Rockman 9 Hits Mobile Phones In Japan

Capcom released Rockman 9 for mobile phones in Japan today and from the looks of it, the new on-the-go version is a faithful port of its home console counterparts.

The game is currently exclusive to Docomo and Au phones, available for 315 Yen ($ 3.75 USD) per month via Capcom Party. It remains to be seen if the game will support the many downloadable features of the original, or if the content comes preloaded.

If you've got the means to obtain the game, you can do so right here. If not, just keep on hoping for a world-wide release!

Vote For Your Favorite Bonne Mecha Proposals

With all entries accounted for, Capcom US have begun accepting votes for the Bonne Mecha design contest at the Mega Man Legends 3 Devroom.

To vote, head on down to the contest's official forum. Click on a thread to view a member's entry, which will include an illustration and some commentary about the machine. At the very top of the thread, you'll find a star scale:

You're allowed one vote per thread. Adhere to the following scale when voting:

• 1 star: I didn't like it at all.
• 2 stars: I don't hate it, but I'm not a huge fan.
• 3 stars: It's all right. 
• 4 stars: Better than most, but not quite a favorite.
• 5 stars: This idea is the best!

Do bear in mind this isn't an art contest -- votes shouldn't be based solely on one's artistic ability. Take into consideration other information provided; ask yourself, based on the ideas provided, is this a boss battle I'd like experience?

Votes will be accepted until December 5th at 11:59PM PST. Shortly after, Capcom will select the top five Western submissions. What happens after that is anybody's guess, but we'll probably have more details shortly.

Best of luck to all of you who submitted a design. I'll follow up with the results as soon as they're published!

Mega Man 2 Video Guide Is A Blast From The Past

Back in the day before the rise of GameFaqs and the like, stumped gamers would seek solace in video-based walkthroughs to aid them in their time of need. Case in point, this retro-tastic Mega Man 2 video guide from the now-defunct Game Player's magazine, which recently surfaced in this century thanks to Retro Realities.

Yes, there's certainly a lot of inaccuracies and "well, duh!" moments throughout, but I can see how this would be helpful way back when. That or you could have picked up one of these.

Credit: Mega Man Network

Mega Man X Collection Gets Re-Printed

With each passing year since its release, supply of the Mega Man X Collection, both used and new copies, grow few and far between. However, it seems the collection has reemerged at retail, with a new low price to boot.

Reports from users of the Cheap Ass Gamer Forums indicate that new copies of the collection were sold at GameStop during the retailer's Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale for a budget price of $19.99. What's more, Hubba Games has also seen a re-supply, too, stocking an estimated 600 new copies of the game as of last week.

The re-printed X Collection apparently comes in the new flimsy, eco-friendly PS2 DVD cases, which noticeably lack the memory card slip above the disc holder. The new packaging alone is a clear indicator the game has seen an official resupply. There's been no sign of a GameCube reprint, currently.

If you've been looking for a brand new copy of X Collection, you just might be in luck. Call your store of choice ahead of time and see if they have it in stock before making the trip!

The Hidden Imagery Within Mega Man Legends

It's pretty common for developers and programmers to sneak in little hidden messages and graphics inside games -- some accessible, others not. The Mega Man Legends series is no exception, as all three titles in the series play host to handful of fun hidden graphics, buried within their respective texture and tile data.

While nowhere near as juicy as some of the stuff found within games like Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken, the concealed goods of the Legends series are pretty neat in their own right, with content ranging from gag-faces (such as this one here) to hidden Mobile Suit Gundam references.

I've collected all known graphics after the break, complete with complementary info. Hit the read more, and check it out!

Reminder: Bonne Mecha Design Contest Ending Soon

Just a friendly heads up: The second community-wide Mega Man Legends 3 event, the Bonne Mecha design contest, comes to an end on November 29th at 11:59PM PST. If you've yet to submit a design, let alone create one, you might want to hurry!

The winning design will find itself within Legends 3, piloted by none other than the Bonne family as they confront Mega Man Volnutt in what can only be described as a water-based Ruins. As for you, well, you get your name in the game's credits. How sweet is that?

