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[Cheesemeister]

The Blue Bomber is 20 years old today, December 17th. Before everyone shouts, "Old!" here are some links to commemorations that jumped the gun appeared earlier...

Capcom's Rockman Series Official Portal Site
Rockman 20th Anniversary Commemoration Event
1UP.com's Mega Manniversary
Retronauts: Bonus Stage
June 2007 GAF thread

Also indispensable...

MMHP: The Mega Man Home Page
Minibosses - Mega Man 2 (live)
Wikipedia: List of Mega Man games
Wikipedia: Robot Master

ロックマン誕生２０周年にあたって

皆さん、本日はロックマンのお祝いのために、
公式サイトに足を運んでくださってありがとうございます。
先月の「ロックマン２０周年記念イベント」におきまして
皆さんからの暖かい応援を直接うけて、
ロックマンは皆さんと共に、これからも成長していける！
と感じました。

皆さんのお陰で、私もロックマンもここにいます。

２５周年、３０周年とロックマンを続けて、皆さんと語り
合っていきたいと思います。

これからも宜しくお願いします。

２００７．１２．１７
エグゼクティブプロデューサー　稲船　敬二

On Rockman's 20th Anniversary

Thank you for visiting the official site to celebrate Rockman today.

After having received such kind words of encouragement directly from everyone at the "Rockman 20th Anniversary Commemoration Event" last month, I felt that Rockman will continue to succeed with your help from here on!

Thanks to you, Rockman and I are here.

I want to continue telling everyone Rockman's story through the 25th and even 30th Anniversaries.

With my kindest regards,

2007.12.17
Executive Producer, Keiji Inafune

The Original Series

[NES] Mega Man

JP: 12/17/1987
NA: 12/1987
EU: 12/13/1989

And who can forget this boxart?

DRN-001 Mega Man (Rock)
DRN-002 Roll
DRN-003 Cut Man
DRN-004 Guts Man
DRN-005 Ice Man
DRN-006 Bomb Man
DRN-007 Fire Man
DRN-008 Elec Man

[NES] Mega Man 2

JP: 12/24/1988
NA: 7/1989
EU: 12/14/1990

Or these beauties?

DWN-009 Metal Man
DWN-010 Air Man
DWN-011 Bubble Man
DWN-012 Quick Man
DWN-013 Crash Man
DWN-014 Flash Man
DWN-015 Heat Man
DWN-016 Wood Man

[NES] Mega Man 3

JP: 9/28/1990
NA: 11/1990
EU: 2/20/1992

DRN-000 Proto Man (Blues)

DWN-017 Needle Man
DWN-018 Magnet Man
DWN-019 Gemini Man
DWN-020 Hard Man
DWN-021 Top Man
DWN-022 Snake Man
DWN-023 Spark Man
DWN-024 Shadow Man

[NES] Mega Man 4

JP: 12/6/1991
NA: 1/1992
EU: 1/21/1993

DWN-025 Bright Man
DWN-026 Pharaoh Man
DWN-027 Drill Man
DWN-028 Ring Man
DWN-029 Toad Man
DWN-030 Dust Man
DWN-031 Dive Man
DWN-032 Skull Man

[NES] Mega Man 5

JP: 12/4/1992
NA: 12/1992
EU: 11/18/1993

DWN-033 Gravity Man
DWN-034 Wave Man
DWN-035 Stone Man
DWN-036 Gyro Man
DWN-037 Star Man
DWN-038 Charge Man
DWN-039 Napalm Man
DWN-040 Crystal Man

[NES] Mega Man 6

JP: 11/5/1993
NA: 3/1994

DWN-041 Blizzard Man
DWN-042 Centaur Man
DWN-043 Flame Man
DWN-044 Knight Man
DWN-045 Plant Man
DWN-046 Tomahawk Man
DWN-047 Wind Man
DWN-048 Yamato Man

[SNS] Mega Man 7

JP: 3/24/1995
NA: 9/1995

DWN-049 Freeze Man
DWN-050 Junk Man
DWN-051 Burst Man
DWN-052 Cloud Man
DWN-053 Spring Man
DWN-054 Slash Man
DWN-055 Shade Man
DWN-056 Turbo Man

[PSX][SAT] Mega Man 8

JP: 12/17/1996
NA: 2/27/1997

DWN-057 Tengu Man
DWN-058 Astro Man
DWN-059 Sword Man
DWN-060 Clown Man
DWN-061 Search Man
DWN-062 Frost Man
DWN-063 Grenade Man
DWN-064 Aqua Man

Spin-offs...

