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Black Zero (ブラックゼロ Burakku Zero), also known as ??? in Mega Man X8 and referred to as Nightshade Zero on the box of a figure by Jazwares, is an upgrade for Zero that appears in most of the Mega Man X series games. It is similar to X's Ultimate Armor in that it is usually accessible by a secret code, save for Mega Man X: Command Mission where it is his Hyper Mode. Except for Command Mission, this armor is never actually named in-game, and cannot be unequipped in Mega Man X4-X6 once received.

Characteristics[]

The effects of the Black Zero enhancement are not consistent throughout the games it appears in. In its first appearance in Mega Man X4, it is simply aesthetic and has no effect on his combat abilities. In Mega Man X5 and X6, it enhances his defense and saber power, and also adds 50% to Zero's weapon energy, like all of X's armors in these games do. However, three power-up Parts are automatically applied to the black armor in both games, even if the player has not obtained them yet:

  • In Mega Man X5, Black Zero has Shock Buffer (damage and stun reduced by 50%), Shot Eraser (Z-Saber can destroy enemy projectiles akin to Tenkuuha), and Virus Buster (Z-Saber can destroy Sigma Virus/Zero Virus).
  • In Mega Man X6, Black Zero's Virus Buster is replaced by Z-Saber Plus (damage per Z-Saber slash is increased). This replacement is due to the game's absence of Sigma Viruses and Zero Viruses.
  • In Mega Man X8, it doubles Zero's attack power and doubles his dash speed and distance, but halves his defense as a trade-off.
  • In Mega Man X: Command Mission, it acts as a Hyper Mode. It doubles his attack power, increases his speed by 1.5, increases his WE gain per turn by 25%, and cuts his fire damage to 75%, but starts with an extremely short number of usable turns before using Build Hypers.

Secret Codes[]

Refer to the table below for codes used to gain use of Black Zero. The codes are listed with the button pressed and the number of times pressed next to it. In Mega Man X4 and X5, highlight Zero on the Character Select screen and enter the codes. In Mega Man X6 and X8, highlight Game Start, complete the sequence of buttons, and press Start. While there is no way of knowing if the code is completed in X4 until the opening stage is accessed, in X5 and X6 a sound clip is heard if entered correctly, while a sound clip of Zero is used for X8.

Game Codes
Mega Man X4

Hold R1+(→→→→→→), Hold ✕+START/Options on PS4 (PS1 & PS4, J)

Hold R1+(→→→→→→), Hold ◯+START/Options on PS4 (PS1, PS2, & PS4, UE)

R+(→, →, →, →, →, →), B+START (SAT)

R+(→, →, →, →, →, →), X+START (NGC)

R+(→, →, →, →, →, →), B+START (+) (NS)

RB+(→, →, →, →, →, →), B+START (Xbox One/Steam)

↑+START (PC)

Mega Man X5

↓↓↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ (PS1, PS2, & PS4/PC/NGC/NS/Xbox One/Steam)

Mega Man X6

L1L1L1R2 (PS1, PS2, & PS4)

L, L, L, R (NGC)

S, S, S, B (PC)

L, L, L, ZR (NS)

LB, LB, LB, RT (Xbox One/Steam with Controller)

D, D, D, V (Steam with Keyboard)

Mega Man X8 L1L1R1R1L1L1L1L1 (PS2 & PS4)

L, L, R, R, L, L, L, L (NS)

LB, LB, RB, RB, LB, LB, LB, LB (Xbox One/Steam)


  • In Mega Man X5, there is a way to receive the Black Zero enhancement without using a code. In the third Zero Space stage, there is a vertical shaft that leads to a capsule. Enter the capsule as Zero to enhance him into Black Zero (alternately, X can enter a similar capsule in the same area to obtain his Ultimate Armor). According to the conversation that Zero has with Dr. Light, he (Light) says he wasn't able to create any armor for Zero, but he is able to enhance his abilities. Zero is welcome to either take it or leave it, though Zero claims he doesn't need any upgrades. The Black Zero's enhanced saber can destroy energy shots (even Ultimate Armor X's Charge Shot).
  • In Mega Man X8, the player must redeem all of Zero's available power-up chips and complete the game to save into a New Game Plus, by which the final power-up chip will be made available (Sigma Blade). Once that final power-up chip is redeemed, Black Zero will be made available immediately for selection. Black Zero will show up as "???" in the character selection screen when made available. But unlike previous games where Black Zero will override the Normal Zero, this game can still allow the player to select Normal Zero even if Black Zero has been unlocked. This method is the only method available for the PC version of the game where pressing codes on the title screen will not work unless a controller is used.

Fake Zero[]

MMX2 Black Zero
Main article: Fake Zero

The Black Zero armor is most likely a reference to the fake Zero that appeared briefly in Mega Man X2, where if X collected all three of Zero's parts from the X-Hunters, a Zero created by Sigma appears in the last stage. The fake Zero has the same black-hued armor as Black Zero, but with gray hair and a red forehead gem.

