Line #110 VideoGame/MegaMan8


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mm8.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''"My name is Mega Man. And I'm [[VideoGameLongRunners still rocking it]] for [[MilestoneCelebration ten years]]..."''[[note]]Clockwise from bottom-left: [[{{Tengu}} Tengu Man]], [[MakingASplash Aqua Man]], [[ColdSniper Search Man]], [[{{Snowlems}} Frost Man]], [[FlamingSword Sword Man]], [[VillainousHarlequin Clown Man]], [[MadBomber Grenade Man]], and [[MeteorSummoningAttack Astro Man]]\
3	'''Center:''' [[StarfishRobots Duo]][[/note]]]]
4	->''Electrical communication!\
5	Erases sense for imagination!\
6	You can't escape the battlefield!\
7	Spark up the Rock action!\
8	Four-dimensional revolution!\
9	Unravel the circuits binding the future!''
10	-->-- "Electrical Communication" English lyrics
11
12	''Mega Man 8'' is a Platform/PlayStation and Platform/SegaSaturn video game, released in 1997[[labelnote:*]]with the exception of the Japanese [=PS1=] release, which hit shelves on December 17, 1996[[/labelnote]]. [[MilestoneCelebration It was made to celebrate the 10th anniversary]] of the ''Franchise/MegaMan'' series, as well as give the [[PowerCopying old school]] formula a new coat of 32-bit paint.
13
14	The plot begins when a duo of fighting alien robots crash-land into Dr. Wily's island base. Mega Man promptly arrives in time to save one of them, while Wily steals a strange source of energy from the wreckage of the other robot. After mowing down four of Wily's latest Robot Masters, Dr. Light finishes repairing the alien robot, named Duo, who soon after escapes, leading Mega Man in chase, only for him to nearly be killed by one of Wily's mecha, although Duo saves him in time. He reveals that Wily has been using "Evil Energy", a corrupting source of energy that he acquired from the robot Duo was fighting earlier, and that it must be destroyed lest it corrupt the Earth in its entirety.
15
16	Robot Masters:
17	* DWN-057: Tengu Man, weak to Ice Wave, gives [[TornadoMove Tornado Hold]]
18	* DWN-058: Astro Man, weak to Homing Sniper, gives [[MeteorSummoningAttack Astro]] [[ColonyDrop Crush]]
19	* DWN-059: Sword Man, weak to Water Balloon, gives [[FlamingSword Flame Sword]]
20	* DWN-060: Clown Man, weak to Tornado Hold, gives [[ShockAndAwe Thunder]] [[GrapplingHookPistol Claw]]
21	* DWN-061: Search Man, weak to Flame Sword, gives [[HomingProjectile Homing]] [[MacrossMissileMassacre Sniper]]
22	* DWN-062: Frost Man, weak to Flash Bomb, gives [[AnIcePerson Ice Wave]]
23	* DWN-063: Grenade Man, weak to Thunder Claw, gives the [[DamageOverTime Flash]] [[ThrowDownTheBomblet Bomb]]
24	* DWN-064: Aqua Man, weak to Astro Crush, gives the [[MakingASplash Water Balloon]]
25
26	All in all, ''Mega Man 8'' was a modest hit both critically and commercially (even being re-released as part of the [=PlayStation=]'s [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Hits_(PlayStation) "Greatest Hits"]] label), although it didn't get the same attention as ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'', which released later that same year. The game would then receive a [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom]] spin-off/interquel called ''Rockman & Forte'' in 1998, which would be ported to the Platform/GameBoyAdvance in 2003 for international audiences as ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass''. A true Classic ''Mega Man'' continuation would not pop up [[SequelGap for many, many years]], finally surfacing as the [[{{Retraux}} retro-styled]] ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'' in 2008. ''Mega Man 8'' would also be re-released as part of two separate {{compilation\|Rerelease}}s: the ''Mega Man Anniversary Collection'' in 2004 and ''Mega Man Legacy Collection 2'' in 2017.
27
28	[[VideoGameDemake A fan-made 8-bit remake of this game]] also exists, and can be found online.
29
30	Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/MegaMan8BitDeathmatch'' or "[[VideoGame/Sonic3DBlast5 Rockman 8]]."
31	----
32	!!Tropes:
33
34	* AffablyEvil: Sword Man. Right off the bat, he tells Mega Man that there's {{nothing personal}} between him and the Blue Bomber ([[JustFollowingOrders he's simply following orders from Wily]]), that he's not going to hold anything back in battle, and that [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen he expects a fair fight]]. In battle, he even takes his time to ''[[CombatCompliment commend]]'' Mega Man, uttering an "Impressive" if Mega Man successfully dodges his Fire Slash. On top of this, he [[SwordPlant plants his blade into the ground]] and leans upon it as if it were a cane, and, if that weren't enough, the dub tries to reinforce this image by giving Sword Man [[IAmVeryBritish a polite, sophisticated]] Australian accent. And when you defeat him, his last line is "[[GracefulLoser Nice]] [[VillainRespect shot]]."
