E3 '07: Mega Man ZX Advent hands-on

Mega Man is back on the Nintendo DS, and this time he's a weird Biometal that can bond with a human host, sort of like Venom of Spider-Man fame, but with more blasters and fewer murderous pathologies. Whether a boy or girl becomes the next Mega Person is up to you. Of course, you'll eventually want to play both, because while the storylines are linked in some areas of Mega Man ZX Advent, they're also distinct. His and hers, if you will.

If you aren't familiar with the ZX games, the days of Mega Man androids running around fighting other androids is over. Mega Man is now an intelligent suit that can bond with a human host, becoming a Pseudoroid! We chose to play the girl, and she is an amnesiac orphan who was rescued by Maverick hunters. On the same day she enlists to join their ranks, her convoy is attacked by scary robots who are about to kill her and steal the Biometal, at which point she hears the voice of Mega Man speaking to her. She dons the Metal, scares away the baddies, and is immediately enmeshed in the war between man and machine.

The basic moves are classic Mega Man. You can run, jump, dash, shoot, or charge your blaster, as well as climb ladders. However, as you defeat bosses, the suit will learn how to transform into them, giving you not just one of their moves, but all of them. Apparently, you will be able to assume eight boss forms, five Biometal forms (presumably variations on the Mega Man suit) and your normal, human form. You'll also be able to unlock and play as Vent and Aile from Mega Man ZX. For form, that's a lot of substance.

Whether you travel the levels as a boy, girl, or giant red bull, you won't simply be running from point A to point B. In Mega Man ZX Advent, they'll be much larger affairs, as vertical as they are horizontal, with things like locked doors and keys. But you shouldn't ever get lost, because the bottom screen will be a minimap to show your location as well as that of your goal.

You won't be forced to play alone either. With just one copy of Advent, a friend will be able to download and play a minigame, but with two copies, you'll be able to fight head-on. That's right: two-player, mano a mano, boss-style wireless combat in a Mega Man game. Although we didn't get to play with this feature, we'll be sure to let you know more about it when we do. In the meantime, we'll be looking forward to this October when Mega Man ZX Advent dashes onto store shelves.