Rockman Solitaire Now Available In Japan

The first "new" Rockman game of the year released in Japan today: Rockman Solitaire. And well, uh, there's not much else to say than that, really. It's solitaire with a Blue Bomber twist! Rockman is the King, Roll the Queen, and Blues the Jack.

Like Rockman Sprite Logic before it, the game is flash based with no additional fees. Simply throw down a cool 315 Yen and it's yours. For a bite sized puzzle game, I have to admit that's a pretty kickin' pose of Rockman there. Sprite rippers, you've got a job to do!

Source: Capcom Mobile (via CapKobun)

D-Arts Zero Type 2 Due This Summer

Bandai has unveiled a small helping of delicious promo images for Zero Type 2. Along with the additional gold trim and boxed shoulder guards, Zero will come with his trusty Z-Saber and Z-Buster. Additional accessories have yet to be detailed, but we do know that the Z-Saber will have multiple interchangeable beam parts. By and large, this is the D-Arts Zero you've been waiting for!

Type 2 is due for release in May in Japan for 3500 Yen (roughly $45), followed by a U.S release in June courtesy of Bluefin Tamashii.

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Capcom Comments On Possible "Traditional" Attire For BBA Mega Man

Following the reveal of Bad Box Art Mega Man in Street Fighter X Tekken, fans quickly took to the Ask Capcom forums to voice their opinions concerning the Blue Bomber's appearance.

One user by the name of Daemon Gildas asked if the prospect of a more "traditional" costume was within the realm of possibility, perhaps as DLC. Vice-president of Strategic Planning & Business Development, Christian Svensson, stepped in to field the inquiry, leaving a hopeful (albeit short) response.

Daemon Gildas: "Is there any chance at a more traditional "costume" for Mega Man in Street Fighter X Tekken? What about using the "Mega Man" seen on the movie-posters in Dead Rising? Or maybe a look based on the Ruby-Spears cartoon? That way, we have the option of a less-creepy incarnation of the Blue Bomber, while still playing along with the slightly-cheesy nature."

Svensson: "Interesting suggestion. Maybe. Let me chat about it with Ono."

For those not in the know, Yoshinori Ono is the producer of Street Fighter X Tekken. One year prior to Keiji Inafune's leave, Ono received the former's blessing when opting to include BBA Mega Man in the game. However, fans are still largely irked by the decision, with criticism largely directed at the character's exaggerated proportions and biography (which takes an inexplicable poke at the Mega Man Legends mythology).

There's no guarantee Ono will yield to the idea, but Svensson's on the case regardless. In the meantime, you can try your hand at pitching the suggest yourself directly at the producer via Twitter.

What if Mega Man Star Force 3 Was an NES Game?

The above video comes from Tarbo-san, who's been toiling away at re-creating bits and pieces of Mega Man Star Force 3's most memorable scenes in 8-bit style. This month, he's showing off a more solidified version of his 8-bit SF3 mini games, updated for 2012. Even if it's nothing more than a conceptual video (and not a reflection of an actual fan-game), the prospect of playing Star Force in 8-bit had my heart racing.

You can check out more of Tarbo-san's goodies at his blog (entirely in Japanese) and his official YouTube channel.

Check Out the Old Man's Super/Cross Arts

Here's some additional Bad Box Art Mega Man (and Pac-Man) footage that flew under my radar yesterday. For a pudgy little guy, he's surprisingly agile.

Anyway, in case you missed it, be sure to check out the post below for Yoshinori Ono's explanation why BBAMM was chosen for Street Fighter X Tekken. It may help alleviate some of the frustration that's been making the rounds.

Also, I'd like to direct you to this post at The Mega Man Network. The staff would like for you to "send in a recording of your personal thoughts this appearance of Mega Man, and your stance on things in general." A select few will be chosen to be featured on February's Megacast podcast. Click on the link above for full details!

Bad Box Art Mega Man Confirmed For Street Fighter X Tekken (Updated)

The rumors are true: Bad Box Art Mega Man is a playable character in Street Fighter X Tekken. Confirmation comes directly from the official SFxT website.

 

Strange, right? Well it gets a bit stranger. Get a load of BBAMM's bio:

"Known as a Digger, a person who digs up relics from the past for research. He is a hot-tempered man, but has a strong sense of justice and is also very polite. His weak point is that he is easily rattled when backed into a corner. He is always running around in a hurry due to the demands of his partner Roll, and this time he's been asked to travel to Antarctica to retrieve a mysterious box."

... so, he's a middle-aged Mega Man Volnutt? Okaaay.

BBA Mega Man is currently planned to appear alongside Pac-Man, Toro, Kuro and Cole as PSVita/PlayStation 3 exclusive fighters. It remains to be seen if he will appear in either or both versions.

UPDATE -- Here's an interesting tweet of note from SFxT's producer Yoshinori Ono:

"I consulted with Mr.Megaman(his name is Mr.I...) about it 1 years ago.Its result! ;D"

It would seem Ono actually consulted with Keiji Inafune when considering Bad Box Art Mega Man for the game. This means BBAMM's inclusion was planned way back when Mega Man Universe was still in production. So, yeah; chew on that for a while.

We'll keep you updated when more information drops.

Merti Figure Gets Some Much Needed Color

Hellooo nurse! Figure site FG has revealed more photos and details of the upcoming Merti garage kit from Yama Tai Koku. Below is what you'd end up with without additional painting and detailing:

As you can no doubt see, the completed figure is quite revealing; more so than the source material. Then again, I don't hear anyone complaining.

Accessory-wise, the kit will come with three face plates with different expressions, expressions, three hand types, and Merti's trusty lance. If you want articulation, you'll have to purchase the joints separately. There's no word on additional decals such as eyes, so you might end up having to paint or scribe those on yourself. Needless to say, you'll have your work cut out for you!

