Kotaku: Mega Man

Mega Man 9's Retro Art Stylings

Brian Crecente — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:00:00 MDT

Everyone who visited Capcom's booth at E3 last week were treated to a peek at a glorious retro Mega Man t-shirt. The shirt reflects the decision Capcom made to turn Mega Man 9 into an "impossible hard" 8-bit revival of the franchise.

The marketing group decided that since the game was going to look like it came from 1987 they whole marketing campaign should too. So they called up I Am 8-bit artist Gerald de Jesus and had him whip up a truly fantastic bit of fantasy Mega Man art for the fabled shirt.

Only four of the shirts were created for Inafune and Takeshita to wear during last week's show. The good news? Capcom promises to start selling the shirts on their site soon.

Of Course, Capcom Wants Mega Man 9 Hard

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:00:00 MDT

When we were kids, Mega Man was a hard game. We died all the time. And when we were dying in Mega Man, we were dying in Mega Man. It was that hard. So when Capcom decided to make the multi-platform Mega Man 9, the company knew it had to make it hard. Says the game's producer Hironobu Takeshita:

Mega Man 9 is very hard. We didn't want to do Mega Man, but easy. We want players to get better, we want them to remember. I've always tried to challenge players, and I think there are gamers who miss being challenged by games.

We'd like to think so as well. Takeshita also expressed his interest in making more Wii titles, which is good news for Wii owners looking for a challenge.

Justify Your Mega Man 9

Adam Barenblat — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:00:00 MDT

It's time for our favorite conference party game: Justify Your Game. This time around we go 15 seconds with Hironobu Takeshita, the producer of Mega Man 9.

Game Marathons: Fad, or Going the Distance?

Owen Good — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:00:00 MDT

Two weeks ago saw an extraordinarily successful, more-than-72 hour Super Mario Marathon that raised more than $11,000 for a gamers' charity for kids. This week, four Mega Man enthusiasts are finding out how hard of an act that is to follow — as a fund drive anyway. A new web site indicates that game marathons are a mushrooming craze, capitalizing partly on gamers who enjoy watching others fail at classic console titles. The question is, how long will it last?

The Megamanathon was hatched "about five minutes after we started watching the Mario Marathon," said Alex Willingham, one of the four gamers taking a tour of the Mega Man Series. Three hours into their marathon, which began 9 pm EDT Friday in Nyack, N.Y., they'd raised $210 for Child's Play, the same beneficiary of the Mario endeavor. As of noon Saturday, they'd upped that to $230.

They're still having fun, of course. But the Super Mario Marathon logged more than 100,000 unique viewers and 120,000 viewing hours, and it sounds like a lot of others got the same idea from watching it. A site, Gamemarathons, went online shortly after the Mario Marathon and is trying to be the go-to place for coordinating these contests, to cut down on overlap and redundancy. There's a Speed Gamers Marathon going on right now; a Rare Marathon that just finished, and Guitar Hero and Metroid coming up next week.

"Every marathon right now will find the Mario Marathon tough to follow," said Matt Hayden, who launched Gamemarathons.com. He estimates 85 percent of the marathons listed there so far are being done for charity. Those that are gaming for a cause are clearly differentiated from those that aren't.

"[The Mario Marathon] was so wildly successful and well advertised that no marathon can hope to achieve the numbers they did in terms of viewers and money," Hayden said. "But then again, the marathons should never really be about competition or one-upping the one before. Each one is uinique, and even if it raises $5, that's $5 a charity didn't have before, and it was a weekend of entertainment for at least a handful of people."

Willingham agrees, seeing more potential in the casual, drop-in entertainment value of a marathon. "As far as fundraising goes, it may be an idea beaten to death," Willingham said. "As recreational marathoning entertainment, it'll last as long as there are games to play."

He and his cohorts — Cory Hunt, Charlie Basler and Damon Amador, all college-age guys — had the itch to do a marathon, cause or charity regardless. But Willingham also thinks the marathon has some entertainment potential for viewers. "It's like a television show for geeks," he said. "You log on each weekend, and watch more dorks fail."

Hayden sees it a little differently. "Boring people who don't interact will break a marathon and bore the viewers no matter what game they're playing," he said. "Fun people will bring in viewers and retain them. People didn't watch [the Mario Marathon] for hours on end to see Mario games. They watched to see the guys, and became so enamored of them they were given nicknames. Brian [TK's] dog and wife became the most popular characters."

The Megamanathon, even if it hasn't raised as much as the Mario Marathon, poured out the same kind of effort and has developed its own following. hey've earned afan art gallery (including tributes to "Bagel Girl," the only female on the scene.) All the participants have gotten nicknames from those dropping in to watch. A PR effort got our attention, and local news as well.

