Mega Man: The Wily Wars Review
By Charles
August 31, 2025
Mega Man: The Wily Wars is a Sega Genesis port of the first three NES games as well as a unique side story, Wily Tower. It never had a physical release in North America, but thanks to the new Retro-Bit release, the Sega Genesis Mini and Nintendo Switch Online, it's easier to play now.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars
Genesis, 1994 ~$200 sealed ~$40 used
Sega Genesis Mini
34
/40
Nintendo Switch Online Sega Genesis
PRESENTATION
CONTROLS
CONTENT
9
All of the music and graphics are redone and it's fair to say that everything is improved. Some of the instrumentation is different due to the uniqueness of the Genesis' sound front, but it still sounds great. Every level gains very detailed parallax backgrounds that improve the feel of the level significantly. These updates improve the original Mega Man the most, allowing it to stack up well with its two sequels. Wily Tower has its own unique visuals and songs that are really great and make the most of the Genesis' abilities. The one issue I had was Wily Tower's Weapons Menu, which takes up the entire screen, taking you out of the action.
Mega Man controls very well and feels faster and more precise than on the NES. You can even map your controls. This precision does come with a cost, however, as Mega Man doesn't accelerate as quickly, so jumping off one block from rest can be annoying. It doesn't make too much of a difference in Mega Man 2 and 3, but this makes all the difference on Mega Man 1. The game is a lot of fun as every single control issue is fixed. Collision, hitboxes, invincibility frames and gravity are all altered. The special weapons behave a little differently, but this doesn't present any issues as you get used to it very quickly.
Effectively containing four games in one, The Wily Wars is the first Mega Man game that has a decent amount of content. There are 50 levels and 75 boss fights, but you never get bored, since you're always switching between games. Most of the boss fights have been altered and they're all the same or higher in difficulty. After you beat all three NES games, you unlock a brand new 7 - level story. Wily Tower is the best part of the game, as you get to pick from the weapons you've earned in the NES trilogy. The levels contain alternate paths that are only accessible with certain weapons, and have some of the most unique bosses in the series.
9
9
7
After just playing through the NES titles, and their Game Boy ports, I thought I would find this game boring. However, the huge presentation upgrades and small gameplay tweaks kept me invested and excited the entire time. Wily Tower was an absolutely amazing experience. Its creative design and amazing graphics show what 16-bit Mega Man could have been like if Mega Man X hadn't taken the spotlight. My only complaint is that if you want to restart one of the titles, you have to open it on a new save file. This means you have to play 1, 2 and 3 again if you want to replay Wily Tower. Copy your save once you've unlocked it!
WORTH THE MONEY?
If you have a Genesis, the new Retro-Bit version is a really cool collectible. Otherwise, if you're a big Mega Man fan, I think it's worth getting the NSO Expansion Pack to play this game. It was for me! Try the other consoles while you're at it.
WORTH THE TIME?
This game is definitely the best version of Mega Man, and arguably Mega Man 2 and 3. Either way, its worth playing through them to get to Wily Tower. You have to play it for yourself
