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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Mega Man'' (universe)}}
{{Title|''Mega Man'' (universe)}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|ssbu=y}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|ssbu=y}}
{{Infobox Series
{{Infobox Series
|title            = Mega Man (universe)
|title            = Mega Man (universe)
|image            = [[File:Mega Man logo.png|300px]]
|image            = [[File:Mega Man logo.png|300px]]
|caption          = [[Image:MegaManSymbol.svg|50px]]
|caption          = [[File:MegaManSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert]]
|developer        = [[Capcom]]<br>Inti Creates
|developer        = [[Capcom]]<br>Inti Creates<br>Tiger Electronics<br>Rozner Labs
|publisher        = Capcom
|publisher        = Capcom<br>Tiger Electronics<br>U.S. Gold<br>Hi Tech Expressions
|distributor      =  
|distributor      =  
|designer          = Akira Kitamura<br>Keiji Inafune
|designer          = Akira Kitamura<br>Keiji Inafune
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|originconsole    = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|originconsole    = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|firstinstallment  = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man|video game}}'' (1987)
|firstinstallment  = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man|video game}}'' (1987)
|latestinstallment = ''{{s|wikipedia|Mega Man 11}}'' (2018)
|latestinstallment = ''Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection'' (2023)
|interwiki        = wikipedia
|interwiki        = wikipedia
|interwikiname    = Wikipedia
|interwikiname    = Wikipedia
|interwikipage    = Mega Man  
|interwikipage    = Mega Man
}}
}}
The '''''Mega Man'' universe''' (originally created in Asian countries as '''Rockman''' ({{ja|ロックマン|Rokkuman}}) and also written as '''MegaMan'''  and '''Megaman''') refers to the  ''Smash Bros.'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the eponymous ''Mega Man'' series by [[Capcom]]. It is a Japanese video game franchise created by Capcom. Originating on the NES, the ''Mega Man'' franchise has spawned a multitude of video games across many platforms, as well as a variety of associated media. The series is the third such third-party franchise to contribute elements to a ''Smash'' game, with the titular [[Mega Man]] being a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.
The '''''Mega Man'' universe''' (known in Asian territories as '''''Rockman''''' ({{ja|ロックマン|Rokkuman}}) and occasionally written as '''''Megaman''''') refers to the  ''Smash Bros.'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the eponymous ''Mega Man'' series by [[Capcom]]. It is a Japanese video game franchise created by Capcom. Originating on the NES, the ''Mega Man'' franchise has spawned a multitude of video games across many platforms, as well as a variety of associated media. The series is the third such third-party franchise to contribute elements to a ''Smash'' game, with the titular [[Mega Man]] being a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.


==Franchise description==
==Franchise description==
Capcom was originally known for creating arcade games and porting them to home consoles. In the mid-1980s, however, a team of only six employees developed the original ''Rockman'' for the Famicom, as part of Capcom's initial "focused" foray into the Japanese home console market. The developers strove for perfection in all aspects of the project despite the severe technical limitations of the Famicom, and incorporated designs inspired by Osamu Tezuka's manga ''Astro Boy''. The eponymous hero of the weapon-based platformer was colored blue simply because blue had the most available shades within the Famicom's limited color palette. For the game's simultaneous release in Japan and the United States on December 17, 1987, Capcom's then-Senior Vice President Joseph Marcini renamed the localized version of the game and titular character ''[[Mega Man]]'', believing it would have a much wider appeal to American children. ''Mega Man'' was released to favorable critical reception, but moderately low sales (around 100,000 copies sold), though they were higher than Capcom originally anticipated.
[[File:Mega Man alternate logo.png|thumb|left|The alternate logo used in title screens in the Western releases of the ''Mega Man'' games until the seventh installment.]]
In the 1980's, Capcom had a lucrative strategy of developing video games for arcades first and porting them to home consoles later. After many successful releases, Capcom decided to make their first console-exclusive franchise. They recruited a team of six, a small team even at the time, to make a new game for Nintendo's Famicom. This team developed a side-scrolling platformer, a popular and safe genre during this era, but wanted to stand out in a few ways. Firstly was a heavy emphasis on fast paced combat with more complex enemies than the game's contemporaries. These include the boss characters, which both drop special abilities when defeated and are weak to the abilities of other bosses in a dynamic inspired by rock-paper-scissors. Another innovation was the ability to choose any stage in any order. This non-linear game design had not been seen in a video game before and added a layer of strategy by choosing which stage to beat first in a weaker state.


While ''Mega Man'' was not a large enough commercial accomplishment for Capcom to necessarily justify a sequel, the company allowed the development team to create a sequel as an aside to other projects. The team focused on improving the original formula with enhanced graphics and audio, more levels, and new supportive items that addressed consumer concerns over the extreme difficulty of the previous title. ''Mega Man 2'', in stark contrast to the original, was a huge success, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide, and definitively established ''Mega Man'' as one of the industry's largest and longest-running franchises and one of Capcom's flagships, and also propelled Capcom to its present-day status as a game developer. As of 2013, over fifty ''Mega Man'' games have been released, with many populating specific "sub-series" and exploring genres outside side-scrolling platforming. Iterations of the Mega Man character himself and other related characters, meanwhile, have appeared in Capcom-involved games outside the main series such as crossover fighting games, like the ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' series that pits Capcom characters against Marvel superheroes and, more recently, Nintendo's own ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.
The team settled on a robot super hero fighting against other robots, inspired by the manga ''Astro Boy''. Keiji Inafune, who joined partway through development as a character designer, found similar inspirations in the designs he finalized. Inafune claimed he wanted to make the most detailed characters possible for the hardware, and he noticed that the Famicom's 56 color palette has more shades of blue than any other color, hence why the playable character is mostly blue. The team decided to call this character and the game ''Rockman'', based on rock & roll, the first of many musical references within the franchise.


The most iconic formula of the ''Mega Man'' series, which has remained ''Rockman'' in Japan, is a side-scrolling platform game where the player controls the blue robot Mega Man, who has a "buster" cannon grafted onto his arm, as he shoots his way through levels packed with enemy robots. Oftentimes, eight levels are immediately available to complete in any order, and at the end of each level is a boss robot with a similar level of advanced construction and power as Mega Man himself, referred to as a "Robot Master". Defeating a Robot Master gains Mega Man a special weapon corresponding to that Robot Master that he may use for the rest of the game, and this weapon is typically the weakness at least one of the other seven Robot Masters. Since one Robot Master uses a weapon that is the weakness of another Robot Master, a rock-paper-scissor mechanic between all of the Robot Masters is formulated by this. Once Mega Man has defeated all eight Robot Masters and gained their weapons, he proceeds to a final set of harder stages typically taking place in the villain's fortress lair, featuring both special, harder bosses and a room where all eight Robot Masters are defeated one in a row, before battling and defeating the villain in his latest war machine or ultimate form.
''Rockman'' released simultaneously in Japan and the United States on December 17, 1987, in uncommon practice at the time. Capcom U.S.A.'s then-Senior Vice President Joseph Marcini renamed the localized NES version of the game and titular character ''Mega Man'', believing it would have a much wider appeal to young American audiences. The game saw two scientists, Dr. Thomas Light, and Dr. Albert Wily, have a falling out over disagreements in the ethical practice of their robotics research. A disgruntled [[Dr. Wily]] would steal the robot designs from Dr. Light to create the many robot masters bent on conquering the world. In response, Dr. Light retrofits a remaining robot and son-figure Rock with battle weapons and armor. Rock, along with his sister Roll and other friends, fights his way through the robot masters and eventually Wily to foil his plans. ''Mega Man'' was released to favorable critical reception, but moderately low sales (around 100,000 copies overall), though they were higher than Capcom originally anticipated.