Other appearances[]

  • In Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, during the X Challenge, if the player defeats Ultimate Armor X in Chapter 9-4, Awakened Zero transforms into Black Zero. As a boss, Black Zero uses techniques Zero had obtained from X4 to X6 and his saber's attacks have also been changed to purple to reflect his armor change. He is able to perform a Ryuenjin-Hyouretsuzan combo or a Kuuenzan-Rakukojin combo that leaves a metal anchor in the stage or an E-Blade-Kuuenzan-Quake Blazer combo that causes a small lingering explosion. Zero also has a small range Rekkoha and can jump wildly from wall-to-wall whilst performing multiple Kuuenzan and ending with Hyouretsuzan. Despite the arena not having a visible ceiling, Zero can still perform Hyoroga.
  • Black Zero is a playable Hunter Program in Mega Man X DiVE. His active skills are Raikousen and C-Flasher.
  • The Black Zero palette was included as a skin for Zero in TEPPEN.
  • Black Zero appeared as an event character in the Japanese version of Zombie Cafe.
  • In Dragon Poker, Zero is an event character with a split evolution, being able to evolve to Black Zero. Also, Black Zero (original) appeared alongside Neo Sigma in the Rockman X2 event stages, representing the fake Zero.
  • Black Zero appeared as an event character in Bouken Dig Dig 2. His skill is Saber Plus.
  • Black Zero appeared as a skin for Zero in Elemental Story.
  • Black Zero appeared as an event character in the Mega Man X DiVE event from Tower of Saviors. His skills are Raikousen and C-Flasher. Black Zero could be obtained in the event stage Fake Copy, and his description notes that he first appeared in Mega Man X2 as a replica of Zero, but the one used by the player is the original with his potential unleashed by Dr. Light. This was mistranslated in English as another mode of X that was born when Dr. Light released X's potential.
  • Black Zero appeared as a skin for Zero in Shironeko Project. Besides the appearance, it changes Zero's attribute from none to Dark.

Other media[]

In the Rockman X2 manga, the X-Hunters successfully revive Zero after exhuming his inactive remains from an underground lab where Dr. Cain had stored him following his sacrifice in the first war against Sigma. In order to control him, the X-Hunters installed a Σ Chip within his helmet, which had the side effect of changing his armor black, resembling the fake Zero. Despite being under their control and looking to destroy X, Zero's rebellious personality still asserted itself, causing him to destroy Serges after being ordered to fight. Although Zero briefly managed to regain clarity during his fight with X, he soon returned to his brainwashed state, resuming the fight until X managed to destroy the Σ Chip, freeing him from Sigma's control and restoring his armor back to red.

Merchandise[]

Bandai released two versions of the black armor as part of its Mega Armor model kit series. The original release, a black-colored version of the Zero model kit, was packaged both as an individual figure and in a 4-armor "Double Impact" set along with a base body that included hot-purple limbs, a smirking face with red eyes, a green forehead gem, blue hair/saber parts and deep purple decals, a color scheme seen nowhere else. Other Black Zero armor was later released as an individual figure, featuring black limbs, a blue-eyed non-smirking face, brown hair/saber parts, as well as the original Zero model kit's silver and gold decals.

Jazwares released an action figure of Zero sporting the upgrade in 2004. It came in two sizes, and was referred to as "Nightshade Zero" on the box.

A black recolor of the "Zero Type 2" D-Arts figure was released in 2013 as a limited edition release.


Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • A form similar to the Black Zero upgrade appears in Mega Man Zero 2, called the Proto Form. Both have black color schemes, and both have similar effects when equipped.
  • In Mega Man X6, the Black Zero enhancement was intended to be accessible without use of the code by defeating the Zero Nightmare when it is at level 4. However, because of a design oversight, this isn't possible, as bosses will only be at level 4 when the PA rank is achieved, which requires 5000 Nightmare Souls. As one way to unlock the endgame is to collect 3000 Nightmare Souls and since unlocking the endgame prevents the player from fighting Zero Nightmare and High Max if they have not yet done so, obtaining the Black Zero enhancement without the use of codes in Mega Man X6 is thus impossible. Despite this design oversight, the Black Zero enhancement is still coded to be rewarded to players that beat Zero Nightmare when it is at level 4. This can be achieved through cheating devices such as GameShark (The NTSC version of the code to fight Zero Nightmare and other bosses at level 4 is 300CCF5F 0003)
    • It is worth noting that there is no special text or notification if the player achieves the enhancement through the latter method.[1]
Ultimate-zero

Zero's unused Ultimate Armor design.

  • In Mega Man X4, Zero was actually going to have his own Ultimate Armor, known as "Mega Armor", instead of his Black Zero recolor. The designer of the original X's Ultimate Armor said, "The truth is, Zero was going to have a Mega Armor, too. For various circumstances, we wound up with just X this time. You want to know what his Mega Armor would have been like? Well, it has to do with Zero’s connection to W… actually, I’m not allowed to say any more than that. But, at least I can show you the rough design. I hope that sometime it will see the light of day. That’s all for now! Enjoy Rockman X4!"[2]
  • In Mega Man X5, Dr. Light's capsule for the Black Zero upgrade is the only time a capsule takes immediate affect. For the majority of the game, Dr. Light's capsules issues only data programs for enhancements, specifically when processing X's armor program.
  • Zero's black armor also shares a resemblance to Bass from the classic Mega Man series, with a black primary color, grey soft armor and yellow highlights and hair.

References[]


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