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Mega Man (NES)

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Mega Man
Gaze upon this box art... and weep.
Developer(s) Capcom
Publisher(s) Capcom
Release date 1987
Genre 2D Platformer
Mode(s) Single player
Age rating(s) ESRB: E (as part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection)
Platform(s) Famicom/NES
Media 1 Megabit Cartridge
Credits | Soundtrack | Codes | Walkthrough


Mega Man was the first of many games released in a series of action/platforming titles by Capcom, Inc. and created by Keiji Inafune. This title was originally released in December of 1987 on the Famicom (NES in North America) and would be re-released on the PlayStation, Nintendo GameCube, PS2, and Microsoft Xbox, and even remade on the Sony PlayStation Portable.

The first title differs from sequels in that it contains a point system, no way to save (no passwords or save feature), and only six Robot Masters (although Mega Man: Powered Up compensates for these shortcomings).

Contents

[edit] Game Data

[edit] Original Release

Title screen of the original "Rockman," released in December, 1987.

Original Console: Nintendo Entertainment System

Release Date: December 17, 1987

Publisher: Capcom Co., Ltd.

[edit] Remakes/Re-releases

Rockman (Rockman Complete Works): Sony PlayStation (Japan)

Release Date: August 5, 1999

Publisher: Capcom Co., Ltd.


Mega Man: Anniversary Collection: GameCube, PlayStation 2, XBox

GC and PS2 Release Date: June 22, 2004

XBox Release Date: March 15, 2005

Publisher: Capcom Co., Ltd.


Mega Man: Powered Up: Sony PlayStation Portable

Release Date: March 14, 2006

Publisher: Capcom Co., Ltd.

[edit] Gameplay

As indicated by the title of the game, the player controls the blue bomber, Mega Man. At the start of the game, Mega Man has the ability to jump, run left or right, climb up or down (given that he is on a ladder), shoot using the "Mega Buster" (which allows three consecutive shots on screen at a time), and fall.

At the start, there are 6 levels the player can choose from. Each one is themed a different way. towards the end, Mega Man goes through a tunnel, and eventually goes into a room where he faces a Robot Master (given the same name as the level). Mega Man gains the power of that Robot Master when the Robot Master is defeated.

[edit] Backstory

To understand the story of Mega Man, one must look back at the events which occur before the game takes place, and to do so, once can look to sources such as Rockman Perfect Memories which have taken the time to document the information reported by Capcom over the years in regards to the series:

The story of the Mega Man universe begins in the mid-20th century with the birth of Thomas Light and Albert W. Wily (circa 1958). These men would become friends and attend the same university, studying the field of electronics and eventually receiving PhDs. By the 1990s, the two men would go into business together and form a company called Light Labs, a team whose ambition it was to use computer and electronic technology to benefit mankind in the coming era.

In the early 21st century, Light Labs made its first leaps in the field of robotics, creating the Sniper Joe police robots, Mettool construction robots, and various others to benefit mankind. Yet, Light and Wily both realized the potential of their project. They wanted to create robots that were human-like. They wanted to build robots that contained artificial intelligence within them.

Thus, around the year 2005, Light Labs produced the first one of such robots- Proto Man. Proto Man was based off of the design of the Sniper Joe robots, but was instilled with an artificial intelligence unlike anything the world had ever seen. Yet, Proto possessed a true sense of independence, one that made him much like true human beings, and because of this he ran from the lab before his diagnostic testing was completed.

Still, Light and Wily did not give up. The following year they set to work on building a pair of robots, thinking that two would work together and overcome the independence issue. It was thus that Rock and Roll were born. Rock became the lab's new assistant and Roll became a housekeeper. With the success of this project, the two scientists went on to create eight more robots, each for industrial assistance purposes: Fire Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Cut Man, Guts Man, Elec Man, Oil Man, and Time Man.

It was for the success of these projects that Dr. Thomas Light received the Nobel Prize for Robot Master Design in 2007, an award which Wily felt he deserved as well.[1]

Note: In the original version of the story, Doctors Light and Wily only built six robots in their industrial series, but Capcom modified the story with the release of Mega Man: Powered Up to contain two additional Robot Masters in order to make the game more in-line with its sequels.


[edit] Story

In December of 2008, Dr. Albert W. Wily had finally had enough of living in the shadow of his colleague, Thomas Light. Light's reception of the Nobel Prize the previous year, as well as his winning the LIT Manual Design Contest drove him over the edge. Wily realized the potential of what he and Dr. Light had been designing with the Light Labs team. Robots with true A.I. built for industrial purposes could be used for other means. It was to this line of thinking that Wily turned one night that month when he snuck down into the lab and reprogrammed all of the robots that he could get his hands on. However, he failed to get past the programming on Rock and his "sister," Roll. Still, Wily figured that in the end he wouldn't have much use for a lab assistant and a housekeeper, so he took his new army of industrial powerhouses and fled the lab.

