Happy 24th Anniversary, Mega Man!

It's the wee morning hours of December 17th in Japan right now, so it's official: our beloved Mega Man / Rockman has turned 24-years-old. Hard to believe it's been really that long since A.K and Keiji Inafune first introduced us to the Blue Bomber. Time certainly flies, doesn't it?

  

The year 2011 wasn't a particularly good one for the blue boy. Things started off just fine, yes; but within the span of four months, everything went kaput. Development of Mega Man Universe ceased in late March, followed by the inexplicable cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3 in July. The latter really struck a chord. But in its wake arose the most ambitious Mega Man fan-campaign yet, uniting fans across the world toward a common goal. “Get Me off the Moon” has since grown into a paragon of perseverance, and I sincerely hope their efforts will pay off.

But not all has been doom and gloom. From what has been an abysmal year for Mega Man games come the remarkable efforts on behalf of Archie Comics, UDON Entertainment, Kotobukiya and Bandai. These partners have done an admirable job at keeping Mega Man alive in their respective forms, be it comics or plastic. From comics and graphic novels to action figures and model kits, this was a tough year not to spend money!

The road ahead is... well, uncertain. I really wish more could be said about stuff to look forward to. Yeah, there will always be a steady flow of merchandise in the future. But the games? It's all up in the air right now. I cling to the hope that something worthwhile is in the works for the franchise's 25th anniversary. Something has to happen on that front.

All-in-all, this has definitely been a memorable year for all the wrong reasons. BUT, I am confident that things will straighten out. The Blue Bomber is too iconic a character and brand to disappear into thin air. And we, the fans, are too passionate to let that happen.

 To better days ahead, my friends.

What Are the Chances of Mega Man 9 & 10 Going Retail?

Yesterday, Capcom announced the Xbox 360 exclusive Capcom Digital Collection, which bundles eight XBLA games on a single disc including 1942: Joint Strike and Super Street Fighter II, among others. Fantastic idea.... just one problem: no Mega Man.

Inexplicably omitted from the collection, the Blue Bomber's finest digital titles; Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10. Naturally, the news has caused a bit of a knee-jerk reaction. You know, the usual "Capcom has abandoned Mega Man!!111" spiel.

But all is not entirely a lost cause. In a recent post at the Ask Capcom forums, Christian Svensson fielded a question on whether one could expect a disc-based Mega Man 9/10 bundle in the future. His reply:

"Just two games, probably not. We'll see how the first compilation does and if it hits expectations, maybe we'll take a stab at a 2nd one that could potentially include those others (and some other stuff too)."

It's not a stretch to imagine a hypothetical Capcom Digital Collection Volume 2. After all, the current collection is missing out on Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and Bionic Commando: Rearmed. Throw Mega Man 9 and 10 in the mix, and you've got yourself a mighty fine product

So where do you sit with all of this? Would you like to see Mega Man 9/10 finally receive a disc release and fill that void on your Mega Man shelf? Sound off in the comments! More info on the Digital Collection can be found at Capcom Unity.

Thanks for the tip, Jimb0!

Mega Man Star Force Reaches Fifth Anniversary

Had it not been for a few vocal tipsters, this would have totally slipped my radar. Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Mega Man Star Force! The first game in the series, spanning across three versions, released in Japan on December 14th, 2006. Goodness time certainly flies! It feels like just yesterday the original teaser trailer hit the web:

Mega Man Star Force began life under the tentative title of "Rebirth of Rockman ZN." The ZN project aimed to succeed the Battle Network series, concurrently ushering in the franchise's 20th anniversary. It wasn't until the summer of 2006 that the game was officially dubbed Ryuusei no Rockman (Shooting Star Rockman). That winter, Pegasus, Leo and Dragon versions blasted to store shelves in Japan. In total, the games collectively moved 593,675 units by the end of 2007.

Although things seemed like they were off to a good start, the series never quite found its footing financially. Beginning with Star Force 2, sales entered a death spiral.