The most prolific continuities and sub-series in the ''Mega Man'' franchise are as follows, each of which has its own incarnation on the Mega Man character design:
While ''Mega Man'' was not a large enough commercial accomplishment for Capcom to necessarily justify a sequel, the company allowed the development team to create a sequel as an aside to other projects. The team focused on improving the original formula with enhanced graphics and audio, more levels, and new supportive items that addressed consumer concerns over the extreme difficulty of the previous title. ''Mega Man 2'', in stark contrast to the original, was a huge success; it sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide, definitively established ''Mega Man'' as a long-running flagship franchise, and propelled Capcom to its present-day status as a world-renowned game developer.


*'''Mega Man Classic series''': The original series depicts Mega Man in his most famous incarnation, that of a young "boy" robot in a world where his allies and enemies are in a colorful children's-anime style. His kind-hearted inventor, Dr. Thomas Light, regularly sends Mega Man on missions to destroy the newest Robot Masters, always having names ending in "Man" (save for one notable exception named "Splash Woman" in ''Mega Man 9''). These Robot Masters were either created or corrupted by the arch-rival to Dr. Light and Mega Man, Dr. Albert W. Wily - the very definition of the archetypal mad scientist out to take over the world. Mega Man is restricted by stilted jumping and sliding motions in his games, and in addition to the weapons he procures from Robot Masters, he must occasionally rely on specific allies to overcome stage obstacles, not the least of which is his transforming robotic dog companion, Rush.
More sequels followed soon after: ''Mega Man 3'' in 1990, ''Mega Man 4'' in 1991, ''Mega Man 5'' in 1992, and ''Mega Man 6'' in 1993, all released on NES. These games have since been ported, remade and re-released several times on many other platforms. The Game Boy versions of ''Mega Man'' 1-5 are particularly notable for being entirely different games inspired by their NES counterparts.


*'''Mega Man X series''': Taking place a generation later (around the year 21XX), this darker-toned series centers on an "older" successor to Mega Man, Mega Man X (''Rockman X'' in Japanese, and is commonly called simply "X"), whom the late Dr. Light has left behind to police a world where more advanced, sapient robots are integrated into human society. Despite being his greatest creation, when X was finished, Dr. Light sealed him in a capsule, as he believed that the world wasn't ready to accept X. X was discovered by Dr. Cain a century later, and he made more robots that can think on their own, like X. These robots are called Reploids, or replica androids. However, some Reploids have gone "Maverick", or violent, and started to rebel against humans. A force called the Maverick Hunters was made to counter the Mavericks. The leader of the Maverick Hunters, Sigma, eventually becomes a Maverick himself after fighting the then-Maverick, Zero, a Reploid made by Dr. Wily, the enemy of the original Mega Man. While Sigma turned more Reploids into Mavericks and eventually became their undisputed leader from within his personal ambition of eliminating the human race and creating a Reploid-only world, Zero had stopped being a Maverick himself and soon joined the Maverick Hunters, becoming a good partner and close friend to X. Later on in the series, specifically in ''Mega Man X7'', Axl, a young new generation Reploid prototype joins the Maverick Hunters as well after defecting from his former group Red Alert. Whenever there is trouble, X, Zero, or Axl are sent to fight eight Mavericks that guard certain areas. These Mavericks become the ''Mega Man X'' versions of the Robot Masters. Most of them are under orders by Sigma, but some are not affiliated with him, such as Repliforce and Red Alert from ''Mega Man X4'' and ''Mega Man X7'' respectively. These Mavericks are fought (and defeated) by X or Zero, who then must battle all of them once again before taking the fight to Sigma in his lair.
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.


*'''Mega Man Zero series''': Transitioning from the ''Mega Man X'' series, this part starts off with a more brooding yet still determined Zero reawakening after a century of slumber into an even darker version of the world. Aided by a young female computer prodigy named Ciel, Zero battles for a resistance group against the governing body and "utopia", Neo Arcadia whose questionable decisions in having to ensure both the safety and security of its human citizens had led to many innocent Reploids being retired. At first, Zero had to fight against a defective copy of X who had lacked the original's morals and ideals. However, even after defeating Copy X, Zero still had to keep fighting against Neo Arcadia, since it wasn't destroyed. It was eventually revealed (specifically in ''Mega Man Zero 3'') that the real mastermind behind Neo Arcadia is Dr. Weil, an evil and psychotic mad scientist who had sought revenge against those who had caused his downfall many years ago. Zero defeats and kills Weil from within their final battle, but he himself is killed as well, as the space station they were fighting in, Ragnarok, broke apart and fell down to Earth.
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.


*'''Mega Man ZX series''': In this series, the player takes control of either a male or female character who can merge with Biometals, artifacts that can absorb the traits of a human or Reploid, to obtain forms and abilities derived from other characters, including those from the earlier subseries. In all three series, the player-character has more fluid movements, such as acceleration along the ground and jumping up along and clinging to walls. This series is currently on hiatus.
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 from 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.


*'''Mega Man Legends series''': This series that takes place thousands of years after the ''Mega Man ZX'' series, at a point where the Earth is mostly ocean and civilization is dependent on digging into the remaining islands for a power source. The player controls Mega Man Volnutt (or Rock Volnutt in Japan), a robotic Digger, who investigates ruins and does battle against air pirates named the Bonne family. In another series departure, these games focus on third-person action-adventure elements. This series, like the ZX series, is also on hiatus.
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.


*'''Mega Man Battle Network series''': An alternate reality where spiritual counterparts to classic Mega Man characters (along with three from the Mega Man X series) exist not as robots, but as computer programs that navigate and do battle in cyberspace as though they were physical beings navigating a physical plane, as per the commands of real-world humans at their computers. Dr. Wily in this universe is the head of a net-crime organization called the WWW ("World Three"), and the main human protagonist, Lan Hikari ({{ja|光熱斗}} ''Hikari Netto''), has his "NetNavi" and the main player character, MegaMan.EXE (''Rockman.EXE'' in Japanese), foil the WWW's cyber-schemes by deleting the "Virus" enemies it sends. The gameplay of the primary ''Battle Network'' series is an enormous departure from the side-scrolling platforming of the other games in that it operates similar to an action JRPG.
Keiji Inafune always intended for ''Mega Man X 5'' to be the last in that particular series and wanted to move on to a new venture. However, Capcom created a new team to continue the series without Inafune's knowledge, which resulted in ''Mega Man X 6'' for PlayStation in 2001, as well as ''Mega Man X 7'' in 2003, ''Mega Man X: Command Mission'' and ''Mega Man X 8'' in 2004. These entries ended the ''Mega Man X'' series, due to the terrible sales of 2005's ''Mega Man Maverick Hunter X''.


*'''Mega Man Star Force series''': A series of over-the-shoulder action RPGs set 200 years later in the future of the Battle Network continuity. It stars a human boy named Geo Stelar ({{ja|星河スバル}} ''Subaru Hoshikawa'') who regularly merges with an electromagnetic alien named Omega-Xis (''Warrock'' in Japanese) to become a blue-suited "Mega Man" of his own and fight enemies in an invisible electromagnetic plane overlaid with the real world. It is currently unknown if this series has ended or is on hiatus.
The project Keiji Inafune worked on eventually released as ''Mega Man Zero'' in 2002 for Game Boy Advance. Taking place 100 years after the events of ''Mega Man X 5'' and somewhat ignoring later installments, humans defeated the Mavericks and both humans and reploids were once again able to live in harmony. However, an energy crisis drove the humans to kill the Reploids to conserve fuel, causing a resistance movement to form. Zero is then discovered in a healing chamber, who goes out to piece together his century of absence, bring peace to the world once again, and try to find and defeat the mastermind behind this chaos. This game received sequels ''Mega Man Zero 2'' in 2003 and ''Mega Man Zero 3'' in 2004. Inafune initially wanted the series to stop here, but Capcom mandated a ''Mega Man Zero 4'' in 2005.