For all the details, head on over to the contest's page at the North American MML3 Devroom. Ready to submit your design? You can do so by making a thread here.

Best of luck, all!

E-Tank Mugs For Your Sipping Pleasure

Mega Man fans and hot beverage aficionados will finally have themselves a piece of merchandise to call their own. Online retailer Fangamer are currently accepting pre-orders for an officially licensed E-Tank Mug, set to release in mid-December. Official product description below:

"Drink your coffee like a boss. After 6 months of prototyping and development, the E-Mug is finally here -- a ceramic wonder featuring state-of-the-art glaze and high tech coffee storage solutions for a global economy.

• Custom cast ceramic
• Holds 14 fluid ounces
• Comes with a custom coaster (design to be determined...)
• Blue and black semigloss glaze
• Special decal print beneath the glaze on the bottom
• 4.5" tall
• 4" wide (5" with handle)

Yes, this has easily made it's way onto my Christmas list. Pre-order yours for $28.00 USD right here!

Thanks for the tip, Tony. 

Mega Man 10 Discounted For Thanksgiving

Microsoft has slashed the prices off of a boatload of Xbox Live games, add-ons, and movies in honor of Thanksgiving. Among the lot, a very cheap Mega Man 10 -- down from 800 to 400 MSP. That's 50% off!

The sale, eligible to both Xbox Live Gold and Silver members,  kicked off yesterday and will last through Monday, November 29. What's more, Xbox.com will announce more deals on Black Friday, which is said to inlcude discounted add-ons. Perhaps we'll see some MM10 (or MM9) stuff in there?

If you've yet to purchase MM10 for your 360, now might be the time. Enjoy, and have yourselves a happy Thanksgiving!

Source: Joystiq (thanks again, Jeff!)

Anatomy Of A Super Fighting Robot

We've seen some spiffy custom-made figures over time here on the blog, and today adds one more into the mix. Toy artist KodyKoala, the chap behind creations such as the working Air Man and Guts-Dozer, has fashioned together a cross-section of Mega Man himself -- robot guts and all.

(Reminds me a bit of this official piece, albeit slightly more disturbing!)

The figure is currently being auctioned off on Ebay, however it's far too pricey for my budget. Interested? Check out the auction here. Of course, for those of us with little to no cash, you can admire more images of the figure at Kody's Flickr page.

Source: Destructoid (thanks, Jeff!)

Jazewares To Produce New Mega Man Figures In 2011

It's been a little something I've been sitting on for a while now, but they made it official: Jazwares is bringing the Mega Man line back in full swing starting in 2011, according to a recent press release:

"Jazwares, Inc., a leader in the consumer products marketplace, has been awarded the toy licenses for Capcom’s Street Fighter® and Mega Man® video game franchises. Under the terms of the agreement, Jazwares will be the master toy licensee for Mega Man. The Street Fighter license is a category-specific agreement that covers only the categories of Boys BS/PVC/Vinyl figures and accessories, 4-inch and under playsets and vehicles.

The Jazwares’ team of design experts have built a reputation for producing true-to-life toys that bring action-figure play to kids and collectors alike. In 2011 they will translate two of the most popular iconic video games into new collections for the fall.“We are extremely excited to put a new punch in the popular Street Fighter and Mega Man brands with all new action figure collections for the next generation of fans,” said Laura Zebersky, executive vice president sales, Jazwares."

Created by Capcom in 1987, Mega Man is one of the most iconic video game characters in the world and starred in more than 140 different games. Mega Man collectively sold over 28 million copies worldwide. Mega Man® 9 and Mega Man® 10 brought the reputation of the franchise back by recreating the classic game and graphics of the original Nintendo release.
Capcom and Jazwares team up in spring 2011 to combine classic entertainment with an all new line of kid and collector action figures, allowing kids and parents to continue the adventures of Mega Man at home. "

-------------

It remains to be seen just what will make up this collection, however, in the past, there's been talks of bringing out a new 3 and 3.75'' figures, and the long awaited second Retro Roto wave.

