Mega Man X (SNES) Boss Guide

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Mega Man X (SNES) Boss Guide

~By tankMage (February 2019)

Introduction

Mega Man X is one of my favorite games and I have long contemplated writing a guide for it, even though the game has been covered thoroughly over the years. The following advice is based solely on my experience playing this game from time to time over the course of twenty five years, so while it may not be the absolute best guide out there, it does have my own unique take on the game that I hope readers will find helpful. If anything stands out about this work, it is probably my preference for fighting the eight Mavericks in a somewhat unconventional order, though I have also included what I imagine to be a more traditional weakness based order as well. The final two sections are dedicated to the various upgrades and tips for newer players. Thank you for taking the time to use my guide out of the dozens available and good luck with Mega Man X!

Contents

I. Boss Order

1. Upgrade Oriented Order

2. Weakness Based Order

II. The Eight Mavericks

1. Chill Penguin

2. Storm Eagle

3. Flame Mammoth

4. Spark Mandrill

5. Armored Armadillo

6. Launch Octopus

7. Boomer Kuwanger

8. Sting Chameleon

III. Sigma’s Fortress Bosses

1. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 1

a. Vile

b. Boomer Kuwanger Rematch

c. Stage Boss: Bospider

2. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 2

a. Chill Penguin Rematch

b. Storm Eagle Rematch

c. Stage Boss: Rangda Bangda

3. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 3

a. Armored Armadillo Rematch

b. Sting Chameleon Rematch

c. Spark Mandrill Rematch

d. Launch Octopus Rematch

e. Flame Mammoth Rematch

f. Stage Boss: D-Rex

4. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 4

a. Velguarder

b. Sigma (Phase 1)

c. Sigma (Phase 2)

IV. Upgrade Locations

1. Chill Penguin Stage Upgrades

a. Boot Upgrade Capsule

b. Heart Tank #1

2. Storm Eagle Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #2

b. Sub Tank #1

c. Helmet Upgrade Capsule

3. Flame Mammoth Stage Upgrades

a. X-Buster Upgrade Capsule

b. Heart Tank #3

c. Sub Tank #2

4. Spark Mandrill Stage Upgrades

a. Sub Tank #3

b. Heart Tank #4

5. Armored Armadillo Stage Upgrades

a. Sub Tank #4

b. Heart Tank #5

c. Hadouken Upgrade Capsule

6. Launch Octopus Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #6

7. Boomer Kuwanger Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #7

8. Sting Chameleon Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #8

b. Armor Upgrade Capsule

V. Tips and Tricks

1. Master the Dash Jump and Wall Scaling

2. Use Your Weapons to Get out of Tough Situations

3. Sub Tank Energy Farming

4. Charging Weapons Cheaply

5. Collect all of the Upgrades

VI. References and Further Reading

I. Boss Order

Mega Man games are famous for giving players freedom to choose the order in which they complete much of the game and Mega Man X is no different. In some ways the boss order for this title is more rigid than the others, because most of the bosses only have a single weakness. With that in mind, upgrades also play a role in combat and I prefer to focus on unlocking the upgraded X-Buster early on in order to take advantage of its ability to charge up special weapons. This boss order becomes more weakness oriented after the first two bosses and players will have the added advantage of being able to charge up their special weapons in these fights.

I have also included the more traditional weakness based order that some players may prefer, but it is worth noting that you will not get the X-Buster upgrade until near the end of the game unless you choose to visit Flame Mammoth and Storm Eagle’s stages just to get the upgrades. You will also have fewer Heart Tanks and Sub Tanks if you do the weakness based order, which is why I prefer the upgrade oriented order. With that said, most of the bosses should be manageable since the weapons they are weak against are often capable of stunlocking them or eliminating their defenses.

1. Upgrade Oriented Order

Chill Penguin > Storm Eagle > Flame Mammoth > Spark Mandrill > Armored Armadillo > Launch Octopus > Boomer Kuwanger > Sting Chameleon

2. Weakness Based Order

Chill Penguin > Spark Mandrill > Armored Armadillo > Launch Octopus > Boomer Kuwanger > Sting Chameleon > Storm Eagle > Flame Mammoth

II. The Eight Mavericks

The first eight bosses can be challenged in any order. Defeating one will award X with a weapon that can be used to defeat another Maverick or unlock secrets. This section provides detailed tips on how to beat each Maverick.

1. Chill Penguin

Weakness: X-Buster, Fire Wave

Weapon: Shotgun Ice

Stage Items: Dash Upgrade, Heart Tank #1

Charge up the X-Buster before entering the boss chamber and let go of it as soon as you can move. The blast will hit Chill Penguin if you’re lucky or fast enough. Immediately start repelling up the wall to stay safe from the boss’s attacks. Chill will sometimes spit an icy boulder that will slide towards you (the chunk of ice can also fly in a straight line) or he’ll dive on his belly and ram you. Both moves are impervious to X-Buster shots, so focus on avoiding them. He may also use his chilly breath to create a couple of ice sculpture penguins that will block your shots and damage you if you touch them. Next, Chill will jump onto the hook in the center of the ceiling and create a blizzard that will push everything into the wall (including X) or simply belly slide through his sculptures. In fact Chill Penguin has a habit of latching onto the hook in the ceiling frequently, which is a good opening for a charged X-Buster round.

