute one of the Star Force games instead, since they play so similarly.) - Battle & Chase
This is a true diamond in the rough. It’ll take some getting used to the play control (even I didn’t like it much when I first started playing it), but once you do you’ll have lots of fun. If you live in North America, the easiest way to get it is via the X Collection. - Mega Man Xtreme 2
The level design isn’t the best, but this game has a nice switch ability between X and Zero, as well as plenty of plot scenes. - Mega Man 11
Honorable mention: This one has great eye-candy and excellent play control. Not much plot or exploration, few bonus features, and relatively short, but still a pretty solid title in terms of quality.