A simple question where I try and free myself from resposiblity and decision:

If you owned...

X1~X2 on the SNES
X4~X6 on the PSX and
X7~X8 on the PS2

...would you bite the bullet and buy an X3 cart to finish off your collection 13 years after the series began?

* Note: I'm not counting Mega Man Xtreme 1 or 2, Command Mission or PSP version of X1

Minuses:
- I technically own X3 on the X Collection, but that's the PSX edition
- I really don't need it
- I was pretty disappointed in how the series ended and wonder if I shouldn't get it out of spite

Plus:
- I could finally shut the hell up and end that little nagging feeling I'm one game shy
- I don't need one with a box or manual, the cart alone would be fine; lost my X2 box and manual in a flood so the idea of perfection outside having all the games is nill
- I could quit posting stupid topics like this on the board

Any thoughts?

Coming from someone who just sold his X Collection and then re-bought the PSX version of X4 because he, uh... because I didn't want to play any of the other games on the collection besides X4, I would say it's not worth the $40. That's just me, though. If you want to complete the collection and fill that slot. Go for it.

I've been thinking of selling my copy of the X Collection as well... and I have X1 and X4 which are my favorites so I think your right in saying it's just be a waste of money considering X3 isn't one of my favorites. I think it be something I'd buy and reget later while it's lying around collecting dust. Thanks for your input, I guess I was just being weak when I wrote this topic.

Edit:

Having all the games in the series isn't going to make you happy when you dislike half of them anyway.

Depends on the price.  For a reasonable price, sure.  For more than the original selling price of the cart?  Probably not.

I got the SNES cartridge after buying the PSX version, and so should you
Only if it's affordable though.

Considering the cost involved with a copy of X3, I wouldn't bother. Having it on the MMX Collection is more than enough for me...That game finds new ways to piss me off every time I play it. I think I enjoyed X7 more and I practically gave that one away (Gamestop trade-in...think I got $3 for it).

MMX Collection is kind of funny, since the two games I don't own seperately (X3 and X6) I ended up hating and the others are ones I own physical copies of. Not having annoying load times in X4 and X5 is a blessing in itself though.

Are we talking about Rockman X or Mega Man X?

The SNES version was always a catch on eBay, going for upwards around $60 for the cart itself because of its low-print run in the States. Even though I was one of the few who got Megaman X3 around the time it came out, I always preferred the Saturn (same as PSX) Japan version better for the remixed and introduction musics, and the totally awesome anime cutscenes and intros and wacky Maverick names (EXPLOSE HORNECK!). Didn't enjoy the load times, which were pardon the pun, a load of time!

Seems like with 'Buy-it-now' prices in the $45 range, you might be able to snag it for around $30 or 40 maybe?

If you can find a boxed with instructions copy (be prepared to bust out the bucks), it's definitely worth it for collection's sake if you liked the game. Personally, I found the difficulty in X3 to be alienating but I'm a wimp who loved X2 (best) and the easy, easier, easiest X original.

Rockman X3 on the SFC might not be hard to find.  I mean I have no idea.  Anyway, I'm not one to care about 'completing' series, for example I have all of the bit generation games, but one (Boundish, the bad one ) and I have no real desire to buy it to complete a set.  But, I've heard X3 is a fantastic game (albeit not as much as X or X2), I mean its just what I've heard, but considering it looks like the same game as the first two with new weapons, it shouldn't be bad.  But my perspective is that you shouldn't feel pressured to finish a set, especially if you already own the game in a form you're pleased with (the X Collection).

If anything, Rockman X3 might be worth buying for the spectacular cover art alone.

Mega Man X, the American editions (I just used the original Japanese terminology because that is usually what someone says when refering to soundtracks.) I've never imported a game or system even though MM games are the kind of games you could easily get away with playing despite the language barrier as there isn't much text... hell, hardly any work went into X6 in that respect (sorry, couldn't resist.)

Anyway, I've come to realize it isn't worth getting X3 let alone holding on to all the other seven games when I'm not happy with the way the series turned out - I know, wah wah - but Capcom really dropped the ball in the end. I've decided to let go of everything outside X and X4 as I thought those where the best outings on their respective consoles. I don't need to have X6 around when I have the Rockman X box because IMHO the music is the best part of that game, and some of them, like X2, have really paled to me over the years.

I posted X2, X5, X6, X8, MMX Collection and MM Anversary for sale over in the market place if anyone wants them and wants to finish their collection.

I sympathize.

I abandoned all hope for the series after X4. I put up with X5 and X6 because they were budget-priced, abhorred what they did to X7 and thought X8 was just flimsy (apart from finding it at the now defunct Media Play for $8).

Capcom has decided to completely fragment and derail the entire Rockman/Mega Man franchise into a total, youth-oriented cashcow circus leaving many of its rooted fans, like myself, far behind back on the FC/NES generation along with the early to mid 1990s. X and X2 were fantastic spawns for the series, and the entire X series up until X6 deserves to be around solely for the excellent soundtracks they produced along with the otherwise ho-hum games in their later years.

And for god's sake, let's see someone unearth some artists to do a true arranged instrumental soundtrack (on the lines of "rocking heart") with for some of the original series instead of these endless array of cereal box "Zero" soundtracks.

About X4...

Do you think this would be interesting to check out?  I've heard read great things about the game.  I have X and played X2, and enjoy those games.  Is X4 in that vein, or something radically different?

Wow, that's a damn fine explanation of how I feel as well.

I appreciate what the Remastered Track albums bring to the table because even though they are hardly "gutsy" releases the original GBA sound isn't very spectacular at all, but after a while everything from 1~3 somewhat runs together - to me at least. I though Rockman Zero 4 (Physis) stuck out from the crowd, broke up the monotony and therefore a personal favorite.