Merti is planned to debut at the Winter 2012 Wonder Festival, on February 12th. But if you’re diligent enough, you might be able to find it elsewhere. Good luck!

Source: The Mega Man Network

Capcom's "Top Men" Devising 10-Year Plan For Mega Man

Recently, there's been some Mega Man chit-chat between fans and Capcom on the latest Ask Capcom Live installment. With Street Fighter's 25th anniversary celebration in the pipeline, it's only natural to wonder what might become of the Blue Bomber's festivities. Christian Svensson stepped in to provide some insight.

“We are continuing to noodle what our plans and what our celebration should be,” says Svensson. “There’s a whole bunch of things that we know we kind of have to get in a row before we actually really divulge or start to celebrate Mega Man.”

Several minutes later, Svensson fielded an inquiry regarding Mega Man's foreseeable future and whether or not fans have something to look forward to. Svensson, once again, drew the "top men" card.

“I hesitate to say exactly what, because I don’t want people reading more into it than is there,” Svensson shares. “Let’s just say there are top men thinking about and actively discussing where we’re going to take the brand for the next ten years and how we’re going to do it.”

I understand that this is not an actual announcement, but it gives further affirmation that the company is prioritizing the franchise's longterm roadmap. It's simply a matter of time when we will see these plans materialize.

For many, it's going to be difficult to put one's faith in these ominous "top men."

The franchise's future, the next decade, rests in their hands. It's a pretty scary thought; more so when you reflect upon some of Capcom's recent, less popular decisions. Aside from voicing our opinions to the powers that be, there isn't too much we can do at this time to get the ball rolling in the right, and desired, direction.

For the full Q&A, be sure to head on over to Capcom Unity, where you'll find an archived version of the show in its entirety.

Source: Siliconera

Pharaoh Man Menaces MM #13's Variant Cover

A few days ago, we caught a glimpse of Archie's Mega Man #13, which features a rather unique tabloid-inspired cover. And today, the traditional Villain Sketch Variant cover is upon us, courtesy of Destructoid.

The charismatic and diabolical Pharaoh Man takes center stage here, striking an intimidating "come at me bro" pose. Artist Jonathan Hill really knows how to instill fear in the hearts of those who dare to pick up this variant. As usual, color will not be added -- this is the finished piece set to grace a limited number of issues.

Mega Man #13, both the standard and villain variant, will hit newsstands later this May. Be sure to keep a close eye on Archie's online store for special deals and reprints of previous villain variants!

Thanks for the tip, Tony!

Another Bit of Anniversary Collection Concept Art

Over the next few weeks or so, I'm going to begin dumping some old promotional/pre-release Mega Man assets right here on the blog. In general, most haven't been seen in years... or at all.

Kicking things off, here's a single piece of Mega Man Anniversary Collection concept artwork. I obtained this piece a few weeks after this story ran from a source that once worked closely with the game's developer, Atomic Planet Entertainment. For the usual reasons, he's chosen to remain anonymous.

It's a simple, ambient little piece that offers a look back at MMAC's planning phase.

Back when ideas for the collection's contents were being hammered out, the art team had their hands tied conceptualizing a hypothetical "Mega Man museum" -- a central hub where players could explore content spanning across the franchise's 15-year history.  Inspiration for the hub's infrastructure came directly from Mega Man 7's Robot Museum stage, where the bodies of lifeless Robot Masters lined the halls.

The image of an idle Turbo Man -- awaiting admiration from new and old players alike -- embodies the spirit of the hub's original aesthetic concept. The area would have been laced with robots off all shapes and sizes serving as decorations and figurative curators. However, a tight and often grueling development process forced the concept to be significantly scaled down.

Traversing a theoretical Mega Man museum did, in fact, make its way into the final game. Boot up a copy of Anniversary Collection and you'll be whisked away to the fruit of Atomic Planet's efforts. It's not as grand as the team's initial vision, but it's an admirable tribute nonetheless.

Updates From the Legendary TOM-PON

Staying on top of those fun-filled interviews between Rockman Unity's Ucchy and Capcom’s famed Naoya Tomita (aka TOM-PON)? If so, you'll be happy to know the latest installment in the ongoing video series is up for your viewing pleasure at Capcom Unity, divided into three parts. UPDATE: And a few more videos here, too!

Topics discussed throughout the individual videos this time are:

- Distribution of labor
- Why the Yellow Devil fight was a precursor to Dance Dance Revolution (and how to clear it with your eyes closed)
- How to make interesting platforms using a single color
- The lost robot masters of the first Mega Man
- and more!

This is definitely some of the more interesting batch of interviews to come out in a long time, so be sure to give 'em a watch. Complete coverage available at Capcom Unity. And don't forget: hit the CC button for subtitles!

Cover and Solicitation For Mega Man #13

New solicitation and cover artwork for Archie’s Mega Man #13 is live. The tabloid-inspired cover shows off just how much content is packed inside this issue. Details below:

'Spiritus ex Machina,' Part 1. Mega Man joins Dr. Light at the Advanced Robotics Trade Show to address the future of thinking machines. 

New faces abound - who are Drs. Cossack and Lalinde? What sinister forces lurk behind the scenes? Meanwhile, Dr. Wily searches for something to give him the edge deep in the forbidden Lanfront Ruins. All this plus the debut of Rush!"  Writer: Ian Flynn, Artist: Gary Martin & Various, Cover Artist: Patrick Spaz Spaziante

A possible love interest for Dr. Light? Uh, I guess that could be interesting. But more importantly, it sounds like we're headed into Super Adventure Rockman territory, what with Wily's mischief in the Lanfront Ruins. Sounds like a pretty exciting issue. Definitely one to lookout for!

Source: BumbleKing Comics