This was an interesting read, thanks for sharing it!
A few things jump out at me:
The energy bar being a timer might have been a big source of frustration for newer players
Having jump height attached to energy also would have been annoying. I’m sure plenty of us can remember squeezing by with just one notch of energy!
I wonder if Bond Man’s fan gave the idea for Rush’s jet pack in Megaman VI?
Ha, Joe
You're welcome!
Part of me feels like the health-as-timer mechanic was born from the developers approaching the game with arcade-style design in mind. That sort of thing works to make sure people don't play too long on the machine (a la Gauntlet or Wonder Boy), and while other games still retained it I don't think it fits well with the kind of game Mega Man turned out to be. (That said, I think the final product's completely useless scoring feature is definitely a holdover from this same line of thought.)
What a great find thank you for posting.