Mega Man 2/Air Man

Compared to other stages, Air Man's stage is relatively short. His stage takes place in the sky, high above the clouds. The most dangerous hazard is the amount of pits you can fall in, which results in your immediate death. The best advice is: look before you leap. You should always be careful when taking a jump and always make sure no enemy will block your path when you move through the air. You'll face two particularly tough enemies here; the cloud riding, lightning throwing Kamanari Goros, whose clouds you must usurp in order to advance, and the wind blowing Matasaburos who can generate gusts so strong, they will push you backwards if you don't fight against them.

Stage



 * A: As you reach the end of the first platform, a large object known as a Goblin will materialize before you. You must hop on top of the Goblin to proceed, but only after its horns have retracted. Trying to jump on the Goblin before the horns are gone will cause you to miss the Goblin and fall to your death. Goblins also generate their own small defense units called Petit Goblins. They appear from the Goblin's "ears" and float towards Mega Man. They are very easy to defeat. Clear them out of the way as you advance to the other Goblins. You'll have to pass five in all before you reach the next challenge.


 * B: It's time to face the Kamanari Goros. They fly in on clouds and toss lightning bolts at Mega Man. You must jump up as they approach you, and shoot them three times in order to defeat them and clear off the clouds they ride. Then you must hop on the cloud and ride it in order to continue to the right. The Metal Blade can be handy here since you can shoot it diagonally. Be careful when the cloud-platforms sink behind the real clouds; do your best to track where you and your enemies are at all times.
 * C: Back on the safety of the platforms, you'll have to deal with a new threat: Pipis. Pipis are little birds who carry an egg in their clutches.  When they get close to you, they release the egg, which drops to the platform below and cracks open, releasing eight small birds who swarm toward Mega Man. If you're quick, you can shoot the egg before it hits the ground.  Otherwise you'll have to shoot down as many birds as you can. If you happen to have ../Wood Man/'s Leaf Shield already, it makes a great defense against the hatchlings. Be careful when you running below the clouds; you may not be able to see the Pipi, but they're still coming.
 * D: After you drop down to the next screen, you will see two Scworms to deal with (the Metal Blade is a good choice against them.) However, the exit may not be so obvious. It's located behind the cloud in the lower left corner. Make your way there to proceed.


 * E: After advancing over two Goblins, back to back, you'll face a final new challenge: the Matasaburos. These giant fan robots blow gusts of wind that are capable of pushing Mega Man back. You'll have to run to the right in order to make some progress, but ultimately, you'll need to clear them away. They take a number of shots to defeat, and although they aren't particularly weak to the Metal Blade, it can be a good weapon to use against them since the blades are large and will hit the Matasaburos easily. All the while, Pipis will be flying in to drop their egg bombs and hatchlings.
 * F: You're almost to Air Man's lair. You just have to pass two more Matasaburos, and then cross a few more platforms while Pipis continue to attack. Try to remove the Pipis very quickly while you're high up in the air to prevent them from becoming a nuisance and knocking you off the platforms.

Air Man
When he attacks, Air Man remains mostly motionless. He shoots six small tornadoes throughout the area, distributed randomly through the air. After a short rest, he will then blow these tornadoes away and push you back. You will need to dodge the tornadoes by jumping over them in order to not take damage. Alternatively, you can simply run towards Air Man without attempting to dodge in order to get close enough to fire at him repeatedly from close range with the Mega Buster, however, this strategy is only recommended if you have most or all of your health, as you will repeatedly take damage from the tornadoes. After a short break, he will repeat this attack, and after three rounds of attacks, he will make a short jump to the center, and a high jump to the other side to attack from the other direction. Use the small break to shoot him from afar, or attack after you dodged the tornadoes. Get in as many shots as you can during this period. Some players choose to challenge Air Man first, as he's easily defeated with the Mega Buster cannon. When he's defeated, you'll receive his weapon, the Air Shooter, and an important item: Transport Item 2!