But at this point, barring any flood of donations, the marathon's biggest success will likely be its completion, rather than the amount raised. The Mega Man gamers have the will to finish out the series, but others might not.

"I'm worried that upcoming marathons, especially the hastily prepared ones, will peter out once the inspiration from the Mario Marathon has worn off," Hayden said. "Just about every one that's planned for the next 2 months admit they were directly inspired by it. But that's why I created GameMarathons. I wanted the phenomenon to be more organized and be more widely accessible by everyone on the Internet, not just those who have to rely on word of mouth or a lucky mention on a popular site."

The Megamanathon will likely last into Sunday, Willingham said. They started with original Mega Man, and have been drawing titles out of a hat at random. They're playing the Mega Man Anniversary Collection and Mega Man X Collection on a Wii, using a HORI Digital GameCube pad. You can follow their progress on their site.

Gamemarathons [Site]
Megamanathon [Site]
Super Mario Marathon [Site]

Mega Man 9 IS Coming To 360, PS3

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:40:00 MDT

It is, it isn’t, it is, it isn’t…sheesh. Yes, it’s been confirmed that Mega Man 9 will be making its way to the Xbox 360 and PS3. Despite WiiWare-only claims – from Capcom, the scamps – to the contrary. Above is the closing screen from the game’s first trailer, showing the necessary details. Thanks for the confusion! Perhaps as a tonic for your Mega Man dizziness, they’ve also announced that Mega Man 1 & 2 will be appearing on the North American Virtual Console, and appearing “soon”. Full (and excellent) trailer's after the jump.

Here, Have Some Mega Man 9 Screens

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:00:00 MDT

Capcom has released a couple new Mega Man 9 (Rockman 9 in Japan) screenies. The game would be out this September and will cost a somewhat charitable 1000 Wii Points (or US$10 in real money). Check out the screens in the link below in all their 8-bit retro glory.
Mega Screens Here [Game Watch Impress]

Mega Man 9: Cheap As $10 Chips

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:30:00 MDT

Yeah, Mega Man 9 looks old, and will sound old, but it's a new game. So Capcom will be charging some kind of new price for it, yes? Somewhere around $20? Not. Even. Close. No, Capcom are feeling charitable this month, and have announced that when the WiiWare game goes on sale in September, it'll go for 1000 Wii Points. Or, in human money, $10. Outstanding.

2008年9月に1000Wiiポイントで配信 [Famitsu]

Let's Watch The First Mega Man 9 Footage

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:00:00 MDT

First look! Have a gander at Mega Man 9. Above is the Japanese trailer from Japanese site Nico Nico Douga which shows some quick gameplay footage. The music is fantastic.

Mega Man 9 [Go Nintendo]

Mega Man 9 Dated For Japan

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:00:00 MDT

WiiWare game Mega Man 9 has been dated for Japan. The game will be out this September as confirmed by this week's Famitsu. The 8-bit game hasn't yet gotten a Western release date. That's what E3 for!

famitsu 20080704 [Wii@Everyday]

Mega Man 9 Details: There's A Woman!

Leigh Alexander — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:20:00 MDT

GamesRadar got the first look at the recently-announced, retro-style Mega Man 9 that's heading exclusively to Wii Ware - here are plenty of screens, plus the news that one of the enemies is not a Something-Man, but a Splash Woman. Sweet.

GamesRadar says it's just like the "maddeningly difficult" NES games of the early '90s, but that "there are a few extra touches that acknowledge what later games brought to the series."

Hit the jump for screens and to learn some of the names of the 'bots you'll encounter:

Galaxy Man: level consists of portals that fling Mega Man all around the level, maintaining his momentum with each fling (a lot like Portal, actually), plus enemies that divide into multiple copies of themselves.

Plug Man: home to the required "disappearing block" puzzle

Concrete Man: the Guts Man of Mega Man 9

Tornado Man: scourge of the Midwest has one of the hardest levels with tons of mid-air leaps and spinning platforms

Splash Woman: yes, a woman robot master. Level features a hovering bubble puzzle we saw in Mega Man 5. One of the masters designed by Inafune himself

Mega Man 9 Exclusive Reveal [GamesRadar]

Mega Man 9: WiiWare ONLY - False alarm. Please, ...

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:50:00 MDT

Mega Man 9: WiiWare ONLY - False alarm. Please, go ahead and disregard this morning's post regarding Mega Man 9 being available for the PSN and XBLA. Capcom have since removed those listings from their E3 lineup (calling it "a mistake"), and have confirmed the game will only be appearing on the Wii.

