Where is Mega Man 11?

2008 saw the release of Mega Man 9, possibly the greatest installment in the entire classic Mega Man saga. Shortly after, Capcom followed up with Mega Man 10, which smoothed the formula even more.

Endless Attack modes in each provided an awesome new mode of platforming that has significant potential. You can already find about a dozen "endless attack" romhacks online. Proto Man and Bass provided the variety and challenge necessary for keeping the interest of the hardcore players. I still rank beating Mega Man 9 and 10 on hard with Protoman as some of my greatest gaming achievements.

Years later, however, I'm left wondering: where is Mega Man 11? Maybe the Wii is just coming to a close, or maybe Capcom is hesitant to continue the classic series without Inafune. Maybe that's it for Mega Man.

I recently purchased Mega Man X7 on a whim, but I've never really considered the MMX series all that great when compared with the classic NES and Wii 8-Bit adventures. 

I'm sure Starship Mega Man 55 or whatever else Capcom is putting out is equally good, but I just can't get motivated to play the other games in the series. The platforming always felt sloppy and the game always felt like it was marketed to younger kids or people seriously into techno and mohawks. Only with classic Mega Man does one need to be badass mother fucker to achieve victory, without the artificial dark and gritty "edge."

The edge comes from the game itself, and if you don't have serious nuts you might as well go cry at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Mega Man 9 Secret Found?

This was a glitch I stumbled upon in Mega Man 9. I used a Black Hole Bomb right as Wily shot his sparks and he got stuck...

I don't think this is the secret, just a glitch, but it's never been revealed so who knows? Personally, I don't think a Mega Man 9 "secret" ever existed. Pretty lame, Capcom.

Mega Man 10 Endless Attack

Above is a complete Mega Man 9 Endless Attack map. It was posted to vgmaps by Revned. Although Mega Man 9's Endless Attack was fun, it doesn't come close to Mega Man 10's. I'm eagerly awaiting the maps of MM10's Endless levels, but after playing the mode for hours I'm convinced I've seen it all. This time there are many more references to previous stages, including:

Mega Man 3: Gemini Man's blocks over water
Mega Man 4: Cossack 1
Mega Man 4: Wily 1
Mega Man 5: Wily 1
Mega Man 5: Wily 2
Mega Man 6: Blizzard Man
Mega Man 9: Plug Man's 1st block puzzle.
Mega Man 10: Sheep Man's final screen

As well as one level suspiciously similar, but not identical, to Bubble Man's stage. My record is currently 306. My MM9 record was only 175. Has anyone else been playing Endless Attack in MM9 or MM10?

In Endless Attack, you play through 42 mini-stages consisting of a platforming segment or a boss fight. After defeating 8 bosses (about 270 screens), Mega Man takes an additional point of damage from everything. After 8 more bosses, two extra points of damage and so on.

Mega Man 9 Indie Film

Because not doing work is fun I made a movie.

The Mega Man 9 Independent Film

Just go to 8bitcity's Youtube page, blogger uploads are poor quality and I won't bother with those anymore.

Epic Mega Man 9 Medly and Mega Man 9 Hacked

I found a few cool Mega Man 9 videos on youtube. The first is an epic Mega Man 9 medley on an electric guitar and keyboard, pretty well produced, with some nice gameplay footage spliced in. Definitely worth a watch.

Epic Mega Man 9 Medly

The second video is hacked Mega Man 9, this just happened yesterday, and the hacker, TRACE, has claimed the top spot with 99999 screens. Note, he did not achieve this score, obviously, but hacking Mega Man 9 is cool nonetheless. I feel bad for the guy that was in number 10 (I believe his name was Chris).

TRACE Hacking Mega Man 9

And the third video is another Mega Man 9 hack, this time using Proto Man in Mega Man mode, allowing you to use Proto Man in the shop. Enjoy.

Proto Man Goes Shopping

Saving the best for last is a song based on Mega Man 2, using the music but rapping over it. It's made by Dwayne and Brando. This is the funniest shit related to Mega Man 2 I've ever seen, and if you only watch one video it should probably be this one.

