Game Music Wednesday: Mega Man 2 Opening
In the year 20XX, robots were strong and stood on tall buildings.
Hello! I bet you thought I wouldn’t schedule another one of these! Well, too bad, assholes. This works for me and I swear to God, it better damn work for you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ve been under a lot of stress. I didn’t mean to yell at you, and it’s really on me I snapped. God, I’m embarrassed. I wish my delete key worked.
Today’s video game music selection is the gorgeous, legendary, awe-inspiring, adjective-list-creating opening theme from Mega Man 2.
I know they use a roman numeral, but something about Mega Man II looks weird to me, and once you factor in the Mega Man X series, shit could become extremely confusing fast.
Anyway, this opening is such a wonderful example of how companies began expanding past simple opening screens into cinematic sequences. The camera following us up the building. The look of Mega Man standing on top of that skyscraper, probably staring at other skyscrapers. It’s all so dramatic!
It says something that the song is even better. In a video game series known for its music (and, oh, there will be more Mega Man music), this theme stands above the rest. The kindly, almost innocent start followed by building to a crescendo, showing us Mega Man. And then, boom, that fast theme. Don’t sleep on the fucking bass line either. Do not sleep on it.
Still gives me chills.
It is odd that Mega Man title screens use roman numerals even though both Japan and US boxarts use arabic. Especially considering roman numerals also being the foundation of the US Game Boy naming scheme. Mega Man 8 is when the title screens started using arabic, matching the box.
The GOAT of title screen music. I have a Canvas print hanging in my gameroom of this screen PLUS it lights up AND...plays all the music from Mega Man 2. 😮😮😮 I love it. (check out canvasquest on IG to check out his stuff. He's great)