The last stretch begins here.
The first Virus stage isn't that bad.
Other than navigating through the Quick Man inspired lasers without the Dark Hold, it's pretty basic stuff. What I enjoy about this stage is just how stylish it can be made look when done right.
Those Sigma-looking enemies in their Ride Armors are a constant pain in these Virus stages, though. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out a way to get past the bulk of them without having to stop – while avoiding damage at the same time – but I've come up with nothing.
They show up multiple times in these final stages and force me to stop dead on my tracks for a good five seconds a piece, at least.
After what is essentially a slightly updated carbon copy of Quick Man's stage in Mega Man 2 – as I alluded to earlier – most of the time here will be devoted to another callback from the original series. This time it's the infamous nightmare from Mega Man 1.
You might be wondering why I so stubbornly refuse to duck and make this battle ten times easier for myself.
The fact is I tried recording this damn thing so many times, I came so disturbingly familiar with this boss, and everything he attempts and plans to attempt during any given fight, that what was already the most boring stretch of this challenge became even more boring.
So, in order to provide any sort of entertainment for myself, I decided against ducking to add a bit of challenge.
And this is my challenge, after all, so them's the breaks.
I discarded a couple of successful attempts, even. Simply due to the fact that he didn't switch to the Wily Castle form quickly enough, or stay there for long enough, in order for the fight to not last until the Second Coming of Christ.
Ideally, he does the Wily form two times in a row, but I wasn't lucky enough in any of my attempts. So, this is what we're stuck with. It's still not the worst possible pattern.
And I toyed around with this guy a lot, experimenting with the X-Buster, trying to find ways to manipulate him. But I was left empty-handed. I'm sure someone knows a way to manipulate him, and has the ability to make me look stupid.
If you were a strong enough man or woman to make it through that brain-numbing four and a half minute boss fight, I may have something more of this stuff in the future.
Black Devil's boss music is so grating, I opted for a better alternative.