Mega Man 2 Rap

The same guys made another video in the same style, about Final Fantasy. Just as funny, check it out! They've even more videos than these, enjoy.

Final Fantasy Rap

Fake Man: Mega Man 9 DLC Round 2 Boss Revealed

The new Mega Man 9 DLC was announced yesterday! For anyone not wanting the surprise spoiled, too late it's Fake Man! The new boss is the Police Robot that arrested Dr. Light at the beginning of the game.

The internet has been awash with rumors of the new boss. Gamers suspected Bass would be making his appearance as the boss, and other suggested "Overdrive Man" based on the OST (the song for Fake Man's level is entitled "Overdrive Scramble"). Others even suspected Dr. Eggman would appear, as a cross over to support the upcoming Capcom vs. Sega. And, as per usual, Mega Man X fans naturally hoped for Zero... and in a brilliant plot twist Capcom pulls Fake Man out of left field. But it was so obvious! He's already in the game, and featured far too prominently to just be a throwaway character. We all should have seen this coming, but I heard not one single rumor of Fake Man or the Police Bot. He's a sneaky fucking bastard... hiding right in plain site!



You can read the full interview with Hironobu Takeshita, the Mega Man 9 producer. He also goes into extensive detail about the design process of the 8 (9) Robot Masters. This is definitely a don't-miss interview for Mega Man 9 fans.

Still no word on the difficulties, but Monday should shed some light on the situation. I'm excited about scrapping the bastard who helped frame Dr. Light. Also, notice how the timer in the first picture reads 7 minutes... hopefully the new stage will be both difficult and lengthy. We can deduce his weapon (at least part of it) from the screenshot. He will shoot Mega Man-style bullets, though they appear slightly bigger than Mega Man's. It's possible he could have a secondary power, similar to Flash Man.

Finally, just a theory: Capcom hasn't announced any more DLC for MM9, but there are 2 good indicators that more will be appearing in the future. First, we probably won't be getting Fake Man's weapon, which still leaves a weapon spot open on the menu. Second, Bass appears on Wily's computer at the end... yet doesn't make an actual appearance in the game. I suspect we'll be seeing more of Bass, for a price, in the future. I emailed Capcom, asking if they would be releasing more DLC, but, in typical PR fashion, they responded with a "nothing has been announced at this time." Oh well, it was worth a try.

Only one question remains about Fake Man: will he appear in the Endless Stage if you have both downloaded? Probably not, but that would be a nice touch on Capcom's part. You hear that Capcom? No? Oh.

Update, a few hours later...

It's come to my attention, after re-reading the interview... that the special boss will, in fact, be Bass. Observe:

"GS: Are there any robot masters that didn't make the cut that you can share with us?

HT: I don't mean to evade your question, but there is one boss we'd love to introduce to the fans in this occasion. His name is Fake Man. He appears on the special stage available in downloadable content. He also makes a small appearance in the main content. This is a big hint! Some of you might have already gotten it by just telling you this. The special stage will be very challenging for most of you, and you may not be able to see him often. Don't be discouraged. He is waiting for you, to battle you!"

Notice he says, "a big hint" which makes no sense if it's Fake Man... he's just announced him a few sentences ago, the mystery is solved. But obviously there is more to Fake Man. Bass is the only character that makes a small appearance in the game who could possibly be an enemy. Wily had the schematics for Bass on his computer because he was altering Bass's appearance. Why would Bass comply, you ask? To lure Mega Man into a final duel, of course! Notice the shots that Fake Man fired, and I mentioned... who else uses a buster? Bass.

All the signs now point to Bass, but most people will probably be fooled because of the interview. A great double-cross, and a brilliant scheme by Capcom... and Wily.

Quick Update: Mega Man 9 DLC

Last night I wrote a review(ish) of Mega Man 9, you should read it below, but the first part of the DLC launched today, and in case anyone was curious, I thought I'd review it.