Mega Man 9 Coming For XBLA, PSN As Well

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:20:00 MDT

A retro-themed Mega Man 9 is a surprising move by Capcom! You know what's less surprising? The news the game won't just be appearing on Nintendo's WiiWare service. Really, why would Capcom turn down free money? Turns out the game's also destined for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade as well, making Mega Man 9 the first game (I can think of) to be released across all three current-generation platforms.

Megaman 9 to be the first game to hit Wiiware, XBLA, and PSN [Ars Technica]

Old School Mega Man 9 Coming To WiiWare

Mike Fahey — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:00 MDT

More details have surfaced on the first official Mega Man sequel since 1996's Mega Man 8 for the PlayStation. Revealed earlier this month by the Australian Office Of Film and Literature Classification, the latest issue of Nintendo Power features an interview with series creator Keiji Inafune as well as screenshots from the title, revealing that not only will the game be released as WiiWare, it will retain the classic look and feel of the original NES versions of the game.

The robot bosses for the new title include Magma Man, Galaxy Man, Jewel Man, Concrete Man, Hornet Man, Plug Man, Tornado Man, and possibly Splash Woman. Splash Woman? Really?

Definitely a strange move, going back in time graphically and gameplay-wise like this, but what better way to return to the classic series than actually returning to the classic series?

Mega Man 9 Confirmed [The Mega Man Network]

Mega Man 9 Rated, Surely Coming

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:20:00 MDT

Yesterday, amongst the usual assortment of motion pictures, reality television programs and comic books the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification usually sift through and classify, one item stood out. It's this one. Says that Mega Man 9, by Capcom, has been given a G rating, and is good to go for a local release. Mega Man 9? Never heard of it. Must be real/coming, though, because last I checked the OFLC don't review and classify rumours. If it's not at E3 next month you can join me in being deeply shocked.

[via Evil Avatar]

Mario Tries Some New Ways of Dying

Owen Good — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:00:00 MDT

Boy I don't know about you, but when I shuffle off this mortal coil, I hope that I leap into the air waving my arms, and then plunge out of view as a merry oh-shit tune plays. With my loving family around my deathbed of course.

Mario's been dying that way for years, so, here's a video in which he tries on some new demises in search of a better good death. They missed Defender, where he explodes in a fireworks burst and burns white-hot thermite particles through anything on the screen. That would be funny. Certainly funnier than what happened between Luigi and the Koopas.

Deaths That Just Don't Work for Mario [YouTube]

This Hands-Free Super Mario World Level Plays Sweet, Sweet Music

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:40:00 MDT

By now, you must have seen the custom made Super Mario World levels that require no player, no controller to pass. They simply let Mario and Yoshi do their thing, as buttons, switches and blocks boost them through each level. None of those user created levels are as impressive as this 11-minute monster, which uses the sound effects from those switch-hits and Koopa Troopa stomps to make beautiful music. My untrained ears can pick out but a few recognizable tunes—Mega Man 2 and Super Mario World, I don't know from Haruhi and Lucky Star—but song list help in the comments is more than welcome. Thanks to Spann for pointing us in its direction.

Gaming Scarfs for the Wealthy and Cold

Brian Crecente — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:58:05 MDT

Newly minted Kotakuite Beatboxtaun sent me a pic last night of this super cool Mike Tyson's Punch-Out scarf. Turns out that Beatboxtaun ( a fellow El Pasoan) sells hand-made, game-themed scarfs on Etsy. My personal fave? The Mega Man though the Mario Power-Up has all kinds of cool too knitted into it too.

The 65-inch or so scarfs run $75 to $175, pricey yes, cool, also yes. Hit the jump for more pics of more scarfs.

Beatboxtaun

The Dr. Wily Flowchart

Mark Wilson — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:20:21 MDT

If you are reading Kotaku on a Friday afternoon, chances are that your productivity is lacking. Hey, we have no problem with that. No problem at all. But in case you wanted to do a little business multitasking with your gaming news, here's a pretty fantastic Mega Man flow chart, mapping Dr. Wily's various success/failure scenarios. Enjoy it, you bunch of lazy, pathetic employees/awesome, loyal readers. If we were your boss we'd gladly fire you/give you a major promotion.

20 Insane Supervillain Schemes In Flowchart Form [Cracked]

Recorder Girl Plays Into Our Hearts

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:40:21 MST

YouTuber shizuhohattori is recorder girl. She specializes in playing retro game tunes on her recorder. For that, and that alone, we adore her. Above, she tackles the IKARUGA theme for the first level, "Ideal." Think about that: This person liked IKARUGA enough to do a version on a recorder. So cool.

