Breaking News: Roll, Mayl and Luna Form Idol Group (Updated)

Today, Rockman Unity brings us a surprise announcement: Roll, Mayl Sakurai (Battle Network) and Luna Platz (Star Force) are teaming up to create a pop idol group.

The trio's debut album, titled "Transmission to Your Heart", will release on December 17, 20XX in commemoration of Mega Man's 25th anniversary. Furthermore, the girls will host a live concert on the rooftop of Capcom HQ on the album's launch date. Original posters will be distributed to attendees on a first-come-first-served basis.

Truly, an unexpected announcement. I mean, it’s not like it’s April Fools' day in Japan or anything. Preposterous!

I have to admit, it's delightful to see these three beloved characters perusing a singing career in lieu of starring in actual Mega Man games. You gotta get bread on the table somehow! Curiously, singing sensation Sonia Strumm isn't included in the group. Perhaps she's off honing her solo career? Or maybe her and Luna had some sort of juicy fallout?

We'll keep an eye on the tabloids. (Update: In case you haven't figured it out by now, yes; this was an April Fools' joke.)

Source: Rockman Unity (thanks, Amunshen)

Mega Man 9's Secret Continues to Elude

Three years later, work to unveil Mega Man 9's enigmatic final secret rages on. Recently, Capcom Unity members have been trying to persuade Seth Killian into revealing the secret as a form of reparation for the past year... you know what I'm talking about.

Not one to outright spill the beans, Seth popped in and opted to drop one last hint:  

"To find my secret, you'll have to look further than you ever have before."

Ambiguous as usual, Seth.

However, some circles are convinced that single sentence holds some literal value. In other words, Mega Man 9's final secret rests in a background, perhaps as some sort of hidden image. Pure speculation, of course.

As a friendly reminder, Seth also provided three disclaimers intended to give the secret some context:

1) yes, "the secret" is real. Just because people looked hard and didn't find it doesn't mean it's not there. If you don't want to believe its there, that's cool with me (and probably a better use of your time).

2) the secret is not a huge deal. It's a footnote that would be included in an FAQ (even if it wasn't "the secret") but of you're looking for secret playable Wily, you'll be sorely disappointed.

3) in the case someone does find it and posts it to the thread, I will tell you "yep, that was it!" and we can cross a game off the list. 

So, the search continues. If you spot something of interest while combing through MM9, be sure to share it on Capcom Unity.

Da Da Dum, Super Mega Man!

Over on VGJunk, Luke has posted a seldom-seen "Super" Mega Man illustration from an issue of Game Power, a Brazilian video game magazine from the early 90's. The art depicts a pint-sized Mega Man X in his early conceptual armor, complete with Casshan-inspired mask.

Game Power's interpretation of Mega Man X seems to hearken back to the inexplicable tradition of giving Mega Man muscles; a signature of the NES packaging. Mind, the Ruby-Spears cartoon was airing at the time... robo-pecs prevalent too, so maybe they were just trying to be consistent. Eh, whatever.

"Super" Mega Man was the working title of Mega Man X, with "Super" being a popular prefix used to denote many Super Nintendo games at the time. It wasn't until a little after the game's Summer CES '93 unveiling that it became known as Mega Man X en masse.

After the break, I've included scans of Game Power's "Super" Mega Man preview from this very issue (courtesy of VGJunk). The images therein depict the famous unused white city stage with a couple unfamiliar foes. You've probably seen these screenshots before, but it couldn't hurt to take a trip down memory lane again.

Capcom/Sega/Bandai Namco 3DS Game Gets a Bit More EXciting

So, there's been this teaser site for an unknown game that looks to crossover characters from Capcom, Sega and Bandai Namco (with Banpresto designing it as a Nintendo 3DS game). Each week a new 'chromosome' is added to a company's respective 'petri dish', synonymous with that company's characters.

 Last week, this was the general consensus:

And this week, someone very exciting has been added to Capcom's dish. Check out the lower right corner:

Speculation says the latest chromosome is none other than Mega Man X; a minimalist representation of the character's armor, skin and helmet emblem. I'd take this tidbit of interest with a grain of salt, but the prospect of X being involved in this crossover (alongside Zero) is certainly enticing. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how all this turns out!

