This is my favorite Mega Man game. I think this is the high point in stage design; it sees the best use of platforming gimmicks in the series. The final spring section of Plant Man, the crossing of burning oil on a platform you have to pump to move of Flame Man, the rising and sinking submarine of Blizzard Man, and the inverted water sections of Centaur Man’s stage are all masterclasses in platforming design. And while none of the RM boss fights are particularly challenging, they’re all pretty easy to understand and that gives them a certain sort of satisfaction.
This game has my favorite MM soundtrack, and it also has the most beautiful levels, with Flame Man’ stage, Tomahawk Man’s stage, Knight Man’s stage, and the skyline of the first Mr. X stage all being highlights. And while I generally don’t think that branching paths and revisiting stages are a good fit for the classic series, Tomahawk Man’s stage having a new palette for the sky when revisiting it is such a treat.
The big formula change that MM6 introduces is that Rush now comes in the form of adapter suits. Both the Power Adapter and, especially, the Jet adapter are very fun additions, and they shine in the Mr. X and Wily stages where sections are designed solely for their use.
This really just feels like the most complete MM game on the NES. It’s very easy to think of MM having a certain formula, and while MM2 is the more iconic game, MM6 is the game I think of that best exemplifies that formula.