So Long 200X… Hello 20XX
If you’re anything of a Mega Man fan, the ambiguous dating system of the series should be very familiar to you. For example, the Battle Network series takes place in 200X. The X series occurs through 21XX. Star Force kicks in at 22XX. Legends… honestly, I don’t really know; I think they used the Mayan Long Count in that one, or something.
Now, returning back to the original Mega Man, we have the first three games taking place in 200X. Then starting with Mega Man 4, the games moved into 20XX, much like we’re doing now. Why the change in the games? Perhaps once Capcom got to working on 4, they realized there probably wouldn’t be cute, child-shaped robots running around by the year 2000. I am pretty let down myself. Instead of Mega Man, we got ASIMO. Instead of Robot Masters, we got smartphones. Instead of Dr. Wily, we got Bernie Madoff. Man, real life is never as interesting – though I do think we should still keep our eyes on Dr. Weil (no disrespect sir).
But now that 200X is wrapping up, we need to look forward to 20XX. Capcom is definitely pledging to start things out on a high note be delivering us Mega Man 10. I really have high hopes for this game. While Mega Man 9 was largely an effort in reverse engineering the earlier Mega Man titles to see what made them fun, I think Mega Man 10 will serve as an opportunity to really implement the lessons they learned. Furthermore, while not exactly a Mega Man game, the fast approaching Tatsunoko vs. Capcom will allow us to jump into some insane brawls as Roll, Zero and MegaMan Volnutt. Should be a game that fighting fans with a warm spot for Mega Man won’t want to miss.
I did consider a list of my picks for top Mega Mans in 200X, but lists are often made to get criticized and picked apart, and then you end up forgetting some things. Furthermore, the New Year is about looking forward, not looking back. And being the dreamer that I am, here are some games I think would really rock in 20XX.
- MegaMan Legends 3 – I’m gunning for this pretty much because it’s all people seem to ask Inafune about anymore. Actually I did write an article some time back predicting that Legends 3 would be announced by the end of the decade, though I think I meant the end of 2010. Either way Capcom is making me look like a sucker on this one. But I know it’s coming. There’s no way Inafune will be able to retire without getting to this game. The series has a following that seems to grow more with each year. Games have progressed enough technologically that Legends 3 could be much more effectively made. And c’mon, MegaMan got left on freakin’ Elysium. Don’t you feel awful yet?
- The ultimate Mega Man game – I’m more than happy with classic Mega Man’s revival on the downloadble scene. I love the simplicity, I love the 8bit, I love the tight, arcade action. But why not just cut to the chase and dump it all in one, magnificent game? All the Robot Masters, all the weapons, tons of stages. The disc based games of today can hold gigs of content. Could have some more modern graphics, though it doesn’t have to be anything cutting edge. And to top it all off, how about some local multiplayer? How great would it be for friends to be blasting through stage after stage together? Could throw in lots of playable characters: Mega Man, Proto Man, Roll, Bass, Duo… maybe even some new guys?
- Zero in motion – Some of the other TMMN guys don’t agree with me on this one, but I totally think Zero is ready for his Motion Plus debut. The Wii has more than enough proven to be an entertainment phenomenon by now. Why let Nintendo run away with all the one-to-one swordplay action with their next Zelda? A 3D, action Zero game with Motion Plus hack and slash action would be extremely awesome. There are definitely enough Zero fans out there, I know that much just from the reaction he got in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Even Inafune regards Zero as one of his most beloved characters. How could this go bad?
I can always wish, anyway. 20XX is only going to be around for 90 years, so I guess we’ll see what Capcom has time for. Regardless, I’m sure they already have plenty of ideas stewing for Mega Man’s upcoming 25th and 30th anniversaries that will greet us this decade (and thinking of those makes me feel very old).
This may just be the passing of another year for some, but to me, entering 20XX is a big deal. Among my resolutions for this brave new decade, I resolve to actually learn Japanese and stop making up the news. I also resolve to say 20% less demeaning things to Tabby. But most of all, I resolve not to let Mega Man have it any easier.
