Rare Rockman X3 Book Scanned, Artwork Preserved

In 1996, Capcom and Nagaoka Shoten published a Rockman X3 pop-up book exclusively in Japan, adapting the game into a hands-on craft book where young readers could assemble scenes from the game.

While a neat collectible in its own right, the book has long been sought after by fans because it contains original cel-painted artwork not seen in any other X3 media. It also hasn’t been reprinted anywhere else.

Now, for the first time, the book’s contents have been preserved thanks to Epsilon1234. All 48 pages, along with the accompanying artwork, can be viewed on the Internet Archive across two uploads: scans of the 21 artwork pages and photographs of the full book, including the non-art pages.

And if you have a high-quality printer, you could even try printing the individual pages and assembling the dioramas yourself. If not, there’s still plenty of great pieces here to enjoy.

Rockman Tennis Gets English Fan-Translation

Thanks to Muttvil and frigamarrymepls, Rockman Tennis now has an English patch, available from the Keitai World Launcher. 

Originally released in Japan in 2007 for i-mode devices, the game was preserved in 2024 and can now be played in English for the first time. Since much of the game’s text exists as image files, Muttvil went the extra mile to properly recreate and convert those assets for the translation. It even includes a localized English title screen!

Rockman Tennis features seven playable characters, each with their own stats and unique special moves. layers can compete in League Battle mode across four different cups or set up custom matches in Free Battle mode. Winning matches earns Screws, which can be spent at Rightot’s shop on various upgrades and items. X is also unlockable, marking the first time classic Mega Man and X appeared together in the same game.

Source: RockmanCosmo

Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network Gets Unofficial, Native PC Port

GreigaMaster has released a native Windows PC port of Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network, giving the mobile-exclusive spin-off a proper home on modern hardware, no emulator required. Download it here!

This version runs natively on Windows and supports both the original Japanese release and the English fan translation. More importantly, it delivers stability the game never really had: a locked 15fps, uninterrupted music and audio, and clean native upscaling from 1x resolution.

To get the game up and running, you'll need to obtain the original Japanese i-αppli game files for Phantom of Network from SciLab Secrets. Follow the instructions on GitHub closely and you'll be all set in no time.

You Can Now Play Rockman EXE: Battle Chip Stadium at Home via Emulation

Three years ago, GoodTofuFriday and the BCS preservation team set out to extract Rockman EXE: Battle Chip Stadium from its native, aging arcade hardware. While the game was successfully and safely ripped, it wasn’t in a playable state. 

But today, I’m pleased to report that the game is not only fully playable on an emulator, but available to download right now!

Rockman: The Puzzle Battle English Translation Released

Originally released for Japanese mobile phones in 2011, Rockman: The Puzzle Battle was preserved last summer by the team at Keitai Archive. Now, thanks to community member Penguinstrain, you can finally play it in English.

Everything from the in-game text and descriptions to the game’s logo has been translated with the care and polish of an official Mega Man localization. You can see it in action in the footage above (thanks to RockmanCosmo and Yuvi).

As before, the game and its English translation patch are available via the Keitai World Launcher emulator. For the best experience, it’s recommended you use Windows 10 or later, as earlier versions may run into compatibility issues.

Mega Man 2 3D Classics E3 2010 Tech Demo Preserved

At E3 2010, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo 3DS, offering attendees their first chance to experience the handheld in action. The show floor featured a selection of interactive tech demos built to demonstrate the system’s glasses-free stereoscopic 3D capabilities. Among these was the Arika-developed Classic Games, a proof-of-concept auto-demo that reimagined several NES titles—Mega Man 2 included—with stereoscopic 3D display.

While only a few of the titles featured in Classic Games were eventually released as part of the 3D Classics line on the eShop, Mega Man 2 was not among them. However, thanks to the preservation work of the 3DS Challenge Team and video documentation by James-Money, the Mega Man 2 tech demo, alongside several other E3 2010 software, has been recovered and can now be launched on actual hardware. While Mega Man 2 is not playable, it offers a glimpse of what a 3D Classics version might have been. 

You can find and download the files from the Internet Archive. To play these demos on a real 3DS, you’ll need an EmuNAND setup and a few other essential files to get things running smoothly. All of that is covered here!

Rockman: The Puzzle Battle Preserved

Rockman: The Puzzle Battle originally launched in 2011 for i-mode and EZweb-supported mobile phones, exclusively in Japan. Now, thanks to the work of a user named 2Soulz, the game has been successfully extracted from its original hardware and is fully playable through the Keitai World Launcher emulator. For the best experience, it’s recommended to use Windows 10 or later, as older systems may encounter bugs. 

