29/40

By Charles - March 21st, 2026

Mega Man 5 is the last Game Boy Mega Man. This game is different as it , instead of reimagining one of the NES games, creates a brand new story using the Game Boy engine. Mega Man has been to space before, but this game is themed entirely around robots from space.

Mega Man 5 GB

Game Boy, 1994

~$4500 Sealed

~$350 Used

Other Releases:

Virtual Console

Nintendo Switch Online

Presentation

8

This game is the culmination of Mega Man's Game Boy adventures and it looks great. The level tiles are very detailed and enemies look fantastic. The game even has custom colour palettes for the Game Boy Colour (not on NSO) The music is great and benefits from not having to copy from the NES. These tracks have the Game Boy's capabilities in mind and are able to take advantage. Everything is very well done here. The only problem with the music is that there needed to be more. There are two boss themes: one is used for 24 bosses, and the other is used for one. The first boss theme gets extremely annoying by the end. The Stage Select is also weak and doesn't invoke the same feeling of excitement.

The villains are called Stardroids.

Controls

7

Mega Man's new power is the Mega Arm, which replaces the Charge Shot. It's really cool and can even be upgraded later on in the game. This weapon has much more depth and makes Mega Man feel a lot more powerful. This is a lot of fun. Mega Man's jump is still a little clunky, but the level design is designed around it very well this time. Unfortunately, the special weapons don't feel very useful. Mega Man also gets a new robot cat named Tango that I never used. He can be controlled but there isn't much of a point. You're better off using the Mega Arm. Rush Jet still sucks and Beat is gone, but you don't really miss them. The Mega Arm overshadows everything else.

The new Mega Arm is a terrific ability.

Content

6

Mega Man 5 GB has a great level of challenge. Bosses can all be defeated without their weaknesses as their patterns are very well designed. The levels feel long but not excruciating, each featuring gimmicks that are intuitive and fun. The shop is back, and there are some collectibles, but you can still complete the game in a few hours as usual. The story and the inclusion of actual dialogue helps this game feel a bit more lasting.

The space theme is very well done.

Fun Factor

8

Mega Man 5 GB is a really unique and creative game with a lot of cool ideas. It's really fun to have a new type of enemy for Mega Man to fight that isn't "______ Man". The developers were able to make a Mega Man more suited for the Game Boy without having another game to copy. The music is great, the challenge is great and the levels are great. Mega Man's new weapon is a lot of fun and really sets this game apart. This is a fun experience and feels like it has more staying power than a lot of Mega Man games. It's short and small-scale, but a solid handheld platformer.

There are quite a few things to collect.

Worth the Time?

Worth the Money?

If you want to experience classic Mega Man on Game Boy, this is your best bet. It's a really unique game that's the culmination of the series.

This game is way too expensive for a retro handheld platformer. Play it on NSO.

Screenshots from [Mega Man V] © [Capcom], used for review purposes.