Blast from the Past: Commercial for Tiger's Mega Man 2 Handheld

Mega Man 2 for the Tiger handheld system. An abomination in every sense of the word. But by golly, it was the most "convenient" way to take the game on-the-go in 1990.

Above is the commercial for this dubious imitation, which tries way to hard to make the game appear more than it actually is. It's a neat little blast from the past, one which I bet fewer Mega Man fans are familiar with.

Thanks to SuperMega233 for helping me dig this one up!

Hitoshi Ariga Has a Message For You

Hitoshi Ariga understands your desire to learn more about his new Mega Man project. He knows you're eager. While he can empathize, Ariga's finding himself flooded with all kinds of question and he's feeling a bit overwhelmed. As such, he's taken to his DeviantArt in an attempt to quell the masses without revealing too much:

"Whoa, now I'm getting ambushed by all kinds of clever questions! Maybe I shouldn't have said anything at all?  ;)

When we were working to release Gigamix in Japan, it took a long time to get it all together properly and I was grateful for everyone who showed excitement over it. With this new project, I hope I can count on everyone to once again be patient with us as we work to produce something that will delight you!

The one thing I hope you'll all believe is that I love Mega Man with a passion!
... even if most of my tweets lately have been about Pokemon. (lol)

I promise I will make announcements as soon as there is new information I'm allowed to announce! Until then, I hope you'll all stick with me! "

In other words, stay patient and ease up on those questions! Certainly, you're more than welcome to drop Ariga words of support on his DeviantArt or Twitter.

As soon as more information becomes available about this new project, I'll be here to pass it along.

Thanks for the tip, OZKair

Ariga's New Mega Man Project is Still Coming

With Rockman Maniax out of the way, one has to wonder what Hitoshi Ariga's been up to. Way back in October the artist teased he's "currently working on a new Mega Man project." Unfortunately, he didn't specify if it was a new manga, a new art book, or, dare I say, a new Mega Man game.

Eager to learn more about the project, I recently shot Ariga a friendly little tweet. I wasn't expected a reply but, sure enough, I got one. It's not much -- his words at least confirm the project is still in development, which is totally reassuring:

That's all he had to say. We're still in the dark, but hopefully that won't be the case for too much longer.

Bear in mind, Hitoshi Ariga is a very versatile asset to Capcom. He's worked on various manga, oversaw the development of the Mega Man and Mega Man X Official Complete Works art books, and even provided art for countless official soundtracks. What's more, a recent comment made during an interview with UDON Entertainment suggests he's "also helping with some game work." So, really, this new project could turn out to be anything.

That said, it's probably wise to keep those expectations at a minimum. Still, feel free to speculate!

Mega Man Zazzle Swag on Sale This Weekend

Capcom is gearing up for a big 'ol Independence Day sale, appropriately slashing prices on all products offered at their online Zazzle store. If you're in the need of some sweet Mega Man swag for the summer, then this deal is for you.

At the Mega Man wing,  you can browse designs and then customize products to your liking. Apparel, mugs, skateboards, aprons, iPod speakers, laptop skins, mouse pads, and even doggie shirts. You name it, you can slap Mega Man on it.  Everything you see will be marked down 20% come Friday, June 29th.

You've got a few days to scrounge together some Zenny, so take this time to look around. Gotta say I like that "Mega Wood" design a bit. That's either going on a mug or a mouse pad.

Source: Capcom Unity

Rockman for the Famicom Box Resurfaces

A bit of a rarity has resurfaced over at Yahoo Japan auctions.  Collectors who missed out this gem all those years ago may yet have their second chance.  Yes, the elusive Famicom Box version of Rockman 1 has returned!

This version of the game was produced specifically for Nintendo's Famicom Box system: a multi-game unit predominantly found in hotels in Japan that utilized special cartridges on a pay-per-play basis.

The big draw for collectors is the cartridge itself.  It uses American-style casing (in black, no less) with 72-pin connectors.  Technically, you could play it on an American NES.  More over, the game is exactly the same as the Japanese retail version.  You won't find anything new or diferent here.  So, really, this item is probably better suited to the most die-hard and fanatical of collectors.

Bidding begins at 6,000 Yen ($75).  Unless you're in Japan, you’ll need to secure the services of a proxy such as Rinkya, who will bid on your behalf, albeit for an additional price.

Source: Yahoo! Japan auctions

Check Out D-Arts Vile in Action

Whenever a new D-Arts figure comes out, you can always count on a plethora of photos of all kinds of poses. Case in point, the recently released Vile figure. He's out in Japan now and The Mega Man Network was kind enough to show him off in all his villainous glory.

Above is only a meager sampling. You'll have to head on over to TMMN for the rest!

