Ads From the Past 550: Mega Man III

Ads From the Past: "Now Mega Man Must Really Save the Earth" – The Dramatic 1992 Ad for Mega Man II on Game Boy

Welcome back to Ads From the Past, the series on Retro Gaming Life where we dive into the bold, colorful, and often over-the-top magazine advertisements that hyped up our favorite classic games. Today, we're spotlighting another gem from Capcom's early '90s playbook: a full-page ad for Mega Man II on the Nintendo Game Boy. This one ramps up the stakes with environmental drama, underwater threats, and a healthy dose of '90s marketing flair.

The Ad Breakdown: High Stakes and Eco-Villainy

Set against a fiery orange background (classic for grabbing attention in crowded magazine pages), the ad prominently features the North American box art for Mega Man II. Mega Man is front and center, charging forward on what looks like Rush Jet, blasting away at a massive green dragon-like enemy amid a sandy, explosive battlefield. The bold headline screams: "Now Mega Man must Really save the Earth." (That capitalized "Really" adds just the right touch of emphasis – as if previous games were just practice runs!)

The copy dives into the plot: "What in the world is Dr. Wily up to now? He's drilling through the earth's crust to tap its energy and create his most powerful robot of all. And eight of his most famous robots are back in commission." It builds the tension with "The danger comes in waves for you and Rush on the way to Wily's underwater headquarters. Do you have what it takes to send Wily to an oily end?"

To tease the gameplay, there are three small green-tinted screenshots showing Mega Man in action – one blasting an enemy, another turning the Mega Buster into... well, junk? (likely demonstrating a weapon), and a third turning an enemy into "useless blubber." At the bottom, a photo of the Game Boy itself reminds readers this epic is portable. The footer includes the 1992 Capcom copyright, a reader service card circle (#139 again – same as some other ads), and that iconic red Capcom logo.

This ad leans hard into storytelling, painting Dr. Wily as an eco-terrorist drilling for geothermal energy gone wrong. It's a fun twist on the series' usual "take over the world" schemes, tying into the game's themes of waves and underwater stages.

Game Context: Portable Blue Bomber Action

Released in North America in 1992 (following the Japan launch as Rockman World 2 in 1991), Mega Man II was the second Game Boy entry in the series. It mixed elements from Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 on NES, featuring returning Robot Masters like Metal Man, Wood Man, Bubble Man, and Heat Man, plus new ones. The plot involves Dr. Wily stealing a time-travel device (hello, Quint as a future Mega Man boss!), but the ad focuses more on the energy-drilling angle to hype the challenge.

Key features included Rush's debut on handheld (Coil, Jet, and Marine modes), tougher difficulty with limited continues, and that signature Mega Man loop of defeating bosses to gain their weapons. The monochrome graphics popped on the original Game Boy, and the soundtrack delivered bangers despite the hardware limits. It's a fan favorite for its balance and portability – perfect for '90s kids sneaking plays during class.

Why This Ad Hits Different

Capcom's '90s ads often mixed humor, puns, and straight-up drama, and this one goes for the epic feel. The "Really save the Earth" line plays on the series' repetitive "save the world" trope while adding urgency with the drilling/oily end wordplay. Including actual screenshots (even if tiny and green) was a smart move to show off the action, and highlighting Rush ties it to the evolving series mechanics.

Interestingly, this ad shares the same reader service card number (#139) as the "What has four legs and flies?" Rush pun ad we covered previously – likely part of the same magazine campaign push in 1992 issues of GamePro, EGM, or similar.

These ads were crucial in the pre-internet era, building hype through storytelling and visuals alone. This one captures the excitement of taking Mega Man anywhere on your Game Boy.

Final Thoughts

Mega Man II remains a solid portable classic – fire it up on Nintendo Switch Online if you haven't lately. Got memories of seeing this ad back in the day, or perhaps a scanned magazine page? Share in the comments! Next time in Ads From the Past, we'll unearth another retro treasure. Keep blasting those Robot Masters!

Retro Gaming Life Blog – Pixels, Puns, and Portable Power.