35	* TheAhnold: Frost Man evokes this one in the dub due to his accent. Or tries to, at least; [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent sometimes he just comes across with a plain]] "DumbMuscle" accent.
36	* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The game uses very different instrumental [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6YaUefm4bw opening]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sZijF0_W8E closing]] themes in the English version. Compare to the original Japanese themes, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVs0z-VNnFI "Electrical Communication"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcRp7fEpN6A "Brand New Way."]]
37	* AmusementParkOfDoom: Clown Man's stage, which looks fun and colorful, but in reality is quite difficult, with dangerous train rides (with two oncoming trains crashing into one another over a bottomless pit at one point) and, as the level's main gimmick, a bell ringing in the background that will determine different things happening to you if you stand on boxes with an O (you're safe), an X (you take damage), a skull (you fall through to your doom), or a question mark (which teleports you elsewhere in the level).
38	* ArmorPiercingAttack: The Laser Shot, purchasable from the shop, allows a Charged Mega Buster to fire a laser capable of piercing shielded enemies like Mets and Sniper Joes.
39	* ArtificialOutdoorsDisplay: In Astro Man's stage, during the boss fight with him, the room you're in projects imagery of the moon's surface. The projection stops after he's defeated. It is implied that the stage's backgrounds are all artificial as well, tying in with Astro Man's [[MasterOfIllusion illusory powers]].
40	* AssistCharacter: The Rush Jet levels, where power-ups can summon Eddie, Beat, and (for the first, and so far only, time he's ever gone out into battle) Auto to your side to provide additional firepower.
41	* BeneathTheEarth: Where Wily's latest Skull Castle resides.
42	* {{BFS}}: The sword outfitted on Sword Man was stolen from an ancient museum in a heist by Wily. However, it was so heavy that Wily had to implement an anti-gravity device on Sword Man's upper half, allowing both parts of his body to function separately of one another. This is how he is able to perform [[SpinAttack Fire Slash]].
43	* BigDamnHeroes: Duo saves Mega Man ''twice'' from getting killed by Wily.
44	* BigWhat: Bass lets one of these out every time he takes damage in his battle against Mega Man in Wily Tower 3.
45	* BlackoutBasement: One room in Sword Man's stage is dark and Flash Bomb can light it.
46	* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Sword Man's sword is built into his right arm at the wrist.
47	* BossBanter: As the first [[VideoGame/MegaManThePowerBattle main]] [[VideoGame/MegaMan2ThePowerFighters title]] in the Classic series with voice acting, ''8'' adds dialogue during the Robot Master boss fights. They speak before the battle begins, while performing certain attacks, when taking damage, and after being defeated.
48	* BossRush: As per usual, the final stage requires Mega Man to defeat all eight Robot Masters a second time before he can confront Wily. The BGM for the stage is even a remix of the Robot Master pre-fight theme.
49	* CallingYourAttacks: The Robot Masters do so in this one. In a half-subversion, Mega Man will sometimes yell "Power Shot!" when firing off a Charge Shot. Other bosses like Duo and Bass, while not name-dropping any of their attacks, will utter phrases and give other tells signifying their next move.
50	* CerebusRollercoaster: On one hand, ''Mega Man 8'' is very much LighterAndSofter compared to [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 its predecessor]]. The game has a much brighter and goofier tone, and Mega Man doesn't try to kill ([[AmericanKirbyIsHardcore or rather]], "threaten" to kill) Dr. Wily again. [[DarkerAndEdgier On the other hand]], this is the first game in that [[spoiler:Rush [[DisneyDeath almost dies]], and Mega Man himself nearly doesn't survive as well]].
51	* CloseUpOnHead: We get a close up of Bass's face in the opening cutscene during his InnerMonologue.
52	* ClownCarBase: Astro Man can fit inside his ball-shaped ship despite being bigger than it.
53	* ColdSniper[=/=]FriendlySniper: Search Man. [[MultipleHeadCase It's a bit hard to tell.]]
54	* ColonyDrop: Astro Man's Astro Crush, which [[MeteorSummoningAttack summons a swarm of meteors]] to annihilate everything on screen.
55	* CompilationRerelease: The [=PlayStation=] version was featured in both 2004's ''Mega Man Anniversary Collection'' and 2017's ''Mega Man Legacy Collection 2''.
56	* ConjoinedTwins: Search Man is a dicephalic parapagus robot. According to official lore, Wily thought that a two-headed sniper would be better than a monocephalic one.
