Sliding (スライディング Suraidingu), also known as slide, is a move from the original Mega Man series that Mega Man can use since Mega Man 3 (however, he is unable to do so in Mega Man 9 and 10). The Game Boy installments implement sliding starting in Mega Man II. Slide allows the user to evade enemy projectiles, avoid some traps and access narrow passageways. It can also be used to move faster. The slide can be executed by pressing the "Down" and the "Jump" buttons together. The slide can be interrupted by jumping. Proto Man has the ability to slide in Mega Man 9 and 10. There is no difference between his slide and Mega Man's. Besides the main games, Mega Man, Proto Man and Roll can also slide in some of their appearances in other games.
Advanced uses of the slide include making slightly longer jumps over pits due to the wider collision rectangle while sliding, and jumping out of a one-tile high space even when there is no floor following it, a technique used by speedrunners but only possible in Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 4. Notably, Mega Man 6 did not allow jumping out of a slide at all, but is the only game in the series to include this limitation.
Mega Man cannot attack while sliding, but the slide itself is an attack in the secret fighting mode from Mega Man 7, the Marvel vs. Capcom series (as Mega Man's and Roll's crouching strong kick), Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U (the latter which inflicts 8% damage or 5% depending where Mega Man hits), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and in Street Fighter × Tekken (as Mega Man's crouching strong kick).
It is important to note that Charge Man's weapon, the Charge Kick, can only be activated by performing a slide. This is the only Special Weapon that is not activated by pressing the shot button. Also, in Mega Man & Bass, Mega Man has to use the controls to slide to use the Tengu Blade in the dashing form.
In other series, characters use different actions, such as Dash and Crouch, to avoid attacks and pass through narrow passages. Only a few playable characters use slide, which include Model a in Mega Man ZX Advent, MegaMan.EXE in the games Mega Man Network Transmission and Rockman.EXE WS, and X in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. Besides all of the characters from Mega Man, Mega Man Legends and Mega Man Battle Network will slide instead of dashing while on the ground in Mega Man X DiVE.
Some bosses, like Shadow Man, Saturn, Clock Men, Mega Man?, and Copy X, also use the slide as an attack, and all playable characters from Mega Man's Soccer can slide.
Other media
Mega Man (Archie Comics)
Quick Man was briefly seen doing a similar maneuver to sliding during his attack to Light Labs, where he proceeded to trip Roll while she was carrying a tray, which occurred just as Auto was saying "--that to--" to Quick Man (regarding telling him off for attacking Mega Man). (Mega Man #9)
Later, Dr. Light and Dr. Noele Lalinde modify Mega Man's legs to give him the ability to slide. In reference to the loss of the ability in the later games, Dr. Light mentions that it won't work on "Modes 9 and 10". Mega Man first used the ability when arriving to assist Roll, who was helping rescue the people from a sinking ship. (Mega Man #19)
Gallery