Thanks for the inspiration, Mateo.
Filed under: Editorials
“How could this go bad? ”
I shook my head after reading this. >_<
But yeah… don't be expecting any big production Megaman games. They will all be low budget from here on out. Enjoy your 8-bit sequels and EXE rehashes.
Pfft, the Zero series ended beautifully. Either port a remake, or leave it alone, I say.
@Skittle
I think when he referred to a Zero hack and slash game, he was probably referring to the X-series version of Zero which would be AWESOME!!!!
@Heat Man
I don’t know about Elysium, but I was more disappointed that Mega Man was left out of Super Smash Bros Brawl and as you mentioned with a compilation game, I personally would rather see one of two things happen:
1) Put Mega Man in a new Super Smash Bros. Title
or
2) Make a Smash Bros Style fighting game exclusively with Mega Man characters duking it out. You have over 130 characters to potentially use (Main Characters, the Robot Masters, heck even X or Zero as cameos) I just think that this would RULE!!!
I say we bring more EXE fun that we were left out on (arcades, 4.5, the cellphone games..)
‘Sides, we got those PET collectables, right? I’m sure an ASIMO to mod INTO a PET (or at least a PET app), mimicking those EXE5 PETs, with use of the Takara Battle Chips, assuming they are still around in hobby stores.
Also: The Droid could be “The Perfect PET”. Capcom just needs to buy the dern rights already. We are already living on WiFi.. just a matter of time before EXE somehow happens and we survive past 2012.
So, does this mean I’ll be getting chocolates and flowers from now on Heat?
@Skittle: It could be either Zero really, doesn’t matter to me. And honestly, a Motion Plus game could work with a lot of their franchises well, such as Dead Rising. But being this is a Mega Man themed article, that’s the direction I decided to go with it. It’s not even that I have a big love of Zero, but I know the guy’s popular and a one-to-one swordplay game with him would legitimately be fun if it offered a lot of action. Doesn’t matter to me how they do the game. It could, for example, be another take on the original Mega Man X, that covers what Zero was doing while X was taking care of his stuff.
@Tabby: Oh, I suppose. Did you get my lunch done yet?
True, there are no real humanoid robots walking around, but then you could say the same thing about the Jetsons. Where are our flying cars? Where are our moving walkways? (Outside of Airports of course).
@My previous comment: But I just remembered that Zero didn’t have his saber at that point…
I agree with Heat Man about the ultimate Megaman game. I also like the 8-bit games too, but I would like to see a classic Megaman game in todays gen standards. It could have some Little Big Planet and New Super Mario Bros. Wii co-op feel to it witht the perfect team. Mega, Proto, Duo, and Bass, could even throw the Mega Killers as hidden characters.
I also think that Megaman should be in Smash Bros. too or a Smash-like Megaman game.
What, no hope for a new ZX title?
It could happen. They could bounce back. ZXA wasn’t -that- bad.
…
*crawls over to the nearest corner and cries, cradling his copy of ZX*
Rock… on…. ;_;
Haha, good look with that Zero game. I’m sure you have seen Inafune’s infamous quote when Megaman X Command Mission was proposed to him. A big, exclamated, no.
Besides, Zero is his baby creation that he prides more than X!
Good luck with learning Japanese. It’ll be hard, but it is an awesome and fun language to learn. I’ve taught myself for over 2 years now. It takes quite a while, but at this point, with some tools, I can translate some things. So, it is possible to learn Japanese pretty well in just a decade. がんばって！
@Tayo: 冗談だったね。
I’ll just drop in and say that I agree with what someone said earlier; leave the Zero series games alone
Its the ONLY MEGAMAN SERIES TO HAVE HAD A PROPER CLOSING
The ultimate mega man game idea sounds awesome. I hope they do something like that. I would love it.
Legends 3….ah, just ****. I remember something about 8XXX for Legends, but didn’t Perfect Memories clarify the timeline as 52/53XX?
