Fan-Made Mega Man 9 HD Remix

For those out there who bemoan the 8-bit retro chic look of Mega Man 9 and 10, I’d just like to point this out to you: it could be worse. Of course I don’t mean to disparage the work of Eric Ruth, the man behind this fan-made HD remake of Mega Man 9, and also known for doing an 8-bit rendition of Left 4 Dead (I’m starting to see a theme here). Having watched the video, I can attest this is a pretty skillfully made recreation of Galaxy Man’s stage.

Eric is not planning on finishing this project, having concern about legal repercussions from Capcom. I don’t see too much of an issue, although I think Mega Man 9 is pretty much fine the way it is. But I know there are those who want it in HD regardless. Of course to be truly HD, it’d need a lot more cut scenes.

News Credit: GoNintendo

Inafune Would Like to Make Mega Man Game with the Fans, Responds to MM9 Mystery

As promised, Capcom has come through with the second batch of questions for Mega Man mastermind Keiji Inafune, as posed by members of the Capcom Unity.

6) Snppls asks:

What is your stance on fan made material? Like fanart, sprite comics, remixes, fangames or the Rockman movie currently in production in the US. Do you like it that fans are so into your creation or does it bother you that they are using copyrighted material? Do you watch it sometimes or sometimes even get ideas from it?

Inafune: I totally welcome all sorts of Mega Man-inspired-art created by the fans. I really would like to create a game with the fans. I have had the desire since the Robot Master Contest, and the fans’ Mega Man art come from the same inspiration. In reality, there are copyright issues and that puts me on a tough position as a member of a company, but I truly believe that Mega Man has come this far with warm supports from the passionate fans and their creative art work.

7) Samuel asks:

Will there be a new megaman anime series from the Starforce side, Battlenetwork side, or the megaman operate starforce? (Please answer I’ve been waiting for some new megaman animated goodness)

Inafune: I am ready to witness exciting Mega Man action in the animation, too. I would love to try it out when I have a chance, and in fact, I have been thinking about specific ideas on this, too. I will do my best to make this happen and hope to surprise you with the news. We will definitely need your support to make this happen!

ibehv asks:

Why is zero’s appearance in megaman zero different from his appearance in megaman x?

Inafune: Zero is one of the most important characters for me. Initially, Zero was created for the Mega Man X fans as well as for fans new to the series. But rather than making a game with Zero as a main character in the established storyline, we wanted to create a brand new storyline for him with a completely new game design. Thus, Zero you all know now was born. The story of the Mega Man Zero game also tells you the secret behind the Zero’s appearance change. So if you haven’t played the game yet, please try it out!

9) The Blue Badger asks:

What direction would you like to see the Mega Man franchise go in the future?

Inafune: I’ve never stopped thinking about the future of Mega Man series! I want more people to get to know Mega Man and fall in love with it. And I am always thinking about the best way to attract more people to play the game. But instead of us guiding you the direction where we go, I would collaborate with the fans and decide where we go. It would be fantastic if you and we can together create a new direction for Mega Man.

10) Monochrome Twist asks:

What are the chances of us seeing a Mega Man Powered Up 2?

Inafune: Many people have asked us about that. I too feel very passionate about making it happen. But as a reality, there are so many things I want to do and Mega Man Powered Up 2 is one of the projects that is still patiently waiting for its turn…

11) Zepper asks:

It’s been 1 year since the release of Mega Man 9, but until then, we’re inside an endless quest for something “extra”. Even with a lot of recorded gameplays, tricks and so on, it’s said there’s still an undiscovered secret or a little surprise. Could you point us to a certain direction?

Inafune: Well, let me think… I am guessing that most of the tricks and secrets have been discovered by now as there are so many good players out there and they have revealed their great Mega Man 9 skills. So I would rather love to see you try it out and surprise me with your cool techniques and hidden elements! Very looking forward to seeing that!

Hmm, so even Inafune himself doesn’t know. Very curious, indeed.

MM9 Remix Project is Back in Blue

It’s been quite some time since we last covered OverClocked ReMix’s Mega Man 9 Remix Project, but I’m happy to say that this time the news is good.

Despite his earlier reported hard drive crash, Sixto Sounds is back on board to bring his rocking guitar stylings to Plug Electric and Flash in the Dark. I apologize in advance for your socks because, when the time comes, he will rock them clean off.

With the addition of a new artist named Ralph Vickers, the missing tracks are filling out and we’ll supposedly have a new release date to look forward to very soon. The project has also finally been given a name. The album will be called “Back in Blue”.

As always, you can check out the album’s official site here as well as the thread on the OCR forums. And don’t forget to grab the teaser while you’re at it.

A Look Back at the Classic Openings of Mega Man

The classic 8-bit opening sequences of the Mega Man games for the Nintendo Entertainment System are some of the most memorable in video games, especially among fans. Who doesn’t get a little excited when they recognize the music which plays as the camera pans up what appears to be the largest tower in the city, atop which stands the Blue Bomber, ready to spring into action as his high speed theme song kicks in?

1up’s Retro Blog takes a recalls these opening sequences in 8-Bit Cinema: A Look Back at Mega Man’s Motivations, from the rather blunt title screen which appears when you turn on the first game to the eye-rolling revelation that Mr. X was the true mastermind behind Wily in Mega Man 6.

By the time Mega Man 4 rolled around, the NES was capable of some pretty heroic graphics. A little movie explaining the origin of Mega Man preceded the title screen, and it was epic for my ten-year-old mind to behold. Suddenly, the little blue robot had humanity, purpose, and a history.

