Glitches

This is a list of glitches and bugs in the Mega Man series, which are caused by programming errors. They may be harmless or hazardous. Some glitches are often exploited in Speed Runs, especially when tool-assisted.

Mega Man
If the game is paused with the Select button, it is possible for Mega Man to avoid damage and make his attacks hit multiple times. This is most effective with the Thunder Beam, especially when fighting the Yellow Devil. This is because enemies' "invincibility timer" doesn't freeze when the game is paused, so waiting till it ends and then unpause causes the enemy to get hit again. It is important to note that this glitch was removed from later versions and ports of Mega Man, as the pause button gets disabled briefly during the timer in effect. It only works on the original NES game and Mega Man Legacy Collection.

Using the Magnet Beam in a specific way or another glitch causes Mega Man to zip through stages. Other glitches include being hit before entering the boss room.

When a Flying Shell is hit with Ice Slasher and, while frozen, is either destroyed or goes off-screen, it will stop appearing.

At the final boss, if you get hit at the same time Wily Machine's first phase is defeated, pressing START repeatedly may cause Mega Man to constantly dart to the top-left part of the screen. You may end up in a glitchy corridor before the boss (as seen in the picture below). This can be done over and over again until Mega Man runs out of health.

Sometimes, at the end of Bomb Man's stage, the Sniper Joe in the upper room may get stuck on the wall when following Mega Man.

If you land on the ground after the final hit on the second phase of the Wily Machine (easily done with Rolling Cutter) and walk to the left you will be in the anti-chamber unable to move.

Mega Man Powered Up
When using Guts Man, using the Super Arm on some bosses may leave them stuck in a pattern. This is most notably when facing Elec Man, as using Super Arm in the beginning of the battle will make him walk on the summoned block until it is removed, allowing for an easy victory.

When using Time Man, his projectiles may pass through walls when fired in a specific point between a wall and a spike. This is notably useful to complete his ninth challenge in a short time.

A well known glitch in custom stages involve making custom boss rooms, involving placing the tiles along with a ladder in Construction mode in front of the boss door, with the boss room the creator want under the original boss room, jumping near the tiles and glitching through it into the original boss room, most of the time, the player and the boss will sink into the custom boss room. One can even have recovery items and enemies in the custom boss room.

Mega Man 2
When fighting a boss in his stage, touching the shutter may transport Mega Man to a glitched version of the Wily Stages.
 * Wily Stage 1 - Heat Man's stage, Bubble Lead
 * Wily Stage 2 - Air Man's stage, Item-1
 * Wily stage 3 - Wood Man's stage,  Item-1
 * Wily stage 4 - Bubble Man's stage, Item-1
 * Introduction screen - Crash Man's stage, Item-1

Like the first game, a glitch can cause Mega Man to zip through stages.

By changing certain Special Weapons, it is possible to use them indefinitely, as their energy will not decrease. This is due to 1 unit in the gauge being less than 1 in the total. For example, Metal Blade, with full energy and without recharging, can be used a total of 112 times, 4 times per unit. Using it 3 times, changing to another weapon, and equipping it again will reset the unit to 4. This can also be done with Quick Boomerang and Bubble Lead.

In the beginning of Wily Stage 1, Item-3 can be used in the left corner despite the lack of a wall. It can also be used in a small area in the beginning of Wood Man's stage.

If Pierobot goes off-screen before landing and his gear doesn't disappear, it will move in the air.

If Time Stopper is used in a room with a Friender before it teleports in, Mega Man won't be able to pass the area it will appear as the game reads that it is already present. However, using Time Stopper before entering the room will allow Mega Man to pass as the Friender won't start teleporting.

Pausing the game when Wood Man jumps will make him move up further. By pausing continuously one can leave him away from the ground and defenseless.

In Wood Man's stage, if you follow a Atomic Chicken (in the area they spawn in) all the way to the left wall, they'll walk straight through the wall.

If you kill a Pierobot bouncing on its giant gear before it falls down (without destroying the gear), the gear will slowly fly around in air until it goes offscreen.

Sometimes, if you do these two things at the same time when an enemy hits you: (Shoot a non-charged Atomic Fire and tap LEFT or RIGHT), Mega Man's leg will glitch and appear to be made of Life Energy. This will only appear quickly.

Mega Man 3
Using the second controller may cause various effects, such as a super jump, invincibility (if Mega man collects energy item, he is no longer invincible though), and freeze the game.

In Shadow Man's Doc Robot stage, on the second screen, sliding or jumping into the spikes, frames before the screen switches, the death noise plays, but the music stops. You can still complete the stage as normal.

In the pause menu, after obtaining the Shadow Blade or Spark Shot, highlighting the weapon and pressing the right button will respectively select the Rush Jet or Rush Marine, even if they were not obtained. By doing this, it is possible to use them earlier, but first they need to be recharged with Weapon Energy.

When entering a room that Proto Man appears, pause the game before landing on the floor to hear his whistle beyond the part it is interrupted.

The screen transition just before the second Tama in Top Man's stage can allow you to slide on air just before and while transitioning.

Mega Man 4
Using Wire adapter in a scrolling stage causes Mega Man to slide and he launches up into the sky when he goes off of the platform. When near near the end of the scrolling section in Dr. Cossack's Citadel, Mega Man will be stuck.

If the Wire adapter is used to beat the boss of the third level of Dr. Cossack's Citadel player is still with wire adaptor still on, mega Man will fall on spikes without dying.

