Mega Man X3 is often considered to be among the hardest in the series thanks in no small part to stage-hopping minibosses that must be defeated in order to unlock all of the game’s content. It’s also notable as being the first game in the series to feature energy saber-wielding Zero as a playable character, although in an admittedly limited capacity. He feels especially sluggish to play when compared to later iterations. For X, a new vertical air dash causes more problems than it solves. X3 is a tad more frustrating than the first two games but otherwise pretty strong.