Take your time and get fully charged shots in on Chill whenever you see an opening. Watch out for his leaps, which can vary between him jumping up so he can latch onto the hook or bounding to the other side of the room. You can perform a dash jump to get over the ice sculptures and shoot Chill Penguin in the back, but it also opens you up to his attacks. This boss is also vulnerable a moment after he slides. About 12 fully charged X-Buster shots will destroy Chill Penguin. The Fire Wave (Flame Mammoth’s weapon) can cut through Chill’s defenses and stun him for an extended period of time. Use it carefully, because you have to get close and Chill Penguin can break out of the stun lock by sliding.

2. Storm Eagle

Weakness: Chameleon Sting

Weapon: Storm Tornado

Stage Items: Helmet Upgrade, Heart Tank #2, Sub Tank #1

Storm Eagle’s primary strategy is to try to push X off of the airship. To achieve this, he will fire his wind cannon at X or flap his wings, both moves create a tremendous amount of force that will push X towards the edge of the ship, but they will not directly damage him. Dashing in the opposite direction of the wind is a great way to stay safe, since falling off the ship is fatal. It helps to stay near the middle of the airship, especially if you do not have the dash upgrade. Storm also flies off screen and dives towards X at a 45 degree angle, but this move is easily foiled if you simply dash from left to right. If you’re fast you can catch the boss with your own attack just after his dive misses. Storm usually dives about four or five times before coming to roost again… sorry couldn’t resist the bad joke. Finally, he sometimes throws an egg that spawns for smaller birds that pursue X, which can be destroyed with the X-Buster.

Double tapping forward to dash and firing your weapon when you get close enough is a great way to get hits in on the boss while he is flapping his wings or if he just fired his wind cannon. The egg he spits is a pain, but you can force it to despawn by walking under him so he spits it off screen. You will have to rely on the X-Buster if you are following Boss Order 1, which is admittedly less than optimal, but he is easy enough to kill with it as long as you use charged shots. Chameleon Sting isn’t really all that much better than the X-Buster anyway, though its wide shot pattern makes it easier to hit Storm Eagle. It will take about thirteen fully charged X-Buster blasts to kill Storm.

3. Flame Mammoth

Weakness: Storm Tornado

Weapon: Fire Wave

Stage Items: Heart Tank #3, Sub Tank #4, X-Buster Upgrade

Note: Flame Mammoth’s stage freezes over after Chill Penguin is defeated, making it much easier to traverse.

This boss will make the ground quake after he lands from a jump, knocking X flat if he is standing on it. The fact that there’s a moving conveyor belt in this room and that he jumps frequently makes matters worse. It’s best to be in the air or on the wall when Flame Mammoth lands. You can also dash under him and jump just before he lands if your timing is good. Flame occasionally shoots small puffs of fire that arc downwards from his gun and will trumpet using his trunk, which changes the conveyor’s direction. He also fires oil slicks that can slow X down a bit. The slicks can be ignited by the boss’s flame weapon, sending a gout of fire into the air and burning briefly, but this only happens rarely.

By now you should have Storm Tornado and the upgraded X-Buster. Charge up Storm Tornado while clinging to the wall and unleash it when the maverick jumps under you, then dash jump away from him to avoid damage. The long reach of Storm Tornado also makes it easy to catch the boss while he is jumping. While it is unlikely that you have the Boomerang Cutter at this point, a few hits from it will cut off Flame’s trunk, rendering him unable to change the conveyor. Seven or eight hits from Storm Tornado should make this boss history.

4. Spark Mandrill

Weakness: Shotgun Ice

Weapon: Electric Spark

Stage Items: Heart Tank #4, Sub Tank #3

Note: The airship from Storm Eagle’s stage will crash into the power plant after you beat Storm Eagle. Damage caused by the airship will cut power to the beginning area of the stage, eliminating the sparks that run along the floor. It will also weaken the mid-boss, preventing it from using its lightning attack.

Spark Mandrill is one of the more formidable mavericks in Mega Man X. This is mainly due to the fact that scaling walls will not keep X safe from Spark’s onslaught. Spark will often perform a quick dash punch where he will slide along the floor with his fist extended, shaking the wall when he collides with it and knocking X off of it. This often leads to X crashing into the boss and taking contact damage. He may also strike the ground, causing two sparks to travel along the floor and up the walls in opposite directions. A short hop is usually enough to avoid the sparks and leaping away from Mandrill before he crashes into the wall can protect you from his dash punch.

