Capcom Teases Rockman X "Ver.Ke" Model Kit (Updated)

It's been a long time since we had ourselves an official Rockman model kit. After Zero came out, it seemed uncertain what Kotobukiya would tackle next, if anything at all.

But now the answer has come to light. Capcom themselves are picking up where Kotobukiya left off. And that is, specifically, a radical reinterpretation of X himself.

Six Mega Man Games On 3DS VC In May; Vote Which Comes First

A grand total of six Mega Man games are finally due to hit the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in North America. The four remaining classic Game Boy Mega Man titles and Mega Man Xtreme 1&2 are being prepared to release in May, and both Capcom Unity and Nintendo want you to decide which launches first.

Vote in the poll at this Capcom Unity post by April 14th, 10am PT to voice your choice. The game with the most votes will hit the Virtual Console on May 1st. After that, the remaining games will be released each Thursday in May. Fittingly, they're dubbing this event as "Mega May."

The results of the poll are hidden now but just an hour or so ago, Mega Man V was rocking the vote. It's certainly one of (if not the) best among the lot... but will it come out on top?  

Source: Capcom Unity

Manami Matsumae Answers Your Burning Questions

Recently, the Mighty No. 9 crew brought forth a request for everyone to submit questions for Manami Matsumae, the legendary composer of various Mega Man games and Mighty No. 9. Ask you did, and answered she did!

Now not all the questions made it into the video above, but you can see a breakdown of questions and answers that didn’t make in the latest backer update. Check your inbox!

Mega Man 8 Debug Project Finished And Released

A short while ago, a one MarkGrass discovered the remains of an unused debug menu in the North American PlayStation version of Mega Man 8. With a little coding know-how and elbow grease, he's at last brought these features to the forefront. The final product, a custom hacked version of Mega Man 8 with access to all sorts of developer features. Download it here.

Accessing the debug menu is simple: press select on controller 1 during gameplay. There's a sound test, stage select, weapon and item modifiers and other neat little things to explore. Check out the included readme for the full instructions.

Props to Mark for getting this up and running. Also, this does not count as the third Mega Man dump I promised. I was initially eying a release this weekend... but we're still looking into things. Research, mostly. It should be out soon, though.

I'll keep you posted.

The Very First Rockman Commercial, Now In High Quality

A lot of old Rockman commercials have surfaced over the years, but very few have been found in high quality. Time hasn't been kind to VHS tapes, mind you. Thanks to the efforts of a one Giraux, however, we can now enjoy the oldest of these commercials without all that terrible fuzz. Grain free, the very first Rockman commercial from 1987 lives on!

 For comparison, here's the original that's been floating around the net for years.

This footage comes to us from "Capcom Consumer Chronicle", a rare DVD set containing all sorts of interesting clips from Capcom's history. It's the only Rockman commercial on there, I'm afraid. Even so, it's reassuring that Capcom held onto it all these years. It leaves me hopeful that the rest of the lot are kept in storage somewhere, ready to be preserved online in the highest quality possible.

For more Capcom Consumer Chronicle goodies, hit up Giraux's YouTube channel!

Preview Pages For Mega Man #37

Heads-up! Comics Alliance has posted a preview for Mega Man #37. It's a little different from the usual samples: no color, all line art. It's by no means a large preview, but it does provide us one major curiosity: a panel depicting X and Zero apprehending a pair of humans.

Who are they? Why are Maverick Hunters laying down the law on humans? Well, speculation says they're Emerald Spears members. The anti-robot/human supremacist group appears to be alive and kicking in 21XX, possibility due to the influence of Xander Payne's time travel shenanigans. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.

For all the action, swing over to Comics Alliance.

Thanks for the tip, Mike.

Digital Mega Man X1-X4 OSTs Now Available On Capcom Store

Last year in Japan, Capcom released the "Rockman X Sound Box" in commemoration of the X series' 20th anniversary. At twelve discs and 490 tracks, it contained the music from every game in the series in one nifty package. Now, Capcom US are selling the individual discs digitally.