57	* ContinuityCameo: The intro movie is one huge ShoutOut [[ContinuityNod to all of the previous games in the series]], with numerous Robot Masters and fortress bosses from ''1''-''7'' [[ContinuityCavalcade making an appearance]].
58	* ContinuityNod:
59	** The rotting remains of the Mecha Dragon from ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' can be spotted in the intro stage.
60	** Cut Man and Wood Man, who appear in the Saturn version as additional bosses, are believed to be other Robot Masters stolen from the Robot Museum alongside Guts Man in ''VideoGame/MegaMan7'', as possibly hinted by the two shattered glass tubes in the boss room.
61	** Although the Rush Coil is absent, it makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in the game's opening anime cutscene when Rush uses it in jet form to bounce Mega Man upwards.
62	** Clown Man's stage contains toys of [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 Cut Man, Ice Man]], [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 Guts Man G, and Stegorus]]. The background also has giant plushies of [[VideoGame/MegaMan4 Moby]] and [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 VAN Pookin]].
63	* CoolBike: This game introduces the Rush Bike, which turns Rush into a motorcycle Mega Man can ride. The Rush Bike increases Mega Man's movement speed and can fire shots.
64	* TheCorruption: The "Evil Energy" is an energy source that takes the worst emotions from humans and robots alike. According to Duo, Evil Energy runs risk of magnifying and multiplying if its host is sufficiently evil enough, with this exposition accompanied by an image of Dr. Wily.
65	* CostumeEvolution:
66	** Dr. Wily replaces his lab coat with [[BadassCape a villainous cloak]], as well as adding a skull-shaped belt buckle and a loose bow tie. This look would stick around for ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' before being retired to his usual design in ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan10''.
67	** Roll now wears a long-sleeved black shirt under her dress, has red knee-high boots instead of shoes, and her hair is styled with spikier bangs. Like Dr. Wily, this look would persist into later games and spinoffs until ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'', but it still makes occasional reappearances (including in the aforementioned ''9'').
68	** Super Bass now has eagle-esque wings and spiked headfins (as opposed to the smoother, curved wings he had in ''VideoGame/MegaMan7''), which he retains for the rest of the series.
69	* CowardlyLion: Astro Man seems utterly terrified of engaging in direct combat with Mega Man and panics when the Blue Bomber enters his room. That being said, unless you have the Homing Sniper (which renders his battle a complete joke) he's one of the toughest bosses in the game.
70	* CutsceneBoss: On his way to Wily's new lair following his battle with Duo, Mega Man finds himself up against the Giant Gori-Three in an FMV. He can barely scratch the thing, but fortunately Duo arrives to help.
71	* DefeatEqualsExplosion: Every Robot Master will pose painfully for a few seconds, then starts exploding consecutively all over their bodies. Clown Man will have a unique defeat pose as he doesn't show it until he gets defeated.
72	* DeathFromAbove:
73	** [[MeteorSummoningAttack Astro Crush]], one of the more destructive special weapons the Blue Bomber has picked up from a collateral damage perspective.
74	** Rush Bomber, obtained by defeating Gearna Eye (the MiniBoss of Sword Man's stage), has Rush fly in from off-screen in his Rush Jet form and carpet bomb the surrounding area for a set period of time.
75	** In an inversion, the Rush Charger option, obtained from Gorone in Aqua Man's stage, serves a similar function -- only Rush is dropping life and weapon energy recovery items instead.
76	* DemotedToExtra: Bass. Mega Man fights him briefly during the opening cutscene, but he's not seen again until near the end of the game, showing up as a mini-boss of the third Wily level, after which he disappears from the game entirely. This gets stranger when you remember that [[spoiler:Bass used a container of Evil Energy -- which Duo came to Earth to eradicate -- to augment his Treble Boost]].
77	* DesperationAttack: Most, but not all, of the Robot Masters have overdrive attacks they initiate when they're low on health.
78	* DeusExitMachina: Duo isn't really allowed to do much in the story despite being shown as one of the strongest robots to date in the Classic series if not the entire main timeline. He spends the first half of the game out of commission, can't do much more than track down Evil Energy in the second due to barriers around Wily's fortress that Mega Man must disable, and only appears at the finale to save Mega Man's life twice.
79	* DisneyDeath:
80	** Rush is almost crashed by the Giant Gori-Three.
81	** [[spoiler:Mega Man at the end, where he is unconscious due to being infected with Evil Energy, but Duo manages to cure him due to Mega Man's Justice Energy.]]
82	* DoubleJump: The Mega Ball, in addition to its use as a HyperDestructiveBouncingBall, has [[UtilityWeapon a secondary function]] that allows Mega Man to jump off the ball and use its explosion to gain extra height compared to a regular jump. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5BaxY2ynAs&t=2m55s As demonstrated here]] in this recap/review of the game by Power Guy, this trick is not limited to the ground and can be exploited in midair to serve as an impromptu double (or even triple) jump [[DifficultButAwesome with enough skill]].
