Games like Mega Man and Final Fantasy, which had limited storytelling and even more limited visuals, spoke more to me then where I had to fill in the blanks with my imagination. As they evolved with more involved plots and graphical styles that were distinct (realism, anime) I became disinterested in them. A lot of it had to do with being told “this is what Mega Man/Final Fantasy is,” with my gut disagreeing entirely.

I want “old school” visuals with modern gameplay. Shovel Knight is an example. Loved that game. If they made a Mega Man that looked like 1 or 2, but had more to do (a Metroidvania would be one idea) that would be where I’d like to see things go. Part of the puzzle was trial and error with boss powers. You’d enter a level and learn fairly quickly whether that level was appropriate for the power you’d obtained. What about using those powers to traverse/manipulate the environment? Unlock hidden areas, not just as a tool to defeat the next boss.