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Mega Man (universe): Difference between revisions
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While the series remained relatively popular, each release saw diminishing returns due to a perceived market over-saturation. To combat this and finally bring the franchise into the new console generation, the team decided to create a major shake up for the franchise. This includes a time skip set 100 years after the events of the classic ''Mega Man'' series and an overall darker and edgier tone. This game eventually released as ''Rockman X'' in 1993 for Super Famicom, localized as ''Mega Man X'' for SNES. In this game, Dr. Cain discovers the ruins of Dr. Light's laboratory and finds the robot master [[X]]. A century early, Dr. Light built X as the first ever robot with free will, though he was put in stasis to solidify his moral code. While the reasons are unknown, Dr. Light never retrieved X before his own death. X wakes up to a world where humans and robots, now known as Reploids, peacefully coexist. However, Reploids sometimes go rogue and become criminals, dubbed Mavericks. X then joins the Maverick hunters alongside enemy turned rival [[Zero]] and other companions to keep world peace and stop a mounting Reploid uprising led by Sigma. | While the series remained relatively popular, each release saw diminishing returns due to a perceived market over-saturation. To combat this and finally bring the franchise into the new console generation, the team decided to create a major shake up for the franchise. This includes a time skip set 100 years after the events of the classic ''Mega Man'' series and an overall darker and edgier tone. This game eventually released as ''Rockman X'' in 1993 for Super Famicom, localized as ''Mega Man X'' for SNES. In this game, Dr. Cain discovers the ruins of Dr. Light's laboratory and finds the robot master [[X]]. A century early, Dr. Light built X as the first ever robot with free will, though he was put in stasis to solidify his moral code. While the reasons are unknown, Dr. Light never retrieved X before his own death. X wakes up to a world where humans and robots, now known as Reploids, peacefully coexist. However, Reploids sometimes go rogue and become criminals, dubbed Mavericks. X then joins the Maverick hunters alongside enemy turned rival [[Zero]] and other companions to keep world peace and stop a mounting Reploid uprising led by Sigma. | ||
On the SNES alone, the franchise saw ''Mega Man X 2'' in 1994 and ''Mega Man X 3'' in 1995, the latter also releasing of PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and PC in certain countries, as well as a proper ''Mega Man 7'' in 1995 and ''Mega Man & Bass'' in 1998. Many spinoffs also released, including ''Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise'' in 1993, ''Mega Man Soccer'' in 1994, as well as arcade games ''Mega Man: The Power Battle'' in 1995 and ''Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters'' in 1996. | On the SNES alone, the franchise saw ''Mega Man X 2'' in 1994 and ''Mega Man X 3'' in 1995, the latter also releasing of PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and PC in certain countries, as well as a proper ''Mega Man 7'' in 1995 and ''Mega Man & Bass'' in 1998. Many spinoffs also released, including ''Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise'' in 1993, ''Mega Man Soccer'' in 1994, as well as arcade games ''Mega Man: The Power Battle'' in 1995 and ''Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters'' in 1996. The two ''Power Fighters'' games were later rereleased years later through compilations such as '' Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium'' in 2022. | ||
After being more or less exclusive to Nintendo consoles for its life, Capcom decided to shift the franchise over to PlayStation and other CD based consoles due to their disappointment in [[Nintendo 64]] hardware. The first in this new era was ''Mega Man 8'' in 1996 for PlayStation, Saturn and PC, which utilized the capabilities of the CD format to produce high quality audio and fully animated cutscenes. However, the English dub of this game and future entries are notorious for its bad voice acting. Next came ''Mega Man X 4'' in 1997 and ''Mega Man X 5'' in 2000, which dropped the Saturn | After being more or less exclusive to Nintendo consoles for its life, Capcom decided to shift the franchise over to PlayStation and other CD based consoles due to their disappointment in [[Nintendo 64]] hardware. The first in this new era was ''Mega Man 8'' in 1996 for PlayStation, Saturn and PC, which utilized the capabilities of the CD format to produce high quality audio and fully animated cutscenes. However, the English dub of this game and future entries are notorious for its bad voice acting. Next came ''Mega Man X 4'' in 1997 and ''Mega Man X 5'' in 2000, which dropped the Saturn as a SKU. Spinoffs of this era include ''Mega Man: Battle & Chase'' for PlayStation in 1997, and Game Boy Color releases ''Mega Man Xtreme'' in 2000 and ''Mega Man Xtreme 2'' in 2001. | ||