[PC] Mega Man, Mega Man 3
[NES] Rock Board
[GB] Mega Man in Dr. Wily's Revenge, II~V
[GEN] Mega Man: The Wily Wars
[SNS] Mega Man Soccer, Rockman & Forte
[PSX] Rockman Battle & Chase, Super Adventure Rockman (also [SAT]), Rockman Complete Works
[ARC] Mega Man: The Power Battle, Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters
[NPC] Rockman Battle & Fighters
[WS] Rockman & Forte: Challenger from the Future
[PS2][NGC][XBX] Mega Man Anniversary Collection
[PSP] Mega Man Powered Up!

The X Series

[SNS][PC] Mega Man X

JP: 12/17/1993
NA: 12/20/1993
EU: 1/1/1994

Chill Penguin
Launch Octopus
Storm Eagle
Armored Armadillo
Flame Mammoth
Sting Chameleon
Spark Mandrill
Boomer Kuwanger

[SNS] Mega Man X2

JP: 12/16/1994
NA: 3/1995
EU: 3/1995

Morph Moth
Wire Sponge
Bubble Crab
Flame Stag
Magna Centipede
Crystal Snail
Overdrive Ostrich
Wheel Gator

[SNS][PSX][SAT][PC] Mega Man X3

JP: 12/1/1995
NA: 11/30/1995
EU: 4/26/1996

Blast Hornet
Blizzard Buffalo
Gravity Beetle
Toxic Seahorse
Volt Catfish
Crush Crawfish
Tunnel Rhino
Neon Tiger

[PSX][SAT][PC] Mega Man X4

JP: 8/1/1997
NA: 7/31/1997
EU: 1997

Web Spider
Split Mushroom
Cyber Peacock
Storm Owl
Magma Dragoon
Frost Walrus
Jet Stingray
Slash Beast

[PSX][PC] Mega Man X5

JP: 11/30/2000
NA: 2/1/2001
EU: 8/3/2001

Grizzly Slash
Duff McWhalen
The Skiver
Izzy Glow
Dark Dizzy
Squid Adler
Mattrex
Axle the Red

[PSX][PC] Mega Man X6

JP: 11/29/2001
NA: 12/4/2001
EU: 2/8/2002

Commander Yammark
Ground Scaravich
Blaze Heatnix
Blizzard Wolfang
Rainy Turtloid
Metal Shark Player
Shield Sheldon
Infinity Mijinion

[PS2][PC] Mega Man X7

JP: 7/17/2003
NA: 10/14/2003
EU: 3/5/2004

Soldier Stonekong
Tornado Tonion
Ride Boarski
Splash Warfly
Wind Crowrang
Flame Hyenard
Snipe Anteator
Vanishing Gungaroo

[PS2][PC] Mega Man X8

JP: 3/10/2005
NA: 12/7/2004
EU: 2/11/2005

Optic Sunflower
Dark Mantis
Gravity Antonion
Gigavolt Man-O-War
Burn Rooster
Avalanche Yeti
Earthrock Trilobyte
Bamboo Pandamonium

Spin-offs...

[GBC] Mega Man Xtreme, Mega Man Xtreme 2
[PS2][NGC] Mega Man X Collection, Mega Man X Command Mission
[PSP] Mega Man Maverick Hunter X

The Legends Series

[PSX][N64][PC][PSP] Mega Man Legends
[PSX][PC][PSP] Mega Man Legends 2

Spin-off...

[PSX] The Misadventures of Tron Bonne

The Battle Network Series

[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network 2
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network 3: White Version/Blue Version
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun/Blue Moon
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team ProtoMan/Team Colonel
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar/Cybeast Gregar

Spin-offs...

