DASH 3 Reparations Arriving In Japan

Good on their word, Capcom has begun to ship out a form of compensation to Devroom members whose work was slated to appear in  Rockman DASH 3. Below, you'll find the contents of the Japanese package, recently received by CAP Kobun (whose Donner Wels mecha design was selected as the Bonne family's latest mecha).

Inside the envelop, a heartfelt thank you letter reads, "Thank you! From all the DASH 3 team at Capcom. 2011." Also included, a set of mobile cleaners which were originally planned to be distributed at Capcom's ill-fated 3DS event event in Akihabara (cancelled in the wake of the horrific natural disasters). All in all, it's a pretty slick package. More pictures of the items here.

The English Devroom are planning on distributing something to fans in the West. The item has not be disclosed, nor have we been alerted if it's shipped out. Shouldn't be much longer now, hopefully. Keep your eyes peeled to your mailbox!

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Capcom "May Have Some Mega Man News", Says Killian

2011. A year that will live in infamy. Within the span of four months, we bared witness to the cancellation of two highly anticipated titles -- Mega Man Universe and Mega Man Legends 3. The news left a profound wound in our community. Our faith in Capcom, shaken.

It's a gloomy time to be a Mega Man fan. Yeah, you've got some nice t-shirts and keychains coming out soon, but how about those games? Aside from Rockman Online, there's literally nothing substantial on that front right now. However, this situation may change soon enough. Maybe.

At a recent Capcom sponsored Fight Club event, GameZone’s Vito Gesualdi interviewed Capcom's Seth Killian, inquiring about potential characters for Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. The session eventually culminated in whether or not Capcom could “finally get Mega Man off the moon by including him in the popular fighting game." Clearly, a reference to the stranded Mega Man Volnutt.

A solemn Seth replied, “We tried. It didn’t work out.”

Now, is that a remark directed towards Mega Man's failed UMvC inclusion, or a reference to Legends 3's cancellation? Seth elaborated: “We have eaten a giant plate of unhappiness on this one,” adding that “Mega Man is very, very close to my heart.”

Like a heated bout right out of Ace Attorney, Vito pressed Seth to say something about Mega Man's future. He succeed. “Hang in there, we may have some Mega Man news….Maybe”.

And that was that. “You could just tell the whole Mega Man thing was eating away at him, and he wanted to share something,” added GameZone. You have to feel bad for Seth. He's been an active, and integral part of Mega Man's life for the last few years. He wants to say something to us -- wants to assure us, but he can't. He has to stay mum.

What can we take from this conversation? Capcom is, clearly, considering what to do with Mega Man from here. They aren't just sitting on the IP; that we can be certain of. However, it sounds to me like they are moving forward with caution. The last thing we need, right now, is another game to be announced before its even green-lit, and then watch it be cancelled.

It's in Capcom's hands now. All we can do is continue to voice our support, and hope for the best.

Source: GameZone

Kotobukiya Zero Dated; Delicious Box Art Surfaces

At last, we have ourselves a firm release date for Kotobukiya's highly anticipated 1/10 scale Zero model kit. And it's not too far away! According to Koto’s mobile site, the red rocker will hit store shelves in Japan on October 18.

The model kit includes a number of accessories such as a Z-saber, Z-Knuckle, and Buster Gun. He also has two faces, as well as seemingly alternate eye sets allowing him to look off to the side. The icing on the cake, however, has got to be the bad ass box art (pictured), illustrated by none other than the famed Toru Nakayama. Just look at that. Wow. Always a pleasure to see Nakayama pumping out material post-Zero series.

The kit kit will retail for 3,200 Yen (roughly $41.85 US) when it hits. Where to buy? If you're too impatient to wait for the English version, due out by December, then you'll find a number of import retailers primed and ready for your dollar. You can't go wrong Amiami and HLJ, although shipping may sting a bit.

For now, Zero appears to be the last Rockman kit from Kotobukiya. However, you never know. Something entirely new could be in the works right now...

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Eat Juice Bars, Become a Game Designer

Now here’s another blast from the Blue Bomber’s past, dating back to a time when the franchise was bursting with vitality. Ever wanted to become a game designer for a day and tell those Mega Man game designers what you think? Well, that's exactly the offer Capcom and Minute Maid gave children in 2003.

On the verge of the franchise's 15th anniversary, Capcom partnered with a number of corporations to spread the good word, and promote the then-latest batch of games. The joint venture between Capcom and Minute Maid, in particular, would mark one of the largest (North American) Mega Man promotions in the brand's history.

