Zook Hero 2

Zook Hero 2
Title screen from the Rockman X3 version
Publisher	V.Fame (Taiwan) Li Cheng (China)
Developer	Vast Fame
Console	Game Boy Color
Sound engine	Capcom (Mega Man V engine)
Alternate names/hacks	Rockman DX3, Rockman X3, Rockman 3

Zook Hero 2, also known as Rockman DX3, is a platform game for the Game Boy Color developed by V.Fame and the sequel to Zook Hero Z.

Overview

A gameplay screenshot

Zook Hero 2 is a platform game based on Capcom's Mega Man X series, particularly Megaman Xtreme 2. The game is structured similarly to a Megaman game, with eight stages in total, six of which can be selected from the start of the game and contain bosses from which you gain a weapon. Zook's abilities are nearly identical to X's, such as an arm cannon capable of firing both normal and charged shots, and sliding and wall jump moves. Zook also has a few original abilities too; If you try to slide in mid-air, it will slow your descent and you will move faster horizontally for a brief moment and can be useful if you do it constantly and it is easier to execute than the air dash. Though, you *can* actually slide in mid-air if you hold down on the d-pad and press A at the end of an air dash which can also be quite useful because it essentially makes the air dash last twice as long. If you dash, you can retain the dash by holding up on the D-pad, and pressing forward releases the rest of the dash. These abilities are also present in Zook Hero Z.

As in Xtreme 2 you can start the game as one of two playable characters, "Zook 1" (red) and "Zook 2" (purple), although the only difference seems to be in their appearance.

Despite the game's heavy Mega Man influences its code, graphics and music appear to be original, with the exception of the sound engine, which is taken from Mega Man V and many of the mini bosses look very similar to bosses found in a Japanese Super Famicom game called "Go Go Ackman 3".

Another thing of note is that the mini bosses are pretty difficult to beat, and a couple of them contain moves that are undodgeable, and take more damage than the main bosses to kill unless you use special weapons. Many attacks appear undodgeable, but there is usually a way to avoid damage, the plant mini boss being a good example. The stegosaurus missiles can also be avoided if you slide at just the right time. The grinder miniboss in the temple stage is by far the hardest, because unlike all the other bosses, unless you have the leg upgrade, every single one of it's attacks is undodgeable. Surprisingly, the main bosses of each level are considered very easy because they all use a very predictable pattern, and once you figure out that pattern, they can be killed no problem.  You can avoid any of the bosses attacks by wall-jumping, which also helps in that there's no ceilings in the boss arenas (unlike in Zook Hero Z.)

Versions

• Zook Hero 2 - The original version.
• Rockman 3 - Same as Zook Hero 2 with a different title screen. Possibly the version released in China by Li Cheng. In this version, the hit detection during boss fights is glitched; the player can get hit by "invisible objects" and not get hurt by touching the actual boss or its projectiles. This bug is not present in either the Rockman X3 or Zook Hero 2 versions of the game.
• Rockman X3 - Uses the music from Zook Z. The save function does not work (despite the option still being present) but all the bosses are defeated from the start - this gives you all the weapons but also means the bosses are missing from the first six levels.
• Rockman DX3 - Title used on the packaging for both above versions.
• Rockman DX3 - A fully functional version with the original music and bosses restored.

Gallery

Cart of the original Taiwanese release.

A label variation to the Taiwanese release.