Mega Man X2

Mega Man X2, known as Rockman X2 (ロックマンX2) in Japan, is the second game in the Mega Man X series and was released for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo in 1994. The game featured the same graphics as the first game, but was enhanced thanks to the use of the "Cx4" graphics chip (installed in the cartridge). The chip allowed for "semi-transparencies" and 3D effects.

Story
Mega Man X2 is set in an ambiguous year during the 22nd century ("21XX") in which the world is populated both by humans and mechanical beings known as "Reploids" (replicant androids). The mass-produced Reploids are based on a complex, humanoid robot dubbed Mega Man X (or simply "X") who was discovered by the archaeologist Dr. Cain in laboratory ruins many months earlier. Created with human-level intelligence and free will, some Reploids have a tendency towards destructive, criminal activity and are subsequently dubbed "Mavericks" by the government. A military force called the "Maverick Hunters" is formed to halt or prevent such activity. The events of the first Mega Man X game entail the hunter X's fight to stop Sigma, a Maverick overlord bent on the destruction of humanity. X prevails in his mission, but at the cost of his partner Zero's life.

Six months following the incident, X becomes the head of the Maverick Hunters. X tracks a "manufactured Maverick" bearing Sigma's emblem to a Reploid factory, where he launches a full assault. However, despite Sigma's apparent death and X's recent efforts, the Maverick rebellion continues. Three powerful Mavericks—Serges, Agile, and Violen—form a group called the "X-Hunters" and gain control of the North Pole. In the time between Sigma's demise and the trio's sudden uprising, Serges has collected the deceased Zero's bodyparts. After the factory mission, X is assigned to seek and exterminate eight Maverick leaders on a large continent directly south of the North Pole. The X-Hunters contact the Maverick Hunters shortly thereafter and taunt them with Zero's body. The X-Hunters drift among the eight Maverick locations and attempt to lure X out, each one promising the protagonist a piece of Zero if he can defeat them.

The story deviates slightly depending on whether or not the player collects all three of Zero's parts before heading to the X-Hunter fortification in the North Pole. If the player gathers all the parts, Dr. Cain states he will attempt to reassemble and reactivate Zero using his original control chip. If the player does not succeed, X is informed by Dr. Cain that the X-Hunters have attacked Maverick Hunter headquarters and stolen any collected parts and the control chip. Just as X annihilates the last of the X-Hunters, Sigma reveals himself to have been behind the plot. X leaves the exploding compound and tracks Sigma to the Central Computer, one of the eight locations he visited earlier. If the player fails to collect all of Zero's parts, X finds both Sigma and the newly rebuilt Zero waiting for him halfway through the stage. X must then beat Zero in combat. If the player does manage to collect all of the parts, a gray-armored clone of Zero accompanies Sigma instead; the real Zero then appears at X's side and destroys the clone. The outcome of either event has Sigma retreating and Zero creating a passageway in the floor to allow X pursuit. When the villain is defeated, X evacuates the facility to rendezvous with Zero outside, and the two watch as the facility self-destructs.

Bosses


Intro Boss:
 * Gigantic Mechaniloid CF-0

Eight Mavericks:

X-Hunters:
 * Agile
 * Serges
 * Violen

X-Hunter Base Bosses:
 * Neo Violen
 * Serges Tank
 * Agile Flyer

Central Computer Bosses:
 * Zero
 * Sigma

Secrets

 * Armor parts and Shoryuken


 * In Bubble Crab, Crystal Snail, and Overdrive Ostrich's stages, there are hidden rooms that don't appear to be special. But if Silk Shot is charged up, it will attract a large amount of either weapon or energy refills. What kind the player gets depends on the room, but it is a useful way to fill Sub Tanks. Bubble Crab's stage is the most convenient for this, as the room is near the entrance, just below the gate that the Sea Canthller opens to pass. Slide down the wall on the left, and X will fall right in. The Helmet Part can reveal these areas.

Wii Shop Description
''Fresh from defeating Sigma and his Mavericks, Mega Man X tracks down the remaining rogue Reploids to an abandoned factory where they are continuing their rebellion. While Mega Man X is kept busy by eight new Mavericks, a new threat plots to resurrect a secret weapon that is all too familiar.''

