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Teenage Engineering is making Capcom-themed pocket synths
The Mega Man and Street Fighter-themed pocket samplers cost $89.
Bit Brigade, the rock band that plays classic NES games on-stage
Bit Brigade could be more famous if they wanted to be. They're a five-man rock band, but one of their members doesn't play an instrument -- instead, he speedruns through a classic NES game while the remaining four bandmates play its soundtrack, live and completely attuned to the pixelated action projected above the stage. Bit Brigade has a built-in audience of nerds and nostalgia fiends, especially in an era dominated by live streaming, but they don't even have a Twitch channel. There is a YouTube page named "bitbrigade," but it has just four videos, all of which are more than 10 years old.
'Mega Man 11' is a welcome return for the Blue Bomber
It's been more than eight years since Capcom released Mega Man 10. Do we really need a sequel? Based on a short demo I played, the answer is absolutely yes. Mega Man 11 has everything you would want and expect from the run-and-gun platforming franchise. It's devilishly hard, with fast-moving enemies and environmental hazards that will quickly whittle down your health bar, even on some of the easiest difficulty settings. The game is snappy, though, so I never felt like my many, many deaths were undeserved. I always wanted to get better and delve a little deeper into each stage I tried.
'Mega Man 11' hits consoles and PC October 2nd
Last year, Capcom announced that Mega Man 11 would be released sometime this year in celebration of the franchise's 30th anniversary. Today, the company announced the date for that release: October 2nd. It will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.
Two 'Mega Man' classics will be re-released on cartridge
Fans of Mega Man are being spoilt rotten at the moment. The game's 30th anniversary has seen a slew of announcements, including the forthcoming arrival of Mega Man 11 and two new Mega Man Legacy Collection compilations. Now Capcom and iam8bit are upping the ante with the release of limited edition cartridges for Mega Man 2 and Mega Man X.
Two 'Mega Man X' collections are coming July 24th
To celebrate Mega Man's 30th anniversary and Mega Man 11 coming out this year, Capcom planned a re-release of two bundles collecting the first ten games for the Switch. But the company must have heard fans crying out to play titles from the franchise's sister series, Mega Man X, set in a grim alternate future. Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 & 2 will be released simultaneously on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on July 24th.
'Mega Man Legacy Collection' is headed to Nintendo Switch May 22
Mega Man fans were likely excited to hear that the next chapter in the venerable video game franchise, Mega Man 11, is slated for a release sometime this year. At the same time, Capcom announced plans to release two new Mega Man Legacy Collection compilations. Now we've got a date for their release on Nintendo Switch: May 22, 2018.
'Mega Man 11' will arrive on consoles and PC in late 2018
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the original Mega Man, which came out for NES on December 17th, 1987. In a stream celebrating the milestone, Capcom had a couple announcements -- most importantly, that Mega Man 11 will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC in late 2018. But Capcom had another surprise in store for long-time fans: All eight games in the notoriously difficult-to-find Mega Man X series will come to leading platforms.
Recommended Reading: Streaming is changing the sound of music
Uncovering How Streaming Is Changing the Sound of Pop Marc Hogan, Pitchfork You don't have to look far to find evidence of how streaming services have dramatically changed the way we listen to music. But it's not just the consumption that's been affected, it's the creation too. Pitchfork takes a look at how services like Spotify have impacted music trends and why things like globalization, collaborations and slower tempos have taken over the pop sound.
Long-delayed 'Mighty No. 9' arrives June 21st
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- after more than a few delays, Comcept has announced that Mighty No. 9 is finished. Keiji Inafune's spiritual sequel to Mega Man will arrive in Asia and North America on June 21st, and the rest of the world on June 24th. The initial release is limited to console and computer players (albeit on virtually every platform), but versions for both the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita are due "at a later point." Just be sure to think carefully about your choice of media format: while downloads are more convenient, a retail copy includes the Ray add-on.
Next for Nintendo: Zelda reboots, fresh Splatoon gear and more
Nintendo announced a slew of upcoming titles and their release dates -- as well as new content for existing franchises -- during the company's Nintendo Direct livestream on Thursday. Gird your loins and prepare for Zelda reboots, fancy new Splatoon arenas, and so. many. amiibo sets.
'Mighty No. 9' demo gets a Humble Bundle and a new release date
Even though Mighty No. 9, the new crowdsourced video game from venerated MegaMan creator Keiji Inafune, won't be available until some time in 2016, fans can still get a slice of the action. The game's production team tweeted Friday that the game had both a new release date and that it's playable demo has arrived on Humble Bundle. Per the game's Kickstarter page, Mighty No. 9 will hit American consoles on February 9th, 2016 and launch worldwide on February 12th. And, according to the Mighty No. 9 official site, users must log in to Humble Bundle using the same email address as their Kickstarter/Paypal pledge and follow the download link for the Special Demo Version.