You will be hearing about these figures very, very soon but I can't say much more than that right now. Stay tuned! You're in for a surprise or two!

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Zero's Long Lost Ultimate Armor

X series fanatics will note Zero never quite gets any additional armor love (black Zero doesn't quite count). However, at one time, an Ultimate Armor for Zero was once tossed around during the development of Rockman X4. This revelation comes from an old issue of Capcom's CAP! magazine, discovered by none other than #20 of the Reploid Research Lavatory:

Above left, the only known piece of art of Zero's scrapped Ultimate Armor. The Japanese text reads:

"The truth is, Zero was going to have a Mega Armor, too. For various circumstances, we wound up with just X this time. You want to know what his Mega Armor would have been like? Well, it has to do with Zero’s connection to W… actually, I’m not allowed to say any more than that. But, at least I can show you the rough design. I hope that sometime it will see the light of day. That’s all for now! Enjoy Rockman X4!"

#20's analysis/observations:

"This armor sported a face guard and a central fin on the top of the head, along with a claw-like beam blade emitted from each arm and an overall spikier design. And are those wings in the back? The note pointing to them reads “these parts connect to his hair portion (the hair transforms)”. Transforming hair? Interesting! Could this have been what fans were so often craving, an armor bestowed upon Zero by his father, Dr. Wily? Not that black Zero isn’t awesome, but it’s a little sad to think we could have had this in X4, and instead got a recolor that played exactly the same. It’s a blast to compare this design with Command Mission‘s Absolute Zero."

To say this was a loss is an understatement. Transforming hair? Uh, awesome! I guess all we can do from here is merely imagine the possibilities this guise would have held... that and think of the merchandise and model kits it could have warranted. This is all too much for me... what a pity.

Full report on Zero's armor and a little history behind X's own available at The Reploid Research Lavatory. Thanks, Andrew!

Even More Rockman Online Tidbits

When it rains it pours. We've got a some new bits of Rockman Online info coming from an interview with a Neowiz staff member Min conducted at G-Star 2010, translated by the crew at Mega Man X9.com. Below, I've provided highlights of some of the more noteworthy bits; for the full read, you'll have to hop on over to MMX9.

• Rockman Online is roughly 30-40% complete, with large scale testing set to take place next year.
• Instead of immediately dying when falling into a pit, your character will be repositioned losing health.
• Min touched upon the game's stages, specifically outlining scenarios that involve escorting an NPC instead of simply battling your way to a boss.
• Neowiz are currently undecided if Ride Chaser-oriented stages will appear.
• Proto Man and Bass are not playable characters. 

Additional details about the game have also surfaced via a Game Watch report, translated by The Mega Man Network:

• NeoWiz is aiming to have a closed beta test started during the first half of next year.
• The game was originally planned to be an MMORPG, but is now being developed as just an MORPG.
• The G-Star demo featured the Gaia area, which contained the forest stage and secret base stage. Additional areas being planned include Atlas, Oceanus and Nike.
• Besides X, Zero and Duo, Cinnamon is indeed an additional character type, and they are thinking of adding 2-3 more.
• Stages are being planned with three levels of difficulty, and the G-Star demo represented the absolute middle. Having four players is recommended to tackle the game’s hardest difficulty.
• One of X’s special attacks is described as a Capoeira-style spinning kick he can do in the air to repeatedly hit enemies at close range.
• Trap elements include items like decayed floors, bombs and switches to open and close doors.
• One of the features of the game will be “up and down” movement. Despite being a 2D platformer, this will make use of the 3D graphics to bring out more depth. (Perhaps like Metroid Other M).
• There are five points of character customization: head, body, weapon, legs and case (presumably for a carry-on item). The more you level up, the better equipment you can use, and already there is equipment as high as level 50.
• The matching lobby will be able to hold roughly 200 players, where they can buy equipment and communicate with one another. PVP is also planned on being added.

Credits: Mega Man X9.com, The Mega Man Network