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
Concurrently to this series, a separate team created ''Mega Man Battle Network'' also for Game Boy Advance in 2001. Taking place in an alternate universe to the classic ''Mega Man'' universe, scientist Tadashi Hikari develops a Net society where regular people can jack in with a Net Navi and live out a second life. His grandson Lan Hikari and his Net Navi [[MegaMan.EXE]] as they defend the net society against all forms of criminal malware, including antagonist Lord Wily. This game is a stark departure from the rest of the series in that it is primarily an RPG. Battles take place in an enclosed grid and players must used collected battle chips to defeat their opponents. This game received a full port with extra contents for {{iw|wikipedia|Nintendo DS}} in 2009 titled ''Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star''.
===Characters===
 
*[[File:MegaManIcon(SSB4-U).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSB4|Mega Man}}''' (or '''Rockman''' in Japan): The eponymous star of his series, Mega Man, like [[Sonic]], was a heavily requested and anticipated third-party guest character. Mega Man appears as a playable character in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', being confirmed in the reveal trailer of the game. Mega Man uses very few physical attacks, instead relying on his own arsenal of weapons and those obtained from defeated Robot Masters. Mega Man's [[Final Smash]] is [[Mega Legends]], which has him joined by Mega Man X, MegaMan.EXE, Mega Man Volnutt, and Geo Stelar.
This series received a myriad of sequels and spinoffs. The mainline entries include ''Mega Man Battle Network 2'' also in 2001, ''Mega Man Battle Network 3: White & Blue'' in 2002-03, ''Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun & Blue Moon'' in 2003-04, ''Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Protoman & Team Colonel'' in 2004-05, and ''Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar & Cybeast Falzar'' in 2005-06. ''Mega Man Battle Network 5'' was combine into a single release on Nintendo DS as ''Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS'' in 2005. Two platforming spinoffs released in 2003, ''Mega Man Network Transmission'' for [[Nintendo GameCube]] and ''RockMan EXE WS'' for WonderSwan Color. Two games released for Cell phones, ''Rockman EXE Phantom of Network'' in 2004 and ''Rockman EXE Legend of Network'' in 2006. Several spinoff based entirely on battling also released, including Game Boy Advance games ''Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge'' in 2003 and ''Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation'' in 2004, ''Rockman EXE N1 Battle'' for WonderSwan Color in 2003, and ''Rockman EXE The Medal Operation'' and ''Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium'' for arcades in 2005-06.
 
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''.
 
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.
 
After a 12-year hiatus, the classic ''Mega Man'' series suddenly returned in 2008 with ''Mega Man 9'' for WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network. The game was made in the exact 8-bit pixel art style of the first six ''Mega Man'' games, albeit with some subtle modernizations impossible to achieve on older hardware and new gameplay modes, as well as downloadable content released later. This game was received as a basic, yet well designed return to form after complaints of the many spinoff series losing sight of what made the franchise great in the first place in the eyes of many were forming. This game was followed up with ''Mega Man 10'' in 2010, which had largely the same qualities as ''Mega Man 9'' with expanded online modes and new characters. This game received less favorable reviews due to generally being considered safe and not innovative enough, which ironically is what put the series on hiatus in the first place.
 
''Mega Man 10'' would end up being the last Capcom-developed ''Mega Man'' game for many years. Around 2011, many projects were in the works, but ended up being canceled in messy ways. Four known projects include massive multiplayer online game for Windows ''Mega Man Online'', the nearly finished level creator game ''Mega Man Universe'', first person shooter reboot of ''Mega Man X'' titled ''Maverick Hunter'', and ''Mega Man Legends 3'', which initially had a public development period where anyone can contribute to various decisions before being canceled by a lack of confidence from executives. Keiji Inafune, who oversaw all of these games and had his reputation poisoned by these cancellations, left the company at this time to form his own studio. The games Inafune have made since his departure are ''Mighty No. 9'' in 2013, ''Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z'' in 2014, and ''ReCore'' in 2016, all of which were given negative reviews upon release and were considered pale imitations of previous games. Inafune also crowdfunded for the game ''Red Ash'', though this game has yet to materialize.


====Stage Hazard====
During this drought of ''Mega Man'' content following ''Mega Man 10'', the only game Capcom published was ''Street Fighter X Mega Man'', a ''Mega Man'' style game with {{uv|Street Fighter}} characters as both bosses and allies.
*[[File:Yellow Devil Kirby.jpg|right|120px]] '''[[Yellow Devil]]''': A recurring boss character in the Mega Man series, the Yellow Devil appears as a stage hazard on the Wily Castle stage. The Yellow Devil attacks players using its body and various beams, and must be defeated by attacking its eye, the only vulnerable place on its body. The Yellow Devil explodes upon defeat, acting as an attack for the player who lands the defeating blow on the boss.


====Assist Trophy====
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.
*'''[[Elec Man]]''': One of the Robot Masters from the first Mega Man game, appears as an Assist Trophy, unleashing his Thunder Beam to attack opponents.


====Common enemy====
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.
* '''[[Mettaur]]''': A small enemy based off a Japanese style hard hat.


====Mii Fighter Costumes====
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
* '''{{b|X|Mega Man}} Costume''': Based off of the main character of the ''Mega Man X'' series. Includes an X outfit for Mii Gunners and X's Helmet.
The ''Mega Man'' universe debuts in ''Smash 4'' as the first Capcom series to make it into the ''Smash Bros.'' franchise, receiving a character, stage (alongside a boss), an [[Assist Trophy]], and an assortment of trophies and music tracks.
* '''[[Proto Man]] Costume''': Based off of Mega Man's rival/prototype/brother. Includes a Proto Man outfit for Mii Gunners and Proto Man's Helmet.
* '''{{b|Zero|Mega Man}} Costume''': Based off of X's friend in the Mega Man X series and also main character of his own ''Mega Man Zero'' series.