Select boxes of Juice Bars would contain a URL to a special website: this one here. There, young fans were encouraged to participate in a truly historic contest. Filling out this form, you'd be eligible to win a trip Capcom's US headquarters in Sunnyvale, California to become a game designer for a day. Runner-up prizes included:

• A $5,000 scholarship (1 winner)
• A Nintendo GameCube w/Mega Man Network Transmission (5 winners)
• A copy of Mega Man X7 (120 winners)

And who was the lucky youngster to win? Why that'd be this lad, Warren, whose last name I won't even attempt to decrypt. A belated congratulations to you, sir. I wonder, did Warren actually have an impact on a product that now rests in our hands today? I won't be attempting to hunt the man down to ask, but it's fun to imagine what that experience must've been like. Best day ever? Uh, yeah.

In hindsight, this is one neat sweepstakes. No developer (that I'm aware of) does this sort of thing today. Lack of interest, or too much of an investment? Could be a little of both, but I belive this is definitely something companies should look into again. Giving kids a chance to immerse themselves in the developer environment is an awesome prize. You're pretty much cementing the youngster's dream to pursue a career in the industry.

For you archivers out there, I'm publicly releasing a small batch of promotional assets from the contest I've collected over the years. Yeah, I'm kind of a pack rat. You can download the file here! On a related note, can you believe the archive logged the actual contest entry form? I know, right?! Wonder what would happen if you sent one in today? Hmm...

Rockman Online Launching Next Year

We're going to have to wait a bit longer for Rockman Online to roll out. According to a recent financial earnings report, Neowiz Games are planning to launch the MMO in the second half of 2012. The game was previously on track for a late 2011 time frame.

While there's still no word on beta testing, the report notes Neowiz will once again be a prominent force at this year's G-Star, a gaming trade show in Busan, South Korea. Considering Rockman Online is being touted as one of, if not the flagship title of Neowiz's 2012 portfolio, there's a good chance it will resurface there. If it does show, expect a plethora of new details, media and maybe a playable demo. Don't forget: it's been a good year since we last saw the game in action. Who knows what it's like now?

G-Star 2011 is said to be putting a large emphasis on "internationalization", according to MMO Site. I'm not one to speculate (lol), but this could be the ideal time to announce a worldwide Rockman Online release. That's something a lot of people would like to see happen, certainly.

Hope for the best. Expect the worst. Stay tuned!

Source: Maeil Business Network and Daum.net

Mega Man Kubricks Discounted At Capcom Store

Just a friendly heads up for those of you who would like to own your very own LEGO-ish version of Mega Man and his bro Proto. Over on Capcom Unity, they’ve announced a fall blowout sale promotion. Applicable to a number of products, you'll find a particularly tantalizing deal on the English versions of Kubrick Mega Man and Proto Man, as well as their 1Up Be@rbrick counterparts.

Originally $30 a pop, Capom has discounted both the Mega Man and Proto Man sets down to a cool $20.97. Considering the little guys can fetch anywhere from $40 to $60 on the secondhand market, this is quite an offer.

Stock, as per usual, is limited. Approximately 500 pieces were produced solely for the Capcom Store, give or take. Once they're gone, they're gone! The fall blowout sale runs from now until Sunday, October 2nd. A little ways away, but you may want to act quickly before they sell out.

Make haste and grab your Zenny -- the Capcom Store awaits!

Mega Man X7's Lost Multiplayer Confirmed

A true blue, multiplayer Mega Man game. It's a dream shared by many fans across the world. Disregarding the likes of Battle & Chase, RockBoard, and the prospect of Rockman Online, Capcom has yet to produce a multiplayer Mega Man game in the traditional sense. You know, something like this.

Mega Man X7 was once believed to be that game. The summer of 2002 yielded an early look at X's first foray into the third dimension, with promises of never-before-seen spectacles. As exciting as that was, there was something else that manged to caress the fanboy heart: multiplayer.

According to the game's infamous E3 '02 product description, MMX7 was being prepped with co-op play:

"Take advantage of the new Double System, where you and a friend can play together simultaneously. Fight bossed cooperatively and execute the new change combo attack by switching characters at any time." 

Holy moly. This was it, man. This was the multiplayer Mega Man game! Oh did we ever set ourselves up for disappointment.

X7 arrived in our hands multiplayer-less. Attempting to rationalize the situation, the fanbase of the time concluded that multiplayer was never a sure-fire thing after all.  They theorized that the prospect of multiplayer was nothing more than the Double Hero system -- the ability to switch between two characters, on the fly, mid-gameplay -- grossly mistranslated.

