VG Advanced Strategies: Mega Man X

This week’s VG Advanced Strategies segment highlights Mega Man X for the SNES. The strategies below will show you how to get all of the hidden upgrades in all eight stages. I may bring this game up again in the future and give some tips on how to do effective speed runs but, for now, this segment will show you how to get all of the hidden goodies placed throughout the game.
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There nothing of particular importance in the highway stage. Start off with Chill penguin as he is the easiest to defeat.


Chill Penguin- You won’t need to search high and low to find this capsule. Just progress in the stage and you’ll eventually hit this baby. Now you have the Dash upgrade. Hopefully you remembered to set the dash button to R; it will make your life a lot easier.


Storm Eagle- Dash and jump off this platform at about that height and keep holding left for a heart container.

Storm Eagle- See? I didn’t lie. You can trust me.


Storm Eagle- Kill the green and orange robot shooting thingy with your X Buster and then climb on top of the metal pedestal.

Storm Eagle- The pedestal will rise to this point. You can then shoot the glass to your right and enter the passageway.

Storm Eagle- Look! You get an E-Tank for all your trouble.

Storm Eagle- Man, there is so much to do in this stage! When you hit the criss-crossed tower shown above, climb it and then drop in the tiny hole Mega Man s facing.

Storm Eagle- Now that you’re on the right side of the tower, dash and jump off it to reach this area. Switch to the shotgun ice to blow up the pillars faster, though your X-buster will work as well.

Storm Eagle- W00t! Another capsule. This one gives helmet that will destroy certain blocks like the one shown in this picture.

Flame Mammoth- See those blocks in the upper-left corner? Those are breakable with your helmet. Dash and jump off the tip of this platform to reach the blocks. It may take a couple of tries, but it is possible. Make sure you jam the jump button when you hit the blocks though; if you break the block closest to you and fall, then you will not be able to reach this power-up. If you do mess up though, just beat this stage and get to this point again.


Flame Mammoth- Upon making that tricky jump, you will receive an upgraded X-buster. You can also use this upgrade to power up your special weapons attacks. Groovy.

Flame Mammoth- This heart upgrade is only obtainable if you have beaten Chill Penguin first. If you don’t, the floor will be filled with lava and impossible to reach. Just coast along the iced floor for this easy pick-up.

Flame Mammoth- Climb the wall above the heart container and then jump to the left. Jump on some platforms and you’ll eventually see two Metools (the hard hat dudes). Where Mega Man is standing was an extra life. From there dash and jump all the way to the left.

Flame Mammoth- Success! Another E-tank.

Spark Mandrill- The heart container is easy to miss if you’re just running through the level. When you see a short ladder leading downwards to a robot on wheels, then this heart container is right above you. Dash and jump off the left wall and change direction in mid air in order to reach this upgrade.

Armored Armadillo- Those spikes are going to start moving pretty fast and start running after you. Quickly climb back up the wall you fell from and avoid them. Then you can get behind this menacing enemy.

Armored Armadillo- Once behind this enemy you’ll see a cleverly hidden E-tank.

Armored Armadillo- When you see this hole, hug the right wall and keep holding right as you fall.

Armored Armadillo- You’ll land right on the platform showed above. From here you can hug the tiny bit a wall that you have and sneak in front of another spiked rolling dude. If you feel that is too risky then you’ll need to kill this guy fast from behind. The Flame Wave will kill him quickly.

Armored Armadillo- Assuming you snuck past/killed the rolling spiked dude, then this heart container will be a steal.

Launch Octopus- After the second miniboss, jump into the second upwards spiraling whirlpool. From there you can jump onto the boat to your right and kill it quickly with the Flame Wave. The boat will then sink and reveal a hidden passageway.

Launch Octopus- In that passageway another miniboss will appear. You can take him out with one shot of a well placed, fully charged tornado.

Launch Octopus- All that work for a heart container? I guess it’s worth it. Boomer Kuwanger- First, beat the entire stage to get the boomerang cutter. Then, replay the level and use that weapon to get this upgrade. The boomerang will pick it up upon hitting it and bring it back to you.

Sting Chameleon- When the color of the ground changes from a brownish soil to a green tunnel, there is a secret passage in the hole between them. Slide down the hole and jump off the blocks to your right to break them. Then do a dash and jump to what looks like to be a watery abyss.

Sting Chameleon- Tricky. A heart container is hidden all the way over here. Note that this jump is impossible unless you have beaten Launch Octopus first.

Sting Chameleon- Jump back from the heart container and climb out of the hole all the way to the top of the brown side. From there, dash and jump to the right to hit the wall shown above. Climb up to face a miniboss.

Sting Chameleon- This guy isn’t all that difficult; he just takes a really long time to kill. Aim for his head or jump in-between his claw and his body when he shoots it out and fire from there.

Sting Chameleon- Beating that miniboss gets you another capsule. This one will give you armor that reduces the amount of damage you take by half.

Chill Penguin- Once you have the Flame Wave, replay this level and destroy this igloo for a heart upgrade. To reach this point, jump into the robot they give you, jump upwards out of it past the first igloo you see, and then climb the wall to reach this point.

Spark Mandrill- You need the Boomerang Cutter in order to get this E-tank. Upon entering the stage, jump up the first ladder you see and then down the next ladder. Walk down the passageway and you’ll see this E-tank. Jump up and use the boomerang cutter and you’ll have the last E-tank.

Awesome! Now you have every hidden item in the game!... nope, there’s one more thing you can get.

Armored Armadillo- This will only work once you have all of the aforementioned upgrades. That includes all capsules, weapons, heart containers and E-tanks. Also, make sure that you have more than 4 lives. Go back to Armored Armadillo stage and go almost all the way to the end. You’ll know you’re close when you see those pesky birds. Kill them so they don’t get knock you off the moving platform.

Armored Armadillo- Just before the platform hits the wall, jump off it and climb the wall right above the entrance to the boss’ lair. Pick up the energy capsule and then jump to your death. Yes, you heard me. Commit suicide. You’ll start at the checkpoint in the level. Repeat this pattern again 4 times. Keep getting the energy capsule shown above and keep dying.


Armored Armadillo- WTF!? Where did that capsule come from!? Upon using the aforementioned strategy, a capsule will appear next the energy capsule.


Armored Armadillo- Hadouken! Ryu’s famous technique from Street Fighter has somehow become hidden skill for Mega Man. To activate the hadouken, just do a Quarter-circle (downàleft/right) and fire. This move will instantly kill any enemy or boss except for the final form of Sigma. However, you must be at full health for this move to work and you must be on the ground. Passwords will not save this move either. Regardless, this is crazy awesome.

Now you know how to be at max power before you reach the Sigma stages. The rest of the game will be a breeze.