83	%% Note for all future edits: Knowledge of the Mega Ball trick predates Power Guy's video on this game (uploaded on August 25, 2023) by quite some time, such as the Game-Breaker page for the series on this wiki.
84	* DownTheDrain: In an optional sidepath in the intro stage. You'll find two bolts hidden here (one of which is easily accessible) if you bother to traverse it.
85	* DubNameChange: Tengu Man's "Yama Arashi" move (or "Kamaitachi"; see GratuitousJapanese below) is actually named "Kamikaze" ("godly/divine wind") in the original Japanese version and [[CallingYourAttacks shouted out]] as such when used by him.
86	* DumbMuscle: Frost Man can create big ice barriers and is strong enough to make ice blocks from a machine fall as well as push them, but he is otherwise dumb.
87	* EarlyBirdCameo: Contrary to popular belief, Duo did not debut in this game, but first popped up in the arcade game ''VideoGame/MegaMan2ThePowerFighters'', which pulled a RememberTheNewGuy to generate buzz for his chronological debut here.
88	* ElectricTorture: Wily's Giant Gori-Three lackey uses this to try and kill Mega Man.
89	* ElementalRockPaperScissors: As usual for the series, but similar to ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'', this game has the Robot Masters in two weakness cycles instead of one (Tengu Man → Clown Man → Grenade Man → Frost Man → Tengu Man, and Sword Man → Search Man → Astro Man → Aqua Man → Sword Man).
90	* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: Dr. Light suffers from a very thick lisp in the English dub.
91	--> '''Dr. Light:''' When we fine dat meteah, we'ww fine Doktah Wahwee! [[labelnote: Translation]]When we find that meteor, we'll find Doctor Wily![[/labelnote]]
92	* EternalEngine: Grenade Man's stage.
93	* EvilCounterpart: The unnamed robot[[labelnote:*]][[NamedByTheAdaptation named Trio]] in [[ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics the Archie Comics adaptation]][[/labelnote]] from which the Evil Energy originated mirrors Duo's original body in appearance, right down to sporting TheRightHandOfDoom as opposed to Duo's giant left arm.
94	* EvilIsNotAToy: [[spoiler:The Evil Energy possessing Mega Man in the finale wasn't a part of Wily's schemes; in fact, you could argue that he was genuinely surprised when it happened.]]
95	* {{Fanfare}}: The classic "Boss Selected" music pops up again, as does the victory jingle.
96	* FightingClown: Clown Man takes this to a logical, as well as literal, extreme.
97	* FireIceLightning: Sword Man, Frost Man, and Clown Man respectively fight using a flaming sword, waves of icy spikes, and electric shocks coming from his hands.
98	* FlamingSword: Sword Man's weapon, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Flame Sword]]. Mega Man can acquire it after defeating Sword Man, and use it to ignite certain flammable obstacles.
99	* GiantEnemyCrab: The boss of the tutorial level is Yadokargo, a large Wily Bot modeled after a hermit crab with a seashell-shaped carapace. To defeat it, Mega Man has to hit the face when the carapace isn't protecting it, which typically requires stunning Yadokargo with a sufficiently powerful attack (a Charge Shot, the Mega Ball, most Robot Master Special Weapons) and attacking it while its defenses are down.
100	* GracefulLoser: When you defeat Sword Man, true to his unfailingly polite personality, he compliments Mega Man one more time by saying "Nice shot" as he explodes.
101	* GrapplingHookPistol: Aside of attacking/stunning enemies and [[TennisBoss reflecting Grenade Man's Flash Bombs back at him]], Thunder Claw allows Mega Man to swing across chasms using designated grapple points. These usually come in silver, with bronze-colored varieties [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience often indicating]] grapple points that correctly lead Mega Man out of the current area or guide him to extra goodies like bolts.
102	* GratuitousJapanese: One of Tengu Man's attacks, the Kamaitachi (a ball of {{razor wind}}), is called out in Japanese, with confusion in English-speaking circles over whether he's saying "Kamaitachi!" or "Yama Arashi!"[[labelnote:*]]Not helping matters is that [[DubNameChange he says something completely different in the original]] ("Kamikaze!"), suggesting this might have been [[BlindIdiotTranslation a fumble]] on the part of the localizers.[[/labelnote]] This might sound like gibberish at first, but it's actually a BilingualBonus either way: the kamaitachi is a weasel-like yokai from [[Myth/JapaneseMythology Japanese folkore]] (much like the {{tengu}}) capable of producing winds that were strong enough to cut, while the yama arashi is a well-known judo throw, one associated with legendary judoka Sanshiro Sugata and whose name ("mountain storm" or, more loosely, "wind/tornado descending from the mountain") fits Tengu Man's [[BlowYouAway elemental affinity]].
