Nintendo Power’s Legendary Preview
The new issue of Nintendo Power arrived in the mail yesterday, and as those of you who have seen the Sonic Generations-adorned cover know, it also contains something about Mega Man Legends 3 within, as well.
We didn’t expect there to be much new information within, given the general transparency of the development process via the Mega Man Legends 3 Project Devroom, but as usual, Chris Hoffman and the NP crew seem to have managed to dig up quite a bit of extra dirt on the upcoming Nintendo 3DS release. Following are some of the new details we’ve managed to glean from the six-page feature.
But first, as a quick aside, I’m not 100 percent certain of everything which has been said (versus shown) so far, which means there may be some overlap of information we know with additional details. For example, we know of Barrett and his flaming kick and rapid-fire attacks, but here we learn that the item which allows for the flaming kick is called “Volcanic Leggings,” while the weapon is known as the “Burst Spreader.”
But what many people have been wondering is how the new game will control. The 3DS lacks dual-analog sticks, not to mention having half as many shoulder buttons as the PlayStation console which birthed the series. It sounds like movement will be handled in a more normal fashion, via the Circle Pad (of course), and shooting will– surprisingly– be handled by the R button. And in Barrett’s case, melee attacks will be handled with the A button, while Y enables his dash move, which can also go up walls.
Speaking of Barrett, his role at this point “helps introduce newcomers to the series through a pair of fresh eyes.” In other words, we can probably expect people who have not played the first two games to learn their stories past from Roll, Tron, and the others.
Those who have thrown a fit over the possibility of MegaMan being usurped in his own title need not worry, though. Producer Tatsuya Kitabayashi explains that while the Blue Bomber of the far future is still the Mega Man in the moon, “we do, of course, intend to make him playable along with Barrett for the main game.”
For missions, it appears that the developers have so far included rescuing citizens from Reaverbots, racing other members of the Bright Bats through the streets of Klicklan Island’s Teomo City, escorting Aero to various locations, and fighting a rival gang leader named Bullbreath.
Oh, and the scenes we’ve witnessed with Barrett and his bike covered in Servbots? It turns out that is part of a timed fetch quest, in which you are sent to retrieve the little rascals.
An interesting twist comes from the Bright Bats not getting along with the local police. The twist itself is that the chief is the father of Bright Bat member Aero! Furthermore, he enlists Roll to construct the “Anti-Rider Crusader,” or “ARC1,” to take down the entire lot.
This leads to an on-rails shooting segment, in which your goal is to fend off the machine while blowing it apart, piece by piece. Roll also demonstrates a more aggressive side here, as she uses the ARC1 to throw nearby cars at you. Hope their insurance is paid up…
As one would expect from a Legends game, going into underground ruins also makes a return. In this case, Roll needs the refractors found within for the rocket they are trying to complete to rescue MegaMan. That is where Barrett encounters Tron in her new Devroom-designed mech, which boasts a whip, “powerful projectiles,” and electrical attacks, the latter making it especially dangerous to stand ankle-deep in water.
Going underground also reveals the existence of an artifact called the “Klicke Lafonica,” also known as the “fire of all creation,” which is integral to the game’s plot.
The article also points out what many others already have: that Barrett bears a resemblance to Roll’s grandfather Barrell in both looks (the face-covering metal plates) and name. But now, we now learn that Barrell has apparently been missing for a while. Could there possibly be a connection after all?
Finally, there have been concerns about Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version being nothing more than a paid demo, which many have found unacceptable. However, besides featuring most of the content discussed above, Kitabayashi notes that it “is not a demo.”
“It features quite a few original missions as well as a lot of content that won’t be in the main game,” he continues, “and I can guarantee its value well exceeds its price. You can download the game for approximately the price of one smartphone app, so I hope that even those with concerns download it and give it a try.”
In addition to the above information (along with screens, art, and a nice shot of Elysium), there is a full-page interview with Producer Tatsuya Kitabayashi, Devroom Community Liaison Greg Moore, and the recently-departed Capcom Community Manager Joveth Gonzalez.
Plus, the rest of the magazine has plenty of cool stuff on the Shinobi revival for Nintendo 3DS, Sonic Generations and the Blue Blur’s 20th anniversary, Cave Story 3D, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the third part of their ongoing The Legend of Zelda retrospective, La-Mulana for WiiWare, and much more. So keep an eye out, as this issue should be hitting newsstands any day now!
