First Impressions:

Ok- if you got this game its probably because you played the originals, so its not really your first impression now is it? That being said, I have to say the overall presentation in this game is astounding! Right from the start I found myself being impressed with the ingenuity presented in the compilation of the interactive menu that has you running Megaman (the 32-bit incarnation of him) around to the door of the game you wish to play.

Graphics:

The visuals in this game vary depending on the game you play, so you'll be seeing everything from cheesy 8-bit sprites, to the beautiful 32-bit character models. Keep in mind that the most recent game in the series was made in 1997. That being said, the graphics are sill something of a visual feast for the eyes. The game also features a Navi mode that changes the way the status bar looks in Megaman 1-6 (for the better). (A welcome addition to the already impressive visuals.)

Sound/Music:

If there's anything at all that Megaman is known for its the sound and music. Some of the best SFX and music in games period. You'll get to hear all the classic 8bit midi tunes we all know and love (which amazingly enough still sound pleasing to the ear) but it gets even better! If you turn on Navi mode you also get remixed tunes! That's right! You'll be playing the classics to some rehashed tunes all of which have been done remarkably well. Some of the stages new music is ripped directly from the themes found in Megaman: the power fighters 2 (also included in this wonderful package) and anyone that has played that game will tell you the music is phenomenal. But that's not all! There are also brand new rehashes of some of the other stages as well. All of the stages in Megaman 6 have been completely remixed ( and believe me the game benefits from it immensely). One interesting note: there are a couple of areas where the music has been changed a bit if you use the Navi mode. (In Top Man's stage they'll play the opening stage music from Megaman 7, and there are a couple of other anomalies.)

I found that these newly placed tunes worked better in those stages then the original. Also some of the sound effects have been tweaked as well although you probably wont notice them much. (The sound when Megaman absorbs energy from a boss in 8, etc). I simply can't say enough good things about the music in the compilation.

Gameplay:

OK come on, Megaman is the standard by which shooters aspire to. The game play is fast furious, and sometimes just a little frustrating. Luckily though, Navi mode comes to the rescue again. If you've played any of the recent Megaman X games you know that sometimes you see a ! sign at the bottom of the screen, pressing select opens a window that gives you tips. When you turn on navi mode you get these same sort of hints- some range from being extremely vague to telling you nearly step by step what to do to win. (And yes the speed blocks are just as irritating as ever -_- )

Enjoyment:

Whether you played the originals one by one, or never played a Megaman game in your life, you will find something to enjoy here. Whether its the original classics Megaman 1-8 or the 2 never before released in the US arcade games, Megaman the Power fighters 1&2, or even the 2 bonus episodes of the short lived Megaman cartoon, you will find something fun.

Multiplayer:

Megaman never was a multiplayer game (which is sad because a 2 player megaman game would be an instant classic). ARE YOU LISTENING CAPCOM!? Megaman 1-8 are all single player games (7 includes a hidden 2 player game that's not all that great). The 2 extra games Megaman the Power Fighters 1&2 are both 2 player simultaneous, and you'd be surprised how fun it is to pummel that one annoying boss that always kicked your butt with the help of a friend. Be advised the Powerfighter games are extremely short. You can probably play through and beat the game in a 10 minute sitting, still they are extremely fun, and you can always go for the high score;)

Overall Impression:

I was expecting a thrown together rehash of these games and was pleasantly surprised. The only thing they could have done to make them better was to rehash the graphics into 32-bit! Great great job on this one by Capcom.

Marketing Efforts Towards Women:

Come on, look at the name! There is no effort in this series to attract female gamers. There are only 2 females in the entire compilation: One is Roll, the house keeping robot, that seems to throw the women's rights movement back a zillion years and the other is in the form of the damsel in distress Kalink (Megaman 4). Other then that, its just the boys having fun blowing stuff up.