Destructoid Hosts Mega Man #17 Proto Man Preview Art

Archie Comics really, really want you to get excited about the upcoming Proto Man arc. We've been hearing and seeing a lot of it these last couple weeks and the ball just keeps on rolling. That said, if you're hankering for another teaser, Destructoid's got your next fix.

Tony Ponce has uploaded a pair of lineart sketches from issue #17 which show off a super cool, early armor for Proto Man. "Before he got himself that Racer X helmet and those killer shades, his design was closer in style to that of a Sniper Joe, basically a mass-produced Proto Man," writes Tony.  Why yes; my excitement for this issue just quadrupled. September simply can't come soon enough!

Anyway, I've got one of the lineart pages up here, so head on over to Destructoid to ogle at the second. It won't make the wait any easier, I tell you.

Thanks for the heads up, Tony!

Source: Destructoid

Two More Soundtracks for the 25th Anniversary

The merchandise just keeps coming. We have the big 'ol E-Can soundtrack collection coming in September, and it looks like Capcom is gearing up to release a pair of arrange albums in August.

Online store Animate just recently posted listings for "25th Anniversary Rockman Rock Arrange" and "25th Anniversary Rockman Techno Arrange" albums.  Due out on August 29, the albums contain arranged versions of music from Rockman 1 to Rockman 10.  Each will retail for 3,150 Yen (approximately $39).

It remains to be seen if these are newly arranged pieces or compilations of previously arranged music.  I suppose Capcom will officially announce the soundtracks in the near future, so we shouldn't have to wait too long for additional details.

Stay tuned!

Source: COCOROG

GameCenter CX's Capcom Episode Subtitled

Ah, I've been waiting for this one! The Capcom episode of Game Center CX has finally been subbed and posted to YouTube. Originally aired in 2003, this episode has host Shinya Arino paying a visit to Capcom's Osaka headquarters. The first person to greet him? The one and only Keiji Inafune.

Naturally, the two get to talking about Rockman. Inafune chats about the history of the games, his favorite character, and even draws Rockman for Arino as a gift. Later in the show, Arino goes head-to-head with Inafune in a match of Onimusha Blade Warriors. Who comes out on top? You'll have to watch to find out.

I gotta say, it's pretty bittersweet to see Inafune talking about Rockman in '03. A little sad, even. So much has changed in nine years and this footage really puts that into perspective.  Well worth a watch if you're feeling a bit nostalgic. That and, hey, it's a great episode in itself. You get to see Arino fail miserably at Steel Battalion!  Entertaining stuff to say the least.

Archie Mega Man Scribe Talks Upcoming Proto Man Arc & More

Our good friends at The Mega Man Network recently had some sit-down time with Ian Flynn, writer of Archie's Mega Man comics.  There, Mr. Flynn gives a glimpse into what fans can expect from the upcoming story arc which dives in Proto Man's origins, the next Robot Master appearances, and future game adaptations.

All in all, it's a terrificly insightful interview.  Highly recommended if you simply can't wait anymore for the next arc.  I think it's safe to say Proto Man is in good hands at Archie Comics. Can't wait to see this thing play out!

Read the full interview at The Mega Man Network.

Capcom Reveals 25th Anniversary Soundtrack Collection

If you're a fan of Mega Man music, you might want to start saving up for this.  To commemorate the Blue Bomber's 25th anniversary, Capcom Japan plans to release a sizable soundtrack collection called the "Rockcan."  Inside its lovely E-Can packaging, you'll find ten discs of music from Mega Man 1 to Mega Man 10 (PlayStation "Complete Works" remixes included). Curiously, Mega Man & Bass and the five Game Boy games are not represented.  Or Mega Man Soccer.  That's a little disheartening but, hey, at least you're getting a nice full-color booklet, too!

The collection isn't due out until September 19th for 14,700 Yen (roughly $185).  For the time being, it's an e-Capcom exclusive.  I suppose now is as good time as any to begin begging and pleading Capcom USA to bring it stateside. If that fails, well, there's always Ebay.

I believe a quick 'hurray' is in order, everyone: this is the first official 25th anniversary-related announcement.  Now, let's just keep those fingers crossed for something a bit more juicy down the line...

Source: e-Capcom

New Mega Man Bobble Budds Announced

Is your wallet ready for more merchandise?

Multiverse Studio has revealed a series of new Mega Man-inspired Bobble Budds: Mega Man, Proto Man, Elec Man, and Guts Man.  Each budd stands at 3.5 inches tall and feature an "exclusive bobble head locking mechanism for optimal functionality and display."  In other words, they bobble better than any Bobble Budd before!

Check the break for the full press release...