Cables hang from the ceiling, the boss will often use these to move around above X and drop down on him. Dashing is a good way to outmaneuver Spark before he falls on you. Shotgun Ice works wonders against Spark, because it will freeze him for a second, interrupting his move. Timing your shots so the Shotgun Ice hits the boss a moment after he breaks out of the freeze will essentially keep him locked in a pattern where he cannot defend himself. It is also possible to beat him with the X-Buster, but I do not recommend this unless you are looking for more challenge.

5. Armored Armadillo

Weakness: Electric Spark

Weapon: Rolling Shield

Stage Items: Heart Tank #5, Sub Tank #4

Aside from his roll attack, where he curls into a ball and bounces around the room at sharp angles, Armored Armadillo is easy to deal with. Unfortunately, his roll attack is pretty dangerous, since it deals heavy damage and can be unpredictable. Sometimes Armored will roll straight into X, bounce off the wall, and land on the other side of the room, other times he will ricochet all over the place, making it difficult to evade him. To make matters worse, the only tell Armored Armadillo gives before rolling is a short hop where he curls up that only gives you a split second to jump out of his way. Worse yet, he is impervious to damage while rolling. This boss also fires four slow moving energy balls from his head that are easy to jump over. Finally, he can block incoming projectiles with his arm guards. If you hit him enough while he is blocking, he will start to flash blue and release an energy burst that flies in all directions.

The good news is, the Electric Spark takes the steam out of this boss. The first hit from the spark will remove Armored Armadillo’s shell if he isn’t rolling, destroying his ability to absorb and reflect energy. Subsequent hits deal a fair amount of damage and knock the boss back a few steps. He will also be vulnerable even when rolling without his armor. Charging the Electric Spark up makes it even more deadly and you can send this boss to the scrap heap with about seven good charged shots. Armored can still use his rolling attack even without his shell, so don’t be stingy about using sub tanks. Sticking to the wall and spamming fully charged Electric Sparks at the boss is a good way to stay safe as possible while inflicting damage.

6. Launch Octopus

Weakness: Rolling Shield

Weapon: Homing Torpedo

Stage Items: Heart Tank #6

Launch Octopus will hop around the room firing four torpedoes that travel parallel to one another. Sometimes he will fire a homing variant of his torpedoes that resemble piranha. While the standard torps can be evaded with a short hop, you’ll have to dash jump away from the homing torpedoes and spring from the wall to shake them. Be careful doing this, because it is easy to collide with Launch Octopus. His most lethal move is his energy drain, which he initiates by swimming to the ceiling and spinning rapidly, creating a whirlpool. If X is caught in the whirlpool, Launch will latch onto him and siphon a few bars of life from X. Use the Boomerang Cutter to remove the boss’s tentacles to shut this move down or keep your distance if you do not have it.

The Rolling Shield can be used both offensively and defensively in this battle, since a fully charged shield can protect X from Launch’s torpedoes. Problem is, it is difficult to bring this weapon to bear on the boss, because his torps will often absorb shields fired from the X-Buster. The boss is also immune to damage, even from the Rolling Shield, while performing his drain attack. Jumping, then firing the Rolling Shield so it drops down on the boss is a good way to ensure that it connects. Launch Octopus can be destroyed by about twelve hits from an uncharged shield.

7. Boomer Kuwanger

Weakness: Homing Torpedo

Weapon: Boomerang Cutter

Stage Items: Heart Tank #7

Boomer will often throw the scissor-like appendage on his head at X, then dash towards him. The Boomerang Cutter will travel a bit, then return to the boss. He also phases in and out of existence, often reappearing right where X is standing, which will cause contact damage. Finally, Boomer will use his Dead Lift ability right after dashing, which will basically throw X into the ceiling. Boomer is incapable of jumping, so the walls are a safe spot from contact damage, but his cutter can reach you, so be ready to dash jump to the opposite wall. The Homing Torpedo will shred this boss in seconds, since it can catch him even while he is phasing. Plus it is possible to merely cling to the wall and fire Homing Torpedoes at Boomer without being hit as long as the player times his shots so they connect with the boss just after his invincibility frames wear off.

8. Sting Chameleon

Weakness: Boomerang Cutter

Weapon: Chameleon Sting

Stage Items: Heart Tank #8, Armor Upgrade

This boss will spend much of its time sticking to the background wall and scampering around. Sting Chameleon is able to turn invisible and will be invulnerable to damage at the same time. Luckily, there is a slight distortion in the air around him that will allow players to see his position and he cannot attack while camouflaged. While sticking to the wall, Sting will lash X with his tongue three times or fire three darts that fan out from his tail. The tongue is easy to dodge, since it can be dashed away from, but you will have to dash jump to a wall to clear the darts. It’s also possible to walk under the darts as he is firing them if Sting is high above you.

