Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge Review

By Charles

August 26, 2025

When I first played through the Mega Man series, I only played the fifth Game Boy game since it had new bosses. The first four Game Boy games, including this one, recycle old Robot Masters from the NES games. This one features half from 1 and half from 2. This is my first time playing this game and I am very impressed. Although it's not as good as the NES games, it actually holds up well.

Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge

Game Boy, 1991 ~$300 sealed ~$25 used

Virtual Console 3DS

Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy

21

/40

PRESENTATION

CONTROLS

CONTENT

The main issue Dr. Wily's Revenge has is screen crunch. Instead of remaking Mega Man's sprite like in Super Mario Land, he was copied over 1:1, so everything looks very squished. Although it may not have been the best route to go on, the developers did an amazing job. All of the enemies and bosses look accurate and new characters match perfectly. The backgrounds are improved and the pop-up menu doesn't disrupt gameplay. The music is mostly redone but contains some elements from the NES versions, creating an uncanny feeling.

Mega Man feels much slower and heavier than on the NES, probably to accommodate for the screen crunch. Since Mega Man jumps so slowly, it's very hard to line up your shots. It's very jarring and difficult to get used to, but once you do, it's actually a lot of fun. Mega Man is still slow on ladders, but it does match with the NES counterparts. The special weapons are also very useful in this game since you're in a more confined space.

This game is even shorter than the original Mega Man, only containing six levels. Instead of having old bosses in the boss rush, Wily 1 contains four bosses from Mega Man 2. There is also a brand new Robot Master with his own weapon. The boss fights aren't very fun, though, since the rooms are so cramped. The bosses are challenging without their weaknesses, but they're much too easy with them. The game also contains a few drops where you can't see spikes until it's too late. Ultimately, the game is too short.

FUN FACTOR

6

3

Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge is a very short game and doesn't introduce much to the series, but it's still Mega Man and it's still a decent time. The game works properly and the levels are all-new. Thanks to the Mega Man formula perfected in Mega Man 2, almost any Mega Man platformer can be fun even if it's a copy of what has already been. However, the game is quite annoying at the start as you get used to the differences from the NES version, so it takes a while to get into the game.

6

6

WORTH THE MONEY?

If you have a Game Boy and want a Mega Man, this might be your best choice. It's pretty good and very common. This game isn't enough of a reason to get Nintendo Switch Online, but maybe along with its four sequels.

WORTH THE TIME?

I wouldn't play this game unless you're a Mega Man superfan who has played all of the other games. There is nothing new that you need to experience.