Mega Man Powered Up
| Mega Man: Powered Up | |
|---|---|
| File:MegaManPoweredUp.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | Capcom |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Designer(s) | Keiji Inafune |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation Portable |
| Release | March 2, 2006 (JP) March 14, 2006 (NA) March 24, 2006 (EU) |
| Genre(s) | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Mega Man: Powered Up (known as Rockman Rockman in Japan) is a 2006 PlayStation Portable remake of the original Mega Man game released in 1987. It features a new super deformed art style in addition to two new Robot Masters, Oil Man and Time Man. Like in Mega Man 7 and Mega Man 8, there is also a new introductory level that comes before the main level selection screen, complete with a new boss at the end. The game offers two ways to play each level. "New Style" takes advantage of the wide PSP screen and features altered level design with brand-new remixed music. There are actually 468 New Style stages in this mode, 13 for each difficulty (Easy, Normal, and Hard), and 39 for each character (see list of playable characters below). "Old Style" recreates the original aspect ratio and level design of the original Mega Man for NES, and features the original NES game music. The game also contains a challenge mode, a level editor, and an online infrastructure mode to distribute fan-made levels online. It is currently unknown if Mega Man: Powered Up is canon to the overall plot.
Story
In the year 20XX, master robot designer Dr. Thomas Light works on a project to create human-like robots with advanced artificial intelligence. He creates a pair of robots for domestic use - codenamed "Mega" and "Roll".
With the success of the project, he then builds eight more of the Robot Masters to be used for industrial purposes: Cut Man, Guts Man, Ice Man, Bomb Man, Fire Man, Elec Man, Time Man, and Oil Man. The project is a great success, and for his work on it, Dr. Light is awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. However, Dr. Light's old colleague and rival, Dr. Albert W. Wily, is not acknowledged for any of his past work - and he grows bitter.
Around this time, Dr. Wily had discovered a prototype robot Dr. Light made before Rock and Roll. This robot, named Proto Man, is in danger of having his energy generator going critical. Wily gave him a nuclear energy supply to extend his life, and learned much about creating robots from studying his design. He also likely learned the means to reprogram Dr. Light's robots from this. [1]
Wily announced his plans for world domination, and soon after confronted Mega and Roll. He found the two helper robots to be unworthy, and doesn't even attempt to kidnap them. Immediately afterwards, he broke into Dr. Light's lab and took all of the other robots, reprogramming them to follow blindly under his guidance. When Light finds out that Wily had escaped with the Robot Masters, it was too late. Wily has already sent his new robotic army out to conquer the city.
Mega, having a strong sense of justice, volunteered to be converted into a fighting robot to stop Dr. Wily and his minions and restore peace to the world. He became known as Mega Man.
Note that in this game, Capcom has retconned some of the backstory and events of the original game. First and foremost is the inclusion of Time Man and Oil Man. This can be seen as an act of retconning the original story by Capcom to bring the very first Mega Man game up to the now standard eight Robot Masters. They are only seen in New Style. In the eariler Mega Man titles, the first two games were stated to take place in the year 200X, but this remake of the first game states the year as 20XX. There's the matter of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily becoming partners since the beginning in the English version of the story, but this isn't in too many Japanese sources, and the tidbit is left out here. Also an act of retconning is Mega's first encounter with Dr. Wily's scheme. In the American manual and some Japanese sources, Dr. Wily actually attempted to reprogram Mega, but failed when Mega resisted it (though it's unknown if it was Mega's internal programming or putting up a physically resistance that did the trick), and Roll was unaccounted for. This aspect of the plot wasn't completely lost, as at first it looked as though Wily actually succeeded in reprogramming Mega in the boss stories, but upon confronting him, he turned out to be a completely different character. In the character storylines, Wily did not reprogram the rescued boss you are currently playing as for the following reasons:
- Cut Man: Wily felt Cut Man can only remove branches from trees.
- Guts Man: Despite his strengh, he felt that Guts Man was too lacking in intellect to be of much use.
- Ice Man: Wily believes Ice Man's resistance to cold is his only redeeming value.
- Bomb Man: Wily felt Bomb Man's obsession of bombs and "party-centric brain" do not go well together.
- Fire Man: Wily thinks Fire Man is "too hot to handle".
- Elec Man: Wily claims he's "terrible at getting shocked and taking pain".
- Time Man: Time Man is apparently unfinished, and Wily only wants him when he's completed.
- Oil Man: Wily cannot tolerate Oil Man's "slick talking nonsense".
In the ending of the original game, it is said that the battle wouldn't end until all opposing forces are brought to justice, while the remake instead states that Dr. Wily seemingly changed his ways in New Style. Lastly, Mega's actual name was changed; originally, it was Rock even in English, according to Mega Man 4.