103	* GuideDangIt:
104	** You can actually kick the Mega Ball at a higher angle if you hold up while kicking it. The game never tells you this, and it makes fighting the first Wily boss a whole lot easier (if he shows up on one of the inner two parts, standing in the middle and kicking it upwards will hit him every time, as opposed to trying to get it to ricochet the right way).
105	** The Tornado Hold can be used to gain extra height if Mega Man enters the tornado after firing it. The game does not explain this when acquiring the weapon, but this technique is required to collect some of the bolts.
106	* HappyCircusMusic: Clown Man's stage, a colorful carnival-themed level, is accompanied by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=300iQ8dTZLo an upbeat theme]] on music box, strings, and drums.
107	* HomingProjectile: Homing Sniper. It is one of a select few Special Weapons in the original series that can be {{charged\|Attack}}, although this simply allows Mega Man to lock-on to more targets.
108	* HumongousMecha: Wily Tower is initially guarded by Giant Gori-Three, a giant gorilla-like robot large enough to wrap its hand around Mega Man. Mega Man doesn't stand a chance against it, necessitating Duo to come in and [[BigDamnHeroes save him]].
109	* HypocriticalHumor: Sword Man's CD file in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' states that he hates faulty swords. Sword Man's sword has no edges. (This is, however, a case of poor translation. In the original Japanese CD data, he hates chipped blades. While his blade lacks sharpness, it is certainly pristine.)
110	* IFellForHours: The mid-boss battle in Aqua Man's stage, against a Gorone, takes place on a waterfall. When it first appears, it destroys the bridge Mega Man was standing on, thus forcing him to jump on logs to fight it while constantly falling down the waterfall. The entire fight therefore is in a state of near-continuous freefall. Only after he defeats the Gorone, however long it takes, does Mega Man reach the bottom of the waterfall.
111	* ImAHumanitarian: Robot example in Frost Man. Upon facing Mega Man, he claims that he's going to turn the Blue Bomber into a popsicle ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakigori kakigori]] in the Japanese version).
112	* InnerMonologue: Bass in the opening cutscene, complete with CloseUpOnHead.
113	-->'''Bass:''' "Don't run away, coward. You'll pay for this insult. [[WeWillMeetAgain I'll be back.]]"
114	* JerkassHasAPoint: In Wily Tower Stage 3, Bass taunts Mega Man by saying he's naïve. He's right given the events of [[VideoGame/MegaMan7 the previous game]], wherein Mega Man let Bass -- not yet revealed as TheMole for Dr. Wily -- be repaired at Dr. Light's Lab... only for Bass to steal the parts/schematics for the Super Adapter, allowing Wily to create the [[CombiningMecha Treble]] [[SuperMode Boost]] for Bass.
115	* JungleJapes: Search Man's stage.
116	* JustAKid: [[UnderestimatingBadassery Tengu Man dismisses Mega Man as such]]. This is despite the fact that Mega Man is, chronologically speaking, the second ''oldest'' Robot Master in existence, never mind the scores of Robot Masters the Blue Bomber has defeated up to this point.
117	-->'''Tengu Man:''' "I did not expect my opponent is a kid...Don't make me laugh!"
118	%%* LevelInTheClouds: Tengu Man's stage.
119	* LovableCoward: While he was modified for combat, the easily flustered Astro Man is still not the most reliable of units. Provided you have the Homing Sniper in tow, he spends his battle suffering from an anxiety attack, whining as you whittle away his health, and, finally, exasperatedly proclaiming "Good grief!" upon his demise. [[CowardlyLion However, it's a different story if you decide to fight Astro Man without exploiting his weakness.]]
120	* MadBomber: Grenade Man, full stop. He [[PutTheLaughterInSlaughter cackles like a loon]] throughout the fight, he blows up the floor at one point, and he actually seems to ''[[CombatSadomasochist enjoy]]'' being hit by his own bombs! Never mind him belting out "THAT FELT GOOD!" as he explodes.
121	* MadeOfEvil: The Evil Energy.
122	* MadeOfExplodium: Grenade Man's stage in a nutshell. Set in an Argentinian ammunition factory, the level is swarming with [[IncrediblyObviousBomb time bombs]], [[ThrowDownTheBomblet grenade-tossing Joe Classics]], and all other kinds of explosives, perfect for the MadBomber residing there.
123	* MeteorSummoningAttack: Astro Crush calls down a storm of meteors; Mega Man is invincible during the animation.
124	* MultipleHeadCase: Search Man has two heads, which speak to each other during his boss intro.
125	* NotTheIntendedUse: Astro Crush is meant to be used for taking out large obstacles and [[SmartBomb clearing out screens of enemies]]. However, one auxiliary effect of using the weapon is that Mega Man hovers in place while the animation is taking place. Players that know about this use it to hover over gaps longer in the final snowboarding segment, where they can potentially save themselves from jumps they would have otherwise missed.