Sometimes this maverick will drop from the wall and perform a tongue lash before using his tongue to hang from the ceiling and shake spikes from it for a few moments. Sting Chameleon is weak against the Boomerang Cutter and it will knock him from the wall and ceiling as long as he is not in camouflage mode. Charging up the Boomerang Cutter will deal extra damage, but it isn’t necessary. It’s possible to trap the boss in a loop where he jumps to the wall and gets knocked from it by the cutter if you time your shots carefully. You should also stay on the ground when you fire the Boomerang Cutter, because it will travel upwards, towards the boss and jumping will make it go in the wrong direction, unless Sting happens to be standing on the ground. About twelve hits will end Sting Chameleon.

III. Sigma’s Fortress Bosses

If there are any Sub Tanks, Heart Tanks, or Upgrade Capsules you’ve missed, get them now, because you’ll need every advantage you can get in the coming battles. It is also worthwhile to get the Hadouken Upgrade and learn how to use it, because the ability to kill the bosses in a single hit is very helpful*. Remember that you can still visit the Maverick stages after completing each of the Sigma’s Fortress stages, which is great if you need some extra lives or to refill Sub Tanks.

*See Section IV: Upgrade Locations for more on the Hadouken.

1. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 1

Keep in mind that the fortress stages can only be completed in a set order and X cannot revisit them. Players will also have to fight the Mavericks again in the final stages a long with a boss.

a. Vile

Phase 1

Weakness: None

It’s impossible to beat Vile as long as he is in his armor, trust me I tried. Just let him hammer you and watch the show after he captures X.

Phase 2

Weakness: Rolling Shield, Homing Torpedo

With his armor gone, Vile will dash from one side of the screen to the next in an attempt to ram X. He will also jump into the air and drop bombs while hovering. These bombs will send energy balls running along the ground on impact. Last, but not least, Vile will shoot his stun weapon at X. Getting hit by it will render you immobile until Vile hits you again. Try to dash and jump out of his way, firing Homing Torpedoes all the while. Charged Homing Torps can get multiple hits on Vile if you time them so they hit him while he is dashing away. The Rolling Shield is a better choice if you are going for straight damage, however. You can catch Vile with a Hadouken at the start of the match if you are quick with it.

b. Boomer Kuwanger Rematch

Weakness: Homing Torpedo, Rolling Shield

Boomer should not pose a threat at this point. He’s the perfect candidate for a well placed Hadouken, but if you don’t have it or are low on health the Homing Torpedo works just fine. You can also use Rolling Shield if you are low on weapon energy, since it will hit the boss while you stay on the wall where it’s safe.

c. Stage Boss: Bospider

Weakness: Shotgun Ice

This annoying robotic spider will descend from the ceiling along a grid-like web, then quickly crawl back up out of sight. The lateral sections of the web always change, but you can get an idea of where the spider can go based on their arrangement. Bospider will sometimes generate four smaller spiders that scramble towards X. Often this means the boss will stop in the middle of the web, though it can spit the small spiders out at any time. Either leap away from the smaller spiders or shoot them. This boss cannot be damaged unless the red eye on its back is open, which only happens for a second when it hits the ground. Keep in mind that this thing will speed up as you damage it, so stay mobile.

Shotgun Ice deals respectable damage to Bospider and is fast enough to hit it, plus its tendency to ricochet makes it possible to hit the boss even if you can’t get on the same plane as it quickly enough. Dashing a moment after the spider begins its descent will make it difficult for it to drop down on you and you can hit it by firing the Shotgun Ice at the opposite wall if it’s behind you. Firing your weapon just before the boss touches the floor will also ensure a hit. Chameleon Sting deserves an honorable mention for this fight, since you can use the invincibility from the fully charged weapon to avoid damage, but it barely hurts the boss. It’s possible to Hadouken the spider, but not easy in the least, since you will need perfect timing and some luck.

2. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 2

Be sure to refill X’s Sub Tanks before starting this stage. X will have to fight more of the Mavericks and the boss at the end can be dangerous.

a. Chill Penguin Rematch

Weakness: Fire Wave, X-Buster

Chill will behave in the same way as he did in his own stage. This time X is significantly more powerful and Chill Penguin is no match for the Fire Wave let alone the Hadouken. It’s possible to stun lock Chill with the Fire Wave by hitting him with it again as soon as his invincibility wears off, though he may sometimes break out of it by sliding into you. Be aware that the boss’s ice blocks and slide attack will absorb the Hadouken, rendering it harmless. Either hit Chill right away or time your Hadouken so it hits when he is vulnerable if you plan on using it.

b. Storm Eagle Rematch

Weakness: Chameleon Sting

Storm Eagle is up to his old tricks again and this fight will be nearly identical to the first encounter with him. Use Chameleon Sting on Storm to knock him out quickly. You can also nail him with a Hadouken while he is diving or just as he lands.

c. Stage Boss: Rangda Bangda  

Weakness: Chameleon Sting

Rangda Bangda is essentially a big mechanical head. The primary threat in this battle is the spike lined floor in the center of the room. Rangda will open one of his eyes and perform an attack that varies with the color of the eye. A green eye will fire an energy shot at X and a blue eye will try to crash into him. The boss will open each eye one to three times before sliding the left and right walls towards the pit. Scale the walls or X will be pushed into the spikes below. The walls will stop at the edge of the pit and Rangda Bangda’s “nose” will detach from his face and bounce around the area at sharp angles. Try to watch where it is going and slide down the side of the wall or jump to avoid damage.

