The 1988 sequel to Mega Man, Mega Man 2 is more of the same rock-hard platforming and shooting action on the Nintendo Entertainment System (aka the Famicom).

Your six major protagonists this time are: Bubble Man, Air Man, Quick Man, Heat Man, Wood Man, Metal Man, Flash Man, and Crash Man. And – as usual – each has their own themed level which you can choose from in the opening menu.

Defeat one of the bosses (not easy) and you get bestowed with a new-fangled power. And – believe me – having those extra powers helps!

Mega Man 2 is definitely more colourful and varied than the first game. There are some nice touches, like the foreground clouds moving over the playfield, and a proper intro, but ultimately it’s the same frustrating gameplay as before. Frustrating, but still enjoyable – and strangely compelling…

Of note is the soundtrack by Takashi Tateishi, which helps keep the game rolling along at a fast pace. I particularly like the song accompanying the Crash Man levels.

More: Mega Man 2 on Wikipedia