''Guide Mega Man X through eight stages in his search to destroy the remaining Mavericks, gain their powers and uncover the secret entity guiding them all. Also, pilot powerful new vehicles like the mobile attack cycle. With help from the good Dr. Light, discover incredible new abilities hidden in capsules buried throughout the world. Only then will X will be ready to face his destiny as a Maverick Hunter.''

Trivia

 * This game had an extensive script localization. Many of the lines linking Serges with Dr. Wily were removed, and all mention of X was changed to "Mega Man" (seemingly to push the notion of X being the original Mega Man). In the Japanese version, only three characters ever referred to X as "Rockman X". These were Dr. Cain, Sigma, and Serges.
 * This game was the first one to feature a Giga Attack: a unique powerful strike whose energy comes from damage previously received by the player. Despite debuting this kind of technique, the Giga Crush's capability to damage the whole screen was only seen again after three games, through the Falcon Armor.
 * Although Zero doesn't become fully playable until two games later, he also uses his first Giga Attack in this game, the Earth Gaizer, if X fights him in the last stage.
 * This is one of the few cases in the entire Mega Man series, and the only one in the X Series, where the final battle takes place in an earlier stage (see Magna Centipede).
 * Therefore, even if the player selects X-Hunter's Base, they will be teleported into Magna Centipede's stage, which is not fully accessible anymore since Sigma replaces Chop Register. It is interesting to note that in the original Japanese script, Sigma asks X to meet him in the Central Computer after the rematch with the Eight Mavericks, whereas in the English version this conversation does not occur.


 * This is the first game to give the players hints about Zero's past, instead of revolving mostly around X like the first one.


 * This is the first time in the series where one of the final boss' forms does not have a health bar (although the Sigma Virus makes up for it by changing colors). This was later repeated in Mega Man ZX Advent with Master Albert's Mechaniloid form.


 * The map in the stage select screen will have changes reflecting the defeat of certain bosses. For example, the lava from Flame Stag's volcano base will cool down and harden and Wheel Gator's tank will be trashed after his defeat. Also, after defeating the bosses again in the North Pole base, selecting it on the stage select screen will show that it's been destroyed.


 * The sequence of stars at the ending is similar to that of Mega Man 7's ending.


 * It is speculated that Serges, the so-called leader of the X-Hunters, was actually a reincarnation of Dr. Albert W. Wily, who had his artificial intelligence placed inside the Reploid body of Serges, which would explain how he was familiar with Zero's design. However, Capcom has never given any official word on this.


 * Unlike Mega Man X6 which also features Zero's revival, the U.S. and Japanese promo art does not show Zero, making his resurrection unexpected.


 * Awkwardly, the "Get Weapon" theme of this game was never included in the Rockman X Soundtrack CD.


 * If the game is finished with absolutely none of the four armor pieces equipped, Zero makes additional appearances throughout the ending credits.


 * This was the only X game not to be released on the PC until the release of the Mega Man X Legacy Collection.


 * Assuming that the player recovers Zero's parts and the Shoryuken, X can use the Shoryuken in the room just before the confrontation with Sigma, and if X lands in the middle of the room, he will fall straight through when Zero punches the hole in the floor. If the player doesn't exit Zero's dialogue while falling and lets Neo Sigma's dialogue override his, they will regain control the instant Sigma's pre-fight dialogue box closes. If the player preforms a Shoryuken while Sigma's health bar fills, they'll become invincible to his attacks until they preform another Shoryuken or defeat him and advances to his viral form.


 * In the opening stage, X is seen riding on a Ride Chaser alongside another Maverick Hunter, who is shot down in the beginning of the stage. Referred to as "Green Biker Dude", he has become a popular subject in the fandom.
 * If the player enters the password 8377-8113-6822-7652 while holding the Down, Left, R, Jump, and Shot buttons (the last button making the selection), the player will start in the second X-Hunter Stage with all the upgrades, Sub-Tanks and the Shoryuken.