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Mega Man Legends 3 may exist, if Inafune finds tons of zenny
Here's a story that hits a personal note. Mega Man has always held a very, very precious spot in the gaming world for us (read: me). Following the franchise from MM 1 - 6, jumping to the SNES 7 the three Mega Man X series of games, even the Mega Man Soccer game, to the PS One release of Mega Man 8, Mega Man X 4 - 8, it's a staple. Oh, let's not forget the ninth installment with Mega Man and Bass. That one was tough. What a lot of people didn't follow, however, were the incredibly entertaining and highly enjoyable Mega Man Legends titles. There were only two, but well worth your time. And no, the game boy games don't count. There are too darn many to care about. Maybe the ZX series.Anyway, in a surprise interview with the creator of Mega Man, 1UP asked if there were any plans to bring next-gen treatment the blue bomber's way. Keiji Inafune said that he'd like to, but worried that it would be impossible to recoup the costs of making such a game on next-gen platforms. So, when told to ignore the whole monetary part of it, he replied thus: "I think it probably would be Mega Man Legends 3. And that's not just me -- a lot of the original team members would also love to make a sequel. They talk about it. I talk about it sometimes. I know they love that series and so do I. If I were to say right now, I have a tiny, tiny, tiny dream that I wish I could realize, but I don't know if it's possible, it would be to do a sequel in the Legends series."Hell. Yes. It's great to actually hear that -- it's Capcom's most promising Mega Man series, really. Promising, not lucrative. Inafune said that the engine to build that game on would probably be the same as that used in Dead Rising or Lost Planet, which makes sense. Especially if you compare the movement mechanics in the latter to the Legends games. We hope this happens -- if you're rich, Inafune is asking you to pelt him with change until he's got the cash. We'll pitch in.
Retro GC compilations offer Wii owners options
Virtual Console pricing got you down? Not to fret -- there are plenty of GameCube compilation titles available at a budget price. Racketboy recently took an in-depth look at a few of these game sets, offering readers a detailed look at what's included in each ... and some answers to the question of whether or not they're worth your $10. For instance, he reports that the Namco collections play well, but Midway Arcade Treasures seems to feature a few games with below average controls. But even with a few duds, the pricing on most of these sets is just right for gamers on a tight budget who need to get their retro fix.
Inafune worried about recouping next-gen Mega Man cost
Keije Inafune, who broke away from the legacy of Mega Man with Dead Rising and Lost Planet, says a next-gen Mega Man would be a financial gamble. He estimates a next-gen title starring the blue bomber would cost approximately $15 million. This is the part where it gets weird. Inafune says that from a producer standpoint he's worried about recouping the cost of development and more than once says he's waiting for someone rich to come along and fund it -- and it doesn't have to be Capcom."I'm not even saying it has to be Capcom money. It could be EA, actually. I should say a company we have ties with, so maybe Rockstar," Inafune said in an interview with 1UP (video after the break). He believes, from a producer standpoint, the financial risks are too great to make a new Mega Man and says, "Realistically, I would have to say, I would be worried if it would recoup the money we spend."After that the interview turns into questions about Mega Man Legends 3 and having Inafune draw for the reporters. It is interesting to see the man behind the blue bomber say that a next-gen Mega Man would be a financial gamble. Has the series lost any type of solid financial backing? Is Capcom taking a breather from spending money and upgrading the series to next-gen by focusing on other IPs? Could Inafune just be sick of doing Mega Man? What we do know is that Inafune has plenty on his plate right now with sequels to Dead Rising and the rumored Lost Planet follow up.
Mega Discount Man ZX
Missed out on Mega Man ZX last year? Now is the time to make things right! Amazon has slashed the action-platformer's price down to almost half of its original $29.99 cost, offering the title up for $16.16 ((free shipping on orders over $25).ZX was praised for its punishing difficulty and Metroidvania design, hailed by some critics as the best release to hit the Capcom series since Mega Man 2 for the NES. Does that sound like a title you'd want to skip? We can't guarantee that this sale price will last for long, so buy it now while it's still cheap! Check past the post break for a trailer if you're still not convinced. [Via CAG]
Saturday PSP background explosion
Every week PSP Fanboy brings you new backgrounds for your PSP to keep it safe from unbackgrounitis. This week we have reader submitted backgrounds from Megarules. You'll just have to keep reading to see what these backgrounds are. Backgrounds after the jump ...
