Vertical Hunger

Chapter 1: Vertical Hunger Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero

The good news: the security system's full of bugs. The bad news: those bugs still want to kill you.

Overview Creator(s): Harbige12 Artist(s): Harbige12 Composer(s): Yuko Takehara, Yuki Iwai, Capcom (originals) Harbige12 (cover) Statistics Rank: Chapter 1 Collectables: 002: Zero (2) 058: Giga Kuwagata Enemies: Jamacy Machine Gun Joe Spring Head Telly Wall Blaster II Gimmicks: Alerton BG Laser Falling Tower Spotlight Spotlight Block Sub-Bosses: Boomer Kuwanger Bosses: Giga Kuwagata

Theme Music (1): Mega Man X - Boomer Kuwanger (2): Mega Man Xtreme 2 - Sigma Stage Boss: Mega Man Xtreme 2 - Boss Stage Order Previous: Subterranean Stronghold Next: Dr. Wily's Secret Bunker

Vertical Hunger is the eleventh level in Chapter 1 of Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero, and the final "proper" level of the chapter overall. With Dr. Wily's Secret Bunker closer than ever, only a large military base stands between it and Zero. The level itself is based largely on Boomer Kuwanger's stage from Mega Man X, with it focusing on vertical movement while sharing music and elevator rides from the original stage, and even featuring a reimagined version of the Maverick as a boss. However, it also uses spotlights from Magna Centipede's stage in Mega Man X2, which will trigger traps and barricades if Zero is seen by one.

Strategy

A ladder leads up into a free-scrolling vertical section, with Wall Blaster IIs and Machine Gun Joes attempting to damage Zero. While the former can be quickly dealt from afar with the Z-Burst, the latter falls quickly to the Z-Saber up close. Alternatively, equipping the Cutter Chip and using the Blank Drive works as an equally-strong ranged option. At the top of the section, spotlights are introduced with Alertons resting on the ceiling. If a spotlight sees Zero, the Alertons will wake up and attack for a short while before resetting the alarm. A set of Spotlight Blocks will also activate (or be deactivated), keeping Zero trapped until the alarm resets. The spotlights won't affect certain background tiles, giving Zero a place to hide while waiting for them to move out of the way.

After an elevator ride filled with Tellies, Zero will reach the first checkpoint. A tall section introduces a new threat; lethal lasers that fire from the background into the foreground. Either timing or careful jumps are necessary to avoid them, even if the largest part of a laser is the only one capable of actually inflicting damage. From here, more challenges with spotlights appear, with Spring Heads patrolling the ground and another type of Alerton lying inside walls (when active, this type will aim directly at Zero). While climbing up, a dash passage appears to the right, leading to a side room with a trio of spotlights. By avoiding detection, a CD can be collected (being seen will block it off temporarily). Eventually, another elevator will rise upwards, this time with spiked platforms threatening to crush Zero if he stands in the wrong place; surviving it leads to a fight against Boomer Kuwanger.

Once the hologram is destroyed, the music changes and alarms go off, causing the level to occasionally gain a red tint. This doesn't affect the spotlights in any way, and several more still need to be evaded throughout the rest of the level. While many of the remaining areas are similar to previous ones, enemy placement is more challenging; for instance, ladders frequently have a Jamacy occupying them, while Machine Gun Joes stand closer to the edge of platforms to prevent being evaded or easily killed with the Z-Saber. In another laser room, a dash passage leads to a tall side room with multiple background laser turrets, where another CD rests at the top. At the very end is a third and final elevator; however, this one stops halfway upwards as several Boomer Kuwanger copies ambush Zero. None of them are as strong or durable as the original Boomer Kuwanger, going down with two Z-Buster shots, but they compensate for this with large numbers. Twelve of them need to be destroyed to let the elevator work again, taking Zero to the boss of the level, Giga Kuwagata.

Z-Phone Dialogue

	Contact	Transcript
	Dr. Wily	Vertical Hunger? Oh, yeah. That blocks the bunker, now, doesn't it. That's a pretty recent building, you know. One of those secret military bases or something, so I'll need to look into it myself one day. I doubt you scratched the surface of what's there. Sometimes whatever they're doing there interferes with MY transmissions. What makes them think they have the right to do that?!
	Agent Krantz	Krantz: Vertical Hunger? That area's a stealth training facility. Apparently it's where they're teaching new recruits. There's multiple spotlights, and if they catch you, you'll be locked off from progressing temporarily. Some floors will also disappear, and the security turrets will be set off. You can avoid the searchlights by hiding behind areas in front of them that block their view of you. There's also a high-heat area, with lava blasting from behind you. Pay attention to the background so you don't get burned. Zero: Why is there so much death in a training facility? Krantz: Well, they don't actually use the deadly stuff in training. That's just there to scare off the cold-footed. They usually put mattresses over the spikes, for instance, but it looks like they were planning for a demonstration soon.
	Galaxy Man	(CD #1): Seems you're missing a CD near a tight passage! If you see one on the right when you're climbing up, go through it and it should be there! (CD #2): Oooh, so in the highest parts of the tower, ya gotta keep an eye out for a small passage on the right side! Dash into that and you'll be well on your way to snagging the prize!
	Yamato Man	Boomer Kuwanger	Boomer Kuwanger? Their techniques remind me of Cut Man, but they look way more advanced compared to most other robots I've seen... Try to jump whenever they're teleporting, so you don't dash into them on the ground if they decide to appear in front of you. Also, make sure to lure their boomerang while on the ground, so you can easily dash over both them and their boomerang if they decide to dash at you as well!
		Giga Kuwagata	Giga Kuwagata? And not Giga Stag Beetle? Must have been the work of one of those people that think it's cool if you leave some names untranslated from another language... Try to lure their boomerang barrage attack by jumping so their reticle aims above you, letting the barrage travel above you harmlessly. Their horn dropping attack on the other hand is fairly simple to dodge, even if there's multiple of them. Hug the wall, wait until they drop, and dash to the right; but don't overshoot, or else they'll hit you once they bounce off the ground!
	Knives	Knives: Oooh, mysterious tower with endless conspiracy theories surrounding it~? I like it. But there's too much security! Can't you blow it up or something? Zero: What? How would I do that? Knives: Well, just find the invisible security core thingy! The big battery, or whatever it is nowadays. Then the whole place will explode and we can date in the ruins! No more hologram from another dimension to bother us! Hahahaha!!

Notes

• Vertical Hunger is the only level in Chapter 1 to feature instant death spikes instead of less-lethal Damage Spikes.
• The name "Vertical Hunger" comes from the YouTuber JonTron's video on California Games, where it appears as a piece of background graffiti ("Because horizontal hunger is for grommets!").
• Ironically for a game starring the infamous "connection to the X series", this is the only level in Episode Zero to be explicitly based on the Mega Man X series.