====Other====
===Fighter===
*Mega Man's robotic dog '''Rush''' is used in his [[Rush Coil]] move and his robotic bird '''Beat''' is used in a custom recovery.
*[[File:MegaManIcon(SSB4-U).png|50px|right|link=Mega Man (SSB4)]]'''{{SSB4|Mega Man}}''' ([[Starter character|Starter]]): the {{iw|wikipedia|title character}} of {{iw|wikipedia|Capcom}}'s ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man}}'' series; an android named Rock created by the illustrious Dr. Light. He was originally designed by Light to serve as a lab assistant, but he was ultimately modified to serve a higher purpose after Light's former colleague - Dr. Wily - went rogue. Equipped with the Mega Buster and the ability to absorb the powers of adversarial Robot Masters, Mega Man foils the plans of the nefarious Wily time after time with a strong sense of justice. He is one of the most fondly-remembered video game characters of his era. Similar to [[Nintendo]]'s [[Mario]], [[Sega]]'s [[Sonic]], and {{iw|wikipedia|Namco}}'s [[Pac-Man]], Mega Man is often treated by fans as an unofficial mascot of Capcom. Despite being a third-party character, he is closely associated with Nintendo; the first seven ''Mega Man'' games released from 1987 - 1995 were originally exclusive to Nintendo consoles and he had a reoccurring presence on the American cartoon series ''{{iw|wikipedia|Captain N: The Game Master}}'', appearing alongside Nintendo's [[Pit]] and {{iw|wikipedia|Konami}}'s [[Simon Belmont]]. Mega Man was one of the five third-party characters to appear on the Japan-exclusive "If There Was a Smash 2" poll conducted by [[Masahiro Sakurai]] between the releases of the original ''Smash Bros.'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Even though the ''Mega Man'' series entered a brief period of dormancy that coincided with the development of ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', Mega Man was deemed significant enough to not only be included as a new fighter, but to also be one of the first shown off. He was revealed to be a newcomer in ''Smash 4'' with the games' unveiling during E3 2013 alongside {{SSB4|Villager}} and {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}. His [[weight]], [[gravity]], and overall physics are faithful translations of the [[wikipedia:Game feel|feel]] of the original ''Mega Man'' games. He has very few physical attacks, instead relying on a vast arsenal of weapons obtained from defeated Robot Masters from across the series. For his [[up special]], he summons the robotic dog '''Rush''' to perform [[Rush Coil]]. Like {{SSB4|Palutena}}, Mega Man has a wide variety of [[custom moves]], one of which replaces Rush with another companion of his - the robotic bird '''Beat'''. Mega Man's [[Final Smash]], [[Mega Legends]], has him fire a continuous beam of energy alongside his alter egos: [[Mega Man X]] from the [[wikipedia:Mega Man X|eponymous subseries]], [[MegaMan.EXE]] from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Battle Network}}'', [[Mega Man Volnutt]] from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Legends}}'', and [[Geo Stelar]] from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Star Force}}''.
*Mega Man X, MegaMan.EXE, Mega Man Volnutt, and Geo Stelar (as Star Force Mega Man) all appear and assist the classic playable Mega Man in his final smash.


===Stage===
===Stage===
*[[File:WilyCastleIconSSB4-U.png|75px|right|link=Wily Castle]]'''[[Wily Castle]]''': A stage that appears to be standing in front of Dr. Wily's Skull Castle from Mega Man 2. The Yellow Devil appears on this stage as a mini-boss and hazard for players. The stage appears in both versions, being set at night in the Wii U version and in the daytime in the 3DS version.{{clr}}
*[[File:WilyCastleIconSSB4-U.png|75px|right|link=Wily Castle]]'''[[Wily Castle]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): staged on a metal plateau before Dr. Wily's Skull Castle - the final stage of ''Mega Man 2''. The plateau is flanked by two floating platforms. The main gimmick of the stage is that the Yellow Devil resides here as a stage boss. Otherwise, it is a stage similar to {{SSBB|Yoshi's Island}}, with small floating platforms moving in and out of the stage. The platforms that appear differ in function depending on the version of ''Smash 4''. In the 3DS version, platforms will float above the plateau and to the left and right of it. The layout is similar to the Bright Man Stage from ''Mega Man 4''. In the Wii U version, on-rail platforms move along a set path. They are similar to the moving platforms in the Guts Man Stage from the original ''Mega Man''; there are breaks in the rails that cause the platforms to abruptly fold and drop the characters and items that were on top of it. It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 3<sup>(<span style="color:#FF1E00">3DS</span>)</sup> and Level 4<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup> of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Mega Man. Only its [[Ω form]] can accommodate [[8-Player Smash]], which takes place on the plateau.
 
===Items===
 
====Assist Trophy====
*'''[[Elec Man]]''': a Robot Master from the original ''Mega Man''; an android that can discharge electricity from his hands. When summoned, he hops around the stage and fire projectile Thunder Beams at opponents. He does not harm the summoner.


===Music===
====[[Smash Tour]] items====
{{main|List of SSB4 Music (Mega Man series)}}
*'''[[Energy Tank]]''' (<span style="color:#FF0000">Red</span>): a health-restoring item from ''Mega Man 2''. It heals the user if their damage exceeds 100% in battle.
*'''Cut Man Stage''': This theme plays in Cut Man's stage in ''Mega Man''.
*'''[[Proto Man]]''' (<span style="color:#0f0">Green</span>) a reoccurring rival of Mega Man's created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. He is used on the board. If an opponent tour item specifically targets this item's user, it is reflected back to that item's user.
*'''Mega Man Retro Medley''': A medley of various music tracks from ''Mega Man'', starting with the song that plays before a stage begins, going on to include the themes of every Robot Master from the game, in this order: Elec Man, Bomb Man, Cut Man, Guts Man, Fire Man, and Ice Man
*'''Mega Man 2 Medley''': A medley of various music tracks from ''Mega Man 2''. Tracks featured include the title theme, the "stage selected" theme, and Dr. Wily's Castle theme.
*'''Air Man Stage''': This is a remix of the Air Man stage theme from ''Mega Man 2''.
*'''Quick Man Stage''': This remix is a medley of both Quick Man and Heat Man stages and the victory theme from ''Mega Man 2''.
*'''Mega Man 2 Retro Medley''': A medley of music taken directly from ''Mega Man 2'', including the themes of Air Man, Wood Man, Quick Man, Flash Man, Crash Man, Metal Man, and Dr. Wily 1/2.
*'''Spark Man Stage''': This theme plays in Spark Man's stage in ''Mega Man 3''.
*'''Shadow Man Stage''': This theme plays in Shadow Man's stage in ''Mega Man 3''.
*'''Mega Man 3 Retro Medley''': A medley of music taken directly from ''Mega Man 3'', including the themes of Top Man, Shadow Man, Spark Man, Snake Man, and Hard Man.
*'''Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley''': A medley composed of Dive Man and Skull Man's themes from ''Mega Man 4'', Dark Man's Castle from ''Mega Man 5'', and Flame Man's theme from ''Mega Man 6''.


====Trophies====
===Enemy===
{{main|List of SSB4 trophies (Mega Man series)}}
{{main|Enemies}}
{|
====[[Smash Run]] enemy====
|- valign=top
* '''[[Mettaur]]''': a hard hat-wearing robot from the original ''Mega Man''. It ducks underneath its helmet to protect itself from attacks and projectiles. It uncovers itself periodically to fire a three-way shot at opponents. It behaves similarly to the [[Octorok]].
|
*Mega Man
*Mega Man (Alt.)
*Rush Coil
*Beat
*Mega Man X
*MegaMan Volnutt
*MegaMan.EXE
*Star Force Mega Man
*Elec Man
*Yellow Devil
*Mettaur
*Dr. Wily
*Energy Tank
|
*Mega Legends (Wii U Only)
*Dr. Light (Wii U Only)
*Roll (Wii U Only)
*Proto Man (Wii U Only)
*Eddie (Wii U Only)
*Zero (Wii U Only)
*Bass and Treble (Wii U Only)
|}


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
===[[Mii Costume]]s===
{{future release}}
{{main|Alternate costume (SSB4)/Mii Fighter}}
===Character===
*'''{{SSBU|Mega Man}}''': He returns from ''Smash 4''; however, unlike in that game where he was a starter, this time he appears as an unlockable fighter.