It was certainly a viable theory, given Capcom's early 2000 mistranslation track record. Well, guess what? It's time to give that theory the boot, because Mega Man X7 once DID have multiplayer, and its inclusion was confirmed by none other than the game's producer....

Finally, A 'Rockman DASH: 5 Islands Great Adventure' Overview

Legends 3 it isn't, but for years, this was the next best thing. At long, long last, we finally have ourselves a detailed look at 2008's Rockman DASH: 5 Islands Great Adventure. Having moved to Japan this summer, The Mega Man Network's Heat Man seized the opportunity to actually play it. In his spare time, he's written a general overview of the game, going so far as to provide the first footage of it in action.

For a mere cell phone game, 5 Island packs in a decent amount of content, surmises Heat. But does that necessarily make it any good?

"In the end I’d say it’s a novel little game, and even has some replayability, especially if you want to grab and max out all the weapons," he writes. "But it’s a very short game, can be very awkward to play, and its content would do little to satisfy even a mild Legends fan for very long. While a nice thought, the game was hardly an answer to the years that passed since Legends 2."

Regardless, you'd be mistaken to not read his full report.  Head on down to the Mega Man Network and educate yourselves! Heat Man will be providing more 5 Island reports in the coming weeks, so do stay tuned for more info and footage.

Full Armor Rockman X In-Hand Images

Want to see more of Bandai's newly released D-Arts Full Armor Rockman X figure? Mecha Guy has a splendid gallery up showing off the figure's quality, poseability, and articulation. From the looks of it, Bandai has once again delivered a fine representation of the famous Maverick Hunter. Nothing short of awesome.

More images here!

Full Armor X is now available in Japan, with imports shipping out some time soon. Bandai plans to localize the figure in states next month, although it remains to be formally announced via press release. That version will be exactly the same as the above, but it's being produced under the "Mega Man" brand with English logos and descriptions.

If you're too impatient to wait for the localized version, remember you can import via AmiAmi and HLJ.

Rockman Recreated In 'Picture Lives!'

A quirky little game by the name of Pictures Lives! recently hit the Nintendo 3DS eShop in Japan. The D.I.Y platformer allows players to build their very own character and worlds with a number of wacky tools at their disposal. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before someone would set out to create a Rockman-themed adventure. And sure enough, Rockman Corner reader Niroth has discovered just such a creation.

Needless to say, a lot of neat Rockman/Mega Man stuff  could come about with this. Picture Lives! is earning all sorts of praise for its unique and easy to use tools. In no time at all, you'll design, voice and animate a character, who will then explore a 2D world. It's no Mega Man Universe, but it's something.

No word when the game will launch outside of Japan, but it's on the burner. In the meantime, you can amuse yourself with some splendid gameplay footage via YouTube.

Dr. Wily's Revenge Tops eShop Charts

Nearly a week since its North American and European debut, Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge has quickly become the top selling game on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. And who says a Mega Man game on the eShop can't sell? Tsk-tsk.

Although specific sales figures were not divulged, Revenge managed to dethrone The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, who previously held the number one spot for several weeks running. That tells you quite a lot right there. Bear in mind, the game is a long ways off from topping the "All Software Charts", but today's victory is certainly a start in the right direction. What can I say? People love Mega Man on-the-go!

It'd be nice to see where the game placed on the Japanese charts, but I don't have that info in front of me at the moment. I'll look around and see what I find. Of course, if you own a Japanese 3DS yourself, you can give me a holler in the comments.

Thanks for the tip, Ace_Cloud!

Some More Retrotastic Rockman Apparel

Now available for a limited time in Japan, a series of eight all-new nostalgia infused Rockman shirts. Considering the amount of sprite-based Rockman apparel Capcom of Japan has already produced, I can't say I'm entirely blown away by these designs. Cute concepts, nonetheless.

The tees will be sold exclusively at Kotobukiya's direct store in Akihabara, a site historically known for offering one-of-a-kind Rockman goodies from time to time. Each design is priced at 3675 Yen, or roughly $48.15. Additionally, it sounds like more designs will be revealed closer to the release of Kotobukiya's 1/10 scale Rockman Zero model kit, due in October.

Limited edition Kotobukiya goodies are pretty difficult to come by outside of Japan. Doubtful the shirts will be sold elsewhere, save for Ebay and the like. You're not missing too much, if you ask me. There's plenty of pixel-art Mega Man as is; not very difficult to hunt one down in your region these days.

Credit: CapKobun