![\"Proto](\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/MMDO_ProtoMan_Screenshot_03.jpg\")
<\/a>Proto Man has three shield-based attacks that use up a special meter that has a cool down in “Mega Man: Dual Override.” (Capcom)\u00a0\n\u201cMega Man: Dual Override\u201d \u2014 Capcom\u2019s new entry into the series impressed me the first time I played it. In my second go-around on the PlayStation 5, I played as Proto Man, the lone-wolf ally of the Blue Bomber and his older brother. He\u2019s essentially Racer X to Mega Man\u2019s Speed Racer. In the TGS demo, I played a version of the character that had an offensive chipset.<\/p>\n
I played through the Twinkle Girl levels and noticed several different elements about Proto Man.<\/p>\n
Shield moves: He carries a shield with attacks tied to the Triangle button. Standing still lets him throw it like a boomerang, while pressing forward and Triangle lets him perform a dash attack. The last move is an upward vertical attack that looks like a Shoryuken. Using them on enemies doesn\u2019t make him invincible. He\u2019s vulnerable toward the end of the attack animations, so it can be risky using them against some enemies.
\nA new meter: The shield moves are tied to a meter that revs up with each use and falls slowly over time. This prevents players from using these powerful moves too often. If players spam the attacks, it fills the meter and causes Proto Man to malfunction.
\nShorter-range attacks: Unlike Mega Man, this protagonist\u2019s blasts have a shorter range that goes a little less than a third of the screen. That means Proto Man has to get up close to his enemies to eliminate them. The same goes for his charged shot, but on the bright side, the attack seems to be more powerful than Mega Man\u2019s, and if players use the strike in midair, it turns into a sword slash. <\/p>\n