The Mystery of Wily Castle’s Pipe
We blew your mind with the “Capcom Hand,” and now it’s time to present another wild peculiarity of Mega Man. So what could be so baffling and incredibly mysterious that you need to drop everything you’re doing and read this right now or else you’ll die? It’s… a pipe! Ok, maybe it’s not that awe-inspiring. But it is a curious element that has found its way into many Mega Man games, and you may never have even noticed.
What is the pipe? I don’t know, really. But it’s been featured on nearly every one of Dr. Wily’s fortresses. However, it actually got its start with Dr. Light’s laboratory.
Here is the first time we witness “the pipe.” And sure, it seems pretty underwhelming. What could it be? Maybe it’s a chimney? Maybe it’s an air duct? Maybe it’s a vent for the commode? Truth be told, as a kid, I always thought it was half of the Magnet Beam stuck to the side of the house, for whatever mindless reason. So whatever it is, certainly there’s nothing really special about it. But it would return.
Here’s the first time we see it on Dr. Wily’s castle, from Mega Man 2, but it will be far from the last. Whatever this pipe is for, it’s not just necessary for small homes, but for huge fortresses of peril too!
Mega Man 3, another new fortress, and the pipe returns. Its shape and color tend to very, but it’s virtually always at the same angle and located on the same side of the structure.
On Wily’s snowfield fortress in Mega Man 4, the pipe is rather pronounced. Maybe this is just a smaller castle overall?
Wily’s castle in Mega Man 5 does not feature the pipe, but it’s also one of the stranger looking castles. Maybe it’s just somewhere out of sight… This castle also has no background elements, which makes it kind of depressing looking.
The pipe returns in Mega Man 6, showing that even Japanese style buildings seem to require it. Now perhaps you’re saying, so what? Wily’s castles feature a number of repeating elements, such as skulls, cannons and satellite dishes. This is true, and I don’t think there’s anything super special about the pipe. But why does such an insignificant structure appear so frequently? Why the intention to include it as much as possible? We’re far from done here.
The pipe jumps to 16-bit in Mega Man 7, looking almost out of place on this otherwise symmetrical fortress.
Mega Man 8′s fortress does not feature the pipe, but again, this is a pretty weird one. It has a lot of tiny little details as well, so maybe it’s still hidden in there, somewhere.
Dr. Wily’s castle in Mega Man 9 also does not feature the pipe, and this really blew me away when I was investigating this. With all the little nuances of classic Mega Man that Mega Man 9 picked up, I figured surely the pipe would be here! But sadly, this castle does not possess it. I suppose they just forgot to make it.
Now we reach Mega Man 10, and the pipe returns! Over 20 years later and this element is still recognized! Clearly there’s some kind of meaning behind it! However, there are yet more games. The pipe also makes its appearances in the Game Boy series.
This one is so small and blended in I almost overlooked it. It’s really hidden in there.
Mega Man II for Game Boy is remiss of the pipe, but it’s featured again in Mega Man III.
And in Mega Man IV, not only does it appear once…
but twice! Apparently, even spaceships need this mysterious architectural element.
The pipe really sticks out here, in this scene in Mega Man V that completely rips off Star Wars (and heck, the ship is called the Wily Star, even). This is the only case the pipe appears on the left side, but it probably had to be with how the scene is set up.
The pipe even shows up in a couple more obscure games.
Here we see it in Mega Man: The Wily Wars. It seems put in as almost an afterthought.
And finally, here it is in Mega Man’s Soccer. I like that this design also incorporates a soccer ball.
Once again, I really have no idea what the pipe is supposed to be, but I doubt it’s anything special. But for whatever reason, the developers at Capcom thought it was important to put such a simple thing on nearly every Dr. Wily castle. And I truly doubt we’ve seen the last of the pipe. The next Mega Man game that comes out, keep your eyes peeled!
Thanks to AWD! for the header art, and Sprites INC for nearly all the Wily Castle images.
Tags: castle, Dr. Wily, mystery, pipe
Filed under: Editorials
Slow news day, eh?
WOW. I seriously never noticed that. That is some weird stuff. It’s got to be a hidden easter egg for the fans.
lol, I never noticed that…
My mind, it has been blown.
Look inside my ears, just taken a peek. Do You see anything in there?
No? Well that because you have just blown my mind.
Mirumoto Meta: What, we’re not allowed to think of anything on our own?
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
That is awesome. Just wow.
You’re like Indiana Jones in the number of times you’ve made these big archeological finds.
I also never noticed that. Pretty amusing.
Megaman 8 does have it. but it is form down to up sideways instead of doen sideways to up. Its near the left side, near the ye of the skull
Interesting, love this “hidden” things.
