10. Mega Man 9 (WiiWare)

Winding back the clock to Mega Man's NES routes with a potent throwback, Inti Creates and Capcom tapped into our nostalgia beautifully with Mega Man 9, returning the bombardier bleu to his original 8-bit stylings in the first numbered entry in the original series for twelve years. Simply making it look authentic wouldn't have been enough, though. Fortunately, Inti Creates crafted a tight little run-and-gun platformer worthy of bearing that hallowed digit.

9. Mega Man X2 (SNES)

Like so many games in Capcom's blue-hued back catalogue, Mega Man X2 doesn't really do much in the way of innovation, but there's not really any need to. Mega Man X was a great game, and while it's obviously a bit less original, X2 is a very solid experience that does more of the same really, really well.

8. Mega Man X Collection (GCN)

Compiling the first six Mega Man X games into one package, this disc was a great way for longtime fans to replay the best games in the series or to catch up for those who might have missed entries due to them being on PlayStation. Even ignoring some of the lesser entries, just having the first three on one disc was a treat for fans, and it's the only way to officially play Mega Man: Battle & Chase (think 'Mega Man Kart') on a Nintendo console, too.

7. Mega Man Legacy Collection (Switch eShop)

Digital Eclipse did a great job with all the details in Mega Man Legacy Collection, presenting the original games in their best possible light, while tossing in a handful of extra features and challenges on top to sweeten the deal. The rewind feature is a welcome inclusion that helps to mitigate the difficulty of some of the games, and the overall quality of the series is difficult to dispute. We would highly recommend you pick this one up — all the included extra features coupled with the ability to play these games both at home and on the go make it a no-brainer.

6. Mega Man Zero 3 (GBA)

Diminishing returns? Pah! — there's no such thing as too much Mega Man!

Mega Man Zero 2 made some drastic changes to the first game's formula to make it more enjoyable, and Mega Man Zero 3 finetunes things a little more, but stops short of major changes; a classic example of not messing with something that works. If you enjoyed the previous titles, you will absolutely get a kick out of this one as well, and all the collectibles should keep you entertained. Again!

5. Mega Man Zero Collection (DS)

Collecting together all four of the Game Boy Advance games in one convenient package, Inti Creates added an Easy mode and a couple of extra bits and pieces while assembling the Mega Man Zero Collection, but for the most the games were left to sell themselves in this compilation. Fortunately, the Zero series — which arguably follows the same trajectory of quality as the vanilla Mega Man games (good, brilliant, practically-as-brilliant, not-quite-as-brilliant) — was a short and sweet sideline to the Rockman brand and at a time when franchise fans had little else to look forward to from Capcom, this was one hell of a lifeline.

4. Mega Man X Legacy Collection (Switch eShop)

Mega Man X Legacy Collection is a fantastic re-release of several must-play gaming classics, presenting them as authentically as possible while still including a few modern features on top that help to improve the overall experience and keep it from feeling antiquated. Throw in the new X Challenge mode and an enormous archive of museum content and this stands as the definitive way to play the Mega Man X games in the modern era. Four fantastic games, a bevy of extra content, and the ability to play at home or on the go — nothing not to like here.

3. Mega Man 3 (NES)

Mega Man 3 was one of the shining jewels in the NES library — a catalogue that's certainly not wanting for sparklers. If we're really searching for imperfections, a touch of slowdown, a glitchy weapon and some careless level design arguably takes the shine off this when compared directly to its predecessor. Then again, MM3 added the slide move and Rush, the titular character's robo-Good Boi.

For our money, arguing between Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 is much like debating between Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World — they're two sides of the same coin and both utterly essential.

2. Mega Man 2 (NES)

Mega Man 2 is the textbook example of a sequel done right; perfectly, in fact. It retains the best features of the first game, tightens up the physics, retools the enemy AI, and adds a slew of new features and challenges. Its front-to-back brilliant soundtrack doesn't hurt, either. What else is there to say? It's an absolute all-time classic — one of the finest 8-bit games ever made — and if you only play one Mega Man game (er, why would you do that?)... you should probably toss a coin to decide between this or its sequel.

1. Mega Man X (SNES)

Mega Man X is a fantastic game. It retains the charm and pacing of the classic Mega Man series and adds a much appreciated spin of its own. With plenty of hidden items and upgrades — don't forget the super-secret one in Armored Armadillo's stage — and a host of fun new weapons to use, Mega Man X is a game worth playing again and again. Later entries in this sub-series might be a bit of a mixed bag, but there's no denying that this first title is a masterpiece.

Feel free to let us know your thoughts on the Mega ranking above and share a comment about your personal favourite(s) below.