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Most outlets don't give WiiWare titles the benefit of serious reviews, at least not the same sort of reviews they'd give to box copy titles. Instead, WiiWare tends to get shunted into sections that talk about all downloaded titles on all systems (including PC casual games) as if somehow everything was comparable. GamePro, for instance, has GamePro Arcade tasked with doing that sort of thing, and they do the job about as well as anyone does.

Anyway, some games become worthy of rising above this quagmire, and Mega Man 9 is clearly one of them. It's gotten reviewed more quickly and with higher scores than quite a few recent DS titles (for instance, Lock's Quest). GamePro even gave it the dignity of a front-page review by one of the regular review staff, an honor that I'm not sure even Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People merited. No, Mega Man 9 is clearly something special - hell, we liked it so much I asked my crack review squadron to cover it twice, and I almost considered covering it a third time. What's so special about Mega Man 9 that sets the entire gaming internet on fire? Let's read on and find out.

The high scores for Mega Man 9 are a veritable wall of... well, 9s, from no less than five different outlets (including GamesRadar, whose coverage I have to find a little suspect in light of all the exclusive reveals their parent Future Publishing got out of Capcom). I'm going to spotlight the coverage from the two next-biggest outlets on the list, and first up is GameDaily, a primarily news-oriented site that generally only reviews "big" titles at all. Reviewer Robert Workman has the usual shocked reaction to Mega Man 9's difficulty, but also gushes with enthusiasm at having the "real" Mega Man back. Hell, he's even happy about the DLC.

You'll need every ounce of firepower since the game is ridiculously difficult. Enemy droids pop up constantly, shooting bullets like crazy as you avoid spiked floors, ceilings and other environmental hazards. If you're a rookie player, you may find yourself overwhelmed. However, if you're a veteran Mega Man fan, you'll love Capcom's level design for its retro and unforgiving vibe. However, if for some twisted reason you think the game is too easy; two harder difficulty modes will be available for download next month.

After you beat the main game, Mega Man 9 has additional modes to enjoy. Time Attack pits you against the clock, requiring you to complete tasks as quickly as possible. There are also several Challenge stages, most of them living up to their name. You can also upload your records through online rankings, seeing how you measure against other members of the Blue Bomber community. Best of all, downloadable content will be available within the next month, including a new character, Proto Man, and other goodies.

The 9 out of 10 review from WorthPlaying.com is noteworthy because I'm acquainted with the editor there, and at one point he had a staunch policy of never running coverage for console downloadable titles. His policy has loosened over the years, but running a WiiWare review is an almost perfect inversion of the policy from years ago. Yes, Mega Man 9 really is that special, in part because it's so unusually challenging... but not too challenging.

Mega Man 9's difficulty level falls in an interesting place. If you're the sort of gamer who runs through Mega Man 2 at least once a week for fun or can beat the entire franchise using only a buster, Mega Man 9's difficult may not seem overly high to you. It's harder than Mega Man 2, but not quite as bad as some other Mega Man titles. If you're a more casual gamer or a less-skilled player, however, Mega Man 9 may seem surprisingly difficult and unforgiving to you, particularly some of the instant-kill spike areas. Still, the difficulty rarely reaches the level where it seems unfair, and Mega Man 9 balances on that precipice where you just know you can beat the boss if you try again one more time. There are a few particularly nasty foes, such as the twin bio-devils, but they're fairly few and far between. However, if you're not a fan of NES' "try and try again" style of gameplay, Mega Man 9 may not be for you.

One of the new features in Mega Man 9 is the addition of the shop. A holdover from the SNES Mega Man 7, the shop is run by Mega Man's sister, Roll, and their trusty robot friend, Auto. When you're adventuring through the eight robot master's stages, you'll find Screws from time to time, which function as money. At the shop, you can buy a whole collection of one-use items, such as 1-ups, E-Tanks, single-hit anti-spike shields, or even an item that lets you take off Mega Man's helmet. The shop is a rather interesting feature in that it is completely possible to beat the game without ever once visiting it. All it does is provide you with extra 1-ups and E-Tanks, which you can actually find in stages. In short, the shop exists to provide a handicap to players who need the assistance. Some hardcore Mega Man fans may complain about this feature, but for the less skilled players, it's a good way to provide a handicap without making the game overly easy.

Mega Man 9's two low scores thus far are... well, about the same as the high score for some titles. GamePro's aforementioned review awarded the game a 4 out of 5. Reviewer Tae K. Kim makes the game sound like a brutal, merciless meatgrinder, but admires its clever stage designs and low price point nonetheless.

I'll warn you again: navigating the devious trap-filled levels and killing off the cleverly designed bosses in Mega Man 9 requires some serious skill; it almost feels like the developers were purposefully trying to make the game unbeatable. Several GamePro editors sat down one day, intent on beating the game; hours later, we walked away without having even beaten one stage. Even reaching the boss fights on certain stages require ridiculous feats of gaming prowess. I finally found one stage where I could consistently reach the end-Splash Woman's underwater fortress of doom-but the slippery mermaid robot proved too hard for my pathetic gaming skills. It wasn't until the game glitched (or did it find compassion for our plight?) and gave Features Editor Dave Rudden every single power-up that we were finally able to bring her down.

Guys, what the hell? I'm a slouch at platformers and I could take out Hornet Man with no power-ups, and Splash Woman was a breeze with the Hornet Chaser alone. Oh, precious Hornet Chaser, I know you and your mechanical slave bees will always love me... er, anyway, the other low score comes from videogamer.com, who awarded the game an 8 out of 10. Reviewer Wesley Yin-Poole clearly loved the gameplay, but found the game's retro trappings just baffling and confusing. Guess he's too young to grasp the wonders of nostalgia, the whippersnapper.

Mega Man 9 hasn't been designed to drag the little blue bomber kicking and screaming into the 'next generation'. This is not a HD remake of a classic title either, like Capcom's already released Bionic Commando Rearmed, or the upcoming Super Street Fighter II HD Remix. Mega Man 9 sticks two pixellated fingers up at all that jazz. It's unashamedly, punishingly hard. And it doesn't care what you Halo and Gears players think.

As such it follows the classic Mega Man format - fight your way through brutal 2D platform stages, face off against a boss and, as a reward, get yourself a new gun. If your mad l33t hardcore skillz are good enough, you'll have a blast breezing through this and will instead be more interested in the Time Trial mode and nailing those speed runs. Crucially, Capcom has implemented an online leader board system - great for showing off your mad l33t hardcore skillz to the rest of the world.

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