Mega Man X2

In this installment, a group called the X-Hunters try to steal Zero's parts for their own nefarious purposes. Also, there's eight Mavericks out doing something. Something evil, no doubt.

Sub-Pages#

Prototype Info Prerelease Info Notes

Cx4 Test#

To access this test, hold B on Controller 2, then power the system on. It doesn't change anything gameplay-wise, since it was a developer's tool.

This option is also accessible in the Mega Man X Collection for PlayStation 2 and GameCube: after selecting X2 on the game select menu, hold the jump button (on SNES, B is by default the jump button) on the second controller. This does not apply to Mega Man X3 in that collection, as it is based on the CD-ROM versions of the game.

Unused Objects#

Test Enemy#

Object ID: 01.

This uses the large weapon pickup as a placeholder graphic. From the first orb, seven more orbs spawn downward. The first orb acts as the anchor. Together, the orbs move in a wave-like motion in the direction of X. This object has HP and can be destroyed. The anchor sphere is the first to explode, followed by the connecting spheres.

A video of the enemy in action can be seen here.

Unused Object Subtypes#

Mecha-Arm
If the Mecha-Arm (Those arms that grab X in the intro stage and X-Hunter Stage 1, object ID 07) has its subtype set to 01, X will take damage when it lets go of him. This isn't used in either stage.

Cannon Driver

If the Cannon Driver's subtype is set to 10, it will not fire any projectiles, but it will "walk" after Mega Man X and try to reach his current X position. It doesn't have a walking animation, so it just kinda floats to his position.

Upside-Down Enemies

Scriver (object ID 09), Pararoid (0B), Morgun (1F), Tiranos (3F), and Aclanda (5B) will be mirrored upside-down if their subID has the 80 bit set. It's not clear why only these enemies are affected, or what this would have been used for.

This doesn't actually properly mirror the enemies; Aclanda, for example, will still fire its lasers and bombs from the same spots it would if it were right side-up.

Unused Text#

The text for a map editor mode seen in Mega Man X and Mega Man X3 also exists in this game, but the programming for it is missing.

POS X.
POS Y.
CH CELL NO.
CELL NO.
HIT  NO.

Unused Music#

Unused Track#

Located at $058934 (previous 4 bytes tell the game to read $01EE bytes and store to ARAM at $0DD0) is an unused music track. The data that is supposed to load this music track (and any additional BRR samples required to play it correctly) is actually set to load the intro stage track again.

The track is present and properly linked to a track number in the prototype, though it's not used there, either.

NULL Tracks#

There are 28 instances of the same NULL music track ($12 bytes in length) that just play silence. These tracks are of course unused.

Regional Differences#

Intro timing#

Watch on YouTube

The Japanese intro sequence only uses two text box renders in the first two scenes, whereas the International intro sequence uses three in each. Unlike for Mega Man 6 the localizers didn't bother to compose a new opening track for the elongated intro, with the effect that in the Japanese version the opening track finishes with X's charging sound in the foreground, then the release sound plays, and then the title track plays. In the International version, the opening track finishes while the wireframe of X's head is still on screen, leaving the sequence of X charging and firing entirely without music.

Title Screen#

Japan	International

Just like Mega Man X before it, the international title logo was redesigned. The "2" is also different.

Name Changes#

The eight Mavericks, as well as one of the X-Hunters (Counter Hunters in the Japanese version) were given different names outside Japan.

Two Maverick weapons also had their names changed.

A few names in the ending cast roll were also changed (it should be noted that the enemy names in the Japanese version are normally all capitalized).

Revisional Differences#

The version included with Mega Man X Collection introduced some strange, bug-like behavior.

• The charging sound effect at the end of the opening cutscene doesn't end when it's supposed to and continues into the title sequence.
• The boss during the demo behaves slightly differently which causes X's movements to desync and die slightly earlier.
• Hitting things with the ride armor, Bubble Splash, or Magnet Mine, along with shooting the rocket at the end of Overdrive Ostrich's stage all play a different, much more grating sound.

Region Error#

If the game detects it was an NTSC copy inserted into a PAL system, it will display the above message on boot. Additionally, if you complete a stage, the same message will appear and the game will restart shortly after, denying any further progression. Notice that "game pak" is misspelled as "game pack."

This check is only implemented in the Japanese and American versions of the game; the European version of this game does not have this check. The text for the region error still exists in the European version though at 0x31007, unchanged from the international versions.

References#