New Rockman ZX Advent screens and character art
Capcom released a ton of screens today for the new Megaman ZX sequel, Rockman ZX Advent, and they show exactly what we want to see in our Megaman games: running from left to right and shooting at robots, all delivered in gorgeous hand-drawn 2D. We could look at stuff like this all day. Coincidentally, that's kind of our job.In the first ZX, kids use "Biometals" ("Livemetals" in the Japanese version) to transform into robots similar to X and Zero from the Megaman X series, as well as a fused ZX form. The kids from last time, Vent and Aile, have been replaced by a pair of functionally-identical crimefighting children, called Grey and Ashe.They operate a new Biometal, called Model A, which enables transformation into a dual-wielding robot seemingly based on Axl from Mega Man X7, a game that we're glad is on the PS2 (so we don't have to like it).We've included character designs and a selection of screens for you. Bask in their 2D-ness after the break, won't you? We shrunk them down a bit from Dengeki's original display, to make the basking more successful. Over-enlarged DS screens are not cool.
Happy Snake Man theme music day
The Mega Man series is known for its excellent music, but one theme from the series stands above its contemporaries. This masterful work of digital audio art sits alone and exalted as the finest of the fine, as the Hope Diamond might sit among a pile of lesser gems. The true beauty and nuance of this piece is remembered but once a year, today, on Snake Man theme music day, a new holiday that continues in the tradition of game music days past. Come celebrate with us, won't you?
Epic to churn out Gears of War until the Sun explodes
Unreal Tournament 3 producer Jeff Morris joked about the fate of his colleagues at Epic in an interview, saying that "the shoe has turned" when it comes to their current development cycle. The house that Unreal built has been hammering away at their foundation, cranking out Unreal titles since the series' conception in 1998, up until the release of Gears of War this past year. Could Marcus and company squeeze blood from stone the same way Mega Man has all these years?"It's funny because I think Gears started after a lot of people were a little fatigued working on UT, and now they're all probably making Gears for the rest of their lives," said Morris, reflecting on the massive success of Gears.He goes on to state that once again, no sequel has officially been announced, though we'd bet our precious thumbs that we'll be hearing of one down the road. We'll also be sure to put our acting chops to the test and look surprised when Gears turns into a trilogy.
Mega Man meets Pedobear in an ASCII duel to the death
The original Mega Man series is well regarded as one of the most challenging sets of 2-D action titles around. What kept them outside the realm of hair pulling madness is the logic found within the design. Spikes are bad and should be avoided. Falling in a pit is worse and running endlessly to the right is the path to victory. Jinsei Owatta No Daibouken ("My Life Is Over's" Big Adventure) is what happens when you throw all known Mega Man conventions out the window and design a game built for sheer masochistic pleasure. With ASCII graphics and 2Channel flavor, it was one of our favorite gaming fixes this weekend.We'd like to extend this delightful challenge to you, the Joystiq readers, as it provides just the type of brain training your gaming mind needs on this Monday morning. Only instead of doing multiplication tables, you'll be trying to figure out just how to get over that first jump and how to keep Zangief from crushing your tiny ASCII frame. Keep in mind that the game has yet to be completed, so once you finally make your way to those iconic "boss" gates, the game is over.After you're done beating yourself up, be sure to check out our video play through after the break.
Proudest PSP gaming achievement [Update 1]
I was playing Killzone: Liberation today and it's quite a challenging game. I began to fantasize about how proud I would be once I beat the game. That thought made me think back on all my prior gaming victories and wonder which one was the biggest accomplishment. I think for me it was probably beating Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X. When I was a kid I was as good at Mega Man games as I now am at remembering other people's birthdays, so it made me especially proud to beat it. So what PSP game did you find the most challenging? Also, what PSP gaming achievement (winning a game or doing something amazing) are you most proud of? [Update 1: Fixed formatting error.]
Hold it! Phoenix Man
Is our abject lust for all things Phoenix Wright so terribly transparent? It must be, because you guys are forever sending us lawyerly tips, and we love you for it. Not that we're complaining. Please don't stop. Never stop.Today's edition of All Random Phoenix Wright Stuff comes by way of a regular feature from webcomic Dueling Analogs, wherein they envision possible rejected Mega Man villains. Gotta love this one! He would own us every time. How could we fight Phoenix Man? He has a attorney's badge and wings! That's an unstoppable combination right there.[Thanks, Jesse!]
Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability
As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.
