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For those worried that the conflict between Neo Arcadia and the Resistance Army may be coming to an end, don't. There's at least enough strife to carry you through Mega Man Zero 3, the latest in the series from Capcom.

Zero, a well-trained warrior robot, is still your main character, and he'll be the one you control through levels filled with enemies and huge bosses at the end. Mega Man Zero 3 continues the series with more platforming-action goodness. The graphics are good, with lots of detail and color, but there are definitely better looking games on the GBA. Even so, the levels are interesting because of their design and challenges. And because there's no saving until you defeat a boss, those challenges are magnified. No matter how good you get at jumping and attacking, there are certain parts of the game where you won't be able to avoid damage.

You'll start off with two weapons, a weak gun and a powerful sword, the Z-Saber, which can cut through almost anything. You'll get his shield boomerang and a new weapon, the recoil rod (which just about doubles your jump distance and height), early on. You'll also pick up enhancements to his weapons as you go, particularly from fallen bosses, and you'll need them. Each mission starts with three lives, and chances are you'll use them liberally trying to figure out the timing and location of all the dangerous enemies and pitfalls.

Once you've beaten the first boss, you'll get access to Zero's first suit upgrades: fire, ice and electricity. Each boss is at least a little more susceptible to one of them, so wearing the right one will make most battles easier. You'll get other suits later in the game, and other weapons, and if you earn high enough grades at the end of each level, you'll unlock weapon combos, which obviously come in handy. You can also collect "cyber elves," crank up Zero's abilities. They can take out smaller enemies, add to his health, make him run faster, etc. Some last forever and some last only for a level. Some result in score deductions at the end if you use them because they make the level that much easier, but others can be used without penalty. Those choices might be the saving grace for those players not interested in the self-torture that is Mega Man Zero 3's hardest levels - you can make it a lot easier on yourself if you like.

The levels are extremely fun to play through, even when they're at their most challenging. There always seem to be more passages to find, whether it's by tearing away parts of the level or wall-jumping higher and farther than originally seems possible. Once you've found your way to the end of the level, there's always a huge, dangerous boss waiting for you. You'll have to choose among weapons, skills and suits to figure out the best way to beat him. But even once you've figured out how to beat him, it will usually still be difficult to pull it off. The controls in Mega Man Zero 3 are very fine and responsive and the moves you'll need to win take advantage of that - which means just because you've done something before that doesn't mean doing it again is a given. This makes for a very difficult game, but the frustrations come from knowing a sense of accomplishment awaits you, and that's a rare thing.

You'll get most of the story and interact with other characters from your home base. That's also where you'll access most of the game's 16 levels. Once you've been through the game, you'll unlock the ability to play through it again while retaining all the new abilities you had at the end.

Mega Man Zero 3 is, without doubt, a difficult game. But there are harder games that aren't nearly as enjoyable. There's a fine line between encouragement and frustration in a game like this, and Zero 3 hits it right on the sweet spot. You may find yourself cursing at your GBA, but the challenge is addictive and will probably just bring you back for another try.