It’s totally an exhaust pipe that filters out any non-evil things, and well for Dr Light’s case, evil things.
So Meaning Dr.Light is evil too… maybe it was him all along on part 10…Be Careful Mega man Dr. Light is really evil…Dr.Wily has changed
I hope this ends like the finger article.
omg mm8 doesnt have the easter egg so i think it sucks omg
The pipe makes perfect sense, if you think about it.
The saucer’s got to have SOME kind of easy escape route.
Mega Man 8 has two potential pipes, although I’m not sure if they were supposed to represent the iconic pipe.
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/3927/mm8pipes.png
Great story, bro!
It’s probably just an exhaust pipe, but the way it seems to look exactly the same (and even faces the same direction) does make me think there might be an in-joke at Capcom or something.
how…. how did you guys even manage to pick up this little detail??? its amazing
In regards to Megaman 8 not having the pipe. Before you enter the castle, wasnt the intro of the castle done in 3d shots? maybe it was in one of those shots the pipe was in?
Amazing, it was also cool to see how the designs of Castle Wily changed over time.
@boyle2: I actually do think both MM5 and MM8 are pretty weak games, and neither of them feature the pipe!
One could argue that Wave Man’s stage being a gigantic pipe stage is the reason they didn’t need to add insult to injury.
Okay…? Pipes does this hint something or is this one of those quirky moments where you are so immersed in the games you notice all the little details. I dub this pipe the neverending oddd placing syndrome.
Im baffled by this discover, but it does seem as if some of the staff of the Megaman Network are little bored. ‘o’
See, I’ve always noticed the satellite dishes that appear in many of the Wily Castles…but you guys have taken it one step further and revealed the Wily Castle Pipe.
My hunger for all things obscure has once again been satiated. ^_^
I figured out the secret of Mega Man 9, the Wily Castle doesn’t have the pipe.
I keep telling people Dr. Wily has been smoking some of that S*** why do you guys think he’s all wacky and so bent on taking over the world? lol.
The next MegaMan art books will solely be on the design of Pipes!
The next issue of Megamix will be pushed to December because of it…
Found it
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/2566/mm8pipe.png
Maybe it’s the Willy’s Waste Disposal Pipe….
Smells bad.
X_X
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling..
I never played the first Megaman game because it was released 2 years before I was born (the series is even older than me!), which is why I haven’t found any reoccurring features till recently. First, the Mega Man finger phenomenon, and now the Wily fortress pipe! What’s next?! Sure I saw the “Capcom hand” waaay before I read the finger phenomenon article, but I didn’t realize that they used it on a lot of characters, especially the bosses!
Hmmmmm. Strange, but interesting. I wonder what else we can find in the games.
Wow… never knew Mega Man Soccer had a Wily Castle.
Hey! Look at the Mega Man 9 Wily castle screenshot to the right just on top of the front bone! To me, it looks like a gray and red snake with red sunglasses, or an inedible gummy worm. LOL What do YOU think?
I could be wrong, but it might be the “pipe”, only in a similar position as the pipe in the Mega Man 8 Wily castle screenshot to the skull’s right just behind the little satellite dish. I have a tendency to look over every little thing so as not to overlook anything, and I almost never overlook stuff. I guess I’m a slow, but good finder thanks to my OCD.
Everyone and their mother already knew about the hand thing.
But this pipe find is great. Keep up the good work, TMMN.
Oi, since this website helped bring the “Capcom Hand” to the forefront (something I’ve always wondered about myself), I’ll help out by giving you some insight into the mysterious pipe.
It’s not too surprising that folks born in the West wouldn’t get it, but Heat Man got it right with his guess. It’s a chimney. Actually, a cheap, improvised chimney made out of aluminum tubing or the like. I’ve seen a few myself back in the olden days.
As for why does it appear in Wily castles? Well, where I’m from, they were ususally found in the homes and businesses of the poor or the elderly who couldn’t afford much better.
So I suppose it’s a comic irony that Wily, even in his high-tech fortresses, would be adding such a primitive object.
WHOA! LOVE THE SPACESHIP!!!
Don’t you know, it’s part of Wily’s escape mechanism. d=
All of the castles have a skull on them too.
thats shopped, i can tell from the pixels.
i just waisted 6 minutes of my life reading this article
The only thing i can think of is a bathroom. Also maybe someone can check as to whom created these castles. I wouldn’t be surprised if a different artist was responsible for the ones that didnt have the pipe.
Heh, you guys should check out Mega Man 6, The Mr.X castle then. At the Right bottom of the screen you will see something way cool.
Yet another element I shall incorperate in my fangame…….
wow so what. its a **** pipe. it isnt even on every castle, so who cares?