====Assist Trophies====
====Outfits====
*'''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]]''': Zero makes an appearance as an Assist Trophy. He attacks opponents with the Z-Saber and Genmu Zero.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[X (Mega Man)|X's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Mega Man X]], a spiritual successor to the original Mega Man and Dr. Light's final creation. X himself appears in ''Smash 4'' to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as [[downloadable content]] on April 15, 2015. The Mii wears blue armor and fires projectiles from X's arm cannon, the X-Buster.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[Proto Man|Proto Man's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Proto Man]], a reoccurring rival of Mega Man created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on April 15, 2015. The Mii wears gray-and-red armor with a yellow scarf around their neck and has Proto Man's shield strapped to their back. The Mii fires projectiles from Proto Man's arm cannon, the Proto Buster.
*{{Head|Mii Swordfighter|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]], a reoccurring ally of X from the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man X}}'' subseries and the protagonist of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Zero}}''. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on June 14, 2015. The Mii wears red-and-white armor and wields the Z-Saber, Zero's beam sword.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}} '''[[MegaMan.EXE|MegaMan.EXE's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[MegaMan.EXE]], a virtual incarnation of Mega Man from the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Battle Network}}'' subseries. MegaMan.EXE himself appears in ''Smash 4'' to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on June 14, 2015. The Mii wears a navy-and-white suit.


===Stage===
====Headgear====
*{{GameIcon|ssb4}} '''[[Wily Castle]]''': The iconic base from ''Mega Man 2'' returns with the stage updated to have the stage hazards of both the 3DS and Wii U versions of ''Smash 4''.
*'''[[X (Mega Man)|X's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[Proto Man|Proto Man's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[MegaMan.EXE|MegaMan.EXE's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])


===Music===
===Music===
*A new arrangement of the music heard in Wood Man's stage from ''{{s|wikipedia|Mega Man 2}}''.
{{main|List of SSB4 Music (Mega Man series)}}
*A new arrangement of '''"Flash Man Stage"''', also from ''Mega Man 2''.
====Original Tracks====
*A new rock-based '''"Mega Man 4 Medley"''', comprised of various stage themes, including Dive Man's stage and Skull Man's stage.
Arrangements and remixes unique to ''SSB4''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4}}'''"Mega Man 2 Medley"''': heard during Nintendo Treehouse and played on Wily Castle in the demo.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Cut Man Stage}}''': an arrangement of "Cut Man Stage" from the original ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man}}''. It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
*A new arrangement of the opening stage music from ''{{s|wikipedia|Mega Man X}}'' is heard during the August 8th, 2018 Super Smash Bros. Direct.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 2 Medley}}''': a medley of pieces from ''[[Mega Man 2]]'', including "Game Start", "Title", "Stage Select", and "Dr. Wily Stage 1". It plays on Wily Castle.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Air Man Stage}}''': an arrangement of "Air Man Stage" from ''Mega Man 2''. It plays in Smash Run and on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Quick Man Stage}}''': an arrangement of "Quick Man Stage" and "Heat Man Stage" from ''Mega Man 2''. It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Spark Man Stage}}''': an arrangement of "Spark Man Stage" from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 3}}''. It plays in Smash Run and on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Shadow Man Stage}}''': an arrangement of "Shadow Man Stage" from ''Mega Man 3''. It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.


==Games with elements from or in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
====Source Tracks====
===''Mega Man''===
Compositions and arrangements directly sourced from ''Mega Man'' games with no alterations.
The game introduced Mega Man as well as the [[Yellow Devil]]. [[Elec Man]], a Robot Master boss, appears as an Assist Trophy in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. The rails that appear in Wily Castle carrying a moving platform debuted in Guts Man's stage, and later Wily's Castle. The enemy [[Mettaur]] appears in [[Smash Run]]. Trophies of Dr. Light and Roll are exclusive to the Wii U version. Two music tracks are based from this game: ''Cut Man Stage'' and ''Mega Man Retro Medley''. The following moves debuted in this game:
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man Retro Medley}}''': a medley of sourced pieces from the original ''Mega Man'', including: "Game Start", "Elec Man Stage", "Bomb Man Stage", "Cut Man Stage", "Guts Man Stage", "Fire Man Stage", and "Ice Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle.
* Neutral attack/Forward tilt/Neutral aerial: Mega Buster
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 2 Retro Medley}}''': a medley of sourced pieces from ''Mega Man 2'', including: "Air Man Stage", "Wood Man Stage", "Quick Man Stage", "Flash Man Stage", "Crash Man Stage", "Metal Man Stage", "Dr. Wily Stage 1", and "Dr. Wily Stage 2". It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
* Grab: Super Arm (obtained from Guts Man)
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 3 Retro Medley}}''': a medley of sourced pieces from ''Mega Man 3'', including: "Top Man Stage", "Shadow Man Stage", "Spark Man Stage", "Snake Man Stage", and "Hard Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
* Custom Neutral special 1: Hyper Bomb (obtained from Bomb Man)
*'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley}}''': a medley of sourced pieces from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 4}}'', ''[[wikipedia:Mega Man 5|5]]'', and ''[[wikipedia:Mega Man 6|6]]'', including: "Dive Man Stage", "Skull Man Stage", "Dark Man Stage", and "Flame Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle<sup>(<span style="color:#004DFF">Wii U</span>)</sup>.
* Custom Side special 1: Ice Slasher (obtained from Ice Man)


===''Mega Man 2''===
====Victory Theme====
{{main|Mega Man 2}}
*'''[[Victory theme#Mega Man Victory Theme|Victory! Mega Man]]''': the first few bars of "Title" from ''Mega Man 2'', led by electric guitar.
The design of Dr. Wily's Castle comes from this game. Six music tracks are based from this game: ''Mega Man 2 Medley'' (containing remixes of the ''Mega Man 2'' title theme and the iconic Dr. Wily Castle stages 1 and 2 theme), ''Air Man Stage'', ''Quick Man Stage'', ''Wood Man Stage'', ''Flash Man Stage'', and ''Mega Man 2 Retro Medley''. A trophy of the E-Tank appears in both versions of ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. ''Mega Man 2'' is also a [[masterpiece]].


The following moves debuted in this game:
===Trophies===
* Up aerial: Air Shooter (obtained from Air Man)
{{main|List of SSB4 trophies (Mega Man series)}}
* [[Neutral special]]: [[Metal Blade]] (obtained from Metal Man)
* [[Side special]]: [[Crash Bomber]] (obtained from Crash Man)
* [[Down special]]: [[Leaf Shield]] (obtained from Wood Man)


===''Mega Man 3''===
===Masterpiece===
Proto Man also debuted in this game. He appears as a trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. His armor and helmet are available as [[DLC]] for [[Mii Fighter]]s (the outfit is specific to the [[Mii Gunner]]s). He also serves as an item in [[Smash Tour]]. In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', he makes an appearance alongside Bass as part of Mega Man's Final Smash, [[Mega Legends]]. Three music tracks are based from this game: ''Spark Man Stage'', ''Shadow Man Stage'', and ''Mega Man 3 Retro Medley''. The following moves debuted in this game:
{{main|Masterpieces}}
* Down tilt: Sliding
*''[[Mega Man 2]]''
* Dash attack: Top Spin (obtained from Top Man)
* Up smash: Spark Shock (obtained from Spark Man)
* Down aerial: Hard Knuckle (obtained from Hard Man)
* Custom neutral special 1: Shadow Blade (obtained from Shadow Man)
* [[Up special]]: [[Rush Coil]]


===''Mega Man 4''===
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==
The platforms that move along curved tracks when a fighter lands on them, and the vertical conveyor belt platforms at the 3DS version of [[Wily Castle]] come from Bright Man's stage and the room where the boss Tako Trash is fought. A trophy of Eddie is exclusive to the Wii U version. Two themes from this game are included as part of the ''Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley'' track, and the game receives its own medley in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. The following moves debuted in this game:
The ''Mega Man'' franchise returns with a sizable boost in representation. Along with all previous content returning (sans one Assist Trophy), the franchise has expanded its scope to include content from other subseries such as ''Mega Man X'' and ''Mega Man Star Force''. Along with the titular character returning as an unlockable fighter, two new Assist Trophies make their debut. The lone ''Mega Man'' stage returns now with more hazards and an even larger selection of music tracks, both sourced and rearranged. Rounding out the representation is a large variety of [[spirit]]s spanning every major video game subseries in the franchise, with no other third-party series having as many Spirits in ''Smash'' as ''Mega Man''.
* Forward smash: Charge Shot
* Custom down special 1: Skull Barrier (obtained from Skull Man)