The walls will recede back to their normal position and the boss’s eyes will attack again. This process will continue throughout the battle. Rangda’s weak points are his eyes when they are exposed and his nose when it is in motion. Use the Chameleon Sting on them (if you do not have energy for it, a fully charged X-Buster will suffice) to deal a fair amount of damage. Each eye and the nose will break after sustaining enough damage. Once both eyes or the nose is destroyed, the walls will close in and remain so until the battle ends. I recommend ignoring the nose and destroying the eyes first, because the eyes are harder to deal with when the walls are extended.

Note: The number of times the eyes will open before the walls move seems to fall randomly between 1 and 3. The eyes also switch places randomly. Destroying one eye will change the other’s attack pattern as well as make it turn red. The green eye will fire three orbs instead of one if the blue eye is destroyed. The blue eye will fire two orbs as it flies towards X if the green eye is destroyed. Sometimes the eyes will use their alternate attack patterns even if they are both intact.

3. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 3

X will have to battle the remaining Mavericks in this stage, so make sure you weapons and Sub Tanks are full. There are also some very hazardous spikes that can be bypassed using a charged up Chameleon Sting.

a. Armored Armadillo Rematch

Weakness: Electric Spark

Nothing much changes about this fight, so just use the Electric Spark on the boss and move on. You’ll have to be fast if you wish to Hadouken Armored Armadillo, since his shell can deflect it.

b. Sting Chameleon Rematch

Weakness: Boomerang Cutter

The same tactics that you used in your first battle with Sting Chameleon will work in this rematch. However, try to conserve the Boomerang Cutter by using it carefully, since you will have to fight Launch Octopus soon and you may want to use it to remove his tentacles.

c. Spark Mandrill Rematch

Weakness: Shotgun Ice

Make sure you keep Spark Mandrill stun locked with Shotgun Ice. It’s also easier to slam this boss with Hadouken than it is with the others, so do it if you have full health.

d. Launch Octopus Rematch

Weakness: Rolling Shield, Boomerang Cutter

It’s likely you didn’t have the Boomerang Cutter when you fought Launch the first time, so use it at the beginning of the battle to cut off his tentacles. Without them Launch will only be able to hop around firing his torpedoes, which makes him predictable and easy to finish off with the Rolling Shield.

e. Flame Mammoth Rematch

Weakness: Storm Tornado, Boomerang Cutter

Using the Boomerang Cutter to sever Flame Mammoth’s trunk will make the battle more predictable, since he won’t be able to create oil slicks or change the direction of the conveyor belt. It’s also not difficult to hit him with Hadouken.

f. Stage Boss: D-Rex

Weakness: Boomerang Cutter, Shotgun Ice

D-Rex is comprised of a top and bottom half that move independently of one another. The bottom half is immune to damage and moves more quickly than the top section. While standing on top of the bottom half of D-Rex will not harm X, getting hit by the sides of the machine while it is in motion will result in damage. The bottom half mostly bounces between the left and right walls of the chamber, occasionally stopping to sync up with the top half. It’s best to stay on the ground and dash jump over D-Rex before it hits the wall, because X will fall to the ground if he is scaling the wall when the bottom half of the boss crashes into it. Use the same technique when the boss approaches you from the opposite side of the screen. Be aware that D-Rex will randomly speed up and slow down, making it important to watch him carefully.

The top half of D-Rex will float towards X. It is easy enough to avoid it while you are dashing over the bottom section of the boss, but be quick. X can get crushed by the top half if he stays on the bottom too long, because it will slam down onto the bottom if the two sections line up with X in between them. Finally, D-Rex will sometimes move over to the right wall, lining both halves up in order to fire a huge plasma ball or two. It takes a second for the ball to charge and the upper left-hand corner of the screen is a safe place to hide from the projectile, though you will have to tap the B Button rapidly to stay high enough. The Boomerang Cutter is the best weapon to use in this fight and you can easily hit the head, which is vulnerable to damage while evading the lower section of the boss. Though not as powerful, the Shotgun Ice works great in this fight as well, since it is nearly impossible to miss the head which is a huge target.