Thanks for the tip, Ralene!

Capcom Retail Store Inadvertently Displays Mega Man Fan-Art

This is an image of Capcom's upcoming e-Capcom retail store in Tokyo's Odaiba area. It's grand opening kicks off April 14, and will carry all sorts of goods and paraphernalia.

The store's interior is decked out with artwork and displays from the company's more recognizable brands, and while Mega Man is present and accounted for, the art used to promote his products isn't official: it's unauthorized fan-art.

Read on for the full story.

Mega Man 5 Lands on European Virtual Console This Week

Mega Man 5 is coming to the European Virtual Console this Thursday, Nintendo announced. The news comes a couple weeks after Mega Man X1 released, so if you have some Wii Points left over from that purchase, might as well invest in MM5. Press release below:

"Proto Man, once the trusted brother of Mega Man, has mysteriously gone berserk, kidnapping Dr Light; forcing Mega Man to go on the offensive. Assisted by his new sidekick Beat, a robotic bird, and his faithful robo-dog Rush, Mega Man must battle through eight thrilling levels and defeat the Robot Masters lurking within. Defy gravity in Gravity Man's stage, chip away the defences in Stone Man's stage, and catch some surf in Wave Man's stage – all before the final showdown of the century."

Mega Man 5 will run you 500 Wii Points.

Source: GoNintendo

Five Floppy Drives Rock Out to Mega Man

This video's been out there for a little while now, but I'm just catching wind of it. In it, five floppy drives are synced and revved up to perform a number of classic Mega Man tunes. The result is an unusual albeit mesmerizing sound.

It's amazing what a little computer know-how can do. Enjoy.

Humor: IGN Pitches Robot Master Concepts to Keiji Inafune

Never mind the fact Inafune no longer works at Capcom: it made me chuckle. And, hey, turns out all it takes to sway the man is a minimum three dollar bribe!

Source: GoNintendo

D-Arts Vile Gets Second Shoulder Cannon, Commemorative Artwork

D-Arts Vile is getting a tad more villainous for his Japanese Bandai Premium release. The figure is seeing the addition of a second shoulder cannon, according to Rockman Unity. Unlike North America, the figure is an online exclusive, slated for a release sometime in June. Pre-orders are a go from now until April 9th.

To commemorate the figure, Capcom also released the above illustration featuring Vile striking a menacing pose over the defeated bodies of X and Zero. It remains to be seen if this will be the figure's packaging, or some sort bonus insert included with the figure. Whatever the case, that's some mighty fine art!

Credit: The Mega Man Network

SOTA Toys Shows off Mega Man Volnutt Figure

Remember that magnificent Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars commercial from a couple years ago? You know, the one with the stop motion action figure combat between Mega Man Volnutt, Ryu, Ken the Eagle and Tekkaman Blade?

Well, turns out that SOTA Toys were the ones behind those amazingly articulated figures. While the manufacturer has no intention of selling them publicly, SOTA uploaded several close-up photos of each figure for your admiration, Volnutt included.

"In short time we produced these 4 figures to the specifications requested: They had to be limber. They had to be pretty," reads SOTA's official recollection. "And they had to be BAD-ASS. We succeeded on all fronts." I'm inclined to agree, if I do say so myself.

How awesome would it be to actually own these? Unfortunately, those plans aren't in the cards. I suppose we'll have to make do with some nice imagery, for now. Click here for more pictures of each individual figure.

Rockman EXE Turns Eleven

Maybe not everyone is aware, but the first Rockman EXE (Mega Man Battle Network) game released in Japan on March 21st, 2001. Technically, it's the 21st in the East right now, so EXE official turned eleven years old today.

Fourteen games and five anime seasons later, EXE remains as one of the more successful/popular series'. In the interim, the fanbase continued to thrive: communities are just as devoted as always, and unwavering passion is leading the way to new projects. And, of course, demand for a full-blown revival is just as fiery as it's always been.

So for now, congratulations on eleven years, EXE. Hope to see you again some day!