Might want to turn down the volume on your computer as YouTube's sound quality is rather shrill. Hit the jump for her renditions of Takeshi no Chousenjou, Mega-Man 3 and Dynasty Warriors 3. Keep the comments clean. Or else.

Mega-Man 3 Mega-Man 4 Dynasty Warriors 3. Takeshi's Challenge

Thanks, 108!

Why Is There No Capcom In Super Smash Bros. Brawl?

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:23 MST

With all the characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, there are a few that are missing. Where's Mega-Man? That character certainly wouldn't be out of place. Or what about Chun-Li or Ryu? The SNES controller was designed to suit the Street Fighter II port! Likewise, those characters would be right at home with the Smash Bros. Want to know why? Several insiders tell us that Nintendo was apparently still upset about GameCube exclusive Resident Evil 4 going multi-platform, and thus, decided not to include Capcom characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl during development. However, with Capcom making a valiant effort at third part Wii developing with Zack & Wiki, do expect better relations between the two companies. Old wounds do heal — even when you are Nintendo! Heck, we wouldn't be surprised if Capcom and Nintendo were ironing out a deal for the developer to make more Wii titles.

Beating Air Man, So Sad, So Frustrating, So Great

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:00:17 MST

The only explanation that the clip needs is that it's awesome. Really, really awesome. Hit the jump for the original Japanese version. Likewise, awesome.

Thanks, David!

Amazingly Amazing Gaming Balloons

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 01:00:00 MST

There are some posts that make us deliriously happy. This is is one of them. Flickr user TwystNeko has been twisting and tying up a steady stream of nerd-related balloons. From Mario to Mega Man and from Portal to Pokémon, the site has a nice cross section of gaming balloons. Sure, that cake might be a lie, but it still actually looks delicious. We've seen the future, and it's inflated.

Balloon a Day [Flickr, Thanks Chris!]

Mega Man Taser Vid Responds To Controversy With Controversy

Mark Wilson — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:00:14 MST

For those who missed the original story back in October, Robert Dziekanski was a Polish immigrant who, after making a disturbance in the Vancouver Airport, died following a tasering administered by authorities. For those who have the stomach, the event is on YouTube.

Naturally, the public has responded to the incident, including Vancouver resident Mike Greenway who made the above Mega Man video. He feels:

The video was really more of a statement on police Taser use than anything. The video that I made is a tongue-in-cheek parody about the incompetence of everyone involved, not police brutality.

But not everyone agrees that Greenway should have explored the situation in a video game.

From Aga Magdolen, a spokeswoman with the Canadian Polish Congress:

This tragedy should not have been portrayed as a game. It is disrespectful to the victim, his family and the Polish community.

So is the clip disrespectful? If I were a member of Dziekanski' family, I certainly wouldn't want to watch it, but nor would I want to view any sort of response to the incident.

It doesn't seem like the Mega Man response—which certainly appears to condemn the police (despite what the author may claim) while exploring the absurdity of Dziekanski's death—could have been communicated without its particular chosen medium, the reenactment in a video game.

YouTube parody of Dziekanski death triggers controversy [via gamepolitics]

The Most Spectacular Mega Man Art The World Has Ever Seen

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:40:00 MST

Swedish magazine Level's latest issue commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Blue Bomber, featuring stunning artwork of Mega Man that should embarrass just about every print outlet that isn't Edge. The piece, from Hitoshi Ariga, responsible for Rockman Megamix and The Big O manga, was passed on to us in ridiculously large resolution (1200 x 1600) by a reader who, coincidentally also goes by the name Mega Man. The original scan, which can be used for wallpaper creation purposes, can be found here.

Many thanks to "Mega Man" for bringing this to our attention. You've made my own desktop very proud.

Sun Microsystems Makes Learning About Micro-electronics "Fun"

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:40:39 MST

Becoming a new hire at the Sun Microsystems corporation may be thrilling, but that employee orientation is most likely a total drag. Enter the Shadow Specters! They're Sun Microsystem's attempt to make brushing up on company history fun and functional. It's a horrible mutation known as "edugaming." Sun and developer Enspire have created two separate learning tools, one a point and click adventure game—in the loosest sense—and an action platformer—with a not-so-subtle Mega Man X design influence—that do their best to inform while entertaining.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend either as Hot Flashes candidates, as, no offense to those involved, they're not exactly the best Flash-based games I've had the opportunity to play. However, it is at least noteworthy that an organization of Sun's size sees these kinds of learning tools as worthwhile. Worth a look for the in-game music alone.