Of course, he had all that in Japan from day one, while America just got box art starring the Chupacabra. Nevertheless, I still love the train-riding bit, complete with tunnel lights whizzing by. Tickets? Mega Man’s on a mission to save the world. Shove your tickets.

To this, Capcom responds “Chupacabra indeed. Of course, we can’t all be perfect and there are some bad apples in the bunch (Mega Man 3, where you at?).”

That said, which Mega Man openings are your favorites? I’m partial to Mega Man 2’s, though Mega Man 4’s origin story was delightful.

Personally, I’d love to know what might have been for Mega Man 3, had they opted to create one for it.

Capcom’s New Mega Merchandise

New Mega Man merchandise is on its way to Blue Bomber fans across North America, and the Capcom*Unity offers a sneak peek. From Chris Kramer:

Dunno about you, but as a Mega Fan, I’m constantly jealous of all the killer Blue Bomber goods produced in Japan that are near-impossible to find in North America. That’s why I’m very happy to bring you a preview of some Mega Merch currently in production by new Capcom licensee FAB Starpoint. FAB Starpoint are in the process of signing distribution deals with retailers across the continent (hopefully including our own Capcom eStore), with an eye towards the products reaching your hot little hands in the beginning of the year. As a bonus, the folks from FAB Starpoint will also be checking the comments on this blog post to see which items you liked. Also, if you’ve got any clever ideas for Capcom-themed stationary/baggage items you’d like to see made, toss ‘em out in the comments.

Note that FAB Starpoint is perhaps less likely to check our comments here at The Mega Man Network for our views than they are Capcom’s own comments, so be sure to make your voices heard about what you want over there.

Some Bad News on the Mega Man 9 Remix Front

It’s a sad day for the Mega Man 9 Remix Project. But don’t worry! The album hasn’t been canceled or anything.

It appears über-talented guitarist, Sixto Sounds, had a hard drive crash resulting in the loss of a lot of irreplaceable work files. Anybody familiar with Sixto’s work knows how much of a tragedy this really is.

Because of this, a few tracks have opened up for recruitment on the project. This will also most likely delay the December release date.

If anybody is interested in joining the project, they should visit this thread. Here’s a list of the available songs:

Plug Electric: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kM-9qEe9lM
Flash in the Dark (Wily1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltslPAxbUsU
Castle of Evil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6VwbyYjLZE

We’ll keep you posted when a revised release date is announced for the album.

Capcom Counts Down the Top 30 Mega Man Tributes (Final Update)

Originally posted on October 15th. All entries have now been posted, and you can find the links below.

Remember that Mega Man tribute contest we told you about, held by Capcom to commemorate the first anniversary of the release of Mega Man 9 on WiiWare and award the winner with one of the title’s rare and coveted press kits?

Well, Capcom has begun listing the best of the best with 30 entries to be revealed on the Capcom*Unity site, with numbers sixteen to two receiving codes for Mega Man 9 downloads. And today, numbers 30 to 26 are revealed, and you can check them out for yourself here.

We’ll keep this post updated as Capcom adds more.

Update 1: Numbers 25 through 21 get!

Update 2: Numbers 20 through 16 get!

Update 3: Numbers 15 through 11 get!

Update 4: Numbers 10 through 6 get!

Update 5: Numbers five and four, get!

Update 6: Number 3, get!

Update 5: Numbers two and one, get!

Lightman Comes to Save the Day

We’ve been keeping tabs on Capcom’s Top 30 Mega Man Tribute countdown, but thought this one was amusing enough on its own to share separately.

Capcom*Unity member Miguel decided to see what would happen if he combined an episode of the old Ruby-Spears Mega Man animated series with the games we all know and love. And the results prove entertaining; see for yourself:

The end kind of goes off the rails slightly, though it looks as though it would be an amusing parody of the games in its own right. A pity it’s hard to see what’s going on past the wires holding up the bridge, though.

Credit: Capcom*Unity

Capcom Issues Last Call for Mega Man Tributes

Over on Capcom*Unity, JGonzo has issued a reminder that tonight marks the end of the Great Mega Man Tribute Contest, which marks the first anniversary of the release of Mega Man 9.

All submissions need to be turned in by 11:59PM PST, which means you have approximately two more hours to finish up and send your work in as of this writing.

And before anyone starts freaking out, the above perler bead wall decoration found at inadawords is not an official entry, but rather serves as an example of the kind of things being accepted into this contest.

Naturally, if you win, drop us a line so we can spotlight you and your showpiece here on The Mega Man Network!

Capcom Unity announces The Great Mega Man Tribute Contest

It has been one year today since Mega Man 9 came out, and in honor of the occasion Capcom Unity is ANNOUNCING MEGA MAN 10!!! Haha, no. Actually they are having a contest for one of the few remaining Mega Man 9 press kits, in all its retro NES cartridge glory.

What do you have to do to win? Well, make whatever you want! Be it crafts, costumes or confections, or even something that doesn’t start with a C. The more original and impressive, the more better your shots at winning first place and snagging the press kit. Additionally, fifteen runner up winners will receive download codes for MM9 on their system of choice. (Chances are, if you’re entering you already have MM9, but hook a friend up and spread the MM love.)

You have until October 2nd (next Friday) to create and submit your wacky Mega Man fan item, at which point it will be harshly judged by the heartless and totalitarian Unity crew. So get crackin’!

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