Projectile Party!

Chapter 2: Projectile Party! Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero

This party's full of surprises - they just didn't specify which kind.

Overview Creator(s): LOLIPOP1136 Composer(s): Azure Lazuline Statistics Rank: Chapter 2 Enemies: Hornet Chaser Mega Mech Shark hatch Gimmicks: Drill Bomb Komuso Pillar Pole Egg Spinning Top Stasis Wanaan

Theme Music Copy Kitty - Blueberry Bubble Stage Order Previous: Entrance Succession Next: Volt Man Factory

"I hear there's a party place nearby that uses Robot Master weapons for something. Ooh, I hope my Drill Bombs are there to make quick, big booms!"

―Drill Man, Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero

Projectile Party! is the fourth level on the path to the Zap Chip in Chapter 2 of Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero. Set within a bright and colourful birthday-themed warehouse, this level is fairly short, and completely lacks standard enemies. Instead, several boss projectiles appear as hazards independently of their users: for example, Top Man's spinning tops are housed inside Pole Eggs, weaker versions of the Mega Mech Shark's hatches hang on ceilings while dispensing dolphins, and Drill Man's Drill Bombs hide in walls and cubbyholes, waiting for Zero to get close before flying into a wall and exploding. Also present is a Wanaan variant that fires Dark Man 3's paralyzing ring beams instead of the traditional bear trap.

Strategy

Most of the level involves airdashing over spikes, while avoiding several boss projectiles. As a general strategy, if the Icicle Chip has been unlocked by this point, the Blank Drive can shield Zero from every projectile in the stage, allowing the player to concentrate on platforming. However, the lack of enemies makes refuelling the Blank Drive without W-Tanks difficult.

With little incentive to shoot at much of anything, avoiding the Drill Bombs is the first thing to do. When Zero is in their line of sight, they fly forwards before hitting a wall and exploding. Most of the early screens involve airdashing over spikes, while dealing with hatches that spawn robot dolphins and Pole Eggs containing spinning tops. The tops have a delay before flying after Zero, and can be baited into going in a different direction. Notably, a Drill Bomb's explosion will also destroy Pole Eggs; the corridor before the first checkpoint makes use of this. At said checkpoint, Stasis Wanaans are introduced. Though their ring beams are harmless by themselves, if they hit Zero, he will be left open to attack from other projectiles, such as spinning tops. Not long after, Hornet Man's Hornet Chasers start spawning from holes in the background, and will home in on Zero constantly.

Komuso Man's flame pillars begin patrolling areas at varying heights, often in a way that requires jumping to avoid them. Notably, they can also act as a shield for Pole Eggs or Hornet Chasers, since they absorb Zero's shots. The various gimmicks soon start working in tandem; for example, Stasis Wanaans try to freeze Zero while a Drill Bomb releases spinning tops. Without the Icicle Drive, quick reflexes and foresight are necessary to avoid being hit with a top or Drill Bomb. The Energy Element can be seen near the end, behind a wall next to a shaft of Drill Bombs. A stomp is the only way to fall down fast enough to avoid the bombs. After a brief detour and one final wall of top-bearing Pole Eggs, Zero can grab the Energy Element.

Z-Phone Dialogue

	Contact	Transcript
	Dr. Wily	Projectile Party? Of course you wander into there. That's a storage warehouse for birthday party goods... ...But they got a little out of hand with the security. And by a little, I mean a lot. Just be careful. Use a shield if you have it. Or dash around. Dodge. Whatever.
	Agent Krantz	Projectile Party? For some reason, instead of investing in conventional security, they bought Robot Master ammo in wholesale. Drill Bombs are straight forward and will explode on contact with a wall. Top Spinners will home in on your location after spinning still for a brief moment. Dark Man rings won't hurt you, but they'll freeze you and leave you open to attack. Hornet Chasers will home in on you in intervals. Finally, Komuso Pillars will... move back and forth. Probably the least threatening of them if you ask me.
	Knives	Knives: Well, it's not my birthday, so why'd we go on a date THERE? Gotta make things accurate. I like that you picked a place with a lot of exploding and hazardous things, though. But the birthday thing is the dealbreaker! Rule #538 of the Book: No fake birthdays. Zero: The book? Knives: Oh, it's so cool! Meet me and I'll show you what it is~. Zero: No.

Trivia

• The Drill Bombs and paralyzing ring beams are the only boss projectiles that aren't derived from a currently-existing Megamix Engine devkit boss.
• Projectile Party! and Defeat the Giant Spear Man! are the only stages in MaGMML: Episode Zero to have exclamation marks in their names.