Mega Man X (1993)

In Mega Man X, players take control of Dr. Light's creation X, navigating a series of perilous stages filled with enemies and hazards. Armed with the versatile X-Buster and a variety of upgrades, X must overcome obstacles and foes to thwart Sigma's nefarious plans. With wall-scaling abilities, rideable mechs, and hidden power-ups, players must strategize and adapt to succeed. As X progresses, he unlocks new abilities and uncovers secrets that enhance his combat prowess. Special thanks to GamePhobias for pulling together most of the information below. Please note that this review only contains information about the SNES version of the game released in 1993.

• Release date: 12-17-1993
• Developer: Rozner Labs Software Group & Capcom
• Publisher: Nintendo, Capcom, Playtronic, & Hyundai
• Platforms: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

Triggers for this game

Animals & Wildlife

• Arachnids

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The first Sigma Lair boss is a giant mechanical spider vulnerable to Shotgun Ice. It also spits out little mechanical spiders.

  • Can't be avoided

• Birds

  Eagle-like animal, penguin-like animal, other minor enemies

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The boss Storm Eagle is designed after an eagle. Chill Penguin is designed after a penguin. Some minor enemies resemble birds.

  • Can't be avoided

• Cats

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Before the final boss fight there is a canine/feline robot that the Player Character is required to defeat. Sigma uses a canine mecha in the final fight.

  • Can't be avoided

• Dogs

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Before the final boss fight there is a canine/feline robot that the Player Character is required to defeat. Sigma uses a canine mecha in the final fight.

  • Can't be avoided

• Insects

  Hornets, stag beetle

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The helicopters in the first level appear to be large blue hornets. Many robot enemies are designed to look and move like insects. Boomer Kuwanger, one of the stage bosses, is designed after a stag beetle (his name comes from a failure to translate the original Japanese name).

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Animals & Critters

  Octopus, robot fish, bats, armadillos, lizards

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Launch Octopus’s level is underwater and most of the enemies are robotic fish of some variety. Launch Octopus is, himself, an octopus. These enemies reappear in Sigma's Fortress. It is not possible to drown. Many enemy robots are designed to look like rabbits, bats, and other rodents or rodent-like creatures. Armored Armadillo is an Armadillo, which is not a rodent, though his face appears mouselike. Sting Chameleon is modeled after a chameleon. There are several common enemy robots that resemble turtle and lizard like.

  • Can't be avoided

• Rodents

  Rabbits

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Many enemy robots are designed to look like rabbits, bats, and other rodents or rodent-like creatures. Armored Armadillo is an Armadillo, which is not a rodent, though his face appears mouselike.

  • Can't be avoided

• Snakes

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  There are two sea serpent mid-boss enemies in Launch Octopus's level. One of these enemies is optional.

  • Is avoidable
  • Can't be avoided

Crime

• Explosions & Bombs

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Every character dies with an explosion, some more grand than others. In addition, there are pipes/fuel containers in Storm Eagle’s stage that can be destroyed. One set needs to be to get the Helmet upgrade.

  • Can't be avoided

• Fights

  • Can't be avoided

• Guns & Shooting

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  X has an arm-cannon and many enemies also use guns or arm canons themselves.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Crime

  Weapons

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The Electric Spark weapon, by both the player and Spark Mandrill, causes purple electrical damage. Armor Armadillo, in particular, is vulnerable to the weapon and will show his “skeleton” when hit with the weapon, and his armor will break off. This effect only happens the first time he is hit with the attack. Sigma’s “pet” breathes fire. Sigma’s final form has a large fire breath attack. In addition to the guns and weapons employed by X, enemies wield a variety of weapons including woodcutting axes, mining picks, and laser tools. Sigma attacks you with a green lightsaber in his first form.

  • Can't be avoided

• Murder

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The plot of the game starts with a mass murder of humans by robots that have recently gained free will and are using it poorly (the Mavericks) and X’s journey involves killing all of them (twice) on his way to stop and destroy their leader Sigma. All of these robots are now sentient.

  • Can't be avoided

Death & Loss

• Death of Friend

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Zero sacrifices himself to save X at the midpoint of Sigma's Fortress's first level.

  • Can't be avoided

• Death of Parent

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Dr. Light, X’s creator, is dead by the time the story begins, but he has left a number of holographic terminals by which he improves X’s capabilities.

  • Can't be avoided

• Suicide

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Zero knowingly overloads his power core to self-destruct and destroy Vile’s armored carrier, saving X.

  • Can't be avoided

Gore

• Animal Violence

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Launch Octopus’s level is underwater and most of the enemies are robotic fish of some variety. Launch Octopus is, himself, an octopus. These enemies reappear in Sigma's Fortress. It is not possible to drown.