Tags: Capcom, Mega Man Legends, Mega Man Legends 3, Nintendo Power, Rockman DASH, Rockman DASH 3
Filed under: Mega Man News
This is gold! Man, I wish my brother hadn’t canceled his subscription to Nintendo Power…I’d gladly buy two copies so I can cut the article out for my scrapbook! XD
Woah, so Roll is kind of an enemy in this?
Wacky!
PStart: She was an enemy in Mega Man Legends 2 as well.
Seriously, what was she thinking, selling off my Shining Laser… AND my helmet…
And then when you try to get a little payback, she knocks the crud out of you.
So wait, we’ll be able to keep on playing as Barrett in the actual Legends 3? Sweet.
The whole thing’s giving me a Kingdom Hearts II vibe…
OZKai: You’re only getting that now? I’ve gotten that vibe the instant Barrett was revealed. =P
The difference, though, is that you’ll still be able to play as Barrett even after Volnutt has become playable. It’s kinda cool, though. I actually did always wonder what it would be like if the Legends series had its own “red badass” (e.g. Proto Man, Zero, etc.).
Wait so we can’t play as Volnutt in the demo?
The hell?
@HeatPhoenix
If Mega Man was rescued early on, demo early, it was take the anticipation out of everything.
I would think the past decade would have been enough anticipation already.
Roll kicking the crap out of Barrett… Just like in my dreams… <3
I need this issue pronto!!
@HeatPhoenix
MegaMan Legends X7 / Rockman DASH X7 is awaiting you.
Wow, we get to fight Roll this time? Awesome.
Can’t wait to get this month’s NP to check all this out for myself.
Odd… Roll chucking innocent civilians’ cars at Barrett doesn’t sound like something she’d do. But I guess she’s got the police chief’s clearance to do that (which is also weird), so she’s cool with it.
I get why Mega Man isn’t playable for story purposes, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth that Barrett’s the only playable character in the upcoming MEGA MAN Legends 3 demo. Recalls bad memories of Mega Man X7 and, to a lesser extent, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (but that’s a slightly different story). Either way, I couldn’t really care less about Barrett as a playable character… just give me Mega Man. That’s when all the Legends 3 anticipation will REALLY pay off.
Interesting that the R button is mapped to shooting — that makes it control more like a traditional third-person action-adventure game like, say, Uncharted. Didn’t expect them to go that route.
I’m liking all the plot mysteries (Barrell missing, the possible Barrell/Barrett connection, the Fire of All Creation, etc.) already. I just hope they don’t forget to address the mystery of the Elder System after all this time and tie Legends 3′s plot back into the overall series plot from Legends 1 and 2.
Can’t wait for the Prototype Version. Hopefully we get a new release date soon!
Knowing what we do, I think its clear that Prototype Version ISN’T just a demo. Hell… the Japanese title is “Rockman DASH 3: The Prologue” so I’d classify this more as a side game like Misadventures of Tron Bonne.
And besides, which would you prefer? A side game starring and introducing a new protagonist, leading up to the main character’s rescue… OR HAVING TO “UNLOCK” MEGAMAN IN THE MAIN GAME?
All this talk of “Oh no, it’s another X7!” are getting sillier every day :p
Barrett = Barrel
Totally calling it. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, FOLKS.
If Trigger isn’t playable from the offset of the main game I will NOT be pleased. 2 playables is fine (even if I dont like it), but by GOD we better not have to wait to play Trigger.
@Mister_X
Yeah, I’m gonna agree with you. I wonder how, though. Some weird time travel loophole? Or secret exposure to the Fire of All Creation (which seems like, you know, “life”)?
@TheRedPriest
I’m right there with you, but sadly, I think we will have to wait to play as Trigger. It seems like they’re making his rescue and subsequent availability in the game a major plot point, instead of starting with him already rescued.
It also would have been nice to play as him while he’s still on Elysium, but I suppose that’s still possible.
I hope we can change the controls, I’d rather have melee on R and then shoot on Y… and Dash on B.
Shooting with R? I thought it would use Y, like the old legends controls. And X is what I thought we would use for melee. Dashing with A is what I thought too. I seriously wonder how the turning will work or if it will even EXIST.
Given the lack of two other shoulder buttons, wonder if you can still the legendary game breaker technique of strafing enemy around in circle and shooting them
Personal opinion? I’ll bet Barrett winds up being a prototype of Barrell, or vice versa, playing off of the “Prototype Version” name.
The camera probably follows you in the direction you are turning. Or the you use the cross pad that is on on the touch screen in a couple of somewhat revealing pictures on the Dash 3 site.
Forget the “KHII” vibe, this whole set-up screams DMC4 to me.
And that’s a good thing.
Sounds pretty dang good to me!