Metal Shark Player

"Heh heh heh. You have excellent DNA, don't you? I'd like to analyze your DNA once."

- Metal Shark Player

Metal Shark Player, also known as Metalshark Player (メタルシャーク・プレイヤー) in Japan, is a hammerhead shark-based Reploid created by Gate to work as a member of a recycling research team.

Characteristics
Metal Shark Player was a Reploid designed with the head and dorsal fin of a hammerhead shark. His body was colored primarily blue, although his legs were adorned with yellow "teeth" to resemble the maw of a shark. He also possessed long shoulderpads and coattails that made it look like he was wearing a labcoat. He bore the rhombus-shaped gem of all Gate's creations on his forehead.

Player was an eccentric mind and something of a mad scientist. He didn't even try to pretend he was investigating the Nightmare Phenomenon, instead openly manipulating it for his own experiments. He was very interested in X's DNA and was eager to research it. Conversely, he claimed to have no need for Zero's DNA.

History
His job was to oversee the analysis and control of DNA at the facility and was very skilled in his work. Player's abilities in DNA analysis soon led him to experiment in the recreation of Reploids using the DNA of retired Mavericks. Gate still used and encouraged his work despite "DNA Resurrection" being deemed illegal by the government. Player's activities were eventually discovered and he was disposed of as punishment. Gate later revives him as one of his Nightmare Investigators, putting him back in charge of a recycling plant.

Strategy
He usually attacks with anchors and parts of junk robots. Being adept in "DNA Resurrection", he is capable of creating clones of previous Mavericks, like Sting Chameleon, Magna Centipede, and Blast Hornet. Despite being a shark, he's weak against water (probably because he's made of metal and will rust), so use Meteor Rain (if X) or Ensuizan (if Zero).

Other appearances

 * Metal Shark Player appeared in two stages from the X Challenge mode in Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, where he is fought alongside Tidal Whale (Stage 8-3, Volume 2 only) and Storm Eagle (Stage 9-2).
 * Metal Shark Player appeared in Battle Memory from Rockman Xover.
 * Metal Shark Player appeared as an Unit Card in TEPPEN.

Attacks

 * Metal Shark Player can swim through the scrap metal that makes up the floor. He can either swim above or below the ground.
 * If he is going to swim above, he will jump straight up just slightly, then swim along the floor, sending pieces of metal flying as he swims. Jump over him, and he will stop and stand upright.
 * If he is going to swim below, he will jump diagonally up so he is above the player, then dive. He will not yell anything when he does this (this is important). He will then swim below (his fin will be visible, and will inflict damage if touched), then he'll jump straight up out of the junk, almost to the top of the screen.


 * Metal Head: Metal Shark Player will jump diagonally up so he is above the player, then slam himself into the ground, sending pieces of scrap metal flying.  He will yell when he does this.


 * Metal Anchor: Metal Shark Player will jump and throw Metal Anchors at the player.  The anchors bounce around the floor for a little while before exploding. They cannot be destroyed (unless the player makes contact with them), and he can have up to two on screen at once.


 * Helper Attack: Metal Shark Player begins using this attack once he loses half of his health. He will jump towards a wall and create a junk replica of a Maverick from a previous game. The clones are indestructible and will attack with their signature moves.
 * Sting Chameleon:  Appears on the wall and lashes his tongue at the player, then disappears to move to a new spot, become visible, and lash again. He does this several times, and is more likely to appear against Zero.
 * Magna Centipede: Appears on the ceiling and fires sets of shuriken at the player. Appears more often against X.
 * Blast Hornet: Fires sets of three small hornets at the player. These can be destroyed, but destroying one of them will cause him to fire a second set. This attack is summoned more frequently on higher difficulties.

When Playing as X
X: You! What are you up to? Instead of investigating the Nightmare, you are manipulating it! It's strange that you are not affected by the Nightmare.

??: Heh heh heh. You have excellent DNA, don't you? I'd like to analyze your DNA once.

X: You must be Metal Shark Player. Right?

Metal Shark Player: It doesn't matter! I'll get your DNA!

When Playing as Zero
??: What are you doing?

Zero: I don't have time for this... What do you want? Metal Shark Player?

Metal Shark Player: I want DNA! Excellent DNA! But I don't need your DNA data.

Zero: Shut up and fight!

Metal Shark Player: Fine! Heh heh heh!

Archie Comics
Metal Shark Player was one of the many Maverick bosses revived by Sigma during the Worlds Unite crossover event.

Etymology

 * His Japanese name is a pun with multiple meanings due to the sound of r and l being identical in Japanese. His name could be Prayer, as the pun is based on the fact he deals with resurrection and thus, "prays"; or "Preyer", as a shark preys on smaller marine animals. When his name is translated into English, "Player" also makes sense as he works on the DNA of retired Mavericks, which is illegal and an act deemed as "playing on forbidden things".

Trivia

 * Metal Shark Player is one of the two Mavericks that Zero tells to "shut up and fight", with the other being Frost Walrus.
 * Furthermore, his lines when facing Zero seem to imply that he has already obtained Zero's DNA for study (which might imply that he had some involvement in Zero Nightmare's creation), but not X's.
 * He and Tidal Whale's original English name Duff McWhalen were mentioned in Nintendo Power volume 266, as both of them were said to be "one of the worst Mega Man boss names ever".
 * He and Spike Rosered's original English name Axle the Red are the only Mavericks to have three-word names. Some would argue that Gigabolt Man-O-War has more than two words to his name, but the hyphens make it one full word.
 * When Metal Shark Player summons a clone of a retired Maverick, he will yell their Japanese name (due to the fact the Japanese voices were left in).
 * His weakness to Meteor Rain is ironic because sharks are creatures that live in water, but at the same time it could be a reference to how water can cause metal to rust.