The Capcom Store has just put up the first four soundtracks as digital downloads for $8.95 a pop. That's Mega Man X, Mega Man X2, Mega Man X3, and Mega Man X4. Presumably the other games will come down the road, meaning the complete set could be obtained for a little over $100. Hey, still cheaper than the physical set.

Grab 'em in the links above.

Source: Capcom Store

Mega Man Legends 2 English Debug Version (7/12/00) Released

Today we're rolling out the second of three Mega Man dumps (the first being an early Rockman X5 build). This time it's not a beta or a prototype. What we have here is a debug version of Mega Man Legends 2.... and it's pretty neat.

The content of the game is exactly the same as the final Japanese version, but with all the debug features left in. Simply plug in a second controller and you'll have access to a number of developer features. For example, in the video above, OKeijiDragon demonstrates the free-look feature. It can be used to explore cutscenes in greater detail. You might even find something you weren't supposed to see!

What's more, this build contains no English voices. The text is entirely in English, though, and there are a number of minor differences from the final game's script. For example, here's a deleted reference to Resident Evil. Maybe they gutted that for the ESRB? Who knows!

So based on the fact we have no English voices, a near final script and an early build date (July 12th, 2000), we're definetly in possession of something significant from the game's localization. And today it's all yours. DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Hit the jump below for details on how to access the debug features!

Mega Man #38 Covers And Solicitation

A new day, a new solicitation for Archie's Mega Man comic book series. This time, we're looking at two new covers as issue #38 is set to continue the classic and X series crossover event:

(W) Ian Flynn (A) Jamal Peppers, Gary Martin, John Workman, Matt Herms (CA) Patrick “Spaz” Spaziante (CVA) Ben Bates

"THE EPIC MEGA MAN/MEGA MAN X CROSSOVER EVENT CONTINUES in DAWN OF X pt2! We travel one hundred years into Mega Man’s future, where an ancient Wily weapon threatens all defenseless humans! It’s up to X and Zero to combat the lumbering metal monstrosity!

Meanwhile, Emerald Spears terrorist-on-the-run Xander Payne tumbles through time—and sees something that will change him forever! Don't miss the event that everyone will be talking about, featuring brand new cover art from PATRICK "SPAZ" SPAZIANTE and an extra special character-packed variant cover from BEN BATES!
"

Source: Comic Vine

Inafune Still Really, Really Wants To Make Legends 3

US Gamer had the chance to catch up with the "father of Mega Man" himself, Keiji Inafune at GDC. Among topics discussed, he expressed further interest in developing Mega Man Legends 3.

Prompted about the possibility of producing a Legends-inspired title at his new company, Comcept, Inafune said:

"If somebody asked, even right now, what's the game you want to create most? It's still Legends 3," he muses. "I put so much effort into that game, so much passion into that game, but it didn't happen. It's always a regret in my mind. Even now…"

He continues:

"We all know that's not going to happen, though, as long as Capcom holds the IP. But if they asked me to make that game, I could still gather most of the original team, even right now. Some of them have quit Capcom, some of them are still at Capcom, but I believe that team would be passionate enough to come back together and create that game. So…we'll see what's going to happen. You never know. "

And as a matter of fact...

"Let's say that, if we have all seven Dragon Balls right here, right now, and Shen Long comes up and says, 'What's your wish?' My wish would be, give me all the right tools, people, and environment to create Legends 3."

Head over to US Gamer for the full interview.... and quickly, someone get this man a dragon radar!

New Mighty No. 9 Trailer From GDC

Straight from GDC 2014, here's an all-new look at Mighty No. 9 in action. Gameplay, music, character profiles... it has all the bases covered.

Bear in mind, everything shown is still work-in-progress. Inafune and his team are still hard at work fleshing out Beck's world. It's a long ways out, but I think it's safe to say things are looking great so far.

Source: Mighty No. News

Did You Know Voice Acting? Tackles Mega Man

Our pal Christopher Niosi brings us an informative Mega Man edition of his popular "Did You Know Voice Acting" series. Sure, some of these tidbits are commonplace, but I'd wager a good few of you might learn a cool factoid or two.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Rockman X5 Beta Version Released

 

Been a while since we last had ourselves a nice dump. Today, we're releasing an early version of Rockman X5. As one should expect, there's a handful of aesthetic differences and loads of unused/alternate music. Download it here!