Artistic NES up for sale
The NES, billed as the savior of the video game industry after the 1980s crash, has a special place in the hearts of many long-time gamers. Now, an artist is offering up a piece of that with an NES. Not just any original NES, but one lovingly painted. Depicting The Legend of Zelda, one of the NES's landmark titles, the NES is not only a functioning piece of gaming history, but an incredibly well done piece of art. The NES looks like a screen shot were taped to the top of it and is protected by 3 or 4 layers of acrylic coating. The seller also has other custom painted systems featuring Kid Icarus and Mega Man 2. Worth taking a look at if you're under the mindset that games are art, as these systems are quite artistic.
New XBLA franchise in the next two weeks
XBLArcade managed to notice a snippet from yesterday's press release that completely slipped our Sauron-like gaze. From the release:"In total, more than 100 pieces of new downloadable content will be available during the nine day period, including a never before announced major franchise on Xbox Live Arcade."Major franchise, would we? The possibilities addle our brains, but we can't help but speculate. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Mega Man? Bomberman? It could be anything, and your guess is as good as ours. We can only hope that this is a real arcade classic, or, better yet, an entirely original franchise for XBLA (something episodic perhaps?). Anyone care to make a guess? If anyone gets it right, we'll be sure to drop his/her name when the game is officially announced.
Happy video game piano medley day
Some days here at Joystiq, we just can't decide what we want. We'll feel like a little Mega Man, only to stop and go searching for Chrono Trigger, then Tetris, then Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario ... nothing seems to satisfy.Luckily, we're always in the mood for the piano, and YouTube is happy to oblige our digital wanderlust with a variety of video game medleys on the ebony and ivory. Continue reading for some exquisite piano interpretations from the above series and more.Previously: Happy Castlevania rock out day, Happy retro-techno music day, Happy Zelda music day... again, Happy Zelda music day
Mega-Man slaughters the living dead
Here's video of the full Mega-Man suit put to use in Dead Rising. You have to beat the game and kill 60,000 zombies to get it. Pretty satisfying unlockable. I don't recall ever getting the opportunity to rip Dr. Wily's small intestines out. [Thanks Andrew]
Mega Man X & X2 ... at the same time
TASvideos has posted a clip of Mega Man X and Mega Man X2 being played simultaneously (using one controller). But there's a catch...The TAS community -- that's "Tool-Assisted Speedruns" -- is not about showing off, but rather, creating "movies that are beautiful to watch." Know that this clip was recorded using a controller wired into two SNES emulators and that the player used features like slow-motion and savestates to cast the illusion of a seamless playthrough in real time. So while it's not proof that an 'unassisted' gamer could play two different games with one controller, by exploiting emulation tools, the creator does show that two games can be played successfully using one set of button inputs, and without modifying the games.Do you find these sorts of projects fascinating? Is this games avant-garde movement? Or just a "silly idea"?[Via Digg]
Mega Man Rebirth site
Why is it that all the good stuff is in Japanese first? Oh wait, cause they get it first. For instance, there are tons of Rockman fans here just as there are in Japan but they get a site first. Call this our jealousy and envy talking. Anyway, just to let you know, the Mega Man Rebirth site is up and, yet again, if you don't read Japanese you might have a hard time figuring out whats going on. But, if you have five or so minutes to spare might as well poke around the site. [Via Go Nintendo]
Dead Head Fred not dead: new screenshots
Dead Head Fred is a game you should keep your eyes on: not only because the title rhymes, but because it is one of the few truly original PSP-exclusive action games in development for our system. You play Fred, who was recently killed by decapitation. Now that you're undead, you're on a mission to get revenge. But, being beheaded has a few benefits. One, for example, is the ability to rip off enemy heads and use them as your own for special powers! It's like Mega Man, only a bit more morbid...The game combines platforming, fighting, puzzle solving and a whole lot of dark humor. It's scheduled for a January 2007 release, so keep your eyes peeled for more coverage on this unique game. Until then, check out the new screenshots posted by Gamespot.
New Mega Man title on the way
According to a Japanese magazine, the Mega Man EXE team is working on a new Megaman title for the Nintendo DS. The premise is as follows: set a hundred years after the EXE series, wireless communications are ubiquitous. The signals themselves travel on a special path called the "Wave Road" which stretches across the globe. But, of course, someone had to go and mess with the status quo; not surprisingly, Mega Man is called upon to solve the problem.We'll have more information is it becomes available.
