HunterZeo

There is a heart in each stage, just like in previous games. X can get all of them, while zero can only get 4 (debateably 5). Only the character who gets it can use it. If you want to be fairly even, I'd recommend you get the Grizzly Slash, Squid Adler, Spike Rose, and Izzy Glow hearts with X, and the others with Zero.

Here's how to get them:
Grizzly Slash: (Use Gaea/Falcon X) In the area of the convoy with the large truck, where the ropes and spikes are, there are two walls that are very close to each other, right where the two segments connect. Use the Gaea Armor and climb up between the two walls, then continue to the right along the spikes. You can also fly to it withe the Falcon Armor. Only X can get this due to the spikes.

Izzy Glow: (Use Gaea/Faclon X) Near the beginning of the level, shoot down the door, then drop down the hole. Walk on the spikes with Gaea Armor to get it. He can fly to it in the Falcon Armor, too. I've heard rumors that Zero can get it with the F-Splasher and the Dash module (DNA). You have to slide along the wall and air dash (holding up) to the heart. I haven't done it, but I hear it's possible.

Squid Adler: (Use Gaea X) Toward the end, shoot the last switch to go to the spike area. Walk on the spikes, and destroy all but one V-Block, then push it (with the dash) over to stand on. Open the gate and get the heart. For obvious reasons, you have to be X.

Duff McWhalen: (Use Zero or Gaea/Falcon X) In the sunken ship area (no water), pay attention to the ceiling. You'll see a cracked block, which Zero can destroy with the E-Blade. Go up, avoid the spikes, and get the heart. With Falcon or Gaea X, fly/climb up where you see the spikes, then go backward to get it.

Skiver: (Use Zero or X) At the third lift, just go to the right at all the stops. One of them will have the heart.

Dark Dizzy: (Use Zero or X) In the inversion section, you'll see the heart. If it's blocked by the blocks (duh), go back and invert the level to get it.

Axle the Red: (Use Gaea X) You'll see the V-Blocks at the rope section. Blast them and go. I'd avoid destroying every block in sight, you'll need to push a couple to the edge of the pit before the heart (which is on a platform) so you can dash jump to it. You can scroll them back on if you destroy too many, though.

Mattrex: (Use Zero or X) At the section with the lava flows. Drop down the left opening (after the lava has passed) and go to the left. Drop down the hole and grab it.

Sub-Tanks Locations

These can be gotten for X and Zero, and both characters can use them, no matter who gets what.
Grizzly Slash: Sub-Tank - Can be found on the front bumper of one of the trucks that is already exploding.

Izzy Glow: EX Tank - It's plainly visible, but you need to use the Ground Fire (or Quake Blazer) to destroy the wooden blocks.

Skiver: Weapon Tank - In the area of first lift, the one that goes down. Drop past it after it breaks through the second floor. The tank will be on a breakable floor in the path of the lift.

Dark Dizzy: Sub-Tank - At the end of the lift area, it's visible. Either fly (Falcon), double jump (Zero), or time a dash jump well to get it.

Capsules

Both X and Zero can get capsules, but as you learn early on, the capsules contain data for upgrades to X's systems, so no upgrades for Zero...*sigh*
On the bright side, X gets two new armors, the Gaea and Falcon. The Gaea Armor is invincible to spikes and has a powerful energy shot that breaks through "V-Blocks," black bricks with V's on them. It can't use weapons, though. The Falcon can fly for a limited time, and it has a laser shot that goes through walls. Here's the rundown on capsules:
Grizzly Slash: After the train, there is a gap in the ceiling. Either dash-jump off the wall or use Zero's double jump, either way will work. (Note, though, that the conversation Light has with Zero is quite intriguing).

Izzy Glow: After going through the door into area two (with the plasma balls), you'll get to an area with a gap in the ceiling. A plasma ball will come out of it as an indication. Destroy the plasma ball generator with the C. Shot or C. Sword to access the capsule.

Squid Adler: This one takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it can be the easiest to get. Simply collect all eight energy particles in the Ride Chaser section. If you get them all, you'll open the door to the capsule.

Duff McWhalen: After the dry area (the sunken ship), you'll see the capsule in plain sight. Destroy the bomb with either a charged Tri-Thunder or an uncharged G. Shaver (you have to sand back a bit for that, but it works better than the Thunder).

Skiver: You need the Falcon Armor for this, as well as most others. At the second lift, the diagonal one, go the edge of the platform before the lift. Then, jump up and at the peak of your jump, fly straight up. You should be able to make it onto the ledge with the capsule.

Dark Dizzy: At the end of the level, right before the boss door, there is what seems to be a pit. Go down, and use the F-Laser. Manipulate it through the maze to hit the left side of the barrier wall.

Axle the Red: Use the Falcon Armor. At the section with the ropes, you'll see a wall with some spikes on it. Jump up and fly above the spikes, then cling to the wall. Jump off and fly up some more, onto the ledge for the capsule.

Mattrex: Again, use the Falcon. I recommend using the Ridden/Probe Ride Armor through the lava, then jump out and onto the ropes. Ascend the ropes until you can see the boss door, then to the right fly under the door area as far as you can for the armor.