===''Mega Man 5''===
===Fighter===
Beat debuted in this game. He serves as one of Mega Man's custom moves for Rush Coil, Beat. Dark Man's Castle theme is included as part of the ''Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley'' track. Mega Man's down tilt being able to damage opponents could be a reference to Charge Man's power Charge Kick, which was the first weapon that allowed Mega Man to weaponize his sliding ability to attack targets on the ground.
*46. [[File:MegaManIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right|link=Mega Man (SSBU)]]'''{{SSBU|Mega Man}}''' ([[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]): The iconic Blue Bomber and star of the original series returns as an unlockable fighter after being a starter in ''Smash 4''. He no longer has access to his large variety of Robot Master abilities as custom special moves, but he retains his patient projectile-centered playstyle nonetheless. For his Final Smash, [[Mega Legends]], the Mega Man incarnations are now joined by Proto Man and Bass.{{clr}}


===''Mega Man 6''===
===Stage===
Flame Man's theme is included as part of the ''Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley'' track. The following abilities come from this game:
*[[File:WilyCastleIconSSBU.png|75px|right|link=Wily Castle]]{{GameIcon|SSB4}}'''[[Wily Castle]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): The iconic base from ''Mega Man 2'' returns with the stage updated to have the stage hazards of both the 3DS and Wii U versions of ''Smash 4''.
*Down smash: Flame Blast (obtained from Flame Man)
*Custom down special 2: Plant Barrier (obtained from Plant Man)


===''Mega Man 7''===
===Assist Trophies===
A trophy of Bass and Treble are exclusive to the Wii U version. The following abilities debuted in this game:
With Elec Man's removal, both of the ''Mega Man'' Assist  Trophies are new to the ''Smash Bros.'' series.
* Back aerial: Slash Claw (obtained from Slash Man)
*'''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]]''': Zero makes an appearance as an Assist Trophy. He attacks opponents with the Z-Saber and Genmu Zero.
* Custom side special l: Danger Wrap (obtained from Burst Man)
*'''[[Wily Capsule]]''': Dr. Wily appears in his recurring final machine, the Wily Capsule, attacking with fire, lightning, and ice orbs similar to its appearance in ''Mega Man 7''.
* Custom up special 2: Beat Call
In ''Ultimate'', Bass appears as a part of Mega Man's updated Final Smash, Mega Legends.


===''Mega Man 8''===
===[[Mii Costume]]s===
The following powers debuted in this game:
{{main|Alternate costume (SSBU)/Mii Fighter}}
* Forward aerial: Flame Sword (obtained from Sword Man)
* Custom up special: Tornado Hold (obtained from Tengu Man)


===''Mega Man 9''===
====Outfits====
Mega Man's final smash opens with Galaxy Man's Black Hole Bomb, which originated in this game.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[Proto Man|Proto Man's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Proto Man]], a reoccurring rival of Mega Man created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as [[downloadable content]] on September 4, 2019. The Mii wears gray-and-red armor with a yellow scarf around their neck and has Proto Man's shield strapped to their back. The Mii fires projectiles from Proto Man's arm cannon, the Proto Buster.
*{{Head|Mii Swordfighter|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]], a reoccurring ally of X from the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man X}}'' subseries and the protagonist of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Zero}}''. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on September 4, 2019. The Mii wears red-and-white armor and wields the Z-Saber, Zero's beam sword.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[X (Mega Man)|X's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[Mega Man X]], a spiritual successor to the original Mega Man and Dr. Light's final creation. X himself appears in ''Smash Ultimate'' to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash, just like the previous game. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on January 28, 2020. The Mii wears blue armor and fires projectiles from X's arm cannon, the X-Buster.
*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}} '''[[MegaMan.EXE|MegaMan.EXE's Armor]]''' ([[DLC]]): an outfit based on [[MegaMan.EXE]], a virtual incarnation of Mega Man from the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Battle Network}}'' subseries. MegaMan.EXE himself appears in ''Smash Ultimate'' to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash, just like the previous game. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on January 28, 2020. The Mii wears a navy-and-white suit.


===''Super Adventure Rockman''===
====Headgear====
An obscure title that never saw release outside of Japan. Mega Man's need to vent his Mega Busters after using an attack that involves both (up and down smashes) is a reference to the game's climax where Mega Man takes down the Evil Ra Moon with a double charge shot, despite Wily warning that doing so could overheat his systems and destroy him.
*'''[[Proto Man|Proto Man's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[X (Mega Man)|X's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])
*'''[[MegaMan.EXE|MegaMan.EXE's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])


===''Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters''===
===Music===
The following moves debuted in this game:
{{main|List of SSBU Music (Mega Man series)}}
* Up tilt: While Sakurai notes that the Mega Upper is used in ''Marvel vs. Capcom'', it originates in this arcade game.
====Original Tracks====
Arrangements and remixes unique to ''Ultimate''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Guts Man Stage}}''': A remix of Guts Man's stage theme from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man|video game}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Ice Man Stage}}''': A remix of Ice Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Bomb Man Stage}}''': A remix of Bomb Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Fire Man Stage}}''': A remix of Fire Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Metal Man Stage}}''': A remix of Metal Man's stage theme from ''[[Mega Man 2]]''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Crash Man Stage}}''': A remix of Crash Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 2''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Flash Man Stage}}''': A remix of Flash Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 2''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Wood Man Stage}}''': A remix of Wood Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 2''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Hard Man Stage}}''': A remix of Hard Man's stage theme from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 3}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Top Man Stage}}''': A remix of Top Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 3''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Snake Man Stage}}''': A remix of Snake Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 3''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 4 Medley}}''': A medley of tracks from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 4}}'', including Dive Man's stage theme, Skull Man's stage theme, and Drill Man's stage theme.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Gravity Man Stage}}''': A remix of Gravity Man's stage theme from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 5}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Napalm Man Stage}}''': A remix of Napalm Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 5''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Dark Man Stage}}''': A remix of Dark Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 5''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|We're Robots (Dr. Wily Stage 2)}}''': A jazzy remix of the second Wily Stage from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 9}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Opening Stage}}''': A remix of the Central Highway theme from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man X|video game}}''.


===''Mega Man X''===
====Returning Tracks====
Mega Man X is one of the five Mega Men to fire in Mega Man's [[Final Smash]]. His armor and helmet are available as [[DLC]] for [[Mii Fighter]]s, with the outfit being exclusive to the [[Mii Gunner]]s, while Zero's helmet and armor are available for [[Mii Swordfighter]]s. A trophy of [[Zero (Mega Man)|Zero]] is exclusive to the Wii U version. Zero also appears as an Assist Trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. Mega Man's ability to [[wall jump]] also comes from ''Mega Man X''.
Arrangements and remixes returning from ''Smash 4''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 2 Medley}}''': A rock based medley of tracks from ''Mega Man 2'', including the level start jingle, the title screen theme, and the Wily Castle theme. Returns from ''Smash 4''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Air Man Stage}}''': A remix of Air Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 2''. Returns from ''Smash 4''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Spark Man Stage}}''': A remix of Spark Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 3''. Returns from ''Smash 4''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Cut Man Stage}}''': A remix of Cut Man's stage theme from the original ''Mega Man''. Returns from ''Smash for Wii U''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Quick Man Stage}}''': A medley of Quick Man's stage theme and the victory theme from ''Mega Man 2''. Returns from ''Smash for Wii U''.
*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Shadow Man Stage}}''': A remix of Shadow Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 3''. Returns from ''Smash for Wii U''.