Still, we're pretty dependant on fan remixes in this respect aren't we... shame.

In my opinion X4 is Mega Man X defined on the PSX like the original X is Mega Man X defined on the SNES.

No, it isn't radically different, but to put it simply X4 is a well concieved game from top to bottom... the amount of effort the development team put into the game shows, it shows so much it makes X5 and X6 pale in comparsion. Basically when X4 was made in 97 the series was still a high prority - not so much by the time X5 and X6 and beyond rolled out.

I could go on why X4 is a great game but I'd be here for a while... and I'm sure people would pick apart my fanboyism for the title... but I'd suggest playing it you ever get the chance.

QFT. I just wrapped up an X playthrough of the game, and it's a very solid game. My one pet peeve about the game are that, as X, if you hit the Maverick with its weakness, it takes off more damage and throws it into a different recovery animation... which means that if you fight Split Mushroom with the web weapon, he will just bounce back and forth and you can kill him without him even attacking. Other than that and a brutal final boss fight, the game just rules.

I personally like it much better than the first X. I picked up a copy off eBay not too long ago for $2.99, so I'll bet that you can get one cheap. I definitely recommend checking it out.

Eh, I'm happy with what we've gotten with the Remastered Zero albums for the most part. Neither the composers or arrangers can do emotional themes or subtle electronica to save their lives, but the action/battle themes feel like an appropriate enough extension to the main X series. And considering they're more "upgrades" to the GBA/DS sound than "arranges" by design, it's pretty hard to argue with the extra touches added. That said, I think ZXA is probably the second-weakest entry in the series (after the first one...but both still have some quality tracks on them).

Now the PSP Megaman X upgrade's music...I thought that was downright sloppy and atrocious, if not outright offensive. The SNES synth guitars actually sound better to me and stuff like the wonderful bassline in Sigma's 1st Stage are completely lost.

But yeah, X5 aside, I agree with the rest of what you said. Capcom has really junked up Megaman's existence since the early days and he's been reduced to this kiddie-anime franchise their designers don't really know what to do with when it comes time to actually make the games. Kind of like Army Men...Which is a real shame. Then again, almost the same thing could be said for Castlevania...Just replace "kiddie anime" with "B-gothic horror". As a fan of both franchises in their early, they've gotten pretty embarassing.

This is true for all the newer Megaman games. I normally just fight with the buster until I have to pull out my ace (or I use Zero...close-range fighting in these type of games is a great way to shave lives off your total!)

For me X1 and X2 are the best X games (the GBC versions are fun too!).  X3 was ok, but it got tedious with the mech stuff.  X4 is also decent, but the last boss is immensely frustrating.

Concerning the series as it is today, I loved the Zero series, but ZX disappointed me.  I will probably go back and try to get into it some day since I didn't like Zero 1 at first, but it ended up growing on me once I fought past the vertical learning curve.  I'm also a big fan of the Zero Remaster series.  I should be getting my ZXA remaster later this week and I look forward to hearing it.

ZX should be such a sweet game, but there's a wall of crap surrounding the fun platforming parts. Sort of like the Zero games (I hated wandering around the base), but worse. I really don't blame anyone who has issues with it, since I'm hesitant to pick mine up because I forget where I left off...I should only have to select a boss and enter his stage, not worry about how Section C intersects with Section A or whatever. Whoever thought it was a good idea and that it adds depth needs to be shot and strangled.

If I want alternatives, I'll stick to the wonderful Rockman X Alph-Lyla with Toshiaki Otsubo album myself...

You're not alone, I thought Mega Man Powered Up and Maverick Hunter Mega Man X were pretty bad overall. Powered up was a little too "happy" for my tastes - which does fit the cutesy style of the game. In the case of X having Shinya Okada do the soundtrack and make it the spawn of the style used on Command Mission failed (I do like the style on CM but not in conjunction with X's classic themes.) Why didn't they have someone like Akemi Kimura do it and preserve the original feel? As if X6 and X8 didn't prove she can really work that guitar to begin with.

I have this myself and I really enjoy it - and I'm not to big on jazz either. Listening wise it's a pretty accessable album.

Aww, that's a shame. I never got into X5 or X6 (er, or X7... or X8), so I didn't know that. It would have been cool to just have the weapons do more damage like they did in the older MM games, but I guess that's just another reason to do a Buster-only run.

With Zero...

...in X5 his cresent slash (which is the same thing as his air saber spin in X4) is so damn efficent it makes his other weapons pointless. The only thing it doesn't work on is boss you get it from and he's easy as it is.

...in X6 Zero's saber is so overpowered it makes his other weapons a joke. You can rape Sigma's final form in less than a minute because it practially has no built in invicibility time after taking a hit. Of course to add insult to injury you can kill Sigma's first form in a few seconds with the Z-Buster.

...in X7, as Goldfish said, playing as Zero just gets you nailed a lot, his sword doesn't have as much range. I can't imagine taking on the leader of Red Alert with Zero considering the way the battle area is set up.

With X...

...in X7 his max buster shot is so powerful it makes him a must use character after his little "I don't want to fight" tantrum is over.

With both...

...in X8 you can get away without using the corresponding weapon on bosses for most of the game.

As you can see those games aren't as balanced as X4 or those that came before.

Edit:

Still, part of me thinks anyone should play up till X5 because that is were the series was originally intended to end and the game delivers on some of the ideas aluded to in X2~X4's endings. Of course, looking at the tracklisting for X5 on the Rockman X box will probably tell you what event I'm referring to (man that is a killer track!) Everything beyond that though is window dressing....