First Mega Man 9 screenshots and video show 8-bit glory

7 July 2008

3 Comments

Posted by:Josh

The first screenshots, video and solid details on Mega Man 9 have been revealed and it is glorious!

This bullet list puts the new info in easy-to-digest chunks.

* According to those who have played it, it’s on par or above the hardest games in the series. So expect some challenge when you finally get it in your hands!

* A lot of the music is straight from Mega man 2.

* The select screen will contain more than just the game . . . . *further details will be announced at E3*

* The gameplay is the same and plays just like a classic 8-bit Mega Man. You still have to steal the powers from bosses you’ve defeated in order to use them against another robot master who’s weak against that particular weapon.

* Although some of the more modern Mega Man updates are present, including the ability to buy items from a shop which was introduced in the Game Boy port of Mega Man IV, and added to Mega Man 7 and 8. It’s present in Mega Man 9, making nine the first 8-bit Mega Man to feature the shop.

* Buyable items include: An Energy Balancer (distributes energy to weapons that need it most), Spike Shoes (protect against one-hit kills) and new armor that reduces damage by half.

* The select and power-up screens feature the same exact tunes as played in Mega Man 2.

* Many classic enemies return.

* You have the ability to *SPOILER ALERT* play the game without Mega Man’s helmet! So his hair can flow freely in the wind! *END SPOILER*

* The ability to charge Mega Man’s Mega Buster arm gun isn’t available initially (he gained the ability in Mega Man 4)

* The ability to slide is also not available initially.

* Rush, Mega Man’s helpful dog, is available from the start with his Rush Coil ability (basically like a spring that lets you reach higher platforms).

* There is more going on than meets the eye. The aforementioned menu hold other options which will be revealed at E3. According to GamesRadar, there will be “plenty for hardcore fans to obsess over when it hits WiiWare this fall.”

* The storyline hasn’t really changed, except for the fact that *SPOILER ALERT* Dr. Wily and Dr. Light’s roles have reversed. At least, that’s what Dr. Wily wants you to believe. The doors even say “Dr. L” instead of “Dr. W”. All with the goal of convincing the populace of the city that he is the good guy and Dr. Light is the bad guy. *END SPOILER*

Watch the very first “Rockman 9″ video:

In an Keiji Inafune interview the creator of Mega Man talks about how he’s more involved with Mega Man 9 than he’s been with a Mega Man game in a long time, saying, “For the first time in many years, we are developing an 8-bit game. This opportunity has awoken my spirit as a game designer. I’ve stepped closer to the designing team to get more hands-on with the graphics and game design. I’ve been more involved in the actual creation process this time, and even designed the bosses! The beauty of Mega Man actually lies in its simplicity and a fine mixture of simple gameplay, puzzle-like thrill of maneuvering tricks at the last minute, and battles. Instead of new moves, we’ve tried to find an excellent balance in the game design and to achieve ‘simplicity and fun’ in the very detailed-oriented age.”

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:

And there’s lots more Mega Man 9 screenshots for you to soak up, so check them all out! Personally, I can’t wait to play this!

UPDATE July 9: Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu reports that the Mega Man 9 will feature downloadable content of some kind. The WiiWare title will go on sale in September (in Japan) at a price of 1000 Wii Points (that’s $10).