This post is an analysis of Mega Man Zero’s weapons and combat systems. Here are links to the rest of the deep dives:
Mega Man Zero is, at its heart, a game in the style of Mega Man X. You can dash and wall climb, you have multiple weapons, and there are elemental weaknesses to exploit. There are also upgrades to find that will boost your max health, or grant you a Sub Tank that can refill your energy meter.
However, it introduces a few additional layers atop these systems. As far as I can tell, these additions are largely in the name of increasing the game’s difficulty. In reality, they just lead to frustration.
Weapon Experience
Weapons in MMZ can be leveled up via an Experience Point system. At first, each weapon is at level 1, and is extremely limited in function. The level 1 sword, for example, can only slash once (or is it twice?), and the level 1 gun cannot perform a charge shot. To unlock new capabilities, you need earn XP.
At Level 1, the Triple Rod weapon can only manage a short range poke