Puzzle Battle Gameplay Footage

Rockman: The Puzzle Battle hit mobile phones in Japan a couple days back, and sure enough we've got some footage to share. The video quality isn't the best, but its bearable -- good enough to make out the gist of it.

According to Cocorog, where the footage originates, the game features the following:

- Using a Robot Master's weakness, you can reduce your opponents attack and defense
- E-Tanks can be found amidst the puzzle board. Using them regenerates Rockman's HP.
- In addition to the six Rockman 1 Robot Masters, other opponents include the Yellow Devil, Copy Bot, and Dr. Wily.
- Special Weapon energy gradually recovers over time. There are no recover items for Special Weapons.

Cocorgo went on to praise the game's art style, which evokes a sense of nostalgia while conforming to what is considered cool and cute by today's standards. Hey, I'm a fan.

As it stands, the Puzzle Battle, like many mobile titles before it, is exclusive to Japan.

Have A DASH Of Roll Concept Art (Updated)

Rockman DASH 3 art director Yuji Ishihara has shared a few pieces of conceptual art for Roll Casket, faithful companion and Spotter to Rock Volnutt, on the Japanese Devroom. The sketches show off just how dynamic of a character Roll is via her wide range of facial expressions, and a better look at her new apparel.

The art was accompanied by a few words from Ishihara, though I'd better leave the translating to Greg over at the English Devroom. A translated post should be up there within in the day. I'll update when it happens, but for now, do enjoy the art! 

UPDATE: English translation now available! Click here to check it out!

Credit: Bigdoor

Just In Time For Warm Weather, A Brand New Shirt

2011 has been an interesting year for Mega Man. While game releases have been few and far between (with only one currently pending), the year has been mostly predominantly owned by merchandise. To keep interest in the property alive, Capcom and partners are seemingly quelling our appetites for the Blue Bomber with comics, toys, and other miscellaneous goods. That's not a bad thing in the least. Getting the brand out there beyond the games is ideal to having a healthy and dynamic intellectual property.

The strategy of extending Mega Man's likeliness outside of the confines of games is looking to continue as once again, Capcom intends to capitalize on the popularity of video game apparel. Come late September, Mad Engine will roll out a brand new Mega Man-themed tee-shirt, pictured right. Breaking tradition, it seems Mad Engine is ditching 8-bit sprites and a witty slogan in favor of Mega Man and Proto Man artwork (complete with nostalgic Mega Man 2 box art styled font). A nice change of pace if you ask me.

The shirt is a little ways away off, due on September 28 (according to Midtown comics) for $16.99. A variety of online shops are currently offering pre-orders in a number of sizes. If you're not a fan of green, steer clear of this one; it's the only color being offered. That's not to say more colors will be offered, however.

It may not be that spiffy new game you've been looking for, but hey it's something.

Kotobukiya Zero Headed Stateside

Not surprisingly, Koto US has confirmed a North American release for their 1/10 scale Mega Man Zero model kit. Due out this October in Japan, the localized figure will hit U.S shores in December, reports Game Informer.

Zero is but the fourth in a series of highly articulate Mega Man models from Kotobukiya, currently consisting of classic Mega Man, Roll, and Proto Man. All three figures come with a slew of accessories, and Zero is no exception to this rule. The red rocker is set to be included with a Z-Saber, Z-Knuckle, Buster Gun, and interchangeable faces. An official price tag has not been announced, however, we can expect something within the $25-$30 range.

A handful of online retailers have already begun offering pre-orders for the localized figure, some of which can be found via a quick Froogle search. As we wind down to December, however, more options in terms of availability will become apparent.

Thanks to everyone who submitted the tip!

Rockman: The Puzzle Battle Announced For Mobile Phones

Capcom has unveiled a brand new (Japanese exclusive) Rockman game for Docomo cell phones, entitled Rockman: The Puzzle Battle. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like.

Sporting a rather awesome art style, The Puzzle Battle tasks players to swap and alternate blocks next to each other in an attempt to line up three or more of the same colors horizontally or vertically. If a successful combination is pulled off, Rockman will attack his opponent. The battle is won when the Robot Master's life depletes to zero, which, in true Rockman fashion, grants the player a new weapon. How, exactly, weapons affect the general gameplay remains to be seen.

A simple puzzle game, yes, but once again I can't help but be envious of Japan. All those exclusive mobile games... sigh. Ah, well. Maybe one day we'll get one on our side of the pond.

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Mega Man TPB Volume 2 Dated

As anticipated, Archie Comics intends to follow up the first Mega Man trade paperback, "Let The Games", with a second volume. According to a recent Amazon listing, Mega Man 2: Time Keeps Slipping is due out in March 2012.  The book's subtitle presents a dead giveaway to the contents of the book: a chronicle of all four issues in the Time Keeps Slipping Story arc; the very first arc in Archie's continuity to break away from the game's stories.

Time Keeps Slipping will encompass 112-pages, retailing for $11.99. If the first trade paper back is any indication, we can infer Vol. 1 will contain a handful of additional content like sketches and and variant covers. Of course, more content is probably forthcoming, what with the book having not been officially announced by Archie just yet.

