Tuesday, November 6, 2012

In Mega Man Neo, You Explode When You Die


Instead of the usual death explosion, Mega Man Voluntt, at life's end, would lay on the floor stiff as a board as the screen faded to black. Game Over.

That was death in Mega Man Legends 1 (and Legends 2). But in the game's primordial days, back when it was known as Mega Man Neo, Volnutt met a demise similar to his Classic and X counterparts: combusting into a fiery blaze. Newly unearthed footage from Neo's E3 1997 exhibit reveals this gruesome moment in plain detail (nine seconds in). Viewer discretion advised; it's not a pretty sight!

... alright, so maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit.

Still, it's a neat throwback. Why was it removed? Well, maybe it really was considered a bit gruesome. I mean look at it this way: Volnutt was considered the most "human" of Mega Men at the time. I don't think that would have sat well with some folks -- parents, primarily. You know how some can be.

Thanks to STFUandPlayTV and KeijiDragon for the video!

5 comments:

  1. "... alright, so maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit."

    This is actually more humane of a death than anything else. A flash and nothing is left. It's not like it shows you writhing in pain as you burn to death.
    -ud

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  2. Need more dew.

    As in, "dew-dew-dew-dew-dew..." X3

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  3. Besides the whole squeamishness/political correctness angle, though, it really would be odd for the "most human Mega Man" to explode into flames. We all know Trigger's backstory, but he's supposed to be able to pass for an ordinary person. And even though the Legends world makes the whole switching-body-parts-for-mechanics idea common as dirt, the specifics are never explained, and the mechanical look of Trigger's armor leads to some easy misunderstandings (the one and only thing I didn't like about the final armor design of Legends 3 was the ball/hinge joints, for that reason).

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  4. Yeah, I have to agree. Volnut being the most 'human' at the time, not to mention that the graphics in Legends are obviously more detailed than in the NES and SNES titles, it kind of makes sense for that to be removed. And... what Hypershel as well, I can't really see an exploding death working well for Volnut or for anyone else cyborg-like.

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  5. So the unused "Mega Man Neo (Temporary Title)" text from another sample WAS used somewhere! "Sample 6.13" huh? I wonder if it is the same with the early cartoon-like Ferdinand and what version numbers are the Biohazard 2 Trial and CFC samples.

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