4. Sigma’s Fortress Stage 4

The final stage is very brief and X can easily collect power ups from the small robots that crawl along the walls. Go into this fight at full power, because X has to defeat Sigma’s pet along with two of Sigma’s forms.

a. Velguarder

Weakness: Shotgun Ice

Sigma’s “pet”, Velguarder, likes to fire balls of ice that arc upwards and fall to the ground at short range. It also has a longer range stream of fire that it emits, which forms a downwards arc that climbs back up towards the ceiling. Watch out for Velguarder’s agility and quick movement speed, because it will often charge X and can scale walls almost as quickly as he can. Use Hadouken if you have it, because Velguarder takes a moment to attack, which makes him extremely vulnerable to it. If you do not have the Hadouken, use Shotgun Ice. Keep scaling the walls, dash jumping away from the boss when he gives chase and use the ricochet property of the Shotgun Ice to hit him indirectly.

b. Sigma (Phase 1)

Weakness: Electric Spark

In my opinion, Sigma’s first form is the most difficult boss in the game. He will usually open the fight by dashing towards X and swiping him with his energy sword. Next he will bound from one side of the room to the other by kicking off of the wall. There are no safe spots, because Sigma can reach the very top of the room by wall bounding in a zigzag manner. Sigma can block with his weapon while on the ground and will occasionally fire a series of shots from his head, which are easy to dodge by climbing the wall. Despite his power, Sigma is easy to beat if you use the right tactics, below is a list of the techniques I like to use.

The Jump Loop Technique

Sigma’s AI is not all that great and it’s easy to trap him in a loop if you know what to do. Jump to the left hand wall and start scaling it the moment the battle begins. Sigma will attempt to follow you, so drop down and fire an Electric Spark before you hit the ground, then start climbing the wall again. The spark should hit Sigma. In addition, Sigma will probably miss you on the way down and start jumping back up towards you. Drop down once again to force him to follow you, fire a spark, then climb back up the wall. If done correctly, you can win the battle taking little to no damage.

The Chameleon Sting Technique

Sting Chameleon’s weapon makes X invincible for a few seconds if you fully charge it. During this time you can attack Sigma with impunity. The only downside is the Chameleon Sting doesn’t damage him much and you may have to finish him off with something else, but it is fun to use.

The Hadouken Technique

I’m not really sure if I should call this a technique, since it’s really simple. Just use the Hadouken at the very start of the battle to take Sigma out in a single blow.

c. Sigma (Phase 2)

Weakness: Rolling Shield, X-Buster (Fully Charged)

There’s no cheesing this battle with Hadouken, unless you are ridiculously lucky. Instead you will have to hit the wolf’s head that Sigma has fused with and the only weapon he is weak against is the Rolling Shield. Two claws are located in the upper right and left hand corners of the room. They tend to hover around in a circular manner, emitting lighting that hits the floor and ceiling every two seconds or so. Sometimes one of the claws will swoop down at X. When this happens step away from the claw and jump on it so you can hit the head with the Rolling Shield*. Stand on the very edge of the claw so the lightning can’t hit X. Keep in mind that only the bottom part of the claws cause contact damage and you can tell a claw is about to emit lightning or ram X when it opens up.

If you are patient, the claw will take you right to Sigma’s head, allowing you to get a hit in. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ride a claw forever in relative safety, because the opposite one will try to ram X, pushing him out of the safe zone. Either reposition yourself or jump onto the other claw when this happens. Sometimes you will be forced back onto the ground, which isn’t safe at all. Not only will you have to contend with the claws, but Sigma will also fire lightning balls that travel downward in a left to right arc. Watch carefully for a gap in the lighting balls and simply step into it to stay safe. Sigma will also spew fire from one side of the room to the other. Dash away from the fire attack. As far as I can tell, it is not possible to discern which attack Sigma will use, but the wolf’s eyes will flash before either attack, which is enough of a warning.

While most weapons can’t harm Sigma in this form, a fully charged X-Buster shot will suffice if you run out of Rolling Shield energy. You can also scale straight up one of the walls to reach a claw if you do not want to wait for them to come to you. The risk of being hit by lightning or the pointy part of a claw while climbing is high, but it’s a quick way to reach Sigma’s weak spot and players with a lot of full Sub Tanks can get away with taking extra damage. You can also use the fully charged Chameleon Sting to get to the top of a claw, then cancel it by selecting Rolling Shield by hitting the Start Button. This may not be practical since it takes time to charge weapons, but it can help if you have trouble getting on the claws. About fifteen hits from the Rolling Shield will destroy Sigma.

*It’s possible to climb up the wall and jump onto a claw if you are a skilled climber.

IV. Upgrade Locations

This section covers all of the upgrades including all of the Dr. Light capsules, Heart Tanks, and Sub Tanks. Simple instructions on how to find each item are included with their locations.