Play: Sun Learning Services [Sun]

Nothing Says Happy Holidays Like a Mega-Man Drawing

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:00:47 MST

Back when I visited the Game Center CX shoot, one of the show's staffers told me about meeting Mega-Man creator Keiji Inafune. Namely that when they met Inafune, they asked him to scribble a picture of Mega-Man. The staffer thought it was pretty funny that Inafune's drawing didn't look that much like Mega-Man. Maybe Inafune was having a day off! Who knows? Above is a recent Mega-Man drawing by Inafune. It's all Christmasy! And hey, it does look like Mega-Man. You can win this, too, so there ya go!
Win this Inafune drawing [Capcom]

Retro Game Tunes. MIDI Art. So Friggin' Awesome.

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:00:58 MST

This comes via commenter Muu, and it's probably easier to explain through watching, but here goes: In the above clip, MIDI is being used to convey musical notes and as art. The individual who created this arranges all the music himself and then pipes it through a program called Music Animation Machine player. The response to these clips has been tremendous, encouraging the creator to churn out more. Actually quite amazing stuff! Hit the "more >>" for, well, more.

Thanks, Muu!

Capcom Playtesting Pays In Spades

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:20:00 MST

When we posted a brief note about an upcoming Capcom playtesting session in the Bay Area of California, reader Justme8800 heeded the call. In addition to getting hands-on time with an unnamed Capcom game—no, we couldn't squeeze it out of him—he walked away with all this stuff.

From left to right, top to bottom: Zack & Wiki stickers, yellow Capcom bag, massive RE4 Wii edition guide with poster, Capcom Classics Collection for Xbox, Umbrella Corporation REVIVE drink, plushie pig dressed in a watermelon from Monster Hunter, stress squeeze treasure chest from Zack & Wiki, Xbox Live 1600 points card, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for PSP, Phoenix Wright plushie keychain, Zack & Wiki 3D holographic jigsaw puzzle, Lost Planet limited edition matte laser print, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for PC, and a Mega Man buster pen in the lower right. All of this is sitting on a Street Fighter "EVOLVE" T-shirt.

Not bad for a day's "work", is it?

Week in Games: Decisions, Decisions Edition

fdemarco — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:00:00 MDT

So many good games coming out this week I'm afraid my bank account is going to take quite a beating. Eye of Judgment, Zak and Wiki, Ratchet & Clank, Jericho and Castlevania are all on my short list of games to get this week although one or two of them may have to wait until the cash magically replenishes itself.

The Eye of Judgment (PS3)
Battle to the death with cards and a camera.

Zack & Wiki Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii)
The great game with a terrible name!

Painkiller: Overdose (PC)
Once a mod, now a for real game.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)
Ratchet and Clank return with another outrageous weapons arsenal.

Clive Barker's Jericho (PC, X360, PS3)
Control a team of psychic soldiers against legions of the undead.

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (X360)
Fighting planes are fun!

Mega Man ZX Advent (DS)
Mega Man returns!

Conan (X360, PS3)
The legendary barbarian graces the 360 with his twitching muscles.

Battlestar Galactica (X360, PC)
Downloadable game based on the uber popular TV series.

Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (PC)
Age of Empires III spreads it's reach to the Asian Dynasties.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)
All new revamped Castlevania action!

The Mega Man Tattoo

fdemarco — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:00:00 MDT

Kotakuite Aronn sent in this picture of his brand spankin' new Mega Man tattoo that his sister got him for his birthday. I have to say I am really impressed with the precision with which this was rendered. It is pixel perfect and looks quite sharp. You don't see a lot of really well done 8-bit tattoos and this one definitely makes the grade. Congratulations Aronn, you've got a keeper! Not that you'd have much choice...

Capcom's TGS Line-Up To Reveal Three New Titles

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:40:57 MDT

With Tokyo Game Show just around the corner, publishers have begun to show off their upcoming wares at private events and with the launching of official web sites. Capcom's own dedicated TGS online presence went live today, revealing a good portion of what it plans to show at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba. The current line up looks like this:

Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360, PS3)
We Love Golf! (Wii)
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii)
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii)
Sengoku Basara 2 HEROES (PS2)
Mega Man Star Force 2 (DS)
Wantame Music Channel Doko Demo Style (DS)

Oh no. Are our hopes of getting hands-on time with Resident Evil 5 dashed against the Rockman rocks? Probably. But with three titles still to be revealed over the next few days and weeks, hopefully Capcom will bring some big guns to the show. I've got twenty zenny on Steel Battalion II showing up in full force for the Xbox 360 with a 1,240 button controller/living room.