First of all: go buy the Endless Level, for 3 dollars it's the best deal video games have ever seen. There are an unspecified number of pre-set stages, some of them remakes from Mega Man 1 and 2, some original. Every 30 screens (about the length of a regular stage) you fight a boss. It's truly amazing to behold. Every time you play, the level will be different. There are reports of stages altering the enemies slightly as well. I've seen remakes of Heat Man's stage, Dr. Wily Stage 1 (Mega Man 1), Bubble Man's stage, and Stone Man, among others. Eventually a comprehensive list will be compiled, and I suspect that there will be around 200 unique stages... more platforming than you'll find in the 12 standard levels of Mega Man 9.

Second we have Proto Man, for 2 dollars. He can charge his attack, slide, and deflect bullets while jumping. His downsides include: taking double damage, getting knocked back twice as far (FUCK!), and only having two shots (as opposed to Mega Man's 3) on the screen at the same time. Additionally, he can't unlock challenges, do time trials, or play the Endless Level. He's fun to play as, but he feels disjointed and awkward. I think the double knock-back is a bit much, considering he takes double damage. Also, one has to question why he can't pull out his shield while standing? Still, nothing says style like Proto Man, so skip on those 2 double cheeseburgers and download this guy!

Mega Man 9

For the past two weeks I've been playing Mega Man 9 almost none-stop. I take breaks to play Mega Man, the 8-Bit version of Mega Man 7 (here's the link if your interested, well this is the blog post I originally found it on anyway), Mega Man 2, 3, 4, etc. Twilight Princess is going to have to wait, because I really enjoy playing games when they first come out, especially epic event like Mega Man 9.

Before I go any further, I have to announce: Cave Story coming to the Wii (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). It's official. Here's the official site. At the time of this article, the site only shows Quote running and says the site will launch Monday Oct 6. Well, it's 12:20 a.m. here, I guess they mean when they get out of bed. Moving on...

It's epic because it's an 8-Bit masterpiece, without a doubt the best Mega Man game ever made. It's the best priced at ten dollars, and delivers everything you wanted in a Mega Man game. Excellent level design, excellent graphics, kickass graphics... and it does this by going back to the basics.

It feels historic. Capcom really outdid themselves. I have no complaints. In fact, I want to thank Capcom, IntiCreates, and Inafune for making such a great game. I want to look at criticisms of Mega Man 9, and prove them wrong. Look around the internet and you'll find 3 forms of Mega Man 9 criticism. The first, will criticize the graphics. These idiots can continue to screaeaaeem about HD and component cables, but completely miss the point. It's like criticizing a Jazz musician for not playing Pop-Rock. Second, some folks think the game is difficult. IGN, 11 year olds, and seniors have certainly been having a tough time getting through the swings in Jewel Man's stage. Little children are also easily distracted by the elephant's in Conrete Man's stage, in fact the flashing colors and pretty lights are almost too much for young children, causing them to slam their faces on their keyboard all over the internet. Those not looking for a challenge need not apply, but abandon not hope, the force is with you, thou has slain the Hornet Man, and thou has learned a new spell.

Ultimately, Capcom gave the world something I thought we'd never have: a new 8-Bit game. Mega Man 9 (and Cave Story) prove that 8-Bit (and this site by extension) is still relevant. And its evolving, as our understanding of video games matures, programmers and designers are free to go back to 8-Bit, 4-Bit, 16-Bit, to pick the form that works best for the subject matter. Mega Man 8 doesn't have a single polygon in the entire game, and manages to be more fun than 99.9% of all games released this year (and certainly has a chance at being the best downloadable game this year, something that only Cave Story could change.)



Finally, there are the DLC criticisms. For those that don't know: Mega Man 9 costs $10 for the basic package; Tomorrow Proto Man will be released for $2 and the endless level will be released for $3, a brilliant marketing scheme by Capcom; In 2 weeks they will release two additional difficulty modes for $1 a piece and a new Time Trial stage for $1. These are valid criticisms. One should pay one price for a video game, but perhaps that isn't the best model for anyone. If the game was more expensive, Capcom would have less consumers, and would release the game for $20 bucks (or more!) to offset that balance. They wouldn't be able to make an 8-Bit game if it weren't cheap. Corporate Executives are, on average, very fat and stupid, and require large graphics with convincing pie pieces to approve creative and intelligent ideas. What I'm trying to say is: it's 18 bucks for the entire package, and that's a bargain.

