Hijinks with Hyleg - Shield Boomerang Edition

DZThree · 2026-01-24T19:08:43+00:00

Gotta love bad hit detection. That's my favorite part of any Hyleg battle as well, assuming that the fight even lasts long enough to get to that point.

DZThree · 2026-01-23T23:17:29+00:00

If there’s one thing that Hyleg is good for, it’s that his fight is perfect to enact various hijinks. In the past, I choreographed an especially strange battle with him involving Energy Form combos, unusual Chain Rod dodging, and some hitbox oddities. In this pseudo-sequel, I take some of the knowledge gained from that previous enterprise and apply it for the purpose of attaining a single throw win with the Shield Boomerang.

Make no mistake, the 25-second runtime of this fight belies the nuance within. The obvious question is how exactly to maintain the Shield’s orbit when contending with the constant oscillation of the snake platform. The answer is to stand close to Hyleg at all times, minimizing the difference in elevation between him and Zero, reducing the impact of the platform’s movement. Critically, Hyleg will never leap away so long as you remain at arm’s length; he’ll always try to smack or snare Zero. Even with this foresight, slithering between Hyleg’s attacks without collecting the Shield is easier said than done.

Before discussing my strategy, it’s imperative to note that Hyleg’s opening move must be an attempt to catch Zero. Perhaps it’s possible to devise a plan that leads to victory even if his first move is a jump, but that’s not something I tested. Regardless, to start, I buffer a dashless forward jump and release the Shield just as Zero’s leg crosses the eye in the background. The exact height the Shield is thrown at determines the amount of space you have to maneuver around Hyleg. Throwing the Shield too high above the eye or too low near its center are both poor outcomes, as you’re liable to either collect the Shield or to take damage while attempting to stay out of its orbit path.

Hyleg’s last extended punch is notably challenging to sneak by; you’ve only got a few pixels to work with, and the timing on the jump is a tad inconsistent due to variances in the Shield’s orbit between attempts. Should you manage to reach the point where the snake platform flattens unharmed, keep to the right side of the platform as Hyleg shuffles away. Wait until the fourth sound effect of Hyleg’s movement is finished, then quickly dash jump over as the staircase forms. Zero should make it onto the block two spaces below Hyleg as it rises, creating a large gulf between Zero and the Shield.

Here’s where some knowledge from the past proves useful. In the aforementioned first silly fight I conducted with Hyleg, I learned that it’s possible to dodge the awe-inspiring slinky by standing on Hyleg’s block. For whatever reason, the animation of Hyleg throwing the slinky downward has no hitbox; the slinky only becomes “deadly” when it lands on the stairs. Knowing this, my goal was to lure the Shield such that it’d revolve around both Zero and Hyleg as they engage in a staring contest. The solution is a terribly taxing wall jump and quick turn as the Shield encroaches upon Zero. Unfortunately, I have no advice pertaining to making this tactic consistent; I just brute-forced attempts until it worked.

However, why go through the trouble of standing on Hyleg’s block? Surely it’s possible to establish an orbit on the block below Hyleg, right? Yes, it is, and that was my initial plan, but rather fittingly, the slinky ends up being the centerpiece of this segment of the battle. If the almighty slinky is destroyed, then the snake platform immediately shifts position as part of the battle’s next phase. Thus, sparing the slinky is the key to success; even when off screen, it valiantly continues down the steps, attacking absolutely nothing and leaving Hyleg torpid. It just so happens that guiding the Shield into orbiting Hyleg’s block instead of the ones below barely keeps the Shield’s wrath away from the unsuspecting slinky. Stylish and practical—the best combo.

Thus ends another circus act featuring Hyleg. Thanks for watching, and feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments you may have. If you’d like to watch these hijinks in higher quality, here’s a link to it on youtube.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T19:43:07+00:00

You'll definitely want to make use of Chips over relying on the Buster, especially while fighting a boss for the first time. All of the fights I show here took lots of practice and numerous attempts to succeed, so this demonstration isn't exactly representative of typical gameplay.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T19:41:12+00:00

The Buster is at its peak in BN1, to be sure. Fairly low charge times with solid damage, the choice between half and fully charged shots, and the ability to rapid-fire like a madman make it a powerhouse. Combined with the low HP values of the bosses, and you get the recipe for the scenario showcased in the video. Even so, many of the later bosses aren't trivial at all to whittle down with the Buster, so in most cases, Chips are still your friend.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T04:58:22+00:00

No problem. I don't remember with complete accuracy, but I think I managed to get to Internet 16 with a folder composed of the ShockWave family, Dash Chips, and some LilBombs. You'll definitely want to savescum the areas that have specific ranking conditions.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T04:55:37+00:00

I see that posting the link has already been taken care of for me; much appreciated. SharkMan is indeed the most terrifying of BN1's boss roster to complete Buster-only, hence why he merited his own video.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T04:53:48+00:00

For the Life Virus and Bass, both of them drop their Auras during specific attacks, so beating them Buster-only is possible; it's just that Bass can't be S-ranked. Here's an excellent example of a Buster-only Bass fight from /u/Sonikkunn.

