The Most Iconic Classic Mega Man Weapons of All Time

Mega Man is perhaps best known for his ability to take Robot Master's weapons after defeating them. Mega Man has used over 90 weapons in the main classic series, but not all were created equal.

Weapons are a defining feature of classic Mega Man games, each adding unique abilities and strategies to gameplay. But we're not just talking about the best weapons. While some weapons are praised for their usefulness, others are remembered for their quirks or their notorious difficulty to use.

Here's a look at the series' most iconic weapons, based on their impact, utility, and memorable feats.

Most Memorable Mega Man Classic Weapons

• Black hole bomb: Galaxy Man provides Mega Man with a powerful weapon. It creates a black hole that attracts and damages enemies, making it useful for crowd control. Strategically deploying this weapon adds depth to its use, allowing players to get through difficult sections more easily.

• Gemini Laser: A unique weapon obtained from Gemini Man. It fires a laser that bounces off walls, creating opportunities to hit enemies multiple times or from unexpected angles. Despite its slow rate of fire and ability to miss fast-moving targets, it is memorable for its ricochet mechanic.

• Gravity support: Gravity Man's weapon of choice. It affects all enemies on screen, lifting them off the ground and damaging or destroying them. This weapon's ability to clear the screen makes it very useful, especially in areas where there are many smaller enemies. Only a handful of Mega Man weapons can clear an entire room, which makes this one remarkable.

• Hornet Hunter: A fun little weapon acquired from Hornet Man. It releases small hornet robots that focus on enemies or objects, making it excellent for hitting hard-to-reach targets or collecting items without needing to jump or maneuver. The appeal here is similar to that of Search Snake. It's just fun to shoot bees at people.

• Metal blade: Arguably the most famous weapon in the series. Metal Man's weapon can fire in eight directions and is fast. Metal Blade also has very low power consumption, allowing continuous use. His power and versatility make him a fan favorite, and he is known to be effective against several bosses, including defeating Metal Man himself in a single hit.

• The pile driver: A high-speed sprint attack obtained from Impact Man. It allows Mega Man to move quickly, damage enemies and pass through barriers. This weapon stands out for its speed and versatility in combat and navigation. Immediately memorable in Mega Man 11 for its heavy use in the games speedrunning.

• Search for a snake: Acquired from Snake Man in Mega man 3, the Search Snake releases small snake-like projectiles that crawl along the floor and walls. This weapon is particularly useful for hitting enemies low to the ground or in hard-to-reach places. This is also one of the few opportunities in the game to throw snakes at enemies.

• Thunder beam: A versatile and powerful weapon acquired from Elec Man. It fires in three directions simultaneously, making it extremely useful for taking out enemies. Its legacy, however, comes from the pause problem. Pausing the game repeatedly resets bosses' invulnerability frames, allowing this weapon to hit multiple times per shot. Particularly useful for quickly killing Yellow Devil.

• Stopping time: Flash Man's weapon allows Mega Man to temporarily freeze time. It was the first Mega Man weapon to freeze time. This can be particularly useful for bypassing dangerous obstacles or avoiding difficult enemy attacks. It's also memorable for stopping the notoriously difficult lasers in Quick Man's scene.

• Top rotation: The Top Spin, also from Mega-Man 3, is infamous for its inconsistent performances. Obtained from Top Man, it forces Mega Man to transform into enemies, which can be difficult to control and often leads to you taking more damage than you deal. Her unpredictable nature makes her memorable as she is one of the most unreliable weapons in the series.

Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 + 2 is available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC and Switch.