Mega Man X/Walkthrough

The level selection screen.

Mega Man X is separated into stages where the player must run from start to finish in a linear manner. At the end of each level a boss awaits Mega Man. After beating the first stage, the player will have the option of selecting other stages, each of them with different layouts and enemies, as well as a boss (or "Maverick") at the end.

These stages can be beaten in any order, but the order below is recommended. After beating the boss at the end of these stages, X will gain a new weapon; he can also get upgrades, heart tanks (which increases your maximum health), or sub-tanks (which contain energy that restores the player's health) in these stages. Once all of the bosses are beaten in their stages, the player will move on to the final part of the game: Sigma's fortress. The fortress contains four stages, each with a boss at the end. The final stage of Sigma's fortress contains the true final boss, and when beaten, will end the game.

On each guide page, you'll find details about key difficulties and peculiarities of the level. Additionally, the level section and the boss section are kept separate. Also, after beating a stage, the player will receive a password which they can use to load their previous state. Note that loaded games will not have their extra lives or sub tank levels preserved.

Simply select "Start Game" at the main menu to jump right in.

Suggested order

For more details on this topic, see Mega Man X/Bosses.

Normal walkthrough	Speed walkthrough
Criterion: The weapon obtained from each defeated Maverick is the weakness of the subsequent one. Notes: You have to re-visit four stages in order to collect all items.	Criterion: collect all items and re-enter the minimum possible number of stages (i.e. just two). Notes: You have to fight two Mavericks (excluding the first one) with just the X-Buster. You get all the upgrades very early; the game will start more difficult, but end easier.
Chill Penguin (get Legs upgr.) Spark Mandrill (get Heart) Armored Armadillo (get Sub-tank and Heart) Launch Octopus (get Heart) Boomer Kuwanger (re-visit B. Kuwanger stage for Heart) (re-visit S. Mandrill stage for Sub-Tank) Sting Chameleon (get Body upgr. and Heart) Storm Eagle (get Head upgr., Sub-Tank and Heart) Flame Mammoth (get Arms upgr., Sub-Tank and Heart) (re-visit C. Penguin stage for Heart) (re-visit 5 times A. Armadillo stage for Hadou-ken)	Chill Penguin (get Legs upgr.) Launch Octopus (!) (get Heart) Sting Chameleon (!) (get Body upgr. and Heart) Storm Eagle (get Head upgr., Sub-Tank and Heart) Flame Mammoth (get Arms upgr., Sub-Tank and Heart) (re-visit C. Penguin stage for Heart) Boomer Kuwanger (get Heart) Spark Mandrill (get Sub-tank and Heart) Armored Armadillo (get Sub-tank and Heart) (re-visit 4 times for the Hadou-ken)

Sigma's Fortress

• Vile (use H. Torpedo, R. Shield, or S. Tornado)
• Bosspider (use S. Ice)
• Rangda Bangda (use C. Sting or Storm T.)
• D-Rex (use Storm T. or B. Cutter)
• Velguader (use S. Ice)
• Sigma - Phase I (use E. Spark)
• Sigma - Phase II (use R. Shield; invulnerable to all other special attacks)

Item checklist

The suggested order below allows you to defeat every Maverick with the weapon just obtained from the previous one, and also to minimize the number of re-visits to earlier stages.

Maverick Stage	Items	Re-visit
Chill Penguin	Leg Upgrade.	: need F. Mammoth's weapon.
Spark Mandrill	: need Leg Upgrade.	: need B. Kuwanger's weapon.
Armored Armadillo	: no requirement. : no requirement.	Hadou-Ken: need all weapons & items, visit 5 times.
Launch Octopus	: no requirement.	N/A
Boomer Kuwanger	N/A	: need B. Kuwanger's weapon or Chill Penguin's weapon and the Arm Upgrade.
Sting Chameleon	Body Upgrade: need Leg Upgrade : defeat L. Octopus; need Leg Upgrade.	N/A
Storm Eagle	Head Upgrade: need Leg Upgrade : no requirement. : need Leg Upgrade.	N/A
Flame Mammoth	Arm Upgrade: need Leg & Head Upgrades : need Leg Upgrade. : defeat C. Penguin.	N/A