Hack Showcases and RPG Hack Showcases are a series where I show off various game and rpg hacks. I try to stick with hacks that improve gameplay or add quality of life features, completely or partially change the plot and characters, along with additional content, dialogue, graphical and sound improvements. Non-rpgs I try to give a full run to, or at least enough for a solid review. Rpgs I will stick with titles that have enough changes in the beginning to show off, and when I can, show parts later in the games where more differences appear. There may be spoilers in the reviews and videos. Some of these I may stream fully in the future or play on my own. Reviews are open to later revisions due to bug and content updates or me playing them and finding anything new I wish to bring up.

Mega Man 3 Claw is the 3rd hack of the Mega Man Claw series by Tsukikuro. This is a hack not of Mega man 3, but Rockman 3 – Dr. Wily no Saigo!, so be sure to patch the correct rom. This hack changes all the graphics, colors, level designs throughout the game to add additional challenge and fun. Enemy AI has been changed also, but passwords for vanilla Rock Man 3/Mega Man 3 do still work! Sliding is closer to how it looks the sliding distance from MM4 and MM5. You can also select weapons and Rush Adapters via the select button now and backwards by holding down and select instead of going to the sub-menu. Note: this hack is for the Japanese Rock Man 3, not the US Mega Man 3.

SO HOW IS IT? This hack is hard, and apparently the easier of the Claw trilogy. Either way this hack will kick your butt! When I streamed this I used a video walkthrough guide and started with 9 e-tanks, and it was still hard. But the challenge isn’t kaizo-ish and once you get through a tough area or beat a Robot Master or Wily Boss, it’s rewarding. Like the vanilla games, there are spots where the hack will teach you about a challenge coming up with no loss of life, and then just throw it at you with no warning. Between stage layouts the enemies are tough and will take different weaknesses than what you know from MM3. Many of them work differently than in vanilla MM3 and are either faster, slower, take more damage or need to be avoided or defeated in a different way than vanilla. The Robot masters have new sets of ai, including the Doc Robots and Wily Bosses, so don’t try using the same strategies as before! They’ll hit harder and faster before you know what’s going on! Especially the fact that the Robot Master order of progress is different than vanilla meaning you need to learn the new weapons, and learn the new weaknesses. But then again, that is half the fun of the Mega Man games right? Like the original, there are spots late that you can softblock yourself without enough Rush Jet or Rush marine energy too. Going brute force through levels, especially the Doc Robot stages, isn’t always the best course of action either. Some obstacles you can find a way to maneuver around with the Rush Jet if you figure out the patterns.

The Robot master weapons all have different names and perform differently as well too. I really liked the new names of the weapons as well as their new mechanics too. The “Hard Knuckle” can be controlled better than vanilla MM3 and even be held in place! The “Spark Shot” also can go left or right depending on the direction you’re pressing on the gamepad too. Even the “Top Spin” is more useful and it doesn’t drain your energy either!

Another big change and one of the key trademarks of the Claw series is the music. Don’t expect a randomization of tracks from MM3 here. You’re find a cornucopia of various tracks from other games like the NES Batman and even Ninja Gaiden 3. If you’re an anime fan and know Macross Plus keep an ear out for “Information High” during the Wily stages! I did like the assortment of music in this one, though after hearing the playlists for the previous Claw games it feels a bit lacking, but I did enjoy the assortment and the surprise!

If you’re looking for a Mega Man hack to kick your butt and has a lot different to not feel like a reskin, try out Rock Man 3 Claw. If you had a good time with this try the other games. The difficulty could be a turn off for some players but it’s not impossible or completely kaizo-ish.

GAMEPLAY VIDEO:

I GIVE MEGA MAN 3 CLAW 4.5 OUT OF 5 MEGA BUSTERS!!

LINKS:
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1678/ – Mega Man 3 Claw RHDN link

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