Trade paperbacks are an excellent platform to get caught up with story arcs quickly, particularly if you don't have a subscription or if you're just slacking off on your single-issue purchases. It would be great if Archie made a trend of releasing TBPs with every arc, especially for the benefit of those who may fall behind.

Pre-order your trade paperbacks at Amazon!

Art Buster Project To Collect Rejected Mega Man Tribute Entries

Fans across the globe united under the initiative to have their art featured in Udon's upcoming Mega Man Tribute. Artists both young and old scurried to produce a piece that properly displayed their heart and passion for the series; the end result being some truly amazing work.  Unfortunately, not all submissions could make the cut. This was not necessarily due to the quality of the product, but more so to the fact that Tribute can hold only so many entries. Regardless, for those who've been turned down, you need not fret, a project is brewing to give your piece the audience it deserves.

A fan by the name of Soul-Rokkuman has kicked off an initiative to collect ALL rejected Mega Man Tribute entries into a digital fan-book. Dubbed the "Art Buster Fan Book Project", the effort aims to grant acknowledgment to artists and their respective entries that weren't published in Mega Man Tribute. Regardless of artistic ability or skill level, everyone who was passionate enough to attempt to get into Mega Man Tribute deserves to have their work featured and shared. This fact, alone, is the driving force behind Art Buster.

Artists interested in contributing their rejected entries can learn more about the project at Soul-Rokkuman's DeviantArt page here. Submission will be acceptable for at least another month. Afterwards, compilation will begin and the file will be distributed freely. We'll have more information the book's release date and other details in the near future.

I applaud Soul-Rokkuman and contributor Alyssa for their efforts in getting this project off the ground. It's definitely something I will stand by, and I hope you will too.

Alternate Universe Rockman And The Art Of Subtlety

As we've seen in the past, Capcom's former Secret File magazine is home to some oddball self-homages like "Rockman Vs. Doctor Marvel." Secret File #18, however, takes the crown when it comes to the cheekier stuff. Case in point, a set of schematics for an alternate universe, retro-inspired Rockman.

The subtle, implied themes behind this take on our favorite blue robot are giggle inducing, and even a little disturbing. Read the translation at your own risk after the jump!

Remembering Super Adventure Rockman

13-years ago tomorrow, one of (if not the) strangest Rockman titles in existence released throughout Japan. On June 24, 1998, Super Adventure Rockman made its debut on the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, and to this day, it remains an oddity both in the eyes of fans and Keiji Inafune. A game so odd that it warranted an apology from Inafune himself.

Super Adventure is unlike any Rockman title before it. It's a strange blend of the interactive FMV genre with elements of first-person/arcade shooter segments dispersed throughout. The core elements that made the franchise unique -- the rock-paper-scissors weakness system and non-linear progression, remained. Despite the familiarity these elements brought to the table, the game just has this aura that screams "out-of-place." I don't know how else to say it: Super Adventure Rockman, while not a bad game, is downright weird. You can feel it the minute you give it a spin. This aura of utter strangeness isn't just limited to gameplay or presentation -- the story itself is bustling with moments and scenes that betray the light-hearted image of the classic series.

The number-one rule behind the development of a game targeted at youngsters is to not depict death. Alas, the game was riddled with death; there was no subtlety to it.

"The ultimate unspoken role about making a game that is geared towards children is that you simply cannot kill anyone, but here you have military helicopters falling out of the sky and people dying in droves," writes Inafune in Mega Man: Official Complete Works. "If it had been up to me, I would have at least made it so they all 'got away safely' via parachutes or something. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, Roll dies... and to top if all off, the whole world is destroyed! I was like, 'Did they really need to go that far!?' I will never let them do something like this ever again. If we, as developers, start getting confused about what 'safe for children' means, we'd not only be betraying our players, but I'd feel like I was betraying every single creator that ever put time into this series."

The franchise's violence factor has certainly turned up quite a bit in the last ten years or so, but before Super Adventure Rockman, death wasn't so prominent. It was always subtle, comedic even. The fates of those who did die (such as Robot Masters at the hands of the player) where entirely dependent upon the player's desecration. Super Adventure Rockman, however, didn't give player's this privilege to use their imagination. Sure, things turn out well in the end, but to get to the rainbows and sunny skies, players had to get Rockman through quite a few hardships with death hot on his heels.

Classic Rockman has always been targeted at a young and impressionable audience: children. There's no denying it. That is why fanon stuff like the Cataclysm Theory (supposed event in which Zero mercilessly kills off the classic series cast) make no sense. Seriously, look at Inafune's comment -- read it closely. There is absolutely no chance something as extreme as the "cataclysm" could happen. Ever.

There's more to be said about the game, but you're better off checking it out for yourself. On the positive side, SA sports top-notch FMV animation, voice acting and the plot is actually surprisingly thick in Rockman-terms. To experience the Super Adventure for yourself, you've a few of options. The most inexpensive being watch the game unfold on YouTube (available with optional subtitles). Collector's, however, may want to invest in purchasing the game physically. Ebay is home to frequent Super Adventure auctions, with the PlayStation version being the more common of the two. There's no discriminable difference between the PSX and Saturn versions, so it's entirely up to preference.