[NGC] Mega Man Network Transmission
[WS] Rockman EXE WS, Rockman EXE N1 Battle
[GBA] Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge, Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation
[NDS] Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS
[ARC] Rockman EXE The Medal Operation, Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium

The Zero Series

[GBA] Mega Man Zero
[GBA] Mega Man Zero 2
[GBA] Mega Man Zero 3
[GBA] Mega Man Zero 4

The ZX Series

[NDS] Mega Man ZX
[NDS] Mega Man ZX Advent

The Star Force Series

[NDS] Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus/Leo/Dragon
[NDS] Mega Man Star Force 2: Berserk x Shinobi/Berserk x Dinosaur

Fight on, little guy!

PS: Dear Capcom, if you're reading this, how 'bout getting Mega Man on the Virtual Console outside of just Europe? X, too. Thanks.

 

[Fuzzy]

I'm still pissed the GBA Mega Man Collection never came out.

 

[twilitesparklemotion]

That's a lot of words there, Cheese. Nice OP.

X5 was my first. I love the X series.

 

[Greatness Gone]

Amazing thread.

BTW, Megaman looks like he has a dildo attachment on his blaster.

 

[Septimus]

I loved X, but I really want a new Legends.... not a mobile version though!

 

[legend166]

Nice post.

What was that countdown about?

 

[the year 20XX]

I am dying for one of the 20th anniversary t-shirts, but I'm just not in Japan.

 

[zoku88]

Nice post.

What was that countdown about?

I think it was just until Mega Man official 20th...

 

[theultimo]

Happy Manuversery Megaman!


Also best pic from MM2

 

[funkmastergeneral]

Happy Manuversery Megaman!


Also best pic from MM2

 

[MickeyKnox]

That could have been such an awesome OP but why oh why did you have to ruin it by not having an Okkusenman youtube link anywhere in there?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeALqyjSz1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWwAM30N0No

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9abwb85QNY

 

[RoboPlato]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/senorroboto/1185711281996jo3.gif

:lol Perfect

 

[NolbertoS]

Hope they re-release the Mega Man X Compilation by including X7 and X8 on it. Happy but pissed that X7 or X8 weren't in it.

 

[Luigison]

Awesome thread. Too bad we're not getting Mega Man in North America Monday. It would have went well with the sci-fi VC theme too.

 

[HK-47]

This thread is made of god and win

 

[A Black Falcon]

[PC] Mega Man, Mega Man 3

Mega Man 3 for the PC... that game's name is all lies. "Mega Man", it calls itself. Then why are the levels large mazes? This doesn't play like any "Mega Man" game I've ever heard of... but I bought it because I didn't have a NES and wanted a Mega Man game.

It's actually not all that horrible, once you accept the EGA graphics, PC Speaker sound effects, confusing, mazelike levels, lack of any form of saving (it has infinite continues, but no saving, and though there are just seven levels (six bosses then the Wily stage) it takes quite a while to get through because of the level design; I never actually finished it...), and pretend that it's not a Mega Man game but just some average PC action-platformer which happens to use Mega Man graphics for the main character and some vaguely Mega Man-ish enemies and boss designs, but it's definitely not Mega Man.

My opinion of Rozner Labs and Hi-Tech Expressions wasn't too high after that one...

 

[Deadly Monk]

I can't believe the guy who did the cover art for Mega Man 1 on NES lives near me...how creepy. Poor old bastard.

 

[beelzebozo]

was kinda hoping they'd announce a new game in the main series for this, but oh well

 

[grandjedi6]

I really want to play a really good Mega Man game, but Capcom hasn't made one in a while

 

[dr3upmushroom]

I still need to play Legends 2.

 

[zoku88]

That could have been such an awesome OP but why oh why did you have to ruin it by not having an Okkusenman youtube link anywhere in there?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeALqyjSz1Q

Holy crap, that was loud! It's a wonder that that guy can talk after singing that...

 

[rockman zx]

Sadly the game to celebrate the 20th anniversary didn`t happend but there is hope, it seems that they still want to do that in the future.

Happy birthday!.

 

[GremlinInTheMachine]

Mega Man's still my favorite.