Up until now Capcom has been very tight-lipped on the downloadable content, releasing information on Proto Man, but not much else. Always a fan favorite, I predict that he is a distraction from the real excitement: the endless level. I'm actually listening to the music right now... And I wonder, what could this level be like? If it's a randomly-generated Mega Man platformer, with as much polish as the normal levels, it may very well be the best 2-D video game.




It remains to be seen. I've beaten Mega Man 9 5 times, and am working on various challenges. I can't wait for the new DLC, it's like Mega Man 9 launching all over again, and there is still ANOTHER release date to anticipate. I'll be reviewing each set of downloadable content as its released.

Fight, Mega Man! For everlasting peace!

Bit Watch: Mega Man 9

I thought 8-Bit gaming was dead and gone. Then came Mega Man 9. Capcom announced Mega Man 9 on Nintendo's Wii Ware service.

The kicker: it will be in 8-Bit.

Finally... FINALLY, game developers are beginning to understand. You can thank Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune for the breakthrough. Graphics don't make a game, and the less powerful systems had amazing games partly because they were given a framework in which to work.

The analogy is comparable to structure in literature. Sometimes free verse is the way to go, sometimes a sonnet. A novel, or a short story. The limitations inspire and force creativity. "Bit" graphics can offer the same structure and variety to video games. The text should dictate the form used. It's a simple question: would this game work better in 8-Bit. In the case of Mega Man, the answer is, most certainly, YES.

Form should not be picked at random (and, most often it isn't: video game form is tied directly to $$$), it should be carefully chosen. Video games have constantly moved toward "new is better" which is a result of professional reviewers having an extreme bias toward game that don't have a billion-dollar budget. Re-released games will often receive scores in the 4-6 range simply for being "outdated," and crappy shovelware titles might squeak by with a 6.9. See their review of Metroid. Now take a look at TV Show King. I'm not making this up.

It's 2008 and the developers had a wide variety of forms to choose from. They chose 8-Bit because Mega Man just works in 8-Bit. And this is a major victory for 8-Bit. 2D gaming never expired, it just migrated to the handheld market. But even there, the insistence that games be 16- or 32-bit was overwhelming. 2D gameplay was okay, but only if you had tons of bells and whistles to justify not being a 3D game.

Finally, someone had the balls to say "fuck it," and just made an 8-Bit game. Hopefully, their vision and inspiration (and profits) will inspire other companies and developers to do the same. Capcom are making an argument for 8-Bits, but the implications are further-reaching. This isn't about 8-Bit, i'ts about form and video games and art. If video games are going to progress, then they must have the option to use whatever form they feel appropriate, even if that requires technical limitations. The gaming community should embrace this mindset.

I do know a few tidbits about the mechanics of Mega Man 9. Not much is known at this point, but the robot masters will be: Magma Man, Galaxy man, Jewel Man, Concrete Man, Hornet Man, Plug Man, Tornado Man (wait a minute, didn't the already do that?), and Splash WOMAN (ZOMG)! The slide move and the charge-shot will be purchasable via Dr. Light's shop (a la Mega Man 7). Mega Man 9 launches in September, in Japan. Other releases to follow.

Also interesting: I'd bet that most gamers excited about Mega Man 9 have played a Mega Man rom hack (I've even made one myself)? Or an unrelated rom hack? After all the internet is teeming with romhacks... wait a minute. Why the fuck didn't developers catch on to this before? Because the people handing out money are idiots, obviously. However, have no fear, I am sure Mega Man 9 will be a smash hit, outselling everything else on Wii Ware. Devs will jump on that cash cow like a trampoline. Expect a slough of crappy 8-Bit games, but don't worry, we'll sort the good from the bad.

This is history in the making folks. Enjoy the gallery.