Capcom TGS2007

Fans Rising: Inafune Invades New York

Brian Crecente — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:38:45 MDT

We sent our very own videographer Nick McGlynn down to the Mega Man, Inafune festivities in New York yesterday... Hey! I recognize that first guy!

Mega Man's Inafune In NYC Today

Mike Fahey — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:20:14 MDT

As we told you back in early July, Creator of some of the most recognizable characters in video game history Keiji Inafune will be hitting up the GameStop on Broadway and 33rd from 5 to 8pm for an official autograph session celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mega Man. As Inafune is the producer for the Onimusha series and Dead Rising, creator of the Mega Man series, and a graphic designer for Street Fighter you are sure to have something on hand to have him scribble on, and if not there will be limited-edition retro t-shirts and special posters on hand. Plus I am sure GameStop will be happy to sell you any number of overpriced used Capcom games or the just released store-exclusive Mega Man Star Force: Dragon for the DS before bugging you to reserve something. A small price to pay for a brush with gaming greatness.

Week in Games: Boogie Edition

fdemarco — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:00:00 MDT

This week's new release list is looking rather anemic with half the list being populated by Mega Man titles. I am, however, looking forward to playing Boogie as it was one of my favorite games I played at E3. It was fun, simple and made me laugh a lot. Anybody else going to check it out?

Boogie (WII)
Sing, dance and create your own videos with a great songlist.

Mega Man Star Force: Dragon (DS)
Mega Man goes the Pokemon route, releasing three slightly different versions of the same game. Dragon is exclusive to Gamestop/EB Games.

Mega Man Star Force: Leo
(DS)
Mega Man goes the Pokemon route, releasing three slightly different versions of the same game. This one is Liony.

Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus (DS)
Mega Man goes the Pokemon route, releasing three slightly different versions of the same game. This one is Pegasusy.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary (PSP)
Ms. Croft's redesigned first adventure comes to the PSP

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars (PSP)
Crazy Taxi 1 & 2 speed on to the PSP with new co-op modes and other cool stuff

Inafune Too Busy for Dead Rising 2

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 04:00:53 MDT

Mega Man and Dead Rising dude Keiji Inafune has taken a break from making games and is overseeing production. In short: he's making sure that Capcom doesn't make crap games and that up-and-coming producer Ben Judd (above) doesn't fuck up. That's swell. Good for Inafune. Good for Capcom. Good for Ben Judd. But like what about Dead Rising 2? Inafune says:

This is something we hear a lot from the press — Dead Rising 2, and we're not making it right now, but it is something I would love to make. I would love to be able to take some time off from my business-side responsibilities just to be able to produce it myself — that's how much I love the game and would love to do it. But there are a lot of things that come into play. There's staffing, there's scheduling — who's working on what — then there's budget and money, where's the money coming from? So there are a lot of small things to work out before that would even be possible... If it was announced, I might be the one back in Japan making it. That's the title that they're considering back in Capcom Japan that I would want to produce the most, out of anything they're thinking about. That's how much I really love it. But I'm very busy.

Hey, while Inafune is more than happy to dole out those Mega Man games to pretty much anyone at Capcom, he's keeping Dead Rising 2 for himself. He loves Dead Rising so hard. Mega Man, he tolerates.
Inafune Interview [Game Informer via Destructoid]

Ultimate NES Mash Up Starring Mega Man And That Kung Fu Dude

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:40:40 MDT

Take one half Kung Fu, add one half Mega Man, mix liberally with guest appearances from Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter II, Spelunker (!!!), Fantasy Zone, Urban Champion, hell even Spy vs. Spy for Christ's sake, ice it with an "Okusenman" soundtrack, sprinkle light non-gaming nerd references and you've got a YouTube micro-hit. It obviously makes no sense, but it's kind of above that, don't you think?

20th Anniversary Capcom Books Coming

Mark Wilson — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:40:02 MDT

Capcom has signed deals to produce two books based upon their most famous franchises: Street Fighter and Mega Man. From the makers of I am 8-bit, both books will commemorate 20 years in each franchise's history.

Featuring in-depth chronology of both development and cultural response, both books will feature interviews, art and loads and loads of cheat codes. OK, maybe no cheat codes. But the best part has to be the unique packaging— a classic, over-sized Nintendo sleeve (this picture is the production concept...the books won't actually be albinos). Coming in Fall 2008: the past!

