A brilliant reploid scientist, Dr. Doppler, finds the reason to why some reploids go gonzo and rebel against humans. It seems that a 'Maverick virus' is responsible. Doppler creates a vaccine to neutralize the virus. Finally, 'twould seem that reploids and humans can co exist peacefully. Everything's just swell...or IS it? (cue dramatic music)

A tremendous case of the Maverick virus breaks out in the utopia of Dopplertown. Even Doppler goes winkwank when he's infected with the very virus he had supposedly cured. X and Zero must get their paws dirty to get to the bottom of the outbreak.

Ah yes, Mega Man X3. This was the last of the SNES Mega Man games. You could play as either X or Zero, altho you were restricted as to where you could go with the Crimson One. Plus, we were treated to the return of the evil Boba Fett wannabe, Vile!

I felt that Capcom put more effort into X3 than they did in X2. There was more to find, for one thing. In addition to searching for the usual sub tanks, armour upgrades, and heart tanks, you also had the chance to search for 'super upgrades' and four different kinds of Mech Suits. Oh, how I did love those Mechs! There were five of them in the game:

THE KANGAROO: This Mech was pretty useless...it moved with an akward hopping motion, (hence its name) and had spiked fists that could pull you towards any immobile object you attatched them to, sort of like the Strike Chain in X2.

THE CHIMERA: This Mech was identical to the Mech that was used in the first X game. Just for the record, the Chimera was a mythical beast that had the head and body of a lion and the wings and tail of a dragon. She was the offspring of a gorgon and Typhon, the god of hurricanes. (Alternate spelling: Chimaera.)

THE FROG: This Mech is pretty useless on land, but get it underwater and you're kickin' ass! it fires heat-seeking torpedoes. It's the only Mech that can survive underwater.

THE HAWK: The coolest of the Mechs. It fires missiles and has the ability to hover.

THE GOLIATH: X cannot use this mech: it's exclusive to the great Vile.

At the end of X3, we learn that X will eventually have to destroy Zero. (NOOOO!) But why? That remains to be seen! It's not all bad, tho...fanfic writers have been having a field day with this dark prophecy.

One final thing: Although the music in X3 wasn't all that great, I've noticed that the theme in Neon Tiger's stage sounds a hell of a lot like the Guns N Roses song My Michelle. And I KNOW that I'm not nuts!!