This version of the game received a lot of press back in June 2000 (a whole five months before it hit Japanese retail). It contains five fully playable stages each sprinkled with a number of interesting things. Keen-eyed players will quickly note the unused health bars and early enemy sprites. Oh, and there's NO Alia.

The folks at The Cutting Room Floor will no doubt pick this up for further research and analysis. There's bound to be more interesting things lurking inside the code, I'm certain. In the meantime, though, here's a whopping 17 unused tracks I dug up (credit to SuperMega233 for the upload). There's some really crazy arrangements in there!

I do hope you enjoy this release. And FYI, I'll be dumping two additional Mega Man prototypes in the coming days.

Stay tuned!

Your Jacket, Megafied!

Pending enough orders, Capcom hope to release an official Mega Man jacket. Exclusive to the Capcom Store, the "MegaJacket" is projected to ship this July, available in both men and women cuts. Here's the lowdown:

"Inspired by classic Mega Man, Capcom and Volante Design team up to bring you The MegaJacket. The latest in our line of Capcom Store exclusives, the MegaJacket sports accents that evoke classic Mega Man while maintaining a stylish silhouette perfect for everyday wear. Sturdy, comfortable and commanding, the MegaJacket is sure to become a favorite.

This is a limited release and will be produced based on pre-orders. The men's cut pre-order minimum is 200 units. If we don't reach the minimum the project and all pending orders will be canceled. So, tell all your friends and be sure to reserve your MegaJacket by March 31st."

How much are they asking for? How's $200 sound? If you've got the dough to spare, hit up the Capcom Store. Enter the code MEGA10 for $10 off!

Rockman Xover Downloaded 1.5 Million Times

Capcom Japan revealed that its free-to-play mobile RPG Rockman Xover has crossed 1.5 million downloads as of the end of 2013. The number comes from a recent franchise retrospective hosted at Capcom's 30th anniversary hub.

As the game continues to prove popular on both iOS and Android platforms, it won't be long before it overtakes Mega Man 2, the highest selling title in the franchise at 1.51 million units. Sure, that may sound a little unsettling... but we're still left to wonder how much revenue Xover has brought in (based on in-app purchases). There's no publicly available data on that. It's hard to say which of the two current best selling Mega Man titles have brought in more dough.

Nevertheless, Xover is a success. The game set out to do exactly what it was meant to do and Capcom seem pretty pleased with the results. At the very least, that 1.5 million proves there's an audience in Japan still invested in the franchise. Hopefully, in the long run, that will help give credence to future developments. Preferably not mobile.

Source: My Capcom

The Slickest Mega Man Prototypes You'll Ever See

Rarely do prototypes come in their own packaging. So when Mega Man collector extraordinary sumb2else procured a few Game Boy Mega Man prototypes, he took it upon himself to make a set of custom boxes. The end result is very sweet.

Mighty No. 9 Update: Plot Details, Beck's Moves, Start Message

Co-developers Comcept and Inti Creates recently shared a few new details on Mighty No. 9, shedding some light on the game's plot as well as some of Beck's moves. The project's director Koji Imaeda writes:

"In the game, Beck can run, dash and blast baddies with the best of them, but the truth is he’s a kind and somewhat timid robot. He was never able to display his true talents in the Battle Colosseum, and came to be seen as the weak link holding back his team of fellow Mighty Nos. Gradually he lost more and more self-confidence...until! The global robot rampage!!

Beck was the only robot who didn’t go berserk, which is why he alone is charged with the daunting task of resolving the crisis. At first Beck can’t shake his fears and anxiety, but with the encouragement of his creator Dr. White, he eventually resolves to take on the mission!"

The progress report also reveals that Beck will have access to a downward dash and backwards-jump. Of note, Capcom experimented a bit with the downward dash in Mega Man X6 (Blade Armor). It should be interesting to see how Mighty No. 9 will implement the mechanic. At this point in time, though, Inafune notes both moves need further polish.

