Ride Armor

Ride Armor (ライドアーマー) is the name for a giant mechanical armor that X, Zero, Vile, and Axl can pilot. As the series went on, more Ride Armors were created, each with different strengths and uses.

Mega Man X
The Ride Armor was first introduced as Vile's impossibly powerful robot walker, and X was quickly decimated. X later found standard Ride Armors that he could use: A green one in Chill Penguin's stage, and a red one in Sting Chameleon's stage. These are very similar to the Chimera Ride Armor from Mega Man X3, with very simple functions.

This Ride Armor can move, dash, jump, and single-punch enemies, but cannot climb walls. They can take a maximum of 16 hits before they start to spark. While sparking, no more damage can be taken, and some players use this opportunity to "go berserk", as nothing else can negatively affect the Ride Armor. After the sparking period is done, the armor explodes. There is no way to avert this.

Small grunt robots (Armor Soldiers) that appear on several stages can pilot Ride Armors with much lesser defense. However, they can quickly destroy any armor X is wearing, so it is best to destroy them quickly.

Vile appears in another Ride Armor in the first station of Sigma's fortress. It brings X to the ground as easily as the previous one. Zero destroys it (at the cost of sacrificing himself), however, and X is able to fight Vile one-on-one.

In Maverick Hunter X, the Ride Armor works just like the X8 counterpart, mainly in attacking with two piston punches combo and using the back booster to dash.

"See the section below for more information on Vile's Ride Armors."

Mega Man X2
Mega Man X2 introduces the Rabbit Ride Armor (Ride Armor type EG-2 custom), a much more powerful version from the previous game that is also used by the Rideloid-G grunt enemies. Armed with spiked fists, it can bash through certain doors. By holding the fire button, the Rabbit Ride Armor can charge up an attack and when released, the armor charges forward with spinning spikes. The spikes begin to spin when charged, so enemies that walk into it will be destroyed. It may also hover for a short period of time if the jump button is held while in the air. The Rabbit Ride Armor is also used in the Game Boy games Mega Man Xtreme and Mega Man Xtreme 2.

Mega Man X3
Mega Man X3 takes the Ride Armor system further than any other game in the series, at the cost of even the slightest mention of a Ride Chaser. Scattered throughout the levels are Ride Armor Modules, small chips that allow X to use a certain model of the Ride Armor type DRA-00. They can be activated at special Ride Armor platforms, very long platforms with a χ ("chi", Greek letter for Chimera/χιμάρα) on them. When X steps on one, he will be prompted to choose a Ride Armor out of the Modules he has. Each Ride Armor now has a visible life bar, so it is easy to tell when one will begin to spark. All Ride Armors except for the Frog Ride Armor will short out upon entering the water.

The game also contains two special armors used only by enemies: the Goliath Ride Armor (see Vile's Ride Armors section below) and the REX-2000.


 * Chimera Armor Module, in Blast Hornet's stage: X needs the Tornado Fang to get this. When crossing the garages near the middle of the stages, blast all of the blocks with the Tornado Fang. One will be destroyed. Drop down and destroy the garage. Continue down to find the Chimera Armor Module, which X needs before using any other Armor Modules.
 * Similar to the standard Ride Armors from the previous two games. It can jump, run, dash, and punch. This Ride Armor is the basis to the other three Modules.


 * Frog Armor Module, in Gravity Beetle's stage: Once X gets outside, air-dash upwards to ascend the left wall. You'll find the Frog Armor Module.
 * This is a Ride Armor designed for water, and it will be confusing and awkward to try and move it outside of the water. ← and → make short hops in that direction, and dashing will result in a long jump. Both functions work well underwater. It can fire homing torpedoes underwater, but the homing function does not work well on land: the torpedoes will just go straight for approx. half the width of the screen then fall down in a sharp curve.


 * Hawk Armor Module, in Crush Crawfish's stage: To the right of the Ride Armor platform at the beginning of the stage, use a charged-up Triad Thunder to destroy a small grey platform. Drop down to find the Module.
 * A Ride Armor designed for the air. If the jump button is held in the air, the armor will glide, losing altitude slowly. The armor can fire missiles in groups of two, which fly forward at a fast rate.


 * Kangaroo Armor Module, in Toxic Seahorse's stage: Use the Frog Armor when X reaches the Ride Armor platform. Jump down into the water, and reach the high ground when you are given an option to go lower. Two fans will attempt to push X back; Use the Frog Ride Armor's torpedoes to destroy them. Climb out of the Ride Armor and surface-jump across the water to reach the Module.
 * A Ride Armor designed for ground combat. It has powerful spikes on its fists, similar to the Rabbit Ride Armor in Mega Man X2. Its charged attack differs, however: The Kangaroo Ride Armor's fist, spikes spinning, will lash forward on a chain, causing massive damage to all enemies in its range.

Ride Armor usage
The Ride Armors are mainly used to get eight items in various stages:
 * Tunnel Rhino: (n/a; anyway, the Maverick's Tornado Fang weapon is needed to get the Chimera Ride Armor)
 * Blast Hornet (1): get the Chimera R.A. and the Heart;
 * Blizzard Buffalo: get the Heart;
 * Volt Catfish: get a Sub-tank;
 * Crush Crawfish: get the Heart and the Body chip;
 * Neon Tiger: (no items; just navigate a harsh area);
 * Gravity Beetle: get the Arm chip.
 * Toxic Seahorse: get the Leg chip; the Frog R.A. is necessary;
 * Blast Hornet (2): get the Head Chip; the Hawk R.A. is recommended;

Mega Man X4
Mega Man X4 features two ride armors similar to ones seen in past games.

