Another classic gets ported to Apple’s wonder phone, and this time around it’s Capcom’s beloved 8-bit sidescroller, Mega Man 2.
Seems that the iPhone’s not just the hot spot for fart apps and half-broken lightsaber simulators. With everything from Wolfenstein 3D to Oregon Trail getting full-fledged iPhone ports or upgrades, it seems that every single classic game you remember from the good old days is finding itself iPhoned. The latest in this trend: Capcom’s Mega Man 2, available now for $4.99.
The game looks essentially the same, displayed vertically (there’s no landscape view available for whatever reason) with the gameplay taking place at the center on a screen in a “virtual” arcade cabinet. You control the game using by tapping a joystick and two buttons at the bottom of the screen.
Mega Man 2 being a notoriously difficult game that requires plenty of precision when it comes to controls, the notion of a touch-based Mega Man naturally doesn’t sound too appetizing. To remedy what might not exactly translate, there are multiple difficulty levels (easy, normal and hard) and “rebalanced gameplay for the iPhone experience,” meaning the levels have been tweaked a bit so they’re easier to beat.
Unfortunately, according to customer feedback for the application, it doesn’t sound like it works. The controls are apparently spotty and inaccurate, and the jump mechanics changed so that Mega Man’s leaps feels floaty. Also, early reports said that the game’s much beloved soundtrack is missing, but it’s actually in there, only muted by default. Why Capcom would want to deny folks the pleasure of hearing those classic tunes is beyond me.
So check it out if you really, really, really want Mega Man 2 on your phone, but otherwise it sounds like the smartest thing to do is wait for a patch or stay away entirely.