If player uses Flash Stopper to beat the third boss of Dr Cossack's Citadel, it will freeze the time infinitely, leaving the player no choice but to jump onto the spikes and start over from the checkpoint.

If Tako Trash is hit with Drill Bomb, Mega Man will be able to move through its body without taking damage.

After defeating the Wily Machine 4, Dr. Wily flies away in a machine. While he is going up, use Rain Flush immediately to kill him. Doing this will leave the player stuck in the room and unable to beat the game.

Using Flash Stopper right before the victory sound will make all of the black colors in the background stay white.

In the part where the pistons are in Dust Man's stage, shoot at the blocks for the Metall EX. Make sure it's high. Let it go in the spot of blocks. If done right, Metall EX floats in the air.

If player enters Skull Man's boss fight and uses Balloon, Skull Man won't move, although player can move and shoot. Unfortunately, he cannot be harmed as well causing the player being unable to beat the game.

If the player uses Rush Marine in a short space, Mega Man will die when he enters Rush as it considers that he was crushed. Also, if Rush Marine is called in front of a high area, Rush may pass the floor and appear in the space available below.

Mega Man 5
In Wave Man's stage, using Super Arrow to jump over the Marine Bike will make Mega Man move on the water. He may get stuck in the area, but it is still possible to get the other side of the stage if the player stays on the screen.

In Gravity Man's stage, holding up and right when attempting to get to and climb the upside down ladder will result in Mega Man constantly seeming to jump and glitch around in the air. This glitch is not harmful.

Mega Man 6
Although difficult, it is possible to slide in the air to pass the Count Bombs before the boss room in Blizzard Man's stage.

Mega Man 7
Using Noise Crush just before entering the boss room may cause it to hit the boss, instantly killing him if timed right. This works primarily with Spring Man and Turbo Man. Doing so with Cloud Man causes the room to glitch out and requires a reset.

Mega Man 8
If Tengu Man is defeated while Mega Man is stuck in his air sphere, the player will be able to move after his explosion. If the player falls in one of the pits after taking the Evil Energy, Mega Man will return to the checkpoint and Tengu Man must be defeated again.

Mega Man & Bass
By using Lightning Bolt, the player can avoid the Monking A scene in King Stage 1. Also, Ice Wall can interfere with the scene.

Mega Man II
Metal Man may get stuck on walls.

In Metal Man's stage, Mega Man may receive damage for no apparent reason in one area. This is due to Moles appearing beyond the point they are supposed to.

Mega Man IV
If the rain from Rain Flush solidifies the quicksand on Pharaoh Man's stage when a Sasoreenu in burrowing, the Sasoreenu will be paralyzed and becomes invincible.

Mega Man V
There is a glitch that allows the Black Hole to damage and defeat the first form of the Brain Crusher by using it at point blank range. If the first form is defeated this way, the game will cut straight to the cutscene preceding Sunstar, skipping the Brain Crusher's second form.

Mega Man X (video game)
Although the player is not supposed to die against Vile with a Ride Armor, as he will try to capture X when his health is low, dodging his capture beam and getting contact damage will eventually result in X's death.

In Flame Mammoth's stage, it is possible to get above the ceiling by using the scrap Utuboros heads to jump into the tubes they fall from. This doesn't work in the European version.

In Storm Eagle's stage, using, can make a platform appear. When well used, this platform can be used like a magic carpet, flying the player to the end of the stage.

Shotgun Ice can be used to glitch in walls and skip the rematch against Armored Armadillo in Sigma's fortress.

Others.

Mega Man X2
Using Shoryuken before the sub-boss in Magna Centipede's stage will activate the Zero/Black Zero scene and following events.

In the final stage, when X reaches the room where Chop Register was fought and uses the Shoryuken at a certain distance, he may end up in the centre of the room during the following cutscene. If the player obtained all three of Zero's pieces, X will immediately fall through when Zero punches the hole in the floor, although Zero will continue with his dialogue. If the player does not close the dialogue box, Sigma's pre-fight dialogue will eventually override Zero's and when it closes, the player regains control of X earlier than they're supposed to. If the player preforms a Shoryuken while Sigma's life meter is filling up, X will become invincible during the fight until he preforms another Shoryuken or reaches Sigma's viral form in the second half of the fight.

Mega Man X8
Rasetsusen

Mega Man Xtreme 2
Using Giga Crush while on a ladder will result in a glitch.

In Wire Sponge's stage, when the player makes it to the first set of floating platforms and jump up to where is an 1-UP, switching to either X or Zero will cause the 1-UP to turn blue or red. Zero's 1-UP turns blue while X's 1-UP turns red. It's a harmless glitch and it will still function as a 1-UP.

Mega Man Zero
Triple Rod.

Mega Man Legends
By using the Jet Skates, Mega Man Volnutt can pass a wall in the Underground Ruins.

Zenny from Data in the Flutter.

The PC version contains several bugs.

Mega Man Legends 2
Unequipping the Blade Arm during the jumping slash will make Mega Man walk in the air until he jumps or is attacked.

The PC version contains several bugs.

The Misadventures of Tron Bonne
In Gold City, forcing a NPC to move to the mountain will leave him stuck in the air.

Mega Man Battle Network
If MegaMan.EXE is far from the enemy in a battle, normally the Mega Buster fires slowly, while it fires faster the closer he is to the target. However, the player can increase the speed by "step buffering" which is constantly moving and shooting to cancel out the rest of the buster animation.

When using the chip trader, you can save before inserting your chips and soft reset the game if you do not get a chip you want. Capcom fixed this in the later games by requiring you to save when you insert chips.