I recieved Mega Man for Xmas in 1987, fell in love with it, and then proceeded to buy every NES Capcom game released through 1991. Even the really awful ones like Trojan. After that I lost most of my interest in gaming until 2003 when I bought a GameCube, and now once again I have a game collection full of Capcom games including almost all of the proper Mega Man games.

Capcom, you're a diamond in an ocean of crap. Cheers.

 

[obsolete]

I can't believe the guy who did the cover art for Mega Man 1 on NES lives near me...how creepy. Poor old bastard.

Are you for real? More info please! Who is he? How old is he? Any other magical art that we can see?

 

[edwardslane]

think america will finally get megaman 1 now on vc tomorrow? it would make sense no doubt

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

think america will finally get megaman 1 now on vc tomorrow? it would make sense no doubt

No, I can categorically say we won't. Which is too bad and a genuine missed opportunity.

 

[Pureauthor]

Rock on, Blue Bomber. Rock on.

 

[OnPoint]

"I will rise high above Monsteropolis..."

 

[IcebergSlim3000]

Easily one of the best threads I've seen on Gaf in a long time. I started on MM2 and been in love ever since. I was humming the bubble man theme while reading the OP. Great job man, almost brings a tear to my eye.

 

[Speevy]

When I was a little kid, I used to make up "_____ Man" characters.

I had a whole list of them until my mother threw them away.

 

[ratcliffja]

Yeah, my friends and I used to try to come up with ___ Man ideas during recess back in like 4th grade. I guarantee you that none of us thought of Yamato Man.

 

[Oichi]

You guys forgot about the "I can't beat Airman" video too! Niconico just put up a commemorative video using that song:lol

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm1787131

This is the version I like though
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KLbFctG3tw0

oh, and on Capcom's online store, they had these for sale, which I purchased. The mug, unfortunately, is already sold out.:lol

 

[Speevy]

I had Graphite Man and Probe Man.

I guarantee Capcom failed to consider these. :lol

 

[flarkminator]

When I was a little kid, I used to make up "_____ Man" characters.

I had a whole list of them until my mother threw them away.

YES I did the same thing =(

 

[bluemax]

Yeah, my friends and I used to try to come up with ___ Man ideas during recess back in like 4th grade. I guarantee you that none of us thought of Yamato Man.

Haha I did the same thing in second grade. I think I have some of my sketches somewhere.

I'm saddened that I didn't finish my MM series play through from earlier in the year.

I finished MM1-7, got to Wily's Castle in MM8 (fuck those automated rocket slide levels) and beat MMX1-2 and got most of the way through MMX3 before getting bogged down with school.

Maybe I'll try and pick things back up over vacation.

 

[Cheesemeister]

I sent in my design of Rodent Man for the Mega Man 6 NP contest. Then when I saw the Mega Man 8 credits years later, I could've sworn I'd seen one of the drawings before...

 

[RaidenZR]

Just wanted to say that I <3 Mega Man. Seeing the Mega Man 2 and Mega Man X1 screens still gives me goosebumps.

More currently I <3 Mega Man Zero. It's what the ZR in my handle refers to.

But truly, this series should never die so long as the spirit of its actioney platforming manic-ness comes through in each game.

Best Boss Name: Boomer Kuwanger
Runner-Up Best Boss Name: Hyleg Ourobuckle

 

[Osaka]

Nicely done thread Cheesemeister!

 

[Sword Familiar]

oh, and on Capcom's online store, they had these for sale, which I purchased. The mug, unfortunately, is already sold out.:lol

Y'aaarrrrr.... do want. Bummer.

 

[linkboy]

Mega Man is one of my favorite franchises.

God I feel old. Seeing Mega Man, Zelda, Mario and the rest of the games I grew up with hit the big 20 really creeps me out (not to mention Home Improvement being on Nick and Nite).

Congrats on Mega Man turning 20, now where's Mega Man 9 (release it on the DS, PSP, hell even WiiWare, I just want the game).

 

[JohnTinker]

So there was no new game announcement at the end of that countdown?

 

[A Black Falcon]

[PC] Mega Man, Mega Man 3

Mega Man 3 for the PC... that game's name is all lies. "Mega Man", it calls itself. Then why are the levels large mazes? This doesn't play like any "Mega Man" game I've ever heard of... but I bought it because I didn't have a NES and wanted a Mega Man game.