  • Can't be avoided

• Blood

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  As Zero dies, he has blood or a blood-like substance leaking from the corner of his mouth.

  • Can't be avoided

Hate & Discrimination

• Fantasy Racism

  The series is set against a backdrop of racism and violence between humans and Reploids, or sentient robots.

  • Can't be avoided

Horror Themes

• Demons & Devils

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The Sigma Virus, the malevolent computer program that causes the havoc of the entire series, shares many similarities to demons.

  • Can't be avoided

• Ghosts & Hauntings

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Sigma’s disembodied “spirit” or consciousness taunts you after the credits, setting up the sequels.

  • Can't be avoided

• Jump Scares

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In the dark parts of Spark Mandril's stage, enemies will come flying out of the darkness very quickly at X.

  • Can't be avoided

Mental Health

• Misc. Mental Health

  Existentialism

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  X’s internal monologue at the end of the game depicts a deep existential despair.

  • Can't be avoided

Non-Sexual Abuse & Violence

• Altercations

  • Can't be avoided

• Mutilation

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In the first level, Zero blows the arm off of Vile’s (Purple Maverick)’s armored carrier. Vile himself is unharmed. It is possible to cut off all but 2 of Launch Octopus’s arms and Flame Mammoth’s trunk with the Boomerang Cutter weapon. Using Electric Spark on Armor Armadillo will electrocute him and remove his armor. When Zero sacrifices himself, it appears that his bottom half is gone while he delivers his final words to X.

  • Can't be avoided

Phobias

• Acrophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Because the game is a platformer, there are jumps over high gaps in basically every level.

  • Can't be avoided

• Arachnophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The first Sigma Lair boss is a giant mechanical spider vulnerable to Shotgun Ice. It also spits out little mechanical spiders.

  • Can't be avoided

• Automatonophobia

  Dolls, robot enemies

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A number of the minor enemies resemble dolls. The helicopters in the first level appear to be large blue hornets. Many robot enemies are designed to look and move like insects.

  • Can't be avoided

• Hemophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  As Zero dies, he has blood or a blood-like substance leaking from the corner of his mouth.

  • Can't be avoided

• Melissophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The helicopters in the first level appear to be large blue hornets. Many robot enemies are designed to look and move like insects.

  • Can't be avoided

• Misc. Phobias

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Fire -- Several enemies attack with fire, and Flame Mammoth's level heavily features fire and lava. The lava can be cooled by defeating Chill Penguin before going to the level, resulting in walkable surfaces. Flame Mammoth, as his name implies, uses a lot of fire based attacks; if one of the patches of oil he throws ignites, a large fire erupts. This is comparatively rare. Hitting Chill Penguin with Fire Wave causes Chill Penguin to entirely catch fire during the damage animation. Sigma’s “pet” breathes fire. Sigma’s final form has a large fire breath attack.

  • Can't be avoided

• Nyctophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  In Spark Mandrill’s stage certain parts of the stage will go dark, making the pits very difficult but not wholly impossible to see. Enemies are, apparently, luminescent, because they cannot hide in this darkness. There are some that come at you quickly in this part.

  • Can't be avoided

• Ommetaphobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The boss of Sigma's Lair's second floor is a giant face and X must attack and destroy the face’s eyes and nose to defeat the boss.

  • Can't be avoided

• Thalassophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  Launch Octopus’s level is underwater and most of the enemies are robotic fish of some variety. Launch Octopus is, himself, an octopus. These enemies reappear in Sigma's Fortress. It is not possible to drown.

  • Can't be avoided

• Trypanophobia

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  A number of enemies and level hazards include sharp spikes.

  • Can't be avoided

Physical Health & Body Issues

• Misc. Physical Health & Body Issues

  Sigma Virus

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The Sigma Virus, the malevolent computer program that causes the havoc of the entire series, shares many similarities to demons.

  • Can't be avoided

• Pain & Physical Suffering

  • Can't be avoided

Traumatic Events

• Accidents

  Crashes: planes, vehicles

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The starting level has several crashed and damaged vehicles. The Player Character causes a plane to crash after defeating Storm Eagle. The crash itself is not shown, however the aftermath is. The Player Character is not inside the plane when it crashes.

  • Can't be avoided

• Mass Casualty Event

  ShowHide potential spoilers or triggers

  The plot of the game starts with a mass murder of humans by robots that have recently gained free will and are using it poorly (the Mavericks) and X’s journey involves killing all of them (twice) on his way to stop and destroy their leader Sigma. All of these robots are now sentient.

  • Can't be avoided

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