Rockman 3 Boss Contest Prize Up for Grabs

An interesting and pretty rare item has hit good ol' eBay: the runner-up prize from Rockman 3's boss character design contest; a tin pencil case and authoritative ID card.

As you might remember, Capcom received roughly 50,000 boss design submissions in 1990, eight of which were selected to appear in Rockman 3. Pencil cases and ID cards were awarded to the runner-up designs that weren't quite up to snuff. Few sets pop up for sale today, let alone in complete condition. I mean get a load of that original envelop!

As expected, the set won't come cheap. The seller is asking for $199.99; however, he is willing to negotiate via the "make an offer" option. Not exactly cheap, but can you really put a price on an item like this? It's part of Rockman history, after all.

Those interested can check out the full details here.

DASH Republic Interviews Mega Man Composer Makoto Tomozawa

Over at The DASH Republic, an interview has been posted with Makoto Tomozawa, composer of various Mega Man games, including the original Mega Man X, Mega Man 7 and Mega Man Legends 1&2.

DASH Republic staffers OKeijiDragon and ClevelandRock have been working on the interview for the last several months, and tonight, it's up for your reading pleasure. Tomozawa discusses his influences, the game design process, and a whole lot more. Needless to say, the man is quite decorated in blue bomber history.

You can read the full interview here.  And if you'd like to pop Tomozawa a question or two yourself, Get Me Off the Moon is preparing a second interview soon. Fans are encouraged to leave Tomozawa questions here.

Mega Man #15 Cover and Solicitation

Right on time, new info for Archie’s Mega Man #15 has surfaced. Click the image at the right to see the full cover, which looks to feature the mysterious Quake Woman. Solicitation below:

MEGA MAN #15 - (W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Ben Bates

‘Spiritus ex Machina,’ Part 3. Time is running out for Mega Man and his friends. A new twist catches both heroes and villains off-guard, and putting Dr. Light and everyone at the A.R.T.S. in mortal danger! Meanwhile, Dr. Wily’s growing army in the Amazon discovers a certain red-and-grey robot!”

So, what do you make of the lady in green? She's assumed to be Quake Woman, the character previously teased in issue #14's solicitation. She's not exactly what I had in mind, honestly. I don't really see how the whole "quake" motif fits into her design, but I suppose it's a bit premature to pass judgment without seeing her in action.

Preview pages coming in due course.

Credit: The Mega Man Network

Look, Up in the Sky! It's Old Man Mega Man!

Street Fighter X Tekken players have discovered a rather amusing glitch, which causes the tubby Blue Bomber to float upwards high above the stage. Entertaining, yes -- but it can be quite annoying when encountered online. Check it out:

The glitch is supposedly triggered by a quick combo bug. Fortunately, it's something that can easily be patched. The above video was made with the intent of educating players and Capcom about the glitch, so we'll hopefully see some progress soon.

Thanks for the tip, Mark!

Get This Mega Man Shirt While You Can (Updated)

If you're in need of a new Mega Man shirt this Spring, you might want to race on over to TeeFury tomorrow. Word on the street has it a limited edition Mega Man shirt will go on sale tomorrow, March 16th, titled "The Morning Routine." It looks like this:

 

 

If you dig the design, don't delay: TeeFury will sell it for 24 hours only. Once the time has gone, the shirt is removed from the site. Hey, they don't call it limited edition for nothing.

UPDATE: The sale is live right now! Stock shouldn't be a problem, but you might want to get on it ASAP just in case. Click here to purchase!

Thanks for the heads up, Michael.

Maverick Rising Remix Album Released

Two years in the making, OverClocked Remix today released Mega Man X: Maverick Rising, a colossal fan album boasting no less than four-and-a-half hours worth of Mega Man X remixes. That's 62 track from 49 artists covering practically every game in the series! To date, it's the largest album from OC Remix -- a true labor of love for the fans, by fans.

So, what are you waiting for? Download it here!

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Say Hello to Rockman Online's Irene (Again)

You didn't forget about Irene, did you? Rockman Online's newest Navigator stopped by the RMO blog not too long ago, but she's back again to properly introduce herself.

