We had the chance to try out a single level demo version of Capcom’s upcoming Mega Man 10 on the Xbox 360 at the publisher's game suite at CES 2010. The game is a new downloadable title for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 done in the classic 8-bit style of the original games on the NES. This time out the blue bomber and Proto Man team up to deal with the effects of Roboenza, a robotic infection that's causing robots to malfunction. The robot swine flu is so bad that even Doctor Wily is affected when his creations go nuts and boot him from his lair. With the world in peril and Roll infected, Mega Man sets out to stop the infected robots and try to find a cure.

　　Who's Making This Game: Capcom and Japanese developer Inti Creates, which worked on Mega Man 9.

　　What The Game Looks Like: Mega Man 10 is one big love letter to the 8-bit era of games. The game features the same retro look seen in Mega Man 9, which is based on the classic 8-bit games in the series. Expect to see chunky sprites, a modest number of colors, and a simple design in all its glory. The game’s music follows suit with catchy and oddly comforting 8-bit tunes that nail the musical stylings of the previous games.

　　What There Is To Do: The demo we played had us blasting and jumping our way through a baseball-themed level complete with ball-throwing bots and evil batting cages. This time out you'll be able to select Mega Man or Proto Man at the start of the game as well as select an easy difficulty mode, which helps take the edge off some of the fatal hazards you'll encounter. Besides the main single-player game, Mega Man 10 will offer extras such as a Challenge mode, downloadable content support, and an item shop.

　　How The Game Is Played: You'll just have to run, jump, and shoot your way through each themed level and face off against a boss. The demo level we tried cut off before the boss encounter, but the gameplay was pretty clear cut. You’ll need to time your jumps carefully and figure out smart ways to deal with enemies who can be damaged only in specific ways or who are invulnerable.

　　What They Say: "Retro 8-bit graphics and sound are combined with Mega Man's classic simple yet addictive gameplay."

　　What We Say: The demo made a good impression on us thanks to its familiar visuals and responsive gameplay. Fans of the series should be excited to get their hands on Mega Man 10, while newcomers might want to give the game a shot in easy mode, which helps soften the game’s high difficulty--although the game still won't be a cakewalk. Mega Man 10 is slated to be available for download on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 this spring. Look for more on the game in the coming weeks.