Mega Man is definitely an archetypal platform action game. Like most NES games, there are minimal instructions in this game, so you'll be plopped right into making decisions and action before you know what's happening.
First of all, know that the game is open-ended, but linear. You can choose to progress through the levels and bosses in any order, but in the end you'll have to defeat them all and then some.
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The Japanese version of the game is titled "Rockman;" notice how the boss names are similar in syntax: Gutsman, Cutman, etc. However, the English version, Mega Man, and all of the rest of the English games in the series denote the robot master names with a space between the name and the "Man" part. Thus, Guts Man and Gutsman are both acceptable spellings for the same character. Sadly, Rock Man and Mega Man don't work in this same way; however Capcom's site denotes Mega Man in their title bar.
The first six stages (Robot Masters) can be attacked in any order.
After defeating the first six Robot Masters, you can select to attack Dr. Wily. Dr. Wily's stage has four parts. You do NOT get weapon energy recharges after beating one of the following stages.
Brilliant scientist Dr. Wright (Dr. Light) develops six human-like robots with unique abilities to perform specific everyday duties. Dr. Wright, along with his assistant Dr. Wily (who was not his assistant in the PSP version, and thus not involved in the creation of Dr. Light's robots), develop their very first near-human robot named Rock (Mega). The other six robots were programmed to perform prescribed rituals:
Roll was also created, but the story in the instruction manual does not acknowledge her, and she only appears in the ending of the game.
But, with the exception of Rock, all of Dr. Wrights robots were re-programmed by Dr. Wright's assistant, Dr. Wily, who turned disloyal. Dr. Wily is now able to control the world and its resources completely unless something is done.
Rock volunteers to be converted into a fighting robot. He is now known as Mega Man, has a Mega Buster weapon, has the ability to take weapons from other robots and is ready to destroy six Robot Masters and Dr. Wily.
Over the course of the game, Mega Man will fight the six Robot Masters in their own habitat, in an order of his choosing. After this, he can attack Dr. Wily, who has a four-part stage.
The best estimate for the exact year that the original Mega Man takes place (which is extrapolated from information in Rockman Perfect Memories), is the year 2008. This game takes place before Mega Man 2, which mentions the year 200X in its official story. However, Mega Man: Powered-Up! states the year in its official story as the year 20XX, but this is retro-connectivity (mainly because the game was made in 2006, or during the 200X time period). However, 20XX can refer to any date between the year 2000 and 2099, which still includes 2008, so people falsely assume that it must be a year such as 2010, 2025, etc.