Before joining up with the UCA, Irene was orphaned when her two Reploid parents where tragically killed at an amusement park sieged by URA forces. Some time later, she pursued an education at the UCA education center, eventually becoming an official Navigator at the Hunter Agency.

Irene's top-notch analytical skills have propelled her to the highest five ranking Navigators; in fact, she's even credited with halting a sizable URA invasion on military base Gaia by decoding their plans in advance. More over, Irene has a knack for designing whole strategies and tactics in real time as battles unfold. Her fellow hunters have come to idolized her for skill, going so far as to declare her as a mascot.

In spite of her diligence, Irene is far from perfect. She's a little clumsy, often instigating a bunch of small mistakes. As of this writing, she has twenty warning from the Hunter Agency.

All in all, Irene sounds like a fun character. Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of her in Rockman Online... whenever it releases.

Thanks to Amunshen for the translation!

MML3 Fan Movement Launches Weapon Design Contest

I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but in case you haven't heard, Get Me Off the Moon kicked off a community-wide contest in an effort to revitalize the Devroom.  The aptly titled Neo Devroom campaign invites fans to design a new weapon for Mega Man Volnutt.

Simply design a cool, unique and useful weapon for ol' Volnutt, and you could win some pretty slick prizes. The top entries will receive either a set of Legends themed Perler Bead sprites, a copy of Mega Man Tribute, or one of Ryan Shower's custom Mega Man Volnutt figures WITH the winning weapon attached. Oh, how sweet it is.

Anyone can participate, so long as you're a resident living in North America and the UK. Up to three entries can be submitted by March 29th. Full contest rules and regulations can be found here.

So far, things are off to a great start; everyone's excited, everyone's having lots of fun. In fact, this is the first time Capcom Unity publicly recognized and supported a Get Me Off the Moon campaign. That's pretty interesting in itself, wouldn't you say? So get those designs in ASAP! Capcom's watching...

SFxT: Mega Man's Rival and Ending Cinematics Revealed

Fighting Game Addict has uploaded Mega Man's Street Fighter X Tekken cinematics in their entirety, including the real ending. If you don't mind spoiling things before March 13, feel free to check them out. You'll find the ending after the break.

(...and no, that's not an alt. costume. It's a customized color scheme)

Rockman DASH 2 Added to UMD Passport

Just a friendly heads up to those who imported a PlayStation Vita from Japan: Rockman DASH 2 is now available on the UMD Passport service.

UMD Passport gives you access to download versions of your retail PSP UMD games at discount prices. Other Rockman titles available from the service include the original Rockman DASH, Irregular Hunter X and Rockman Rockman. With DASH 2 under its belt, Vita is now home to the complete PSP Blue Bomber catalog. In Japan.

For the time being, there will not be a North American equivalent of UMD Passport. You can, however, re-download any PSP game purchased digitally. But, really, the only Mega Man title that fits that criteria is Maverick Hunter X. Purported compatibility issues prevent the digital release of Mega Man Powered Up outside of Japan; a problem which has yet to be rectified. Yes, I don't understand it either.

For the full list of UMD Passport titles (new and old) check out this video Sony released recently.

Source: Andriasang

Recipe for One Lab Assistant: Print, Cut, Fold, Repeat

Fact: Mega Man papercraft is awesome. We've seen our fair share of papercraft versions of the Blue Bomber here on Rockman Corner before, including some impressive Legends models and dioramas.

But with Spring coming down the pike, you might need a new project to keep you entertained on those dreary rainy-days. This Powered Up version of Roll, designed by the fine folks at IRP Papercraft, might just do the trick. Sure, it lacks the articulation and playability of some of the more complex papercraft models available, but for display purposes, it gets the job done. I mean who could say no to that face?

You can download the model here. It's not too complex, so you might want to try your hand at making a whole platoon of 'em. Just imagine all the interesting dioramas you could make with a whole bunch o' Rolls. Throw in Powered Up Mega Man into the mix, and you've got yourself a decent sized army.

It's worth noting that the instructions are in Spanish. However, the PDF contains links to a nice visual construction guide. Take your time and have fun!