We've no definitive reason why the game didn't journey to our side of the pond. It could be a number of things from Sony's bizarre no-Mega Man policy to the lack of interest in the FMV genre in the West. One theory that wouldn't be all too surprising is Capcom withheld the game purposely for the very reasons Inafune despised it. Regardless the reason, it was probably for the best. Super Adventure is pretty niche, and the risk of finding an audience would have been far too great.

Relish In The Memories Of Old Mega Man Sites

Don your nostalgia goggles and take a trip back to the nineties with the WayBack Machine. At long last, the Internet Archive's crawl has hit Capcom the front, subsequently churning up a plethora of old, official Mega Man webpages.

The uncovered sites are a treasure trove of long lost assets, images and media from a number of late 90s - 2000s Mega Man titles. For example, when was the last time you saw these full color, 3D Legends 1 renders? And that's just the beginning: ancient press releases, old release dates, flash games and wallpapers... it's all there. Below, you'll find a small sampling of what the archives have to offer.  For the rest, you'll have to navigate around on your own!

• Central Mega Man Hub
• Mega Man 8 Statue Contest
• Mega Man 8
• Mega Man Legends
• Mega Man 15th Anniversary Homepage
• Mega Man Mania (use cursor and highlight text to view)
• Mega Man X4
• Mega Man Shop
• Capcom Home 

Because there is so much to look at, I've only glimpsed at few of the hundred or so recently recovered sites. There's still quite a lot to go through and I'm certain you'll find a few things that bring back some fond memories. For example, it's funny now, but just look at how many times Mega Man Mania had its release date bumped. Fond memories with that one. And that 15th Anniversary site? Hours wasted playing that silly little flash game.

For the sake of preservation, I highly advise fans and other Mega Man fansites to save as much content from these pages as possible. WayBack Machine isn't glitch-proof, and many archived sites do go down from time-to-time. Better safe than sorry!

On a personal note, I grew up on these sites -- they were my stomping grounds as a child. These meager little sites helped solidified my love for Blue Bomber, providing me with screens and news on the then-latest games. Their return to the world wide web may not be a big deal to you, but for me, it's a blast from the past. Have a look around and enjoy!

Devroom Reminder: Mascot Event End Draws Near

Don't forget that the Mega Man Legends 3 Bright Bats mascot Event ends this Thursday, the 23rd, at 5:00PM PST. If you recall, this event asks Devroomers to design a mascot of sorts for Barrett and his Bright Bat brethren -- a mascot that's along the lines of a Servbot, Birdbot, or Data.

Full event rules and regulations can be found here. Remember, just because they are the "Bright BATS" doesn't mean your mascot is entitled to be a bat. Director Eguchi is encouraging fans to come up with a character that's both cool and mysterious -- some kind of thing that looks well when paired with Barrett. The more creative, the better!

Of course, what's a Devroom event without prizes? In addition to the bragging rights that comes with the fact your character will be in Legends 3 itself, winners and runner ups will be showered with Unity Points. Always a good thing! If you're still working on your design(s), or even just now considering entering, better get on it ASAP!

It maybe Monday now, but Thursday is just around the corner. Check out the above links for full details.

Where DS Rockman Games Go To Die

Around this time of year, Japanese game retailers clear out their cache of unsold titles to make way for new releases. Games that nobody wants find solace in carefully placed bargain bins; hoping, waiting for someone to pick them up at a steal of a price. 

Above, piles upon piles of unsold Nintendo DS Rockman games, from the recent Operate Shooting Star to the original Ryusei no Rockman (Star Force). And no, these aren't used copies -- they're new. Never been opened, never been bought. The games on display above are going from anywhere between 200 to 380 Yen, or roughly $2.50~ $4.73 USD. Curiously, they still fetch a pretty penny to import stateside, OSS in particular. Crazy right?

The leftmost bargain bin plays host to well over a few dozen Rockman games, whilst the rest contain boxes worth of unsold Ryuusei copies (in their original factory packaging, no less). It's certainly a sad sight, but one not too surprising given the sales performance of some of these titles in the domestic market.

Whether it be Capcom setting their shipment expectations too high, or the quality of the games themselves, it's difficult to determine precisely why these titles in particular faired poorly in their lifetime. And it's not just Rockman: many games, great ones even, hit bargains quickly in Japan. Zelda, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy -- big name franchises are being sent to these "wagon sales" faster than ever before. Nintendo particularly is well aware of this trend, and as a means to spare Ocarina of Time 3D the same fate as Phantom Hourglass, has shipped a limited number of copies to Japanese retailers. A smart move, one that is said to be paying off.

Gaming in Japan isn't necessarily dying, it's sporadic. You're either a hit or a miss these days.

Thanks to reader Jimb0 for the pictures from his recent trip to Japan!