Gameplay is very straight forward: you swap adjacent spheres to line up three or more of the same color in a row or column. Each successful match prompts Rockman to launch an attack on his opponent. If you match four or more, you’ll earn an extra turn. The goal is to drain the Robot Master’s health down to zero. Defeating a Robot Master rewards you with their unique Special Weapon, which can create different effects.

Many thanks to 2Soul and RockmanCosmo for capturing the footage!

Osaka Museum Archive Preserves Rare Rockman Commercials

The Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, has officially confirmed the preservation of several Capcom television commercials as part of its "Mannensha Collection"—including rare spots for Rockman 1 and Rockman 2. These commercials were publicly screened for the first time on June 8th.

These commercials are part of a broader archival effort to digitize the work of Mannensha, a prominent advertising agency active during the 1980s and 1990s. Among the preserved film negatives and video materials are spots for Bionic Commando, Sweet Home, and notably, Rockman 1—a version that predates the game’s release by nearly a month. Interestingly, it appears to be shorter than the Rockman 1 commercial that’s been circulating on YouTube for years, suggesting it may be an earlier or alternate cut. 

According to the museum, these commercials have been digitized and can be viewed without a reservation in their Archives Information Room. Visitors can access them on-site using provided tablets. Viewing original physical materials is also possible by appointment.

While the content itself hasn’t been made available online, the fact that these commercials are preserved in a public archive is a noteworthy for fans and game historians alike. It’s fortunate that these materials were deemed valuable enough to be preserved before their aging analog formats deteriorated.

For more information or to plan a visit, check out the museum’s archive page here!

Rockman DASH Mobile Game Does Kobun Fly? Preserved

LNRC of Keitai Wiki has successfully ripped and dumped another long-lost Rockman DASH mobile title, which has remained largely inaccessible—especially to English-speaking fans—for 22 years.

Kobun ga Tobun? (or Does Kobun Fly?) is a bite-sized autorunner released in 2003 for Japanese feature phones. You control a Kobun, using a single-button input to jump over pits, with its built-in propeller helping it hover and clear obstacles. The game also featured online leaderboards, which, while currently disabled, are in the process of being restored.

To play, download the latest version of Keitai World Launcher. Once installed and fully updated (if Java is missing, the launcher will prompt you to download it), search for "Kobun ga Tobun"? in the search bar. Click "Launch," and you're ready to fly!

Two more games in the Flying Kobun series remain undumped: Kobun ga Tobun? Xmas, a Christmas-themed variant, and a 2010 re-release of the original featuring updated graphics. The search for those continues, but for now, enjoy this small piece of lost history!

Rockman DASH: Great Adventure on 5 Islands English Translation Patch Released

Hey Mega Man fans! I’m RockmanCosmo, a game preservationist dedicated to saving lost games from Japanese feature phones. A little over one year ago, SciLab Secrets preserved Rockman DASH: Great Adventure on 5 Islands, a previously-lost entry in the Mega Man Legends series released for Japanese feature phones. Today, I’m happy to announce that 5 Islands has an English patch, courtesy of a one Mega Alex! Read on for more details and how you can play it right now! 

Rare Rockman EXE Toy Commercials Preserved (PETs, Trading Card Game)

Just when you think you've seen them all, someone's old VHS tapes say otherwise. YouTube user NAO Game World Channel has uncovered a batch of rarely-seen Rockman EXE toy commercials, a couple featuring unique animation from the Rockman EXE Axess' production team, that had never been digitally preserved until now. You can watch the very first promo for Bandai's Plug-In PET above, with the rest below!

Rare Ryuusei no Rockman TV Game Has Been Preserved

After years of anticipation, Ryuusei no Rockman: Denpa Henkan! On Air!, a rare, Japan-only TV plug-and-play game from 2007, has finally been preserved.

Thanks to the efforts of MAME community member David Haywood, the game’s data has been successfully dumped from its original hardware. While it’s not yet ready for MAME emulation, this marks a major step forward in the preservation process. As with many XaviX-based devices, extracting and reverse engineering Denpa Henkan! On Air! has been a complex challenge. Now, with its data safely archived, the game is no longer confined to obscure, aging hardware. The next hurdle is making it fully emulatable and playable—updates will follow as progress continues.

For those unfamiliar, Denpa Henkan! On Air! is a collection of mini-games based on the characters and world of the first Star Force title. It featured a Rock Buster-shaped motion-sensing controller, allowing players to interact with the game through simple gestures. Curious how it plays? Check out some direct feed gameplay here.

Development Disks for Game Gear Mega Man Soundtrack Discovered

Video game archivist MrTalida recently uncovered a trove of disks from the archives of veteran game musician and programmer Dave Lowe. Known for his prolific work during the 1980s and 1990s, Lowe's collection includes materials from a variety of projects, including two disks tied to his work on Game Gear Mega Man.