126	* ObjectShapedLandmass: The first level of the game is set on a skull-shaped island. Fitting for his skull motif, Dr. Wily's based on this island before he gets away with the Evil Energy that just landed on it as soon as Mega Man crosses paths with him.
127	* OddballInTheSeries:
128	** ''Mega Man 8'' is the only numbered installment in the [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic original]] ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man\|Classic}}'' [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic series]] not to debut on a Creator/{{Nintendo}} system.
129	** It's the only game since ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' to lack Energy Tanks.
130	** The usual Rush adapters like Rush Coil and Rush Jet are absent, replaced with one-off abilities like the Rush Bike, Question, Bomber, and Charger, which never returned in later installments.
131	** This game has more emphasis on {{Unexpected Gameplay Change}}s than any other ''Mega Man'' game, with certain stages including ShootEmUp mechanics, fast-paced snowboarding, and non-linear mazes.
132	* OhCrap: Astro Man's reaction when you lock on to him with the Homing Sniper.
133	* OnlyOneSaveFile: The original [=PlayStation=] version, its Sega Saturn port, and its port in ''Mega Man Legacy Collection 2'' avert this as they have multiple save slots for their respective ports. However, the version of the game included in the ''Mega Man Anniversary Collection'' for [=PlayStation=] 2, [=GameCube=], and Xbox only has one save file for the game.
134	* OptionalBoss: [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 Cut Man]] appears as an optional mini-boss in the Platform/SegaSaturn version of the game. [[note]][[VideoGame/MegaMan2 Wood Man]] also appears, but he's not optional, though neither can be refought after their bolt is collected.[[/note]]
135	* OverlyLongScream: When Mega Man gets electrified by one of Wily's robots, Giant Gori-Three, he screams for a whopping '''20 seconds'''.
136	* PersonalSpaceInvader: Rompers are found in Clown Man's stage. They're mostly harmless on their own, but will grab onto Mega Man, immobilizing him and draining life until they are shaken off. The Succubatton is similar, swooping down and trying the bite the player and latching on to drain more life.
137	* PlotTailoredToTheParty: Aside of the staple "one Robot Master is weak to another's Special Weapon" formula, the first half of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7NNbGnaePA Sword Man's stage]] specifically requires the use of the initial four Robot Masters' weapons (Tornado Hold, Ice Wave, Thunder Claw, and Flash Bomb) in order to proceed, with the corresponding rooms marked by stone inscriptions matching the weapon's general appearance or effect. [[labelnote:Specifically...]]Tornado Hold is used to guide interlocking switches together by raising the bottom half (which is outfitted with propellers) high enough into the air once properly lined up. Ice Wave is used to freeze fire pillars underneath the platforms Mega Man is traversing so that he doesn't [[OneHitKill die instantly upon contact]]. Thunder Claw is used to trip switches that prevent Mega Man from being crushed or skewered by [[AdvancingWallOfDoom slowly approaching]] {{Death Trap\|}}s, along with its GrapplingHookPistol function from other stages. Flash Bomb is used to illuminate dimly lit rooms so that the player can see tiles on the back wall corresponding to a button puzzle at the end of the section.[[/labelnote]]
138	* PowerGlows: Duo glows blue. His opposite number and those who draw upon Evil Energy (most notably Bass) glow purple/fuchsia.
139	* PreRenderedCutscene: ''Mega Man 8'' features anime-style cutscenes that include full voice acting for the first time in the Classic series.
140	* ProductionForeshadowing: In the "Museum" of ''Mega Man Legacy Collection 2'', an image of Mega Man with a different style was grouped with the ''Mega Man 8'' images. It was actually a teaser of ''VideoGame/MegaMan11''; the artwork is for the Block Dropper weapon.
141	* PunchClockVillain: Sword Man. He politely makes it clear to Mega Man that there's {{nothing personal}} between them and that [[JustFollowingOrders he's only doing his job for Wily]].
142	* RedBoxingGloves: Clown Man's stage has various boxes activated every time the bellringer hits the bell. The ones with the X can have a punch with a spring appear from its top.
143	* RiseToTheChallenge: In a later section of Astro Man's level, Mega Man has to ascend a collapsing tower steadily sinking into the sand.
144	* RollingAttack: Clown Man's Thunder Carnival. Doubles as BeTheBall.
145	* SchizophrenicDifficulty: While the more traditional stages are fairly straightforward by ''Mega Man'' standards, the stages that experiment with mechanics not found in most other games tend to be spikes in difficulty. The rocket sled stages are fast-paced auto-scrolling levels with little margin for error, the maze segments in Astro Man's stage require you to pay close attention to the layout in order to avoid getting lost, and the Rush Jet stages require you to adjust to a completely different type of gameplay, that of an autoscrolling ShootEmUp.