At this point in time, complaints about the franchise feeling samey had begun developing and ''Mega Man'' once again needed a refresh. Due to the series almost exclusively having 2D gameplay, Capcom wanted the series to shift into 3D. The result was the third person shooter ''Rock Man Dash'' for PlayStation and PC in 1997, which was localized as ''Mega Man Legends''. Set several thousand years after the ''Mega Man X'' series, the game follows Volnutt, a lowly digger who gets powered up with robotic weapons. He teams up with his found family Roll and Barrel Caskett as they travel the world in search of treasure and fight the Bonne family and other global threats. The game received a port for Nintendo 64 titled ''Mega Man 64''. A prequel released as ''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne'' in 1999 and ''Mega Man Legends 2'' released in 2000. A Taiwanese exclusive PC game titled ''Rockman DASH Zhěngjiù Dìqiú Dà Màoxiǎn'' also released in 1999. | At this point in time, complaints about the franchise feeling samey had begun developing and ''Mega Man'' once again needed a refresh. Due to the series almost exclusively having 2D gameplay, Capcom wanted the series to shift into 3D. The result was the third person shooter ''Rock Man Dash'' for PlayStation and PC in 1997, which was localized as ''Mega Man Legends''. Set several thousand years after the ''Mega Man X'' series, the game follows Volnutt, a lowly digger who gets powered up with robotic weapons. He teams up with his found family Roll and Barrel Caskett as they travel the world in search of treasure and fight the Bonne family and other global threats. The game received a port for Nintendo 64 titled ''Mega Man 64''. A prequel released as ''The Misadventures of Tron Bonne'' in 1999 and ''Mega Man Legends 2'' released in 2000. A Taiwanese exclusive PC game titled ''Rockman DASH Zhěngjiù Dìqiú Dà Màoxiǎn'' also released in 1999. | ||
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Also around this time, Capcom started developing many ''Mega Man'' titles for mobile phones, with several releasing every year consecutively. Alongside re-releasing preexisting ''Mega Man'' games several times, some original titles were also developed. This includes a canon ''Mega Man Legends'' game in 2008 titled ''Rockman DASH - 5tsu no Shima no Daibouken!'' | Also around this time, Capcom started developing many ''Mega Man'' titles for mobile phones, with several releasing every year consecutively. Alongside re-releasing preexisting ''Mega Man'' games several times, some original titles were also developed. This includes a canon ''Mega Man Legends'' game in 2008 titled ''Rockman DASH - 5tsu no Shima no Daibouken!'' | ||
After wrapping up the ''Mega Man Zero'' series, most of the same team then migrated over to development on a new series, which materialized as ''Mega Man ZX'' in 2006. Taking place 100 years after ''Mega Man Zero 4'', human and Reploid relations have once again grown peaceful, with maverick hunters now being mass-produced. This includes Mega Man model X and Z, both modeled after X and Zero respectively. The character Vent or Aile depending on who the player chooses are suited up as a Mega Man model and go out to save the world from another mysterious maverick uprising. The game received a sequel in 2007 titled ''Mega Man ZX Advent''. | After wrapping up the ''Mega Man Zero'' series, most of the same team then migrated over to development on a new series, which materialized as ''Mega Man ZX'' in 2006. Taking place 100 years after ''Mega Man Zero 4'', human and Reploid relations have once again grown peaceful, with maverick hunters now being mass-produced. This includes Mega Man model X and Z, both modeled after X and Zero respectively. The character Vent or Aile depending on who the player chooses are suited up as a Mega Man model and go out to save the world from another mysterious maverick uprising. The game received a sequel in 2007 titled ''Mega Man ZX Advent''. Another sequel, codenamed ''ZXC'' was planned, but canceled in 2008. | ||
The ''Mega Man Battle Network'' team also shifted over to Nintendo DS after dabbling with the console for a few re-releases to create the new game, which resulted in the release trilogy ''Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus, Leo & Dragon'' in 2006. Taking place several centuries after ''Mega Man Battle Network 6'', the Net Society is now so advanced that anyone can travel between it and the real world at will. Protagonists Geo Stelar and Omega-Xis combine to create [[Star Force Mega Man]] to both protect the world from the EM Virus and keep their true identities a secret. Gameplay is similar to the previous ''Battle Network'' games, but with a 3D perspective. The game received a few sequels, including release trilogy ''Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker × Ninja & Zerker × Saurian'' in 2007, and dual releases ''Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace & Red Joker'' in 2008. | The ''Mega Man Battle Network'' team also shifted over to Nintendo DS after dabbling with the