It's actually not all that horrible, once you accept the EGA graphics, PC Speaker sound effects, confusing, mazelike levels, lack of any form of saving (it has infinite continues, but no saving, and though there are just seven levels (six bosses then the Wily stage) it takes quite a while to get through because of the level design; I never actually finished it...), and pretend that it's not a Mega Man game but just some average PC action-platformer which happens to use Mega Man graphics for the main character and some vaguely Mega Man-ish enemies and boss designs, but it's definitely not Mega Man.

My opinion of Rozner Labs and Hi-Tech Expressions wasn't too high after that one...

As an addendup to this, I need to say that this thread got me to launch Mega Man 3 (the cause of that post) and then Mega Man X's PC version, which had something in the company logo screens in the intro... a Rozner Labs Software Group logo. Evidently they made that game too, unlike the attribution to "Capcom" that Gamefaqs and Mobygames and others give it. Mega Man X for the PC was a very good port. It's pretty much an exact duplicate of the SNES version, except it has no robot ride armor (used so little I never cared it was gone...), has saving instead of passwords (though it only saves the data that the password would have, it's much more convenient), and is perhaps slightly more difficult. The graphics and music were the same as on the SNES, and it of course supported soundcards, VGA, etc. Rozner Labs obviously improved quite a bit with time.

Mega Man X for the PC was a much bigger deal than (MM1 or) MM3 were, too. MM3 wasn't even published by Capcom, I think (Capcom and Hi-Tech have logos on the front of the box; Hi-Tech Expressions logo shows up first when you launch the game, then Rozner Labs, then the main menu. The menu screen does say 'c 1992 Capcom Co. Ltd. and 1992 Capcom USA Inc.', but that's presumably just a license note.), had a small box with iffy box art straight off of one of the NES games, CGA/EGA-only graphics in 1992, a time when games were beginning to use VGA, etc, while X was a good port as said above, was definitely published by Capcom, had a full-sized, awesome box and (optionally) came packed in with a gamepad (that box version had a window cut out in it so you could see the gamepad inside), which made playing the game much easier than it would have been on keyboard. SSFII had the gamepad pack-in box available too... never got that though. I do still have my Capcom PC Fighter 6 gamepad, though. Being a gameport pad it won't work on my new computer of course, and one button is stuck, but it did well for quite a while.

 

[Varshes]

Happy Birthday, Megaman! I'm playing all the Megaman music I have on my radio stream if anyone is in the mood.

 

[Antdogg355]

This thread is full of pure awesome.

 

[Odrion]

No Megaman came out today?

You mean out of all of the million Megaman releases between the 80s and the end of time, they didn't release one on his 20th birthday?

What the fuck, maaaan.

 

[Varshes]

Needs more pictures and celebration!

 

[Whimsical Phil]

I am dying for one of the 20th anniversary t-shirts, but I'm just not in Japan.

I was able to get one of the 15th anniversary shirts back in the day. It's a bit too small to fit me, but I have it framed on my wall anyway...

 

[D3VI0US]

MEGAMAN & BASS

EDIT: It's not a spin off to me. It seems like it's part of the main series. Sure Bass is playable but it's the original Megaman not X, Legends, Battle Net, or any of the other variants.

 

[Whimsical Phil]

MEGAMAN & BASS

It got a mention.

Spin-offs...

[PC] Mega Man, Mega Man 3
[NES] Rock Board
[GB] Mega Man in Dr. Wily's Revenge, II~V
[GEN] Mega Man: The Wily Wars
[SNS] Mega Man Soccer, Rockman & Forte
[PSX] Rockman Battle & Chase, Super Adventure Rockman (also [SAT]), Rockman Complete Works
[ARC] Mega Man: The Power Battle, Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters
[NPC] Rockman Battle & Fighters
[WS] Rockman & Forte: Challenger from the Future
[PS2][NGC][XBX] Mega Man Anniversary Collection
[PSP] Mega Man Powered Up!

 

[BigJonsson]

MEGA MAN IS A MEGA MAN, MAN!