![mighty no. 9 mighty no. 9](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ab/2b/3a/ab2b3af234ff8c667e889e9833b5534c.jpg)
Boss fights, whilst creatively implemented with wildly different patterns of attack, are entirely unforgiving and often require levels of dexterity many players will find impossible. Lightning reflexes are a must-have in any platformer, but occasionally, the feats of daring that Mighty requires of its players verges on the ridiculous. These in themselves aren’t terribly troublesome features, but Mighty No 9 is at points a ludicrously hard game and once the player’s lives are depleted, it’s game over: the entire level must be started from scratch.
![mighty no. 9 mighty no. 9](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mightyno9/images/f/f1/6.png)
There are numerous obstacles which can instantly kill besides the enemies, be that falling off the screen or moving platforms which can crush. As standard, players begin each of the game’s nine levels with a decent block of health and a couple of lives. The fidelity with which Definitely-not-Mega-Man recreates the cruelty of old-school platforming is admirable, but sometimes exasperating. A lack of save points, perma-death, large sections of repetition – these are all likely to cause sighs, moans, and eventually a game disc to be encased, shelved, and gather dust for the rest of its days. In the 23 years since the release of the original Mega Man, games developers have come to realise that certain design choices will only come to frustrate. This is the Dark Souls of cutesy platforming a gauntlet which adheres to the unforgiving rulebook of 1993 with religious zeal. With that in mind, I’m unsure that the experience Mighty No 9 delivers will suit the temperament of most modern gamers, even within the current zeitgeist of punishing action games. By what criteria should the end result be judged? These games have been created at the behest of a niche audience, often to satisfy a craving that most gamers never experience. Reviewing a Kickstarter project that is then made available for general sale is a confusing task. More troubling is Mighty’s unrelenting devotion to twenty year old mechanics, no matter how passe. When it hits its stride, Might No 9 is a joy. Knowing when to dash into Spitty-Bin-Thing (my own name) and shoot at Robo-Monkey-Man (also my own name) key. Levels can be tackled in whatever order the player chooses, a testament to design which values reflex and simple construction over layers upon layers of new toys and hardier enemies. This is a game where jumping, and knowing when to shoot, plays second fiddle to every growing power and array of increasingly destructive weapons. Each of the nine levels are thematically unique: a mine, an industrial factory, a power plant, carrying with them their own sets challenges and unique enemies.
Mighty no. 9 series#
Players take charge of Beck, the titular ‘ninth Mighty’, the latest in a series of robots to have gone rogue, and who Beck must now defeat.
Mighty no. 9 plus#
It’s clear that the subject matter has been revered in the game’s plentiful polish and creative design, plus Mighty No 9 brings a great deal of variety to the table. Related: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild preview The game features nine Mighty robots, treacherous platforms, and a great deal of thought and energy on the part of its developers. A complete package has been delivered to backers, and a retail version across several platforms is due later in the year.
![mighty no. 9 mighty no. 9](https://images.nintendolife.com/a61189bc206a7/1280x720.jpg)
The resulting game is, at least by Kickstarter standards, a great success. Much of the original development team, including project lead Keiji Inafune was to reunite and create a modern version of the classic, adhering to a very specific blueprint of Japanese development from twenty years past. The dream that hoovered such a swollen pot was a spiritual sequel to Mega Man. Three years ago Mighty No 9 found itself catapulted well beyond all of its stretch goals to raise almost four million dollars.
![mighty no. 9 mighty no. 9](https://c.opencritic.com/images/games/1554/eHVyQCWtPbLyfW3ReQ2FeRivrfRTnhue.jpg)
Kickstarter projects floated by nostalgia always find themselves precariously balanced.