Chronicle Books [via gamesetwatch]

Capcom Gets Down With Random

Mike Fahey — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:40:38 MDT

Philadelphia-born rapper Random loves him some Mega Man, so much so that he created an entire album called Mega Ran, in which he takes old-school Mega Man music and spices it up with lyrics to create some truly awesome tracks. He'll be appearing at the San Diego Comic Con next weekend live in concert, and Capcom's Scarlett has posted an interview with the artist detailing his fruitful obsession with the blue bomber. Pearls of wisdom your life can't be without.

Mega Man's plight is very similar to my own. In every Mega Man game, he faces totally insurmountable odds, giant robot armies coming from every which way. that's sorta' like me. As an educator, an artist, a producer, there generally is always an obstacle trying to prevent me from achieving a goal.

I know how he feels. As a member of the gaming press who often has to struggle to find the truth, I can totally relate to getting shot at by giant frog robots. Hit up the link to learn more that you ever needed to know about Random and Mega Ran.

Interview with rapper Random [Capcom's Scarlett - Your Girl on the Inside]

Capcom's Schedule

Brian Crecente — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:59 MDT

Capcom's got their schedule (or shhhhedule as my wife would say) posted in their forums. Lots going on besides the games. There will be appearances by Mega Man and Harvey Birdman, the producer of Ace Attorney (Minae Matsukawa) and the writer of Shade II cellphone MMO (Marv Wolfman).

There will also be some gaming tournaments, including Lost Planet on the Xbox 360 and Puzzle Fighter and non-press will get their first chance for a bit of hands on with Umbrella Chronicles and Zack and Wiki.

There will not be, I repeat NOT BE, a cage match between the new Mega Man and the old Birdman. I think a small party of me died inside. Hit the jump for the full shhhhhhhhedule.

Show hours: 10am-7pm daily, 10am - 5pm on Sunday

THURSDAY

10:00am - 2:00pm Mega Man ZX Advent costumed actor (new costume)

We got a fairly amazing new Mega Man suit, and someone's a-gonna be wearin' it. Thrill to the exciting new look of the next-gen Blue Bomber as our Mega Man poses, then possibly loiters a little, and then poses again!

11:00am - 1:00pm Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix tournament

A minute to learn, a lifetime to master. It was a big hit at e3, but this will be the gaming public's first chance to get hands-on with the classic competitive puzzling favorite. SPF2T:HD Remix has a fresh new High-Def look as well as the new "X Prime" mode, featuring all-new drop patterns and rebalanced characters, so the competition is anybody's game.

2:00pm - 4:00pm Nerdcore showcase (Ultraklystron, Nursehella, Beefy)

Day 1 of our Nerdcore parade. Check out their myspace pages to get a taste of what these alpha-nerds are cooking.

http://www.myspace.com/nursehella
http://www.myspace.com/karlrolson
http://www.myspace.com/beefynerdcore

4:30pm - 6:30pm Lost Planet XBOX 360 tournament

Q: What goes better together than Lost Planet's icey goodness and hot hot competition?
A: Nothing.

Come one, come all to our Lost Planet tournament extravaganza. Entry is first-come, first-served and space is limited, so make sure to show up early to secure your spot!

4:30pm - 5:30pm Shade autograph session featuring Shade writer Marv Wolfman, character designer Dave Daniels, and studio head Dave Dies.

Capcom's Shade II is the follow up to the first ever MMWRPG (Massively Multiplayer Wireless Role-Playing Game), Shade (let's call it "Shade 1" retroactively). Shade II's new interactive world of dark fantasy is powered by some serious talent, and we'll Capcom Interactive Canada studio head and executive producer Dave Dies, character designer Dave Daniels, and famed comics writer Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, Blade) at the booth to sign your assorted trinkets.

FRIDAY

10:00am - 2:00pm Harvey Birdman Actor

Not just ANY Harvey Birdman actor either—it's the real guy from the cartoon show. But wait—real guy from a cartoon show? Well... yes. Think back to the live-action segments of Harvey Birdman, and you've got the picture. That's the dude we'll have strutting around. He's sure to be full of hot gossip about life on the set, which he probably won't share with you.

10:00am - 2:00pm Mega Man costumed actor (new costume)

Supposing Dr. Wily hasn't caught up with him overnight, the spanking new Mega Man will be back and cold lamping at our booth.

11:00am - 1:00pm Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix tournament

Get schooled yesterday? Take another shot today. As before, space is limited!

2:00pm - 4:00pm Nerdcore showcase (The Sucklord, Ytcracker, Former Fat Boys)

Another powerpacked nerdcore lineup!

http://www.myspace.com/suckadelic
http://www.myspace.com/ytcracker
http://www.myspace.com/formerfatboys

4:30pm - 5:30pm Ace Attorney producer Minae Matsukawa autograph session

The queen of all things Ace Attorney will grace us with her presence at this Comic-Con, even deigning to sign your grubby stuff, including the show exclusive Ace Attorney posters that will be available.