Gameplay
The gameplay is essentially that of the original Mega Man game and its successors. However, new unlockables and the ability to play as the Robot Master characters the player fights against attempt to give the game an long-term replay value, as well as fan service. The player can also use the PSP's ability to download data, such as custom levels from other players and costumes for Roll (who must also be downloaded into the game to become playable):
- March: Mega Man 8 Roll (Costume: Outfit from Mega Man 8) (Weapon: Broom; same as normal Roll)
- April: Sports Roll (Costume: Athlete) (Weapon: Flag)
- May: Knight Roll (Costume: Knight; based on Ghouls 'n Ghosts) (Weapon: Lance)
- June: Rainy Day Roll (Costume: Raincoat with a Toad Man modif) (Weapon: Umbrella)
- July: Straw Roll (Costume: Straw Hat) (Weapon: Butterfly Net)
- August: Vacation Roll (Costume: Swim Suit) (Weapon: Beach Umbrella)
- September: Summer Roll (Costume: Bunny) (Weapon: Hammer)
- October: Halloween Roll (Costume: Witch) (Weapon: Witch's broom)
- November: Alley Cat Roll (Costume: Cat) (Weapon: Fish)
- December: Roll Clause (Costume: Mrs. Claus) (Weapon: Candy Cane)
- January: Ninja Roll (Costume: Ninja) (Weapon: Katana)
- February: Valentine Roll (Costume: Winter Clothing) (Weapon: Chocolate Heart)
Boss Characters
| # | Robot Master | Weapon | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Cut Man | Rolling Cutter | Super Arm |
| 4 | Guts Man | Super Arm | Time Slow |
| 5 | Ice Man | Ice Slasher | Hyper Bomb |
| 6 | Bomb Man | Hyper Bomb | Rolling Cutter |
| 7 | Fire Man | Fire Storm | Ice Slasher |
| 8 | Elec Man | Thunder Beam | Oil Slider |
| ? | Time Man | Time Slow | Thunder Beam |
| ? | Oil Man | Oil Slider | Fire Storm |
| Boss | Weakness |
|---|---|
| Proto Eye | Oil Slider |
| Yellow Devil | Fire Storm |
| CWU-01P | Super Arm |
| Copy Robot (cloned from seven/eight bosses and current player) | Weakness to his/her abilities |
| Wily Machine Number 1 (Phase I (Easy)) | Mega Kick, Roll Swing |
| Wily Machine Number 1 (Phase I (Normal/Hard)) | Weakness to his abilities |
| Wily Machine Number 1 (Phase II (only in Normal/Hard)) | Weakness to his abilities |
Notes:
- The Robot Master numbers for bosses begins with DRN-003. Mega and Roll are #1 and #2, and Proto Man is #0. Currently, no identification is given to Time Man or Oil Man.
- In addition to their regular weaknesses, all bosses also have a certain weakness to Mega Man C's charge as it's a bit early in the series, as well as Proto Strike.
- The difference between the Wily Machine in Easy and other modes is that it has attacks that are closer, if not the same, as the Wily Machine from the original game. The original second phase, however, is only available in Old Style, but the New Style second phase occasionally uses the same attack as the Old Style version.
- When playing as a boss Robot Master, the boss for his own level is replaced by "Mega Man?", a robot who looks much like the original Blue Bomber, except with a few differences in appearance. His battle stategy is not the same as Mega Man's Copy Robot. If the player is a boss character and he goes through the teleporter room in the third Castle Wily level where the Robot Master rematches take place, Copy Robot will not take the form of the imposter, "Mega Man?"; instead, "Mega Man?" himself will rematch.
Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode has various challenges to complete. They vary from collecting items to timed challenges. Mega Man's challenges are the first ones available, with the ones for the Robot Masters available after unlocking them as playable characters. After beating New Style Mode in any difficulty, boss survival challenges are accessed. The first four boss survivals involve the Robot Masters, in Old Style, Easy, Normal, and Hard modes. The next four survivals involve the bosses in Dr. Wily's fortress, in the same modes as the Robot Master survivals. The last two survivals feature every boss in the game (except, suspiciously, the Proto Eye from the opening stage) in only the Normal and Hard modes. Any playable character can be played as in the New Style boss survivals.
List of Challenges
Mega Man:
- Jump for Joy
- Jump for Joy 2
- Flee from Fleas
- Snipe Hunt
- Bomb Walker
- Special Weapon Master
- Dodge Octo Battery Assault
- Blader Raider
- Tackle Fire Frenzy
- Score Ball Wrangler
Cutman:
- Wall Jump Seminar
- Wall Jump Seminar 2
- Octopus Battery Panic!
- Octo Battery Exterminator
- No Damage Flying Shell Heck
- When Pruning Shears Attack!
- Survive Rare Enemy!
- No Climbing Frozen Walls!
- Crazy Containers
- Unstoppable Pendulum
Gutsman:
- Container Factory
- Containers Underfoot
- Stack Attack!
- Hard Headed Hero
- Throw Mania!
- Elevator Panic!