146	* ShoutOut:
147	** One of Grenade Man's opening lines is [[Film/Scarface1983 "Say hello to my cute little bombs!"]]
148	** When you defeat Clown Man, he has only enough time to say [[Film/It1990 "See you in my dreams!", a la Pennywise]], before he blows up.
149	* ShowsDamage: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}; like in ''7'', all Robot Masters barring [[CombatSadomasochist Grenade Man]] will react negatively to [[ElementalRockPaperScissors their weaknesses]], momentarily leaving them incapacitated. [[note]]Tengu Man's legs are frozen in place by Ice Wave, forcing him to struggle free for a second or two; Astro Man and his orbs drop to the ground from Homing Sniper in what is likely a neurotic reaction; Sword Man is stunned by Water Balloon, causing his body to emit steam; Clown Man's long arms are [[KnottyTentacles wrapped up]] by Tornado Hold (or he gets knocked off his trapeze mid-swing); Search Man, who is usually hiding behind bushes during his BossBattle, [[ManOnFire goes ablaze]] thanks to Flame Sword; Frost Man is knocked back and covers his eyes, having been temporarily blinded by Flash Bomb; and Aqua Man's water tank on his head is [[LiterallyShatteredLives shattered]] by Astro Crush, which causes him to take a few seconds repairing it.[[/note]] A lot of this falls under LogicalWeakness, but not every case is readily apparent at first. [[labelnote:For example...]]Frost Man is presumably suffering from the robot equivalent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photokeratitis snow blindness]] due to the light reflecting off his icy body.[[/labelnote]]
150	* SmugSuper: Tengu Man. In his two of his four pre-fight quotes, [[UnderestimatingBadassery he writes off Mega Man]] with either "It's {{just a kid}}. Don't make me laugh" or "Kid, you're almost not worth the effort." One of his taunts during battle is "Feel my power!" and his death cry is a mere "It's regretful." In fact, he's so boastful of his power that he comes back in [[VideoGame/MegaManAndBass the next game]] (alongside Astro Man, oddly enough) to settle the score. {{Tengu}} are known for their incredible martial arts skills and their excessive pride.
151	* SpeedEchoes: One of Grenade Man's attacks is [[FoeTossingCharge a dashing tackle]] that gives off this effect, predating the use of afterimages for X and Zero's [[VideoGameDashing dashes]] in the similarly 32-bit ''VideoGame/MegaManX4''.
152	* SpinToDeflectStuff: Tornado Hold can be used as a makeshift barrier against certain attacks.
153	* SpreadShot:
154	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZ2QgNmpSo#t=5m8s One of the items available for purchase from the shop]] is the Arrow Shot, a toggeable Buster upgrade that causes Charge Shots to splinter into a five-way shot upon contact with enemies.
155	** Rush gets a three-way shot if you can catch his item during the Rush Jet segments of Tengu Man's stage and Wily Stage 1.
156	* TempleOfDoom: Sword Man's stage, combined with LethalLavaLand.
157	* TogglingSetpiecePuzzle: The Astro Man stage features two WrapAround mazes whose corridors have color-coded walls that can be moved (whether upward or downward) by pressing the switches that match their color: Red and green. The catch is that, when a switch is pressed, the wall that is wired to it will move to make way for a passageway, but then obstruct the one it's moving to (for example, in the first maze, the exit is obstructed by a green wall that can be moved with a green switch, but the wall then moves downward and obstructs the passageway that would lead to the part above with the exit). In both mazes, Mega Man has to work around the toggling walls as well as the wrap-around mechanic to make way to the exit.
158	* TornadoMove: Tengu Man has Tornado Hold, which throws [[FuumaShuriken a spinning blade]] that generates a tornado. If this gets Mega Man, it traps him and allows Tengu Man to follow up with a MeteorMove, whacking the Blue Bomber back to Earth with his blade.
159	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: Frost Man's level and Wily Fortress 1 feature segments where Mega Man rides a rocket-powered snowboard. During these segments, the game turns into a fast paced auto-scrolling game where Mega Man has to jump and slide through obstacles with little room for error.
160	* UnexpectedSHMUPLevel: In the vein of the first Wily Star stage from ''VideoGame/MegaManV'', both Tengu Man's level and the second Fortress level have segments where Mega Man rides atop Rush Jet, during which Rush can be moved freely around the screen in any direction. These segments automatically scroll forward, provide lots of enemies to shoot at, and feature unique power-ups that can summon Eddie, Beat, or Auto to provide extra firepower.
161	* UpdatedRerelease: The Sega Saturn version, released shortly after the [=PlayStation=] version, added [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 Cut Man]] as an OptionalBoss in the intermission stage and [[VideoGame/MegaMan2 Wood Man]] as a MiniBoss in Search Man's stage, as well as a Bonus Mode featuring several bonus galleries.