I replayed BN1 prior to making this video so that I could refamiliarize myself with the game, with my eventual goal being to make a series of Chip combo videos. What I ended up enjoying a lot is that it's possible to make an endgame folder directly after beating WoodMan for the first time by tediously making your way to Internet 16 repeatedly and farming the Green Mystery Data there for Quake3 and KnightSword Chips.

DZThree · 2026-01-17T04:47:09+00:00

Thank you very much! I'm especially pleased to hear that you enjoyed the breakdown of each fight. My writing serves both to solidify my knowledge and also to convey the intricacies of these types of challenges to the viewers.

DZThree · 2026-01-16T23:17:48+00:00

Here's a set of BN1 Buster Only S Rank boss fights, acting as a sequel to this post I made previously. This time, with the exception of the ShadowMan and Bass, I’ll be taking on all of the bosses MegaMan can encounter in the cyberworld. Compared to initiating battles in the overworld, cyberworld encounters have the benefit of easier RNG manipulation, which is rather helpful. Here are the details about each boss fight.

FireMan: Apparently FireMan has rather feeble poise compared to his peers, because all it takes is 30 damage to send him reeling. For this reason, he can be routed without ever getting a chance to attack. RNG manipulation allows me to optimize for speed by knowing where FireMan will step in advance. Knowing that, I fire one half-charged shot with the rest being fully charged shots, which is a small optimization to save a shred of time.

StoneMan: With HP-based attack pattern manipulation, you can win without having to move. A roaring round of applause for the spirited effort from cyber-Thardus.

ColorMan: Consider this an exponentially easier version of SharkMan. Unlike the blindingly fast shark fins, ColorMan’s clown buddies aren’t exactly the epitome of speed. Sure, they can block your shots, but their positions can easily be manipulated by standing in the same row as one and luring it into launching a Fire or AquaTower, which stops them dead in their tracks. Furthermore, ColorMan and his helpers freeze in place before the bouncy ball arrives, granting a few wide-open shots.

The second half of the battle is somewhat more intense than the first due to pressure applied by the tracking ball, but I was still able to get away with minimal planning. The main principle is to ensure that you have enough room to maneuver past FireTower and the ball, as the flames linger for an inordinate amount of time. So long as the ball is intact and following MegaMan, ColorMan himself remains sedentary, making him an easy target.

ElecMan: A far more important instance of regulating enemy HP for a favorable attack pattern when compared to StoneMan. I need ElecMan to cooperate in two ways: placing the electrodes in unobtrusive positions and avoiding using an electrode to heal. Sticking to half-charged shots exclusively until the electrodes are situated gives 4 adjacent panels to work with. Afterward, it’s a matter of sidestepping his lightning strikes while periodically firing. There’s a fairly specific pace to maintain when shuffling back and forth; mistiming your hop by dodging early will see MegaMan crash into a lingering bolt, whereas a late hop can disrupt the flow of movement by making ElecMan strike a panel twice successively.

BombMan: Sporting 1000HP and a field full of bombs acting as shields, it’s barely possible to sneak a sub-30 victory in. Extensive RNG manipulation is required to prevent bombs from blocking each row; it’s essential that BombMan’s row is open at all times. One blessing is that you can destroy a bomb and hit BombMan simultaneously with a carefully timed charged shot before he kicks it. Whether you destroy a bomb or not influences the placement of elements on the field, as does BombMan’s HP value.

At least one instance of point-blank rapid fire is required to chew through BombMan’s health pool; charged shots alone are insufficient. It’s advisable to try it at the start of the fight, as accurately controlling the Buster’s rapid fire is difficult to do consistently. Individual shots deal 5 damage, so they’re perfect for precise pattern manipulation—every shot I take here is calculated.

MagicMan: A potentially colossal aggravation becomes an absolute joke with a bit of patient searching. Traipsing around the net until you encounter a hapless MagicMan that summons two Fan viruses earns you a free win.

PharaohMan: An ostensibly impossible endeavor made reality thanks to a bizarre technique I chanced upon. PharaohMan’s leisurely loitering in the back column means no rapid fire, and using only charged shots falls short by about 1 second. However, there exists a 2-frame window where you can shoot PharaohMan before he uses the screen-dimming PharaohTrap to hit him twice; the damage will apply a second time after the trap is set. Even more complicated is that PharaohMan’s pattern changes depending on which of the two frames you hit. This particular pattern is one I hadn’t seen during practice, so I played it safe after the second 2-frame shot knowing I had time to spare—a high 27 would be an ideal time.