“The dash is a fundamental mechanic in Mighty No. 9, but it still isn’t fun to do on its own,” Inafune says. “Also, we should make the backward jump look more like a distinct, deliberate action—the current animation doesn’t really make that clear to the player.”

Lastly, the Mighty No. 9 team are now seeking feedback on what message should be displayed at the start of each stage. If you're a project backer, you can send your feedback here!

Capcom's Elston Acknowledges Desire For New Mega Man Collection

With the passing of yet another console generation, there remains a significant demand to play older Mega Man titles on modern machines and digital platforms. Let's be honest here; those Anniversary / X Collection discs are starting to show their age. The time for a modern collection may be upon us.

According to Capcom USA community manager Brett Elston, the idea of a new Mega Man collection is something currently being passed along the chain. He writes:

"Nothing to announce or tease at the moment, but I've definitely taken note of - and passed along - the desire for a modern collection. Those 2004 / 2006 discs are getting pretty old at this point and I'd love to get those games out to a new audience - plus give people like us an excuse to play them yet again :P"

Hey, count me in. I'd much rather invest in a single collection of games (with extras and the like) than continue paying for the same individual games over and over again. And sure, emulation will always be an option. But for those of us seeking a legitimate means to procure and play older titles on today's hardware, a new official collection is very appealing.

With that said, what's your take? Would you like a new collection? Or would you prefer more titles released individually? Mind you, Capcom have little to no control when such titles hit the Virtual Console (not sure about PSN). That part is all up to Nintendo, for better or worse.

Source: Ask Capcom

A Tease of S.H. Figuarts Rockman Zero

On Rockman Unity, Ucchy-san is teasing the above photos of the upcoming Rockman Zero Zero S.H. Figuarts figure. As it's only a prototype, little is known about when it will hit retail. Nevertheless, things are looking promising so far. Head to Rockman Unity for more images.

For those curious, yes; the S.H. Figuarts label is intentional. In recent months, Bandai has merged the D-Arts brand with the S.H. Figuarts label.Products that would have fallen under the D-Arts banner will now be released under the S.H. Figuarts line starting in April. Figure articulation and general engineering will not be impacted in any way.

Thanks for the tip, Heat Man!

Inafune's Next Game Is One Big Mega Man Zero Homage

This isn't Mega Man related, per se, but it's something I'm sure many of you would like to see. Just announced at BitSummit, this is Azure Strike Gunvolt -- a brand-new 2D action game from Inti Creates and Keiji Inafune. From graphics and gameplay to music, it's pretty much Mega Man Zero (and a little ZX)... and that's a very, very good thing.

Gunvolt is currently slated to hit the Nintendo 3DS eShop this summer (Japan and North America). Expect more details to bubble up in the very near future. In the meantime, head over to 4Gamer for additional screens. This is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Source: BitSummit

More Mega Man Content Hitting Sound Rangers

The Sound Rangers train keeps on chugging. The popular rhythm-based RPG is pumping out three consecutive Mega Man events this month, promising new characters and tunes to battle to. No Legends characters this time, however; this one's all about the classics.

"Sonic/Mega Man Worlds Collide Deluxe Edition" Outed By Amazon

If Amazon is to be believed, Archie Comics are set to collect the complete Sonic and Mega Man crossover, Worlds Collide, in a single hardback volume. "Sonic/Mega Man Worlds Collide: Deluxe Edition" is a 336-page book due on November 25th, 2014 for $46.76 US. That's just about enough pages to collect all three individual Worlds Collide trade paperbacks!

Further, Amazon lists a limited edition version for $73.54 US. Pending official word from Archie, however, we can only speculate what makes this so "limited." Foil dust jacket? Additional pages of concept art? Who knows.

So if you've been meaning to check out the crossover, this may be the way to go. More news as it comes.

Source: Amazon

Mega Man 2.5D Beta 2.0 Launches

The second, fully playable beta for for the fan game known as "Mega Man 2.5D" has gone live. The new demo includes one new co-op stage (Snake Man), and freshly produced single-player mode featuring two stages (Snake Man and Shadow Man).

If you like what you see above, visit the project's official home page to download the beta.

Thanks for the tip, Eric!