162	* UtilityWeapon: The Mega Ball can be used to gain extra height ([[DifficultButAwesome including]] [[DoubleJump in the air]]) by bouncing off of it. The Tornado Hold can be used to lift Mega Man up to a higher platform. The Thunder Claw can be used to [[GrapplingHookPistol grab onto bars]]. The Astro Crush can be used to destroy a section of Aqua Man's stage, causing water to fill the area. And as noted in PlotTailoredToTheParty, the first four Robot Masters' weapons are required for certain sections of Sword Man's stage.
163	* VerbalTic: Downplayed in the Japanese version with Tengu Man, who uses the stock samurai tic of [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics "de gozaru"]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHTDErhtcE but only in his "Boss Selected" introduction]] ("Tengu Man de gozaru!"[[labelnote:lit.]]"I'm Tengu Man!"[[/labelnote]]) and at no point during his mid-fight BossBanter. He does, however, have other archaic speech patterns associated with samurai, particularly his use of [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns "sessha"]] to refer to himself.
164	* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Using the Robot Master's weakness against them can give...''interesting'' effects. Use Tornado Hold on Clown Man as he's about to do his trapeze kick? Cue [[KnottyTentacles him getting entangled by his own limbs]]. (He'll even call out for his mommy, making you feel...a bit bad for doing so.) Use Astro Crush on Aqua Man? You'll ''[[LiterallyShatteredLives shatter]]'' his glass parts. Use Flame Sword on Search Man as he's hiding in his MobileShrubbery? Cue ManOnFire.
165	* VillainousHarlequin: Clown Man. Though his design edges into MonsterClown territory, his jokey mannerisms paint Clown Man as [[LaughablyEvil anything but]], and this is before he cries out "Mommy!" when temporarily incapacitated by his weakness, the Tornado Hold.
166	* VisualPun: Unsurprisingly, [[AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance Grenade Man was designed to resemble an actual grenade]]: the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mk_2_grenade Mk 2,]] also known as a pineapple bomb. This is most noticeable with his lever-like headpiece and a torso with a similarly grooved surface.
167	* VocalDissonance: In the English version, certain characters have voices that don't exactly fit their character's personalities. Dr. Light speaks with a particularly noticable [[ElmuhFuddSyndwome lisp]], while Mega Man's voice sounds more like a girl than the young boy that the actress was likely going for.
168	* WalkDontSwim: The only (official[[note]]''[[VideoGame/MegaManDOS Mega Man 3]]'' [[VideoGame/MegaManDOS for DOS]] did it first[[/note]]) game that averts this [[SuperNotDrowningSkills by having Mega Man actually swim]], although his jumping height and walking speed are otherwise affected in the same manner as other DownTheDrain levels in previous titles (i.e. higher jumps at the cost of slower footspeed and lowered mobility in general).
169	* WaterGunsAndBalloons: Aqua Man's main attack naturally involves shooting streams of water every which way from his ArmCannon, either in water balloon-like spheres or in long, controllable jets. When Aqua Man is defeated, Mega Man receives the ability to shoot the water spheres, known as the Water Balloon.
170	* WeWillMeetAgain: Both Bass's InnerMonologue recounted above and, arguably, the aforementioned "See you in my dreams!" from Clown Man. Bass actually makes good on his promise unlike Clown Man, unless one counts the usual endgame BossRush.
171	* WorldsStrongestMan: In a sense. Duo may not necessarily be the strongest robot in the cosmos, but he ''is'' sufficiently powerful nonetheless (as evidenced by the fact that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW3H8SQGv5o#t=2m34s his clash with the unnamed "Evil Robot"]], [[ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics aka Trio]], ends with [[PlanetDestroyer significant damage]] to what appears to be Saturn) and pretty much sits at StoryBreakerPower status [[NormalFishInATinyPond the moment he arrives on Earth]]. Duo's BossBattle, if it can even be called that, consists of him [[NoSell shrugging off all attacks from Mega Man while taking no visible damage]] until he realizes [[LetsYouAndHimFight their battle is pointless]], followed by Duo proceeding to steamroll the Giant Gori-Three that had Mega Man and Rush on the ropes. When Duo decides to focus on eradicating the Evil Energy around the world while Mega Man disables the barriers protecting Wily's fortress, one wonders why he doesn't just deal with the remaining Robot Masters on his own. The only thing that seems to slow him down is the WaveMotionGun of the latest Wily Machine (presumably because it's powered by Evil Energy), and while Duo ''is'' [[DeusExitMachina forced to sub out for the final battle]], said WaveMotionGun is completely destroyed by Duo's FoeTossingCharge whereas Duo himself is only in need of mild repairs.

Context VideoGame / MegaMan8