When Light came in, he found his lab in shambles and soon discovered that his colleague was to blame. With Wily on the loose with an army of intelligent and powerful robots, Dr. Light knew that the world's police forces and armies weren't ready to deal with this new challenge.

Rock being converted into Mega Man in Mega Man 4 on the NES, (C) 1991 by Capcom.

It was thus that Rock, the lab assistant, volunteered to be converted into a fighting robot. Rock had a strong sense of justice and couldn't sit by and watch his "father's" work be destroyed before his very eyes. As such, Light reluctantly converted the former lab assistant into a robot of unimaginable potential. Equipped with titanium armor and a plasma cannon, Rock became known as the fighting robot Mega Man and set out for Wily's new fortress of Monsteropolis.

Would he be able to stop the evil madman from taking over the world?

[edit] Story from the NES Manual, (C) 1987 Capcom

It's MEGA MAN versus the powerful leaders and fighting forces of Monsteropolis -- that strange multi-faceted land of robot-like Humanoids. Brilliant scientist Dr. Wright conceived the construction of fully-operational human-like experimental robots to perform specific everyday duties. Dr. Wright, and his assistant Dr. Wily, encouraged with their very first near human robot -- MEGA MAN -- proceeded to develop six additional Humanoids, all programmed to perform prescribed rituals.

But, with the exception of MEGA MAN, all of Dr.Wright's near-human robot experimentation went awry. Assistant Dr. Wily turned disloyal, re-programming Dr. Wright's Humanoids, now bent on destroying opposition so Dr. Wily could control the world and its resources.

Resisting re-programming, MEGA MAN is chosen the defender of the universe and its inhabitants. MEGA MAN dares to single-handedly penetrate seven separate empires of Monsteropolis, eliminating the leaders and followers of these sovereignties.

Get ready for some very exciting challenges! [2]

Notes: In the NES version, Dr. Light is named Dr. Wright, but he is later renamed to Light. The time period is not stated for this game, but Mega Man 2, which takes place six months later, mentions the year of 200X (or sometime between 2000 and 2009). The dates are extrapolated from information from official sources, such as Capcom and Rockman Perfect Memories.[1]

[edit] Major Characters

[edit] Dr. Thomas Light

Dr. Thomas Light, master robot engineer, (C) Capcom, Inc.

Also Known As: Dr. Wright and Dr. Right

Born: Circa 1958

Died: Circa 2040

Strength: Light is a good-natured person.

Weakness: He is easily tricked.

Likes: The Internet.

Dislikes: Fighting/Violence.

Dr. Thomas Light was born circa-1958, and when he grew older he went off to school to study electronics and computer technology, a field which was beginning to really take off at the close of the twentieth century. It was in college that he met his friend and future colleague Albert Wily, and once the two graduated with their doctorate degrees, they went into research together, eventually forming what came to be known as Light Labs. Light Labs began to study computer and robotic technology in the 1990s, and by the early 2000s they released the first of a series of robotic creations on the world.

Light Labs logo from Wily and Right's Rockboard: That's Paradise, (C) 1993 Capcom, Inc.

Still, Dr. Light and his partner knew that much more was possible, and so over the next couple years they worked on what they called Proto Man, a modified version of the Sniper Joe police robot, but with a far more advanced artificial intelligence system. However, when Proto Man went awol in 2005, the two set their sights on developing a pair of robots named Rock and Roll, as well as a series of industrial robots to help mankind.

It was for this incredible research that Dr. Light received the 2007 Nobel Prize (for his creation of the Robot Masters). However, this caused much jealousy from his colleague, who felt that he should share in the triumph. Thus, that, shared with Light's winning of the LIT Manual Design Contest caused Wily to revolt in December of 2008.

Light would reluctantly convert his lab assistant, Rock, into the fighting robot that became known as Mega Man. Would this be the fate of his new creations? Would violence be the destiny of both human and robot kind? Light desired peace, but he knew that Rock had to stop Wily before it was too late.[3]

[edit] Dr. Albert W. Wily

Dr. Albert W. Wily, Light and Rock's rival, (C) Capcom, Inc.