===''Mega Man X2''===
====Source Tracks====
The design used for the Zero Mii costume, including the Z-Saber first appeared in this sequel.
Tracks sourced directly from the ''Mega Man'' games.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Flash in the Dark (Dr. Wily Stage 1)}}''':  The theme of the first Wily stage, sourced from ''Mega Man 9''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man Retro Medley}}''': A medley of tracks sourced from ''Mega Man'', including the stage start theme, as well as Elec Man, Bomb Man, Cut Man, Guts Man, Fire Man, and Ice Man's stage themes.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 2 Retro Medley}}''': A medley of tracks sourced from ''Mega Man 2'', including Air Man, Wood Man, Quick Man, Flash Man, Crash Man, and Metal Man's stage themes, as well as the first Wily Castle theme.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 3 Retro Medley}}''': A medley of tracks sourced from ''Mega Man 3'', including Top Man, Shadow Man, Spark Man, Snake Man, and Hard Man's stage themes.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley}}''': A medley of tracks from ''Mega Man 4'', ''Mega Man 5'', and ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 6}}''. They are Dive Man and Skull Man's stage themes from ''Mega Man 4'', Dark Man's Castle stage theme from ''Mega Man 5'', and Flame Man's stage theme from ''Mega Man 6''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|X vs ZERO}}''': A theme played when fighting against Zero, or as Zero against X, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man X5}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Zero (Theme of ZERO (from Mega Man X))}}''': Zero's theme, which itself is a remix of the same theme from ''Mega Man X'', sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Zero|video game}}''.
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Mega Man|Shooting Star}}''': The main theme, sourced from ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man Star Force}}''.
====Victory Theme====
*'''[[Victory theme#Mega Man Victory Theme|Victory! Mega Man]]''': A remix of the beginning of the title theme of ''Mega Man 2''.


===''Mega Man Legends'' (''Mega Man 64'')===
===Spirits===
Mega Man Volnutt is one of the five Mega Men to fire in Mega Man's Final Smash.
{{main|List of spirits (Mega Man series)}}


===''Mega Man Battle Network''===
==Media with elements appearing in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
MegaMan.EXE is one of the five Mega Men to fire in Mega Man's Final Smash, and his headgear and outfit appear as Mii Costumes.
{{main|Mega Man (universe)/Elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series}}
 
The ''Mega Man'' universe has media represented throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series with a total of 32 games and media. The latest game represented in this universe is ''{{iw|wikipedia|Mega Man 10}}'', released on March 1, 2010.
===''Mega Man Star Force''===
Geo Stelar (as Mega Man) is one of the five Mega Men to fire in Mega Man's Final Smash.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*''Mega Man'' is the first third-party universe to have debuted on a Nintendo system; the others being {{uv|Final Fantasy}} and {{uv|Castlevania}}.
*''Mega Man'' is the first third-party universe to have debuted on a Nintendo system and currently one of five third-party universes to have done so; the others being {{uv|Final Fantasy}}, {{uv|Castlevania}}, {{uv|Dragon Quest}}, and {{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}}.
**Coincidentally, both ''Mega Man'' and ''Final Fantasy'' debuted on the NES in 1987 with the former being released the day before the latter launched.
**Coincidentally, both ''Mega Man'' and ''Final Fantasy'' debuted on the NES in 1987, with the former being released a day before the latter launched.
*Of all the third-party universes, ''Mega Man'' has the most:
**Assist Trophies, with three in total. This also makes it one of two third-party franchises to have more than one Assist Trophy, the other being {{uv|Sonic the Hedgehog}}.
**Mii costumes, with 8 in total.
**Spirits, with 57 in total.  


{{universe}}
{{Universe}}
{{Mega Man universe}}
{{Mega Man universe}}
[[Category:Mega Man universe| ]]
[[Category:Mega Man universe| ]]
[[Category:Capcom]]
[[Category:Capcom]]
[[Category:Third-party universes]]
[[es:Mega Man (universo)]]

Latest revision as of 16:20, March 28, 2024

Mega Man (universe)
The logo representing the Mega Man universe.
MegaManSymbol.svg
Developer(s) Capcom
Inti Creates
Tiger Electronics
Rozner Labs
Publisher(s) Capcom
Tiger Electronics
U.S. Gold
Hi Tech Expressions
Designer(s) Akira Kitamura
Keiji Inafune
Genre(s) Platformer
Console/platform of origin Nintendo Entertainment System
First installment Mega Man (1987)
Latest installment Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection (2023)
Article on Wikipedia Mega Man (universe)

The Mega Man universe (known in Asian territories as Rockman (ロックマン) and occasionally written as Megaman) refers to the Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the eponymous Mega Man series by Capcom. It is a Japanese video game franchise created by Capcom. Originating on the NES, the Mega Man franchise has spawned a multitude of video games across many platforms, as well as a variety of associated media. The series is the third such third-party franchise to contribute elements to a Smash game, with the titular Mega Man being a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Franchise description[edit]

The alternate logo used in title screens in the Western releases of the Mega Man games until the seventh installment.

In the 1980's, Capcom had a lucrative strategy of developing video games for arcades first and porting them to home consoles later. After many successful releases, Capcom decided to make their first console-exclusive franchise. They recruited a team of six, a small team even at the time, to make a new game for Nintendo's Famicom. This team developed a side-scrolling platformer, a popular and safe genre during this era, but wanted to stand out in a few ways. Firstly was a heavy emphasis on fast paced combat with more complex enemies than the game's contemporaries. These include the boss characters, which both drop special abilities when defeated and are weak to the abilities of other bosses in a dynamic inspired by rock-paper-scissors. Another innovation was the ability to choose any stage in any order. This non-linear game design had not been seen in a video game before and added a layer of strategy by choosing which stage to beat first in a weaker state.

The team settled on a robot super hero fighting against other robots, inspired by the manga Astro Boy. Keiji Inafune, who joined partway through development as a character designer, found similar inspirations in the designs he finalized. Inafune claimed he wanted to make the most detailed characters possible for the hardware, and he noticed that the Famicom's 56 color palette has more shades of blue than any other color, hence why the playable character is mostly blue. The team decided to call this character and the game Rockman, based on rock & roll, the first of many musical references within the franchise.

Rockman released simultaneously in Japan and the United States on December 17, 1987, in uncommon practice at the time. Capcom U.S.A.'s then-Senior Vice President Joseph Marcini renamed the localized NES version of the game and titular character Mega Man, believing it would have a much wider appeal to young American audiences. The game saw two scientists, Dr. Thomas Light, and Dr. Albert Wily, have a falling out over disagreements in the ethical practice of their robotics research. A disgruntled Dr. Wily would steal the robot designs from Dr. Light to create the many robot masters bent on conquering the world. In response, Dr. Light retrofits a remaining robot and son-figure Rock with battle weapons and armor. Rock, along with his sister Roll and other friends, fights his way through the robot masters and eventually Wily to foil his plans. Mega Man was released to favorable critical reception, but moderately low sales (around 100,000 copies overall), though they were higher than Capcom originally anticipated.

While Mega Man was not a large enough commercial accomplishment for Capcom to necessarily justify a sequel, the company allowed the development team to create a sequel as an aside to other projects. The team focused on improving the original formula with enhanced graphics and audio, more levels, and new supportive items that addressed consumer concerns over the extreme difficulty of the previous title. Mega Man 2, in stark contrast to the original, was a huge success; it sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide, definitively established Mega Man as a long-running flagship franchise, and propelled Capcom to its present-day status as a world-renowned game developer.