Failing to meet projections, SF2 would go on to sell far less than its predecessor. By 2008, both version sold a meager 291,962 units combined. SF2's lackluster performance spelled the end for numerous cross-media ventures. In fact, Star Force 3 marked the first time in a little under a decade a "network timeline" game was not accompanied with an televised animated series or toy line. Star Force's financial viability reached an all time low.

Star Force 3 would go on to sell the worst of the lot -- Black Ace and Red Joker, in total, sold 174,426 copies by year's end. What's really sad about that is the game actually met Capcom's projected forecast.  Capcom had little faith in Star Force 3 from the get-go!

In the end, Star Force couldn't hold a candle to the success that was Mega Man Battle Network; a brand that kept Capcom fed and happy for nearly ten years. Operate Shooting Star did little for the ailing series. Failing to live up to its potential (a crossover between Battle Network and Star Force), the game was met with negative criticism from fans of both series. Sales were ultimately lackluster.

It's hard to say what the future holds for the network timeline. Despite its shortcomings, there exists a truly passionate fanbase for this particular series. So long as the fan voice is there, there's always a chance for something like Star Force 4 or true crossover.

iOS Mega Man X Feels Good, No Current Plans For Console Port

As awesome as a revamped Mega Man X port sounds, not everyone is entirely sold on the product.

Capcom has tried Mega Man on iOS before with Mega Man 2. It was, for lack of a better word, abysmal.  The less-than-stellar touch controls failed to conform to MM2's pinpoint accuracy. Mega Man X requires just as, if not more precision in terms of jumping and combat; it's no wonder the upcoming iOS version has some fans worried.

However, these issues may be a thing of the past. Two Capcom staffers, Christian Svensson and Brett Elston, have stepped up to the plate to assure fans things control just fine.

"Having played through a build of this last week, let me say that I had no difficulty doing things that I thought I wouldn't be able to do on a touch device," writes Svensson. "It feels good."  Elston, meanwhile, took to Twitter to share a similar experience. "I can't comment on its availability, but I can say it handles much better than the mobile MM2 I played many years ago :)"

Speaking of availability, there's been a moderate demand for the game to make the jump over to home consoles. Unfortunately, those plans aren't in the cards right now. Christian Svensson adds, "I do understand people would like to see this on other platforms. That's not currently the plan but we'll see what happens."

We'll have to make do with the iOS version for now, but you never know. Mega Man X is slated to hit the Japanese App Store sometime this month. Pricing and any release outside of Japan aren't yet confirmed, but we'll certainly be keeping our fingers crossed for news soon.

"Another Sun" Singer Publicly Supports Legends 3 Revival

Morishita Reika, who sung the theme song for the original Rockman DASH, has come out and publicly pledged her support for the tenacious efforts to reinstate Mega Man Legends 3. Word comes from her official blog, translated by Team Legends:

"As everyone might know, "Another Sun", which is my 7th single, was also the theme song for "Rockman DASH." I heard that this song and "Anata no kaze ga fuku kara" ("Your wind is blowing"), which was the subtrack for that single, have been supported by a lot of DASH fans. They even went so far as to refer to it as a godly song! So I thought, "Wow, were those songs really that powerful?" I've just recently become aware of it.

Another thing I recently noticed was that "Rockman DASH3" was axed just before its release! Oh my, that is so sad! Capcom, I wanted to work with you together again~

I wish for them to release DASH3 so that I can tie-up my business composing a reprise for "Another Sun" and "Your Wind Is Blowing."

Naturally, Reika's opinion is already being met with open arms by the Get Me Off the Moon masses.

And for the record, Reika is not the super secret supporter I've been teasing on my Twitter. That news is still forthcoming. When? I can't say. Nonetheless, it's something to look forward to. Keep your expectations in check and I think you'll end up pleasantly surprised.

Source: Get Me Off the Moon

Bizarre Mega Man Cartoon Soundtracks Analyzed

Music is an intricate component to the Mega Man franchise. The convergence of different sounds and instruments has produced some of the most memorable soundtracks in gaming history.