A modified version of the Hawk Ride Armor, the Eagle Ride Armor, is available in Storm Owl's stage. Iris takes on a similar form when she used her brother's control chip to battle Zero. By jumping in the air, the Ride Armor is able to hover for an infinite amount of time, and will only descend if jump is pressed, or if it is struck by an enemy attack. The Eagle exhibits enhanced offensive capabilities as well: uncharged shots are large masses of plasma and charged shots split into three rays that home in on enemies. This is one of the few Ride Armors in the series that can also perform an air dash.

A Ride Armor resembling the earlier Kangaroo and Rabbit Ride Armors, the Raiden Ride Armor, is a mining Ride Armor found in Magma Dragoon's and Slash Beast's stages. It can survive an infinite amount of time in still lava, and can destroy certain rocked walls and train cars. Plus, for the first time in the series, the player can take the Ride Armor into a boss battle, in this case Magma Dragoon. The Raiden can perform a combo of two slashes if the fire button is pressed twice: a drilling stab and an overhead energy slash. It can perform a charged attack, which produces a lance of energy that is thrust forward. 

Mega Man X5
Mega Man X5 doesn't add anything new to the Ride Armor and family, and the two that exist are not used for very long. The Raiden Ride Armor is featured in the second part of Mattrex's stage, which keeps the rider safe while underneath molten magma, and are also used by enemies in the same stage. This armor features a dashing slash attack that punches through enemies. There are also enemies known as Eagle G that use a modified Eagle Ride Armor with a buster that can shoot straight or diagonally and a shield, but the player can't use it.

Mega Man X6
Mega Man X6 only featured one instance of a Ride Armor — the Raiden Ride Armor, found in Metal Shark Player's stage. It can be used to avoid being crushed in the first compressor. However, a second Ride Armor will be available to the player if they enter the stage's Nightmare Area.

Mega Man X7
Mega Man X7 features two Ride Armors (Gouden and Raiden II) that can be used by the player. There are also enemies with Ride Armors known as Proto Ride, and Vanishing Gungaroo uses a Ride Armor in the battle against him, modeled after a mother kangaroo.


 * Raiden II is an improvement of the Raiden Ride Armor from Mega Man X4-6. It has four legs and a drill arm.

Mega Man X8
Mega Man X8 has five Ride Armors, four of which can be used by the player:


 * Cyclops: A blue Ride Armor located in Bamboo Pandamonium's stage that can use powerful piston punches and has an electromagnetic gun equipped on the shoulder that can paralyze enemies temporarily. It is able to hover for a short time and can destroy enemies with its weight by jumping on them.


 * Golem: A green Ride Armor used by enemies in Bamboo Pandamonium's stage that sometimes can be used by the player. It's similar to the Cyclops, but lacks the electromagnetic gun on the shoulder. It is instead equipped with a drill as its right hand and claw on the other.


 * Devil Bear: A modified Golem Ride Armor used by Vile. "See Vile's Ride Armors below."


 * Dice: Small Ride Armor used by Mets in Earthrock Trilobyte's stage. This Ride Armor can't be used by the player (naturally since it's too small).


 * An unnamed Ride Armor appears in the background of Earthrock Trilobyte's stage equipped with claws on both arms to help with excavating and constructing works.

Vile's Ride Armors
Vile is infamous for using Ride Armors throughout the series. His very first appearance is in a gargantuan blackish-blue Ride Armor that can grab and destroy Reploids with ease. However, Zero blasts the arm off of this one, and Vile retreats. In Maverick Hunter X, Vile's use of the Ride Armor differs from X. It's more powerful due to the heavy machine gun, so the trade off is that one is only allowed use of the armor for 32 seconds. When time's up, if Vile exits the armor, or if it suffers too much damage over time, the armor will self-destruct. Though, it is possible to somewhat extend the armor's life if weapon energy is collected.

X faces a direct copy of the blackish-blue Ride Armor in the first station of Sigma's Fortress, but the arm is repaired and the chassis is repainted purple. The battle ends with X captured by the Ride Armor as usual, but Zero yet again destroys it, this time destroying himself as well.

When Vile is resurrected in Mega Man X3, X can warp to his stage from certain portals in other Mavericks' stages. After traversing through his many traps, X will face Vile. He has a modified version of the Kangaroo Ride Armor (known as DRA-00 in Japan) for the first bout. When it is destroyed, Vile fights X himself with his new body, an extremely powerful armor that can fire bullets and shoot fire.

If Vile is not destroyed in his stage (done by utilizing his weakness), he will appear in the second stage of Dr. Doppler's Fortress. He will appear first in the Goliath Ride Armor (known as Brown Bear in Japan), weak against the Parasitic Bomb or the Tornado Fang, and when that armor is destroyed, he will fight X one-on-one.

Vile V uses the Devil Bear in Mega Man X8, a modified black Golem Ride Armor, when the Hunters fight against him in the entrance hall of Sigma Palace. The Devil Bear armor is nearly indestructible (to the player while in battle at least), but executing a Guard Break knocks Vile off of it, albeit temporarily, allowing the characters to fight him normally.

After the battle in Hard Mode, Vile and his Ride Armor survive (Note: One can easy see that the armor is smoking at the moment Vile reappears, suggesting that the Ride Armor isn't at all indestructible), and preoccupies the reserve character while the other character must traverse the rest of Sigma's Palace alone.

Trivia

 * In the iPhone port of Mega Man X, the player can earn an achievement for hitting Vile's Blue Ride Armor 32 times.