I want to like Mega Man : Powered Up. I really do.

The Mega Man series is one of the most iconic ones out there. Not having played any of the games in the series felt almost like being illiterate… or at least like I was missing a fundamental part of gaming history. The PSP remake of the first game is colorful and charming. You can even play as a cute girl robot with bunny ears and a giant mallet.

…But…

I set the game to “Easy”.

I play through the introduction level and get to the part where you can select which level you’re going to play.

I pick the “Cut Man” level, because that’s supposed to be the boss you start with; he’s the easiest boss and if you beat him you get a weapon that you can then use to beat the next boss, and so on.

I get through the level, up to “Cut Man”, we have a little talk, and he kills me without breaking a sweat. Repeatedly.

Perhaps, I think, I’m missing something here, so I go to gamefaqs.

The author of the Mega Man : Powered Up FAQ has this to say on the topic of “easy” difficulty: “If you need help, then you shouldn’t be playing the game.”

I think I’m going to take this advice. Oh, well, it was only 20 bucks.