Ruby-Spear certainly took that to heart when setting out to adapt the series for animation; their efforts culminating in a generally interesting musical score (with a rad theme song to boot). Unfortunately, the score never quite got the album treatment it deserved.

Destructoid's Tony Ponce takes us on a trip back to the 90's to explore the insanely offbeat Mega Man cartoon albums that, essentially, have very little in common with the show. The soundtracks, both released in 1996, were a dumping ground of Mega Man-inspired thrash songs, tasteless hip-hop, and amateur metal bands. Today, the soundtracks are a great commentary on record labels trying to cash in on a popular name.

Posted on the Offbeat Hall of Fame you'll find a detailed analysis on both disks, along with (gulp) samples. The contents are just so bizarre, trippy even, that I'm almost certain Capcom/Ruby-Spears regrets ever licensing it.

Those brave enough to learn more can head on down to the Offbeat Hall of Fame.

Amazon Discounts Mega Man Star Force DVD Set

Still looking for that perfect holiday gift for the Mega Man Star Force fan in your life? If you don't mind Viz Media's handiwork, and have have a region-free DVD player or live in the UK, then this deal is for you!

Amazon UK are selling new copies of the Mega Man Star Force DVD box set at a ridiculous low price of £4.97 (roughly $7.75). What's more, third party seller 666 Media are reportedly selling the set even lower. How's £1.95 ($1.38) sound? Not a bad deal at all, especially if you were holding out for a price drop.

For those not in the know, Viz's Star Force dub was only released on DVD in Europe. The box set contains all thirteen dubbed episodes that aired on the now-defunct Toonami Jetstream service. No Japanese voice track here, I'm afraid. For one reason or another, Manga Entertainment opted not to include a Japanese voice track for this release.

If that doesn't bother you, it couldn't hurt to look into this reasonably priced set. Stock is limited, so nab it while you can. Click the above links to order!

Thanks for the tip, Tim!

Revamped Rockman X Blasting To iOS This Month (Updated)

Capcom Japan has announced that the original Rockman X will be available on iPhone later this month. The "powered up" iOS version will sport optimized graphics, touch controls and an all-new ranking mode via Game Center.

Pricing and release date specifics are forthcoming. What's more, there's no news yet on a western release. The game is currently penned exclusively for Japan. Naturally, I'll update you on the situation should word surface. UPDATE: According to Andrisang, the game will have 80 challenges to conquer. It remains to be seen if this is a new game mode or achievements.

Interesting news, to say nothing of unexpected. But to be perfectly honest, I shudder at the thought of playing X1 with a touch-based UI. It's one of those games that pretty much requires force-feedback. Throwing your controller in frustration is one thing, but throwing your phone is far worse! Let's just hope things are a bit more touch-friendly than the less-than-stellar iOS port of Mega Man 2.

Graphically, things look pretty spiffy. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems a little... off?

Source: Famitsu App

Mega Man Remains A Key Brand, Says Capcom

Over at Game Informer, a new interview has been posted with Christian “Sven” Svensson, Capcom's VP of strategic planning and business development. Among topics, he discusses the present status of the Mega Man franchise, which as you no doubt know, has seen better days. His words are a bit reassuring, to say the least:

Game Informer: Mega Man has played an important role in Capcom’s catalogue for many years, but recently he’s been missing in action. Is the mascot’s absence part of a larger plan to refocus at Capcom?

Svensson: Change has been a constant during my six years at Capcom (vastly for the positive) but I want to be crystal clear on this point. Mega Man is a key brand for Capcom and will remain so. I don’t have any products we’ve announced publicly that I can point to and say “see, I told you” but there are “top men” (“top men”? “Yes, top men”) within Capcom thinking about the future of the brand and where it’s going. We will have official announcements in due course.

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You'll find some more Mega Man talk on page 2.