I don’t know what the Ultimate Mega Man game is supposed to be. I wouldn’t exactly look for those qualities if I were to envision it, but…whatever.
And Zero taking advantage of the WM+ could really be threading a needle. AFAIK, Nintendo’s said just about nothing of Zelda Wii since E3. Don’t know for SURE if it’ll utilize WM+; probably will, but just how it works in a third person perspective remains to be seen. I disapproved of Twilight Princess on Wii, but certainly can’t count Nintendo out without having seen the new game yet. If Capcom were to attempt this, the key would be to kick back and watch how Nintendo executes it. Capcom just doesn’t have the same chops they used to, so that’d be helpful to them.
Of course, I doubt they’re thinking of anything like that….
Who says Megaman 3 didn’t take place in 2007? It’s fiction, and should be left as that… What? It’s like the only purpose of the XX in the date is to leave it anonymous until a date when the actual megaman is created… Why not continue 200X? It’s a fictional story, and I see no need for it to change… for the longest time, the date has always been 200X, so, are all the older megaman games now incorrectly dated? Did Capcom really think robots would become mass produced, and operation in peoples homes by 2009? Metal Gear Solid 2 took place in 2008 if I’m not mistaken…
Anyway, my point is, it’s only a date… now that 200X has officially passed, Capcom should go about and give us an actual year… then, in 190 years, give us the exact years of the megaman X games? And, repeat with Megaman Legends in year 9000.
If they’re going to keep it ambiguous, you may as well assume the events of the megaman series happened before 2010. I mean.. we’re not going to get a date anyway, and all the games before hand said 200X, while the X series specifically said 21XX.. So, let’s leave it at that… We’ve out-dated the Jetsons, who are from the future of the year of…. 2002….. Just… let it go.
あけましておめでとうございます。
20% less demeaning things to tabby?
So I take it’s at least less than 200% now?
Capcom will never give Megaman a budget. These are great ideas, but we are Capcom’s most screwed fans.
@Shake
Battle Network would like to have a word with you.
Sigh. I’m disgusted with what capcom is doing to megaman. Instead of giving us a true next gen megaman game, they give us a cheap 8 bit game that should have come out 20 years ago. And a crappy remake of the worst battle network game in the series. I would absolutely love to see megaman legends 3 or a smash bros. style megaman fighting game. Hell I’ll even take that zero game with wii motion plus for his z saber. Anything besides what their doing with megaman now. I would love to see:
megaman legends 3
megaman battle network 7
megaman 11 (with megaman 8 graphics please)
megaman X9
megaman X command mission 2
megaman network transmission 2
megaman ZX3
megaman zero 5
megaman star force 4
megaman powered up 2
megaman maverick hunter X2
megaman fighting game (smash bros. style)
If capcom can’t make at least two of these games, then they should just stop making megaman games all together. Also how can you guys say the zero series had a proper ending when zero supposedly died at the end and ciel was left to cry her eyes out for him!? That’s not what I call a good ending.
I want Maverick Hunter X 2 for PSP or the ultimate Mega Man game, but
for the ultimate mega man game capcom needs ton of ideas….
50 Level are ok or more.
@bryon
That’s what one calls a SAD ending. not all endings have to be good
I thought Zero 4 had a perfect ending. And it was “bittersweet,” not “happy” or “sad.”
I liked the Zero series ending, at least it has a damn ending =/
A new Zero game is the only game I wouldn’t want to see from Capcom. Unless it was a spin-off like the one mentioned in the article. It’s fine as long as it doesn’t take place after Zero 4.
It sounds kinda weird but, I liked the way the Zero series ended except for one thing, Ciel never got to see Zero’s helmet laying there so it kinda makes me feel kinda bad that she never got closure as to what happened to him. I mean yeah even then it was one of the most epic video game endings ever right next to Zero’s originally canon death in X5 but still, it woulda been nice.
I recently got one of those toy PET consoles with a few battle chips.
I can’t find any 3 volt watch batteries around, though.