4:30pm - 6:30pm Lost Planet XBOX 360 tournament

The beatings willl continue until morale improves, or at least until we've got a champion. It's another Lost Planet tournament! Each day is an independent event, so if you got knocked out (or even if you won) before, you're welcome back.

5:30pm - 6:30pm Shade autograph session featuring Shade writer Marv Wolfman, character designer Dave Daniels, and studio head Dave Dies.

Second verse, same as the first. Unfortunately for all of you, I am a Teen Titans nut, and so will be first in line to make Marv Wolfman sign everything I own until he falls over dead. No cuts.

SATURDAY

10:00am - 2:00pm Mega Man costumed actor (new costume)

That's right: the costume rides again.

11:00am - 12:00pm Ace Attorney producer Minae Matsukawa autograph session

Supposing she hasn't suffered crippling hand cramps, Matsukawa-san will return to turn your worthless junk into eBay gold with her magical signature.

11:00am - 1:00pm Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix tournament

Could be your last chance to prove your mettle amidst the dizzying highs and devastating lows of competitive Puzzle Fighting.

1:00pm - 2:00pm Ace Attorney cosplay contest judged by Cosplay.com and Ace Attorney producer Minae Matsukawa autograph session

"Objection!"s are sure to be flying as we invite all Ace Attorney cosplayers to strut their stuff for Capcom staff, the veterans from Cosplay.com, and Matsukawa-san herself. As the old saying goes, the more Franziska von Karmas, the merrier!

2:30pm - 3:30pm Random

Rap impresario Random will be spitting rhymes from his brand new Mega Man-inspired album, "Mega Ran."

4:15PM - 5:15pm Shade autograph session featuring Shade writer Marv Wolfman, character designer Dave Daniels, and studio head Dave Dies.

4:30pm - 6:30pm Lost Planet XBOX 360 tournament

Hopefully you've learned something about the game by now, but if not, I'm sure someone will show you the error of your ways again by sniping you from afar.

Sunday

11:30 -12:30 Shade Discussion Panel (Panelists: Dave Dies, Dave Daniels, Marv Wolfman, Erik Ko, Joe Ng, with Moderator Rob Pereyda. Also attending: Mike Larson, Mario DeGovia, Andy Rolleri). In Convention Center Room 4.

Join us on Sunday, July 29th from 11:30pm to 12:30pm for a panel with Marv Wolfman, in convention center room 4. The panel will discuss all things Shade related, but specifically Shade II, the follow up to the first ever MMWRPG (Massively Multiplayer Wireless Role-Playing Game), Shade. Shade II is a brand-new interactive world of dark fantasy by Capcom Interactive Canada studio head and executive producer Dave Dies, character designer Dave Daniels and famed comics writer Marv Wolfman (Teen Titans, Blade) designed to show the world just how fun (and addicting) the world of mobile gaming can be. Look for the official Shade novel and graphic novel in March 2008 from Prima Games. Marv Wolfman's appearance is made possible by Prima Games, an imprint of Random House, Inc.

1:30pm - 3:00pm Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo EVO Finals

The infamous EVO Championship Series is holding their EVO West qualifier at the Omni hotel during Comic-Con, and will be taking the old school action to the Capcom booth as the finalists on old-school favorite Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo battle for big money in Capcom's boxing ring.

3:30pm - 4:30pm Street Fighter Exhibition against EVO tournament pros

Like to talk trash about your Street Fightin-skills? You know you do! Now it's time to step up and take your shot against some of the best in the world for fame and prizes. A selection of EVO specialists will be on hand to administer beatdowns and protect their precious treasure trove. Take them out and win a prize. Step up and take your best shot!

Mega Man, Frank West Visit Lost Planet

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:40:39 MDT

Capcom dropped word with us today that the PC version of its third-person shooter Lost Planet will be getting a feature rich update next week. The July 20th update, an automatic patch, will add Mega Man, Dead Rising's Frank West and Joe from Lost Planet as playable characters. In addition, the PC version will also see some new options, including a Resident Evil 4-style over-the-shoulder view and a "wide" camera option. But wait, there's more.

Four new (to the PC) maps will also be available for download with the PC Map Pack #1 featuring Radar Field, Island 902, Hive Complex and Trial Point. The four maps will also be free for Xbox 360 gamers on the same day. Thanks, Capcom. We owe you one.

Dozens of shots of the new characters, optional views and a look at the new list of connected players in multiplayer mode are in our gallery below.