Mega Man ZX Advent

Mega Man ZX Advent is a direct sequel to the action platformer Mega Man ZX and expands its system of transforming the main character into robotic forms called Biometals, which grant the player new weapons, mobility, and appearance. The player chooses between two protagonists with different starting equipment and, over the course of the game, gains the ability to transform into several distinct combat forms, each offering a different style of movement and attack - from fast close-range combat to ranged shooting or flight. The levels combine platforming with exploration and battles against robotic enemies as well as prominent bosses, who upon defeat often unlock another form for use.

Visually the game continues its predecessor's style, with detailed pixel art and smooth animation that looks sharp and clear on the DS display even during fast action sequences. The music has the electronic, action-driven character typical of the Mega Man series, with energetic tracks accompanying the combat passages, and the bottom display is used mainly for a map overview and switching forms on the fly. The difficulty is above genre average, requiring precise timing of jumps and dodges as well as knowledge of the weaknesses of individual enemies and bosses.

Contemporary reviews praised the elaborate transformation system and its faithfulness to the legacy of the Mega Man Zero series, from which the ZX series descends, though there was also criticism of the mission structure, which at times felt repetitive and less inspired than in the previous installment. Today the game is valued by fans of classic action platformers as one of the last notable installments of the series on handhelds before Capcom put the series on hold for a while, and for lovers of the transformation mechanic it remains a rewarding experience that neatly sums up what the ZX series achieved in its short life, and why it earned a loyal and steady audience on handhelds that still fondly remembers its fast pace and inventive level design.