1. Chill Penguin Stage Upgrades

a. Boot Upgrade Capsule

Requirement: Nothing

This capsule is located in plain sight near the beginning of the stage and there’s no way you can miss it.

b. Heart Tank #1

Requirement: Fire Wave

Near the end of the stage you’ll find a green armor suit that you can use. The armor is only able to enter the cave to the right due to its bulk, but you can use it to jump straight into the air near the entrance of the cave, then press the Up while hitting the B Button a second time to jump out of the armor at the apex of its jump. Press Right to grab onto the wall and scale it. On top of the cave you’ll see one of those domes that produce dragonfly bots, use the Fire Wave on it to reveal a Heart Tank.

2. Storm Eagle Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #2

Requirement: Dash

Ride the elevators to the very top at the beginning of the stage. Once the elevator reaches its peak, leap off of it towards the left-hand side of the screen using the dash. You should land on top of the control tower where the Heart Tank is hidden.

b. Sub Tank #1

Requirement: None

You will come to a turret mounted on a pillar after the elevators in the beginning of the stage. Destroy the turret and step onto the pillar, which will rise after a few moments, giving you access to the control tower above. Shoot the tower’s window out and jump in. You’ll have to destroy a big robot near the middle of the tower. Behind it you’ll find the first Sub Tank.

c. Helmet Upgrade Capsule

Requirement: Dash

You’ll come to a large scaffold that you will have to scale after crossing a chasm filled with floating platforms. Step off of the scaffold after climbing it and fall straight down to reach a hidden area. Dash jump over to the platform to the right and shoot the gas tanks a few times to reveal a path that leads to the helmet upgrade capsule.

3. Flame Mammoth Stage Upgrades

a. X-Buster Upgrade Capsule

Requirement: Dash, Helmet Upgrade

This one is tricky, but you can get it fairly early in the game if you are patient. After the conveyor belt section, you will come to a large room with platforms. To the left of the first platform you will see a series of greyish blocks in the ceiling. A perfectly timed dash jump from the platform will allow you to scale the grey blocks, smashing them, and ascending the shaft that leads to the X-Buster upgrade in the process. You will have to jump just as you get to the edge of the platform and rapidly tap the B Button to keep X from losing his grip. It’s tough to do, but worth it since the upgrade gives X the ability to over charge his X-Buster’s normal shots and even charge special weapons.

Note: Zero will give you the upgraded X-Buster in the first Sigma Stage if you did not find it earlier.

b. Heart Tank #3

Requirement: Chill Penguin Defeated

The third Heart Tank is located under the platforms in the same area as the X-Buster Upgrade Capsule to the right. While it is easy to get, you will need to beat Chill Penguin, which will make the molten metal in this area freeze over, in order to reach it safely.

c. Sub Tank #2

Requirement: Helmet Upgrade, Dash

In the same area as the other upgrades, you will find the second sub tank located on the left hand wall behind some breakable blocks. Climb to the topmost platform (which also has an extra life) and dash jump from it towards the wall on the left. Scale the wall and smash the blocks to get your prize.

4. Spark Mandrill Stage Upgrades

a. Sub Tank #3

Requirement: Boomerang Cutter

This sub tank is hidden behind a wall near the entrance to the stage. Use the Boomerang Cutter to retrieve it.

b. Heart Tank #4

Requirement: None

The fourth heart tank has been placed on a ledge in the upper right-hand corner of the hallway after the mid-boss. A well timed dash jump from the wall to the right can allow you to scale the narrow ledge to get to the tank. The Boomerang Cutter can also be used to easily acquire the tank.

5. Armored Armadillo Stage Upgrades

a. Sub Tank #4

Requirement: None

Slide along the left-hand wall after you reach the end of the first hallway. Be ready to scale the wall again after triggering the digging machine below, because it can destroy X in a single hit if he touches the spikes. Run to the left after the machine passes and you will see the fourth sub tank. You can also backtrack to get the tank after the machine falls into the spike pit.

b. Heart Tank #5

Requirement: None

You’ll encounter a second digging machine after falling down a wide shaft, this time X will be behind it. To get the fifth heart tank you’ll have to destroy the machine before it is able to chip away at the wall leading to the tank. This can be achieved with just about any weapon, including the X-Buster, but the Fire Wave works best and can turn the digging machine into scrap in seconds. Head right after the machine is done for and climb up the wall to reach the heart tank.

c. Hadouken Upgrade Capsule

Requirement: Helmet, Boots, X-Buster, and Armor Upgrades, 8 Heart Tanks, 4 Sub Tanks, All Weapons

Revisit Armored Armadillo’s stage after you have collected all of the Heart Tanks, Sub Tanks, Upgrade Capsules, and weapons. Venture all the way to the end of the stage and dash jump from the mine cart that takes you across the chasm to the boss room when it reaches its apex. You should land on a ledge above the first gate to the boss room. Grab the large energy on the ledge, then jump to your death or use the escape unit to leave. Repeat the process about five more times* and an upgrade capsule will appear on the ledge. You’ll be able to perform Ryu’s Hadouken if you press down, down + forward, forward, then the Y Button at full health. Enemies hit by the Hadouken, even bosses, will die instantly.