The only thing we can be certain of is that Capcom is indeed analyzing and evaluating a roadmap for Mega Man. In spite of the many mishaps of 2011, it sounds like they're being proactive right now.

When these announcements will be made remains to be seen. However, something tells me that after the implosion of Universe and Legends 3, Capcom won't be saying anything until things are primed and ready. All we can do now is continue to be patient.

Source: GoNintendo

More Mega Man Swag On The Way

Great Eastern Entertainment are once again prepping another round of new officially licensed Mega Man products. The latest bounty isn't due out until March 30, 2012, but distributors are already prepping pre-orders. Have a look:

First up: a fleece Proto Man helmet cap. Who didn't see this coming? Complements the plush buster/fleece Mega Man cap perfectly. The shades are a nice addition, although the positioning has me thinking they've been relegated to a forehead warmer. UPDATE: As reader MegaMac pointed out, you can make out a netted see-through material on the shades. Looks like they do go over your eyes!

Moving along: Extend your love of the Blue Bomber to your shoulders with the Mega Man Powered Up back pack -- an ideal accessory for lugging around GE's other assorted Mega Man goodies on the way.  Finally, we have some small trinkets: stickers and magnet sets. Not much to say about these guys, really. Powered Up certainly seems to be a popular choice for GE... and who can blame them? Cute sells.

Again, everything seen above will ship to specialty retailers in late March, per request. You can't order these items normal means (for the time being), but you can request a local retailer to stock up on them. Click on the above links for instructions.

That's all from Great Eastern for now. I imagine more goodies will be revealed in the coming months. GE are on a roll with no sign of slowing down!

Happy 20th Anniversay, Rockman 4!

One of my personal favorites turned 20-years-old today. Rockman 4 blasted onto store shelves in Japan on December 6th, 1991.

Fans are split on where they stand with Mega Man 4. Some love it to pieces, others despise it.  The love/hate relationship is rooted in MM4's gameplay; an attempt to push the franchise's gameplay into new territory. This ambition, alone, would go on to create a rift in the fanbase. You came out of Mega Man 4 either embracing the changes, or left with a bad taste in your mouth.

The presence of the Charge Shot in particular seems to be the instigator -- to some, it's an excellent addition to the tried-and-true gameplay. To others, it was a game breaker; an anomaly that disrupted a formula that wasn't broken to begin with. And then there's the wide range of diverse opinions about level design, Robot Masters, weapons and plot. It goes on and on, really.

Again, you either love it or hate it. Truly, I fall into the former. To me, MM4 pushed the boundaries -- tried some new things and, for the most part, succeeded.

At its core, Mega Man 4 offers enough variation from its predecessors to be unique. Familiar challenges boasted some new twists, the story (initially) threw us for a loop, menu screens were streamlined and slick, and two sets of solid castle stages helped make MM 4 into one of the longer adventures. Oh, and the music. Yummy stuff. Most of the tunes are diverse and fairly catchy.  To this day, I often find myself finger or foot tapping to the beats.

While not my all-time favorite Mega Man game, Mega Man 4 does rank highly on my list. By no means is it perfect -- some aspects could have used some extra polish, but as a whole, Mega Man 4 stands proud as the underdog. And hey, I think we can all appreciate MM4 for introducing us to Eddie -- that lovable walking suitcase.

So take some time today to reflect on Mega Man 4. Of course, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Toast, Mega Man! For Everlasting Peace!

Toasters aren't usually very exciting to look at, but all it takes is one creative person to turn a run-of-the-mill kitchen appliance into an awesome work of art. John MacInnis, a student of Industrial Design at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, is just that person. Lo and behold, the Mega Man toaster:

"For this project we needed to pick a cartoon/video game character and create a toaster specifically for them," writes MacInnis. "I chose my all time favorite character, Mega Man."

Mind you, this isn't a real working toaster -- it's a conceptual design made from "half renshape, half love." But who are we kidding? Working or not, this is a pretty cool concept! It has "do want" written all over it.

Fund it, Capcom.

More of John's work viewable at Coroflot