- Can't Make Blocks On Conveyers!
- Secure A Foothold!
- Only 5 At A Time!
- Stack And Climb!
Iceman:
- Freeze And Climb!
- Climb The Ice Tower!
- Use Attacks To Your Advantage!
- Freeze And Go!
- Cross The Frozen Fire
- Freezing Blizzard!
- Cross Octopus Battery Canyon
- Cross Flea Valley
- Freeze! You're Toast!
- Killer Bullet Ice Field
Bombman:
- Bomb Container Destroyer
- Switch Block Mania
- Angle Throw Panic
- 1 Minute Crisis!
- Switch Block Obstacle Course!
- Aim, Throw, Destroy!
- Bombing Errors Lead To Doom!
- Count Bomb Explosion!
- Victory Or Destruction?
- Secure A Path!
Fireman:
- Keep The Home Fires Burning
- Gauntlet Runner
- Don't Melt The Snow!
- Going Is Easy, Returning Is Scary!
- Defeat Picket Men With Fire
- First One Wins!
- Cornered!
- Walking On Air
- Defeat Shield Cannons With Fire
- Methodical Gauntlet
Elecman:
- Fun With Elec Blocks
- More Fun With Elec Blocks!
- Even More Fun With Elec Blocks!
- Tiptoe On The Elec Blocks
- Killer Bullet Attack
- Clever Elec Block Crosser
- Cool Elec Block Climber
- Watch Out For Elec Blocks!
- Brave The Elec Block Gauntlet!
- Don't Lose Elec Blocks!
Timeman:
- Master Time Slow
- Master Time Slow 2
- Move The Pendulum!
- Watch Your Step!
- Time Limit Panic!
- Container Crossing
- Watch Out For Explosions!
- No Time To Lose!
- Don't Lose Track Of Octo Battery!
- Countdown!
Oilman:
- Slide To Victory!
- Slider Jump!
- Oil Floats!
- Watch Out For Burning Surfaces!
- Hit Enemies With The Slider!
- Conveyor Belt Madness!
- Run On Water!
- Don't Slow Down!
- No Brakes!
- Keep Your Speed Up!
Wily: (NOTE: New Style, unless otherwise noted.)
- Boss Attack! (Old Style)
- Easy Boss Attack!
- Normal Boss Attack!
- Hard Boss Attack!
- Wily Boss Attack! (Old Style)
- Wily Easy Boss Attack!
- Wily Normal Boss Attack!
- Wily Hard Boss Attack!
- Normal All Boss Attack!
- Hard All Boss Attack!
List of downloadable content
This list concerns what is downloadable and when it was first available. Non-stage downloads are compatible with all versions of the game. Japan has a different set of promotional stages compared to the rest of the world, with very few exceptions.
- Old Guts Pack - An item pack for Guts Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Roll Present - Allows players to play as Roll
- Ultimate Oilman Stage - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Old Elec Pack - An item pack for Elec Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Dengeki Playstation Stage - A promotional level issued by Japanese magazine Dengeki.
- Old Fire Pack - An item pack for Fire Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Rockman 8 Roll - Gives Roll her outfit from Mega Man 8.
- Dengeki PS2 Stage - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Gamespy Stage - A promotional level issued by Gamespy. See Gamespy's description of the stage here.
- Old Cut Pack - An item pack for Cut Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Capcom Title CM Stage "Joe" - A promotional level issued by Capcom. It's basically an advertisement for Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble.
- Dengeki Online Stage - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- GI Online Stage - A promotional level issued by Game Informer Online.
- Shuukan Shounen Sunday Stage - A promotional stage issued by Shuukan Shounen Sunday.
- Old Bomb Pack - An item pack for Bomb Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Dengeki Ma)Ou Stage - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Old Ice Pack - An item pack for Ice Man's stage as it appears in the original NES game.
- Dengeki Online Stage 2 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Sports Roll - Gives Roll an outfit with a sports theme.
- Bomb Man Mania - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Dengeki Playstation Stage 2 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Dengeki PS2 Stage 2 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Ultimate Elecman Stage - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Old Oil Pack - An item pack for Oil Man's stage reimagined as part of the original NES version of Mega Man.
- Ice Man Mania - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Dengeki Ma)Ou Stage 2 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Mega Man Mania - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Knight Roll - Gives Roll a knight outfit.
- Ultimate Cutman Stage - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Guts Man Mania - A promotional level issued by Capcom.
- Dengeki Playstation Stage 3 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
- Old Time Pack - An item pack for Time Man's stage reimagined as part of the original NES version of Mega Man.
- Dengeki Ma)Ou Stage 3 - A promotional level issued by Dengeki.
There will be more downloads to come for many months after the initial release, including alternate costumes for Roll (twelve in total).
External links
- Capcom of Japan official Rockman Rockman site
- Master Level List -- A list of levels people have made, plus reviews and ratings.
- RockmanPM's Comprehensive Challenge Mode Guide