'Mighty No. 9' demo delay gives backers more reason to be upset (updated)
What a long, sad trip it's been for folks who backed the Mega Man spiritual successor Mighty No. 9 on Kickstarter. A demo, which was originally planned as an apology for the game being delayed, has been pushed back. Developer Comcept writes that this tardiness is a result of issues that arose pertaining to the distribution method -- Steam. No other updates or info was given, and this news was buried at the bottom of a blog post about a custom-design contest (hey, we're running one of those too!). It's probably safe to guess that those involved feel pretty bad about the whole ordeal and how Comcept plans to make up for this is going to be interesting. Could another apology even suffice at this point? Update: Comcept tells Kickstarter backers that the delay stems from both deciding to remove copy protection from the demo (since it was already having trouble with Steam distribution) and responding to backers' requests to remove the time limit. That's reportedly going to take some time, in part because the DRM-free delivery involves making arrangements with Humble Bundle.
'Mighty No. 9' team aims to calm angry backers with exclusive demo
Kickstarter backers of Keiji Inafune's Mighty No. 9 are feeling a little burned. When its Spring release came due, Comcept pushed the release back to fall; when that September launch came on the horizon, the game was delayed until 2016. "We feel bad," producer Nick Yu told us earlier this month. "Really, really bad." The company knows its messed up, and agrees that backers deserve something for their patience. So they're getting something -- on September 15th, the game's second launch date, Kickstarter backers will get access to an exclusive demo of the Mighty No. 9's single player campaign.
Capcom is making a light-up 'Mega Man' helmet
Want to up the ante on your costume for the next big comic convention? Capcom will soon have you covered. The game developer has teased plans for an official, wearable Mega Man helmet that lights up. It won't grant you cybernetic powers, but it definitely looks the part -- combine it with Think Geek's Buster Gun and you'll look like you're ready to take on Dr. Wily. While Capcom hasn't even mentioned a pre-order date, let alone a release date, it could be worth holding out if you're determined to trump other would-be Blue Bombers.
'Mega Man' creator wants your help making a game-and-movie combo
Mighty No. 9 might not even be out the door, but Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune is already looking for your help with a new project -- and this one is considerably more ambitious. His studio has launched crowdfunding for Red Ash, a project that combines both an open world action game (The Indelible Legend) and an anime movie from Studio4ºC (Magicicada). While both will share familiar characters and the theme of treasure hunting in a robot apocalypse, they'll otherwise be set in "parallel worlds" where the producers are free to tell whatever stories they want.
'Mega Man' creator says Japanese publishers need to 'wake up'
If you grew up playing any installment of the storied Mega Man franchise, the name Keiji Inafune should carry some weight. Inafune's one of the masterminds behind the beloved metallic man in blue we first met in the NES era. And with his new game, Mighty No. 9, a spiritual successor to his Capcom legacy, he famously kicked off a new wave of Japanese developers who've struck out on their own with the help of crowdfunding. But Inafune didn't get to this point solely because of a desire to try more modern things; he was essentially forced to turn to Kickstarter when Capcom refused to innovate the beloved Mega Man IP he helped create. "As a creator, as myself, the best thing that happened to this project [Mighty No. 9] is that I have the IP," he says of the experience with Kickstarter. "The IP is mine. The IP is the company's IP, so we can do whatever we want. And that will actually speed things up really nicely because once the backers ask for something, we don't have to go over to the publisher or the first-party [studio] ... or whoever we're working with. We can just make the decision."
Studio wants to preserve games with the same care as movies
Classic movies frequently get reissues and remastered versions with behind-the-scenes content, but games seldom receive that kind of affection. More often than not, you get a barebones port, a technical upgrade (which sometimes breaks the experience) or a full-on remake. Reborn studio Digital Eclipse thinks the industry can do a better job of preserving these classics. It's launching ports that are more about honoring the history behind a game than upgrading it, much like the Criterion Collection does for movies. Its inaugural title, Mega Man Legacy Collection, will include both the first six Mega Man games as well as artwork and other bonus material from the series' early days. About the only major change to the games themselves will be a Challenge Mode that "remixes" gameplay to add some extra spice.
Recommended Reading: The legend of the TI-84 Plus
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. The Unstoppable TI-84 Plus: How an Outdated Calculator Still Holds a Monopoly on Classrooms by Matt McFarland, The Washington Post Chances are pretty good that you've come in contact with a TI-84 Plus of some kind during the course of your education -- if you're been schooled in the last 10 years. The calculator debuted back in 2004 and it still has a firm grasp on the education market today. This piece takes a look at what that foothold means when compared to other devices' market share, and how a new Silver Edition looks to keep the advantage with Texas Instruments in the foreseeable future.
Abandoning Olympus: Mega Man's creator on going indie
Keiji Inafune's been making games for nearly 30 years. He's the man behind one of gaming's most iconic characters (Mega Man) and several huge franchises (Dead Rising, Onimusha). After 23 years working at Capcom, one of Japan's largest game publishers, he suddenly quit back in 2010. "Settling down means death for a creator. As long as you are a creator, you cannot settle down," he announced on his blog. Just six months after being appointed Capcom's Global Head of Production (overseeing the company's entire gaming catalog, from Resident Evil to Street Fighter), he quit. With that, he set off on his own and created two new companies: Comcept and Intercept. When we talked with Inafune last week at DICE 2014, he spoke of his plans for Comcept in detail. "I was a publisher for 20 years, so you'd be right in thinking I brought some ideas from there into Comcept," he said. That means, first and foremost, retaining ownership of IP. That's a major component of going with Kickstarter for the latest Comcept game, a Mega Man-esque action game titled Mighty No. 9. The project sailed past its target goal of $900K and took in $3.8 million. Without a publisher, of course.
