Surfboard Showdown

Chapter 2: Surfboard Showdown Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero

Surf's up, dudes!

Overview Creator(s): CSketch Composer(s): Jake Kaufman Statistics Rank: Chapter 2 Collectables: 046: The US Military 047: Knuckles the Echidna Enemies: Bomb Flier Gobots Kouker Q La Jaba Screw Bomber Up'n'Down V Gimmicks: Astro Switch Frost Sled Lever

Theme Music Contra 4 - Stage 5, Ocean Stage Order Previous: Refurbished Pyramid Next: Offshore Hangar Cluster

Surfboard Showdown is the seventh level on the path to the Flame Chip in Chapter 2 of Make a Good Mega Man Level: Episode Zero. In it, Zero proves his lack of common sense in his Energy Element hunt by surfing across an ocean and into a US military testing zone, where large warships are testing dangerous weapons in the open waters. The entire level takes place on a Frost Sled, essentially acting as a very fast autoscroll level, but luckily Zero's mobility isn't hindered by his new ride.

Strategy

As a Frost Sled-centric stage, things are constantly on the move. However, the Frost Sled will slow down or speed up at various points, indicated each time with an audio cue and a background sign. Additionally, the mobility effects of any chips will still work, despite having no control over the way the screen scrolls. Many enemies can be either killed quickly with weapons like the Z-Burst, or avoided entirely thanks to their small size.

The first half of the stage takes Zero in and out of a series of caverns, with Vs being a common obstacle on the ground while supported by flying enemies. Midway through one of these caves, Kouker Qs start dropping from holes in the ceiling, telegraphed by a set of harmless falling rocks. The surfboard slows down around them, making it easier to grab a nearby CD in plain sight. After going through the last of these caves, Zero arrives underneath a large green warship, with Bomb Potton bombs dropping from chutes and exploding on hitting the water. The bombs create shockwaves on either side, and dodging them is necessary as the surfboard slows down for a while. Eventually, it speeds back up, and the warship is destroyed after flipping a Lever on the way out.

With one case of destruction of government property under his belt, Zero is taken through more caves before arriving at a small number of connected platforms. Staying on the top row of platforms is safer, but the bottom row has an M-Tank, some Bolts, and a CD. Shortly afterwards, another warship appears - this one painted red and dropping Solar Man's Solar Blazes. Like the bombs dropped by the first warship, the Solar Blazes split into two waves when hitting the ground or sea, and they come in small, medium, and large sizes - the larger they are, the harder they hit. After several seconds spent dodging the falling suns, the warship is also destroyed (this time by an Astro Switch) by Zero as he makes a quick getaway. Right after escaping the second warship, the level's Energy Element is found right in Zero's path.

Z-Phone Dialogue

	Contact	Transcript
	Dr. Wily	Surfboard Showdown? You're out at that spot?! You probably want to get out of there! That's a designated military weapons testing zone! I don't think you can take whatever insanity they're up to. So... book it! If you can't, then just try to sneak by and not cause ANY destruction. Okay?
	Agent Krantz	Stern: Surfboard Showdown? What are you doing out there? Zero: ...surfing? Stern: I don't know if you think this is some kind of joke, bub, but that right there is a warship testing site. Do you realize the trouble I could get in over you being there? Zero: If they were to apprehend me, it would likely be without my consciousness intact. Therefore, they would have no way of knowing you advised me to search for the Element. Stern: Tch! Well, if you want to stay alive, avoid the openings on those warships. I think they're testing different Robot Master weapon arrays on them.
	Galaxy Man	(CD #1): Past the first airship, there should be a boardwalk area where you can jump all over for collectibles! Stay on the bottom of that zone to snag another CD before it whizzes by! (CD #2): Oh, early on when you're surfing along, you'll go into a little cave overhang place! If it looks like the path's gonna split, take the bottom path and get ready to snag it!
	Knives	Knives: Wow! US military testing site! Good choice, but I can't float on water. And how do you date on a surfboard?? Maybe you could rent a yacht or something. But do you have money for that?? Does Dr. Wily have money for that?? Zero: I would be fine with stealing money from Wily, but not for you. Knives: Ooh, so you have higher morals when we're dealing with me? I feel so respected! Well, when you rent the yacht, make sure it has gold toilets!

Notes

• By touching every 4x4 light blue background tile in the first half of the stage, Knuckles the Echidna will appear at around the halfway point. He can then be shot to send him falling offscreen - which is advised as he otherwise deals (minor) contact damage.
• It's possible to avoid the Frost Sled when respawning, allowing Zero to stand on the water (revealing it to be solid tiles and not actual water). However, as with any use of the Frost Sled, it's impossible to advance the screen without getting on it.
• This stage has Zero dropping in from the top of the screen instead of teleporting, similarly to the non-teleporting intros for Chapter 1's levels prior to Dr. Wily's Secret Bunker.
• Surfboard Showdown is one of three levels in Episode Zero where Zero talks exclusively to Agent Stern when he calls Agent Krantz's Z-Phone number, the other two levels being Gusty Gorge and Vertical Vine Venture.