Rockman X i-Mode Port Preserved, Online Leaderboards Revived

Hey, Mega Man fans! This is RockmanCosmo, the leader of SciLab Secrets – the team working to preserve lost Rockman games released on Japanese feature phones (keitai). I’m happy to announce that Yuvi, a member of the SciLab Secrets team, has preserved the Japanese-exclusive i-mode port of Rockman X! More than just a mobile port, it has online leaderboards, which are now revived thanks to Yuvi. Read on for more details and how you can play it right now!

A Closer Look at the Lost Film "Do Your Best, Rockman: Earthquake Safety and Fire Safety"

Do Your Best, Rockman: Earthquake Safety and Fire Safety is the crown jewel of "lost" Mega Man animation. Produced by Sankyo Educational Film Company, the short film was briefly screened in Japan in the early 1990s and has never been seen again or released on home video. Until recently, it was considered a myth—a shared memory among only a few fans in Japan who recall watching it at school as children. The discovery of an activity book related to the film a few years ago finally confirmed its existence, though we still have very little other information about it.

However, I'm excited to share that we're one step closer to uncovering more about this elusive flick. Twitter user turtlejump2 reached out to share images of every page from a copy he found in storage. Thanks to this, we now have our best look at the film yet.

Rare Rockman Amusement Ride Gets a New Lease on Life at Arcade Museum

A rare Rockman amusement ride, which is often found in poor condition (sometimes even beheaded), has found a new home at the Sargasso Arcade Museum in Kita Karuizawa. The owners of this museum, which they affectionately refer to as a "retirement home" for classic arcade machines and amusement hardware, have done an incredible job restoring this obscure piece of history to pristine condition.

Produced by Hope Co. in 2000, the ride can carry two people and includes buttons that make Rockman speak and play two, let’s say, charming renditions of classic BGM that aren’t exactly easy on the ears. Although you can’t visit in person regularly, you can catch glimpses of their collection and updates on their official YouTube channel. The museum does open its doors for special events, so if you’re in Japan during one of those times, you might get a chance to give it a spin!

Curious to see the ride in action? Check out popostore’s footage from a few years back here and here. That particular unit has seen better days, but it gives you an idea.

Source: Sargassou

"EZ Web" Versions of Rockman EXE Mobile Games and Battler's Tower Preserved

Hey, Mega Man fans! This is RockmanCosmo, the leader of SciLab Secrets – the team working to preserve lost Rockman games released on Japanese feature phones (keitai). The past couple of months have been extremely eventful for Rockman keitai game preservation. Since December 2023, we have preserved nine previously-lost games, including Rockman DASH 5 Islands and both original Rockman EXE games. Today, I’m happy to announce that the SciLab Secrets team has preserved even more games: the EZweb versions of Rockman EXE Phantom of Network and Legend of Network, and a companion app for Phantom of Network called Battler’s Tower. We’ve even preserved phone wallpapers and ringtones! Read on for all the details.

Mega Man X2's Planner Shares Original "Green Biker Dude" Scene Design Notes

He made only a brief appearance, but Mega Man X2's "Green Biker Dude," as fans fondly call him, is an icon. Blink and you'll miss him— that split-second wheelie at the game's start left a lasting impression. For over 30 years, this enigmatic Reploid has inspired endless parodies, memes, art, and even fan-games. Yet, amid all the hype, one question lingers: What is his real name?

When Mega Man X2 planner Yoshihisa Tsuda began sharing more about X2's development on Twitter, I took the opportunity to ask him about it. While Tsuda confirmed that nothing concrete was ever conceived during the game's development, he did share something equally intriguing: the original design notes for the Green Biker Dude scene and a little background behind its development.

Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network and Legend of Network English Fan-Translation Project Announced

SciLab Secrets recently preserved the Japan-exclusive mobile games Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network and Rockman EXE: Legend of Network... and now, The Rockman EXE Zone has confirmed the development of English translation patches for both titles.

The project's lead programmer, Prof. 9, shared that the team will start with Phantom of Network first, followed by Legend of Network. Each game will receive a separate translation patch upon completion, distributed as applications that inject the English scripts into the games. It's important to note that you'll need to obtain the game and an emulator separately. 

At present, the release dates for the patches have not been provided. For additional information, screenshots, FAQs, and updates, refer to the translation project thread. 

Best of luck to everyone involved! 

Japan-Exclusive Rockman Cellphone Games Dumped, Playable Now!

Today, we're thrilled to announce the successful acquisition and release of EIGHT Rockman cellphone games previously available only in Japan. Among the lot are Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network and Rockman EXE: Legend of Network, a full chapter from Rockman DASH: Great Adventure on 5 Islands, and a handful of lesser-known from Rockman GP to a unique Rockman 1 port featuring a fully-playable Roll. Best of all, you can play them -- ALL of them -- today.

Read on for the details!