DNA Upgrades

When you beat a Maverick that is level 4 or higher, you can get extra life (like an extra heart) or extra weapon energy (it increases the bar, increasing the number of uses). These are only applied to the character that gets it.
When you beat a Maverick that is level 9 or higher, you can get energy or life, and you can also get different upgrade modules that both X and Zero can use. There are eight that you get with life-ups, and 8 with energy-ups. Of the 16 possible ones, 3 are X-exclusive, and 3 are Zero-exclusive. Here's the list, and the ones that are only for x are denoted with an X, and the ones for Zero only are denoted with a Z.
Weapon & Life Modules
Grizzly Slash: Shock Buffer
Duff McWhalen: Super Recover
Squid Adler: Quick Charge (X)
Izzy Glow: Burst Shot (X)
Dark Dizzy: Anti-Virus Guard
Skiver: Jumper
Mattrex: Speed Shot
Axle the Red: Ultimate Buster (X)

Weapon & Energy Modules
Grizzly Slash: Hyper Dash
Duff McWhalen: W-Energy Saver
Squid Adler: Z-Saber Extend (Z)
Izzy Glow: Shot eraser (Z)
Dark Dizzy: Virus Buster
Skiver: Speedster
Mattrex: Buster Plus
Axle the Red: Z-Saber Plus (Z)

Maverick Guide

Here are the weaknesses for the eight main bosses. Fortunately, Capcom was consistent this time: whichever weapon a boss is weak against for X, the boss is weak aaginst the corresponding technique for Zero.
Grizzly Slash: Spike Ball/Twin Dream
Duff McWhalen: C-Shot/C-Sword
Squid Adler: G. Shaver/F-Splasher
Izzy Glow: Tri-Thunder/E-Blade
Dark Dizzy: F-Laser/C-Flasher
Skiver: Dark Hold (he's the only boss it freezes, so freeze him, then waste him.
Mattrex: W. Spiral/W-Shredder
Axle the Red: G. Fire/Quake Blazer
Dynamo: None, just fight him, he's not too hard (I almot forgot to put him in this line-up)

Sigma Levels

Ok, I think some of these bosses are hard enough and the game new enough to warrant actual strategies.
Rock Monster: Remember the block/rock monster from Mega Man? Yup, he's back, making a debut in the X series. Jump and duck to dodge his block form, then shoot the eye. Tri-Thunder/E-Blade works best. When he gets to about half his life, he does an annoying attack in which he splits into block form and puts two columns of blocks on each side, switching them back and forth across the screen and hurting you. He'll also change into a skull ship shape and try to crush you. Dodge him and attack when his eye is open. If you can survive the level with the Gaea Armor, you can stay in the top corner when his blocks are flying across the screen to avoid getting hurt. If you are using Zero, you can use the F-Splasher to avoid getting hitby his energy orbs, but use it only in a pinch because you have limited uses.

Rangda Bangda Mk 2: Remember him from X1? He's essentially the same, just cooler looking. Kill the eyes first, especially the red ones, and wait on the nose until last. If the walls go in for the nose part, and the eyes aren't gone yet, just wait it out and go back to killing the eyes. Be careful when the walls come in, spikes may come out of the walls to kill you. It sucks, but the Gaea Armor eliminates this problem. It also does the most damage that I can tell.

Mega Man X: Yes, you fight X, but he's not Maverick, just doing what he thinks is right (although, isn't that just what the Mavericks are doing?...). Anyway, just keep moving and dodging his attacks. He's in the X4 Ultimate Armor, and he uses three X4 weapons. The only hard one to dodge is the Frost Tower attack. I recommend using the F-Splasher and anything else that comes in handy at the time.

Zero/Maverick Zero: This battle is just hard, and can be harder than Sigma's first form, depending on how upgraded you are. Stay moving to avoid his energy shots and slashes. Zero uses a souped up Giga Attack, too, which is hard to avoid, but possible. All the energy blasts fire up vertically from the ground, so if you can get between them, you're good. Practice, this one's tricky.

Sigma Form 1: Stay on the walls to avoid the energy orbs he flings, and when he jumps up on the walls, stay on the wall but out of his line of movement until he's coming right at you or just above you and shoot/slash him. Repeat this until he forms three virus heads around him. He'll teleport to the right side of the room, centered vertically, and send shockwaves at you. You can avoid the low ones by climbing the wall over them, the high ones by ducking, and the two half ones (with a gap in the middle) by air dashing between them (or flying, etc.). Hit him with Tri-Thunder or E-Blade when you can, he's weak against them.

A good startegy with Zero is to get above him on the wall. When he scales the wall, he jumps to the opposite one, then back to the side he started one, at which point he'll be at the top of the screen and come back down in the same path. So, when he jumps onto the opposite wall, drop to the ground, and wait for him to hit the same side wall that you're on and face the middle of the room. Right after he jumps of the wall to start his descent, use the E-Blade to get in a good hit. Air dash back to the wall right at the peak of the attack, and you'll be safe to start the strategy again. Or, wait until he comes off the wall on the way back and use it to hit him with the tail. It does slightly less damage, but it's safer and it destroys any virus heads he's got. Then just be careful when he does the teleporting, shockwave move on you. When he does it, duck the high one and use the F-Splasher (Giga attack) on the other two. Make sure you have a full weapon tanks, too, it'll help. Sigma Form 2: This sucks. Period. You have to hit the purple gem on his forehead, while avoiding/destroying the hands. To do this, double jump with Zero and spin attack him. With X, climbe the wall or ride the hands and shoot him. In particular, use Spike Rope/Twin Dream on him. This owrks great with Zero because you can trigger the double, jump up, and attack him with it. When the hands leave, he fires energy orbs at you. Move around the screen in a circular fashion (I go counter clockwise), both running and climbing the right wall then jumping off of it, and you should be able to dodge the orbs pretty well. He'll attack with big purple energy squares when he gets weak. Avoid them as best you can, that's hard, and keep nailing him when you can. Good luck, this can be easy or hard...

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