Born: Circa 1958

Died: Circa 2040

Strength: Wily is a genius (especially as a scientist)

Weakness: He never gives up

Likes: Taking over the world

Dislikes: Admitting defeat

Albert W. Wily was born circa 1958 and would later attend the same university as Thomas Light. The two studied electrical systems together, and upon graduating would become colleagues and later found Light Labs by the 1990s. Wily was a brilliant partner to Dr. Light and the two work vigorously at the close to the twentieth century and into the early-2000s on a project to build robots that would help mankind. Early models, like the Sniper Joe police units proved successful, so the two would go on to build humanoid robots with more advanced A.I. units. Although Proto Man would go awol in 2005, the Rock and Roll project the following year proved to be a huge success, so the two worked hard to continue and build a series of industrial units to help in the world's labor force.

Wily felt a sense of pride in his work. As such, it came as a huge blow to him when, the following year, Dr. Light received the 2007 Nobel Prize for the Design of the Robot Masters. Wily felt like he should have shared in the accomplishment since he, too, designed every one of them. Light also won the LIT Manual Design Contest, and that proved to be the final straw.

Dr. Wily's signature logo, (C) Capcom, Inc.

Wily reprogrammed all of the industrial units and every robot that he could get his hands on in Light Labs one night in December of 2008, but he failed to get past the programming within Rock and Roll's A.I. However, he didn't see any use for a lab assistant and a housekeeper and figured that his army was massive enough. With that, the former colleague of Thomas Light left and built his own lab/fortress and made his intentions clear to the world- a new era of technology had been born (one under his rule!).

Was the world ready to deal with Dr. Wily's powerful new army yet? Would the former lab assistant robot, now converted into a fighting machine known as Mega Man, be able to stop him with no outside help? [3]

Note: Wily's age is mentioned in the Japanese Rockman & Forte (Super Famicom, 1998) manual as being 57. The game takes place circa 2015, and thus his birthyear is extrapolated to be circa 1958. Light and Wily are roughly the same age, so Light is estimated to be born around the same year. 2040 has been accepted as an estimated death year because by that year they would have been 82-years-old.


[edit] Robot Masters

Name Ability Given Name Ability Given
Cut Man Rolling Cutter Guts Man Super Arm
Elec Man Thunder Beam Ice Man Ice Slasher
Fire Man Fire Storm Bomb Man Hyper Bomb


[edit] Soundtrack

There has been one soundtrack released for the first six Mega Man games: Capcom Music Generation Family Computer Soundtracks: Rockman 1~6. Tracks 1-18 on disc 1 consist of music from the first Mega Man game.

[edit] Remakes

The original Mega Man (rockman) games have been taken to different generation by different remakes. One of the most known by this time is the PSP version with remodeled graphics similar to the Ps2 versions. This game, called Mega Man Powered Up, was released together with another remake of the Mega Man X series called Mega Man X Irregular Hunters.

Mega Man Powered Up includes the original version of the NES game and the new version, that includes a new starting level and two new robot masters, Oilman and Timeman. The game also includes a variety of replay value, like the option to play as some of the enemies, extra dialogue and the possibilities of playing with Roll, Protoman, and two versions of Mega Man, the one from Mega Man 3 (the one with the ground dash) and from Mega Man 4 (with the megabuster, the chargeable)

Apart from these remakes, the original Mega Man game has been added to a lot of compilations, like Mega Man anniversary collection for the PS2, X-box and GameCube. It is also included in a version for PSone which include all the Mega Man games from the NES. This version includes better sounds and some hints so the gamer can go through the game with less problems.

[edit] Trivia

- This game has an ending scene where Roll is shown together with Dr. Light waiting for Megaman, who arrives as Rock.

- There's a secret weapon in this game, although it doesn't damage enemies, but it creates temporary platforms in the air.

- This game has its counterpart version released on Gameboy. The storyline is set between Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 4.

[edit] References



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Mega Man series
Mega Man classic series
Mega Man - Mega Man 2 - Mega Man 3 - Mega Man 4 - Mega Man 5 - Mega Man 6 - Mega Man 7 - Mega Man 8 - Mega Man & Bass - Mega Man 9 - Mega Man 10
Mega Man X series
Mega Man X - Mega Man X2 - Mega Man X3 - Mega Man X4 - Mega Man X5 - Mega Man X6 - Mega Man X7 - Mega Man X8 - Mega Man Xtreme - Mega Man Xtreme2 - Mega Man X: Command Mission
Mega Man Zero series
Mega Man Zero - Mega Man Zero 2 - Mega Man Zero 3 - Mega Man Zero 4
ZX series / Legends series
Mega Man ZX - Mega Man ZX Advent
Mega Man Legends - The Misadventures of Tron Bonne - Mega Man Legends 2
other
Mega Man weapons - Mega Man vehicles - Mega Man characters - Mega Man enemies - Mega Man bosses
Mega Man Battle Network series