console for a few re-releases to create the new game, which resulted in the release trilogy ''Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus, Leo & Dragon'' in 2006. Taking place several centuries after ''Mega Man Battle Network 6'', the Net Society is now so advanced that anyone can travel between it and the real world at will. Protagonists Geo Stelar and Omega-Xis combine to create [[Star Force Mega Man]] to both protect the world from the EM Virus and keep their true identities a secret. Gameplay is similar to the previous ''Battle Network'' games, but with a 3D perspective. The game received a few sequels, including release trilogy ''Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker × Ninja & Zerker × Saurian'' in 2007, and dual releases ''Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace & Red Joker'' in 2008. | ||
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This drought ended in 2018 with the release of ''Mega Man 11'' on [[Nintendo Switch]], Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This game once again sticks rigidly to the classic formula, but includes some unique gameplay elements and is the first in the series to utilize 3D graphics. The game received somewhat mixed reviews, praising the game for being a solid foundation for future games, but sticks to its formula to a fault at points and is afraid to do something truly innovative. This is also the last proper ''Mega Man'' game released to this day barring re-releases and the mobile game ''Mega Man X Dive'' for mobile devices in 2020, once again causing a drought of content. | This drought ended in 2018 with the release of ''Mega Man 11'' on [[Nintendo Switch]], Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This game once again sticks rigidly to the classic formula, but includes some unique gameplay elements and is the first in the series to utilize 3D graphics. The game received somewhat mixed reviews, praising the game for being a solid foundation for future games, but sticks to its formula to a fault at points and is afraid to do something truly innovative. This is also the last proper ''Mega Man'' game released to this day barring re-releases and the mobile game ''Mega Man X Dive'' for mobile devices in 2020, once again causing a drought of content. | ||
Throughout the years, Capcom has rereleased their ''Mega Man'' games and series via several compilations and collections. The first of these were '' Mega Man: The Wily Wars'', a collection containing remakes of the first three classic Mega Man games released on 1994. Other collections released were ''Mega Man Anniversary Collection'', ''Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS'', ''Mega Man X Collection'', and ''Mega Man Zero Collection'' between 2005 to 2010. The most well known of these compilations was the '' Mega Man Legacy Collection'' series that was released between 2015–2023 for multiple video game platforms. The '' Mega Man Legacy Collection 1'' and '' Mega Man Legacy Collection 2'' was released on 2015 and 2017 respectively. Both versions were later released together as bundle called ''Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 & 2'' for the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The '' Mega Man X Legacy Collection'' was release as two volumes or bundle called '' Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2'' in 2018. The '' Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection'' was released in 2020 and the ''Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection'' in 2023. | |||
Outside of games, the ''Mega Man'' franchise has been represented in other media. This includes guest appearances like the ''Marvel vs Capcom'' and {{uv|Super Smash Bros.}} series. Several animated series, comic books, and manga have been created, both directly based on games and in their own continuity. The ''Mega Man'' series has been considered highly influential in the video game industry, particularly with non-linear gameplay structure, story and continuity, and several well-regarded instances of modernization. The character is considered synonymous with Capcom and is one of the most recognizable video game characters of all time in regions where the NES was popular, despite new installments in the franchise being relatively few and far between in recent years. | Outside of games, the ''Mega Man'' franchise has been represented in other media. This includes guest appearances like the ''Marvel vs Capcom'' and {{uv|Super Smash Bros.}} series. Several animated series, comic books, and manga have been created, both directly based on games and in their own continuity. The ''Mega Man'' series has been considered highly influential in the video game industry, particularly with non-linear gameplay structure, story and continuity, and several well-regarded instances of modernization. The character is considered synonymous with Capcom and is one of the most recognizable video game characters of all time in regions where the NES was popular, despite new installments in the franchise being relatively few and far between in recent years. | ||