Street Fighter X Tekken: No Alt Costume for Mega Man

It seems the fighting community faithful have been very busy gutting Street Fighter X Tekken for downloadable content clues. Sure enough, their efforts have paid off: every character's alternate costume has been exposed, carefully hidden away on-disc. Unfortunately for Mega Man, the big guy doesn't appear to have any alternate costumes whatsoever (though he does have lots of different colors).

For Tekken's Lei Wulong, however, it's a completely different story:

Some folks have pointed out Lei's alternate costume looks a bit like something out of the Mega Man universe, with visual elements pooled from Mega Man Volnutt and a smidgen of Zero/ZX series designs. I can see the resemblance, but it's definetly not the reparation some fans had in mind. Nonetheless, this costume (and all others discovered) will be relegated to future DLC.

Hopefully, Mega Man does have an alt. planned and it simply wasn't included on the disc. After all, it wasn't too long ago that Svensson mentioned he'd speak with Ono about a possible "traditional" costume for old man Mega. Perhaps it's being designed right now, post-production? Well, only time will tell.

Source: Shoryuken (thanks, David!)

Ruby-Spears Mega Man Production Cels Up for Auction

What better way to show your affinity for the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon than owning a tangible piece of the show's history. Van Eaton Galleries are apparently auctioning off four original production cels from the cartoon, each opening at a meager $9.99. Three of the four cels depict different frames of animation from the show. The fourth is actually two sheets attached together to form one big drawing of Mega Man. Neat stuff, if you ask me.

If you're into collecting cels, or really just want to own a few bits from the show (literally), you should definitely look into these. I can't vouch for their authenticity, but Van Eaton insists they are originals, not reproductions. The winning bidder will even receive a certificate of authenticity.

You'll find all four auctions here. Best of luck!

Inafune Attributes Mega Man Legends' Development to His Success and Philosophy

Tonight at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco, Keiji Inafune voiced his concerns about the Japanese video game industry in a presentation titled "The Future of Japanese Gaming." Inafune insists that in order for the industry to succeed once more, it must rediscover the desire to "win". Easier said than done... or is it?

Somewhere along the line, Japanese developers became intoxicated by their own success; blissfully oblivious to the changes around them, Japan unwittingly allowed competitors to rise to the top. But all is not entirely lost: Inafune firmly believes that the secret success rests in developers' discovering a desire to better themselves; to "win."

To help cement this concept in the minds of his colleagues, Inafune referenced his experience developing the original Mega Man Legends at Capcom. The game, for all intents and purposes, fueled his desire to succeed in the face of overwhelming odds, thought not by the game's success (or lack thereof).

Hit the jump for the full story...

Mega Man X Headed to European Virtual Console This Week

Well European X fans, the wait is almost over. Mega Man X is headed to the Wii's Virtual Console service this Thursday, March 8th. Nearly a year after being released in Japan and America, the Super Nintendo classic is just 48 hours away!

Confirmation comes directly from Capcom Europe, who mistakenly announced the game would be headed to the Nintendo 3DS eShop, too. Much to everyone's dismay, the error has been corrected.

Set aside 800 Wii Points, and get ready for some good 'ol MMX action. Hopefully, Mega Man X2 isn't too far away!

Reika Morishita Looking to Revive MML Theme Songs

Mega Man Legends vocalist Reika Morishita is considering re-arranging the original game's theme songs, Another Sun and Your Wind is Blowing, according to a post at her official blog. 100,000 Strong for MML3 is reportedly working closely with Ms. Morishita to make it happen.

"The project is steadily going on. So, how would it be made up?" ponders Morishita. "Everyone, how do you think it will be like? What do you want it to be like? I want to hear your your voices about it. I think it will would be nice to incorporate the best opinions within it! Because, these songs are still alive in everyone's heart!"

"This is a serious career move for Ms. Morishita, and everyone here is very grateful for her efforts," writes a representative from 100,000 Strong. "For a temporary means of communication with her, all comments to this note will be read and translated for our great ally in arms to read."

Said note can be found here at the movement's official FaceBook group. All are welcome to provide feedback and words of encouragement to the singer.  Ms. Morishita has previously gone on record to show her support for Legends 3's reinstatement. It would seem this is her way of not only trying catch Capcom's attention, but paying tribute to the fan movement itself.

