Mega Man Zero 3 could be considered the best of the GBA's Mega Man games. Capcom has once again given the Zero character his own solid--and oftentimes difficult--action shoot-'em-up featuring enemy-filled levels, huge bosses, and numerous suit and weapon upgrades. This latest installment includes more weapons, more suit upgrades, and more "cyber elf" ability enhancers than the previous games did, which should make it worthwhile for anyone left wanting more after the last game. It's also great for those who might have shied away from Mega Man games in the past because of their reputation for being uncompromisingly difficult.
The overall play dynamic is the same as in every other Mega Man game. You take control of Zero, a heavily armed reploid robot, and then run, jump, and shoot your way through enemy-filled levels with boss battles at the end. The two main things that help the Mega Man series stand out from other side-scrolling action games are its level designs, which are typically tricky and memory-intensive (requiring many deaths to master), and the various weapon and suit upgrades the games put at your disposal. The levels in Mega Man Zero 3 are tough as nails, but not unfairly so. Frequently, you'll come across a series of moving platforms situated above a bed of spikes, or have to make a series of jumps across large gaps from narrow ledges. You'll lose a few lives trying to get the timing right, but once you do nail it down, you can always reload your save data and get those lives back.