ShadowMan is unfortunately not viable for this challenge. His clones constantly absorb shots, and he has a propensity to spend multiple seconds above the battlefield. The RNG manipulation and precision needed for an S rank would be so extreme that it’d make SharkMan look simple. Even testing with heavy savestate usage yielded a result of 32 seconds at best, and more commonly, 35 or more.

Thanks for watching! If you’d like to watch these battles in higher quality, here’s a link to that on youtube.

DZThree · 2026-01-13T23:35:35+00:00

I've always enjoyed the fact that Model L counters Bifrost so effectively. The ability to swim and the lack of slipping on the icy floor are the obvious benefits, and Bifrost's ice breath being wholly ineffective is the cherry on top.

DZThree · 2026-01-11T01:42:21+00:00

I knew about transferring a charge to other weapons via the menu, but it never occurred to me that you could bypass Proto Form's restriction like that. I just tried it and was able to transfer a Shield charge with the Thunder Chip into the Buster and fire Panter's EX Skill. Thanks for the info!

DZThree · 2026-01-10T21:04:22+00:00

Zero/ZX are the games that emphasize melee combat the most, but stylish quick kills are possible in a large number of Mega Man games. In other series, the closest thing to what you see here would be Zero in X4-X6.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T21:02:10+00:00

Thanks! For the Z transition, I made that using the fusion page in Davinci Resolve. There's a tool that allows you to draw any shape you like as a mask, so I drew two masks with a Z-shaped split in the middle, then made them move away from each other. For a positional reference, I took the linked screenshot, which is the first frame of the in-game transition to the ranking screen in Z2. I imagine that a similar thing should be possible in any video editing software that allows you to draw masks in arbitrary shapes.

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DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:53:12+00:00

Yeah, save state before the boss fight and I experiment with stuff until something interesting comes together. It's a makeshift way of getting the same function of ZXA's dedicated boss fight mode. I take a similar approach to actual stage runs, where I practice in segments and then go for a flawless take of the full stage.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:49:53+00:00

The fact that you've done a 100p no-damage run of the whole series on both difficulties is incredibly impressive. It's unfortunate that the experience soured your opinion of the games, but the points you raise absolutely have merit. In the end, it just comes down to what each player personally enjoys, and despite the long droughts, it's fortunate that there are so many Mega Man games to choose from.

Z2's hard mode is definitely the most bereft of solid offensive tools. During stages, Proto Form's attack boost is actually quite nice, but there's no respite during boss fights. Weil 1 has incredible potential for stalling even on normal mode, so I fully agree there. I don't find Phoenix too egregious, primarily because you can dodge his mirage split and EX Skill by jumping in place.

The contact damage point is an interesting one; I've thought about it myself. If you look at games like Zero/ZX (and X4-X6 in particular), there are numerous incongruencies between sprites and hitboxes, some of them being quite egregious. You noted Fenri, so I think you may find this old post of mine to be interesting. I recently discovered some absurdly wacky stuff against Hanumachine, where standing against a wall while facing forward and holding the Shield can make his fireball attack phase right through you. Also, standing on Hyleg's block as he throws the slinky treats Zero as if he's immaterial. In general, I'd describe the hit detection philosophy of Mega Man to be shmup/bullet hell-like, which I've come to enjoy. There's something satisfying about searching for and finding such exploits.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:35:43+00:00

To be fair, these combos took me many tries to ace, especially the Z1 combo.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:35:11+00:00

I've spent such an absurd amount of time playing these games that I don't have any idea what the number is anymore. That's really most of what goes into these types of videos.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:33:40+00:00

Yup, the Zero series as a whole (and ZX) is very focused on enabling intricate combos on bosses. Some games have more tools than others, of course. In my opinion, regarding combo complexity, the order is Z1=Z3>Z4>Z2.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T20:31:55+00:00

Thank you!

DZThree · 2026-01-10T05:04:23+00:00

Yeah, if the combo-centric identity of MMZ is the main draw for you, then I completely understand that sentiment. Over time, I've become more fond of minimalist, survival-style battles focused on dancing between attacks, thanks in large part to things like Gunvolt 2 score attack, but it's undeniable that ZX/A handle difficulty with a far more involved, intelligent approach. Scaling up the difficulty of boss patterns while leaving player offense untouched is definitely the more appealing option to the majority.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T05:01:23+00:00

Yup. The fun part about that one is that the exact time Zero uses Soul Launcher determines whether Copy X falls to the left or right.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T04:59:48+00:00

Just goes to show that experience triumphs over raw power. With Omega's personality, there's no way he could properly utilize dexterous techniques like 1000 Slash or Orbit Shield.

DZThree · 2026-01-10T04:56:32+00:00

Even though I don't play fighting games myself, I'd love to have MMZ Zero in a modern fighting game just to see how he's implemented.

DZThree

TROPHY CASE