*Over the years I’ve seen claims that the capsule appears after reaching the ledge five times or nine times, but for me it popped up the sixth time, so results may vary.

6. Launch Octopus Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #6

Requirement: None

Look for a whale shaped ship floating over some spikes after fighting the second submarine. You will have to ride a waterspout near the boat to reach the surface, then scale the side of the boat’s bow to get to its weak spot, which is a glowing orb. Use a weapon like Fire Wave to destroy it and the boat will sink, destroying the spiked floor below. This will reveal a cave that is guarded by a robotic sea serpent. Storm Tornado can defeat the serpent in a hit if you time it right and you will be able to walk over to a smaller cave to the right. Inside you’ll find the sixth heart tank.

7. Boomer Kuwanger Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #7

Requirement: X-Buster Upgrade and Shotgun Ice or Boomerang Cutter

This heart tank is in plain sight on the outside of the tower near the top. It is somewhat difficult to reach the ledge it occupies. If you like to backtrack, then use the Boomerang Cutter to grab it after you beat the boss of this stage. Otherwise, the upgraded X-Buster and Shotgun Ice can help you obtain the seventh Heart Tank. Step into the room to the left, face right and charge up the Shotgun Ice. Hop onto the sled it creates when you fire it and jump towards the ledge that the Heart Tank occupies just as the sled passes under it.

8. Sting Chameleon Stage Upgrades

a. Heart Tank #8

Requirement: Helmet Upgrade, Dash Boots, Launch Octopus Defeated

The first pit you encounter will turn out to have a lower half you can access by sliding down its wall. Don’t slide too far or you’ll die. Instead, jump over to the breakable blocks to the right. The area will be filled with water if beat Launch Octopus, which will allow you to dash jump over to the eighth Heart Tank.

b. Armor Upgrade Capsule

Requirement: Dash Boots

The same pit that leads to the eighth heart tank has another secret. This time, scale the wall on the right hand side above the pit to find a ledge. Rocks will block the way out when you step onto the ledge and a giant cyclops robot will drop down. The robot’s attacks are easy to avoid, since he only really jumps around and extends his claw arms towards X. If he hits a wall with his claw he may drag himself towards it. The real threat from this monstrosity is its massive health pool and the defense the claws provide its lower half. Stay mobile and chip away at the mid-boss with Homing Torpedoes and the Storm Tornado, eventually it will die and the armor upgrade will be yours.

V. Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tricks I’ve picked up over the many years I’ve played this game.

1. Master the Dash Jump and Wall Scaling

Mega Man X is one of those games where you have to learn to press and hold multiple buttons at once. This is due to the fact that the game will often require you to jump just after performing a dash, while charging up your weapon. Keep in mind that you can dash by using the A Button or double tapping forward on the D-Pad, which is often an easier way of dashing if you are trying to simultaneously fire the X-Buster. Wall scaling is just as important and it is not uncommon to have to dash jump from a wall in a boss fight in order to get to safety. Take some time to practice these skills, you’ll need them.

2. Use Your Weapons to Get out of Tough Situations

The fully charged Rolling Shield and Chameleon Sting can protect X from enemies, which is great in some of the more dangerous parts of the game. You will often have to jump to platforms while enemies are firing at you or trying to ram into you and the charged Rolling Shield can destroy most weak robots the second they touch it. The Chameleon Sting will make X invincible for a few seconds allowing him to pass through foes and even spikes. Do not be afraid to fall back on these weapons in bad situations, but also keep their limitations in mind.

3. Sub Tank Energy Farming

There are two really good places to farm energy capsules, weapon energy, and even 1-Ups using a fully charged Rolling Shield. The first is the very beginning of Armored Armadillo’s stage where you will find respawning bat robots, the second is the final area of Sigma’s Fortress where you will encounter caterpillar-like robots that come out of the walls. Take advantage of these places if you need energy.

4. Charging Weapons Cheaply

You may notice that you have to fire a shot to charge a weapon. In the case of weapons like the Fire Wave, which will sustain its fire until fully charged, this can get expensive. Luckily there’s a way to charge up special weapons without wasting energy. You can either start charging the X-Buster and use the L or R Button to cycle to the weapon you want or select the weapon from the menu screen and hold the Y Button as you exit the menu to charge these weapons without using them.

5. Collect all of the Upgrades

Having max health and all of the Sub Tanks helps a lot when facing strong opponents. Be sure to backtrack from time to time when you get new abilities and weapons in order to obtain any power ups that are available.

VI. References and Further Reading

Here are a few sites that have helpful information on Mega Man X.

Walkthrough:

https://megaman.fandom.com/wiki/Mega_Man_X_Walkthrough

General Info:

http://www.mmhp.net/GameHints/MMX1.html

Thanks for using our Mega Man X (SNES) Boss Guide!

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