This is a project that will take some time, mind you, so it might be a while before anything concrete surfaces. If anything of interest pops up, I'll toss it your way. Best of luck to Ms. Morishita!

Mega Man Hits Street Fighter X Tekken on March 13

Street Fighter X Tekken official drops next week, but PlayStation 3 owners will have to wait just a teeny bit longer to get their hands on old man Mega. Capcom has announced Mega Man (and Pac-Man) will be offered as free DLC on March 13, a mere week after the game's launch.

For those not in the know, Mega Man is based on the hilariously terrible Mega Man 1 box-art. Footage of the big guy in action can be seen here and here. They're a bit old, but I doubt much has changed since these video originally dropped. Naturally, we can expect a plethora of new footage around the 13th.

Street Fighter X Tekken launches in the U.S on March 6 and March 9 in Europe.

Source: Capcom Unity

First Look at Street Fighter X Tekken's Roll

Mega Man's prologue from Street Fighter X Tekken has been revealed, chronicling the beginnings of the old man's journey to acquire Pandora. Roll makes an appearance, too. She's a bit, uh, different from what we're used to. Watch and see for yourself.

You gotta love the physical contrast between the two: one's tired and stubby, the other is beaming with youth and glamor. An interesting design choice, to say the least. I certainly wasn't expecting that.

Also, might I add, the cutscene has a few allusions to Mega Man Legends mythology. Mega Man's character bio hinted there would be some nods and it looks like they followed through. "Treasure hunting" and an "ancient man-made satellite" harkens back to two dominant plot elements from the series. Even Roll's personality seems to borrow some elements from her Legends incarnation... you know, the whole assertive thing.

But I'm not complaining. Not in the slightest.

EDIT: English version added. Enjoy!

Yoshinori Ono Talks SFxT's Mega Man

Over at Siliconera, a brief interview has been posted with Yoshinori Ono, producer of Street Fighter X Tekken. There, he offers further reasoning behind Mega Man's outlandish and highly exaggerated appearance. We're well aware this iteration is based off of the infamous Mega Man 1 box art caricature, but there's a little more to the story than that, apparently.

"Mega Man’s… aged since his picture was taken and used in the US box art. It’s been 25 years since, after all. Just like how one’s father may look different in photos taken 25 years ago and today, Mega Man’s outward appearance has changed," explains Ono to Siliconera.

"We decided to do it like this after consulting with Mega Man’s creator Keiji Inafune who left Capcom last year. Story-wise, like all other characters in the game, he is looking to acquire Pandora for a specific reason."

Naturally, we're left to speculate why the old man's out and about looking for Pandora. However, Mega Man's previously revealed bio may hold some clues: "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."

Speaking in terms of fighting style, Ono indicates Mega Man's a bit of a rule breaker. "Mega Man and Pac-man have their own unique moves and fighting style. However, Mega Man is a character that fights with weapons while Pacman rides on Mokujin in battles, so the whole thing kind of going against the rules," says Ono.

"And although they are not official tag partners, each character has its own prologue and ending so please do connect to the Sony Entertainment Network and obtain the playable code for both characters. It’s free."

Free DLC? Well isn't this is a lovely surprise. Still, I'm not sure if that incentive will be enough to quell some of the frustration around the community. It's a start, at least. Give me an unlockable classic attire for kicks, and I'm sold.

Full interview available at Siliconera

What If Mega Man Legends Was an NES Game?

Here's a little something Tarbo-san's been toiling away at since February. It's not a full-blown fangame just yet, but the concept seems promising. Watch as the classic duel between Mega Man Trigger and Mega Man Juno is re-created in 8-bit:

During the long (and continuous) wait for Legends 3, I often wondered what Legends would be like if it played a bit like it's NES ancestors. I think it's safe to say an 8-bit platforming adventure is certainly enticing.

Though Capcom may not be too keen on the Legends series currently, it always brightens my spirits to see fans taking matters into their own hands. No word if the full game will come to fruition, mind you, but it's something to be hopeful for.