More sequels followed soon after: Mega Man 3 in 1990, Mega Man 4 in 1991, Mega Man 5 in 1992, and Mega Man 6 in 1993, all released on NES. These games have since been ported, remade and re-released several times on many other platforms. The Game Boy versions of Mega Man 1-5 are particularly notable for being entirely different games inspired by their NES counterparts.

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.

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 from 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.

Keiji Inafune always intended for Mega Man X 5 to be the last in that particular series and wanted to move on to a new venture. However, Capcom created a new team to continue the series without Inafune's knowledge, which resulted in Mega Man X 6 for PlayStation in 2001, as well as Mega Man X 7 in 2003, Mega Man X: Command Mission and Mega Man X 8 in 2004. These entries ended the Mega Man X series, due to the terrible sales of 2005's Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.

The project Keiji Inafune worked on eventually released as Mega Man Zero in 2002 for Game Boy Advance. Taking place 100 years after the events of Mega Man X 5 and somewhat ignoring later installments, humans defeated the Mavericks and both humans and reploids were once again able to live in harmony. However, an energy crisis drove the humans to kill the Reploids to conserve fuel, causing a resistance movement to form. Zero is then discovered in a healing chamber, who goes out to piece together his century of absence, bring peace to the world once again, and try to find and defeat the mastermind behind this chaos. This game received sequels Mega Man Zero 2 in 2003 and Mega Man Zero 3 in 2004. Inafune initially wanted the series to stop here, but Capcom mandated a Mega Man Zero 4 in 2005.

Concurrently to this series, a separate team created Mega Man Battle Network also for Game Boy Advance in 2001. Taking place in an alternate universe to the classic Mega Man universe, scientist Tadashi Hikari develops a Net society where regular people can jack in with a Net Navi and live out a second life. His grandson Lan Hikari and his Net Navi MegaMan.EXE as they defend the net society against all forms of criminal malware, including antagonist Lord Wily. This game is a stark departure from the rest of the series in that it is primarily an RPG. Battles take place in an enclosed grid and players must used collected battle chips to defeat their opponents. This game received a full port with extra contents for Nintendo DS in 2009 titled Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star.

This series received a myriad of sequels and spinoffs. The mainline entries include Mega Man Battle Network 2 also in 2001, Mega Man Battle Network 3: White & Blue in 2002-03, Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun & Blue Moon in 2003-04, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Protoman & Team Colonel in 2004-05, and Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar & Cybeast Falzar in 2005-06. Mega Man Battle Network 5 was combine into a single release on Nintendo DS as Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS in 2005. Two platforming spinoffs released in 2003, Mega Man Network Transmission for Nintendo GameCube and RockMan EXE WS for WonderSwan Color. Two games released for Cell phones, Rockman EXE Phantom of Network in 2004 and Rockman EXE Legend of Network in 2006. Several spinoff based entirely on battling also released, including Game Boy Advance games Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge in 2003 and Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation in 2004, Rockman EXE N1 Battle for WonderSwan Color in 2003, and Rockman EXE The Medal Operation and Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium for arcades in 2005-06.

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.

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.

After a 12-year hiatus, the classic Mega Man series suddenly returned in 2008 with Mega Man 9 for WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network. The game was made in the exact 8-bit pixel art style of the first six Mega Man games, albeit with some subtle modernizations impossible to achieve on older hardware and new gameplay modes, as well as downloadable content released later. This game was received as a basic, yet well designed return to form after complaints of the many spinoff series losing sight of what made the franchise great in the first place in the eyes of many were forming. This game was followed up with Mega Man 10 in 2010, which had largely the same qualities as Mega Man 9 with expanded online modes and new characters. This game received less favorable reviews due to generally being considered safe and not innovative enough, which ironically is what put the series on hiatus in the first place.

Mega Man 10 would end up being the last Capcom-developed Mega Man game for many years. Around 2011, many projects were in the works, but ended up being canceled in messy ways. Four known projects include massive multiplayer online game for Windows Mega Man Online, the nearly finished level creator game Mega Man Universe, first person shooter reboot of Mega Man X titled Maverick Hunter, and Mega Man Legends 3, which initially had a public development period where anyone can contribute to various decisions before being canceled by a lack of confidence from executives. Keiji Inafune, who oversaw all of these games and had his reputation poisoned by these cancellations, left the company at this time to form his own studio. The games Inafune have made since his departure are Mighty No. 9 in 2013, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z in 2014, and ReCore in 2016, all of which were given negative reviews upon release and were considered pale imitations of previous games. Inafune also crowdfunded for the game Red Ash, though this game has yet to materialize.

During this drought of Mega Man content following Mega Man 10, the only game Capcom published was Street Fighter X Mega Man, a Mega Man style game with Street Fighter characters as both bosses and allies.

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.

Outside of games, the Mega Man franchise has been represented in other media. This includes guest appearances like the Marvel vs Capcom and 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.

In Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

The Mega Man universe debuts in Smash 4 as the first Capcom series to make it into the Smash Bros. franchise, receiving a character, stage (alongside a boss), an Assist Trophy, and an assortment of trophies and music tracks.

Fighter[edit]

  • MegaManIcon(SSB4-U).png
    Mega Man (Starter): the title character of Capcom's Mega Man series; an android named Rock created by the illustrious Dr. Light. He was originally designed by Light to serve as a lab assistant, but he was ultimately modified to serve a higher purpose after Light's former colleague - Dr. Wily - went rogue. Equipped with the Mega Buster and the ability to absorb the powers of adversarial Robot Masters, Mega Man foils the plans of the nefarious Wily time after time with a strong sense of justice. He is one of the most fondly-remembered video game characters of his era. Similar to Nintendo's Mario, Sega's Sonic, and Namco's Pac-Man, Mega Man is often treated by fans as an unofficial mascot of Capcom. Despite being a third-party character, he is closely associated with Nintendo; the first seven Mega Man games released from 1987 - 1995 were originally exclusive to Nintendo consoles and he had a reoccurring presence on the American cartoon series Captain N: The Game Master, appearing alongside Nintendo's Pit and Konami's Simon Belmont. Mega Man was one of the five third-party characters to appear on the Japan-exclusive "If There Was a Smash 2" poll conducted by Masahiro Sakurai between the releases of the original Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Even though the Mega Man series entered a brief period of dormancy that coincided with the development of Super Smash Bros. 4, Mega Man was deemed significant enough to not only be included as a new fighter, but to also be one of the first shown off. He was revealed to be a newcomer in Smash 4 with the games' unveiling during E3 2013 alongside Villager and Wii Fit Trainer. His weight, gravity, and overall physics are faithful translations of the feel of the original Mega Man games. He has very few physical attacks, instead relying on a vast arsenal of weapons obtained from defeated Robot Masters from across the series. For his up special, he summons the robotic dog Rush to perform Rush Coil. Like Palutena, Mega Man has a wide variety of custom moves, one of which replaces Rush with another companion of his - the robotic bird Beat. Mega Man's Final Smash, Mega Legends, has him fire a continuous beam of energy alongside his alter egos: Mega Man X from the eponymous subseries, MegaMan.EXE from Mega Man Battle Network, Mega Man Volnutt from Mega Man Legends, and Geo Stelar from Mega Man Star Force.

Stage[edit]

  • WilyCastleIconSSB4-U.png
    Wily Castle (Starter): staged on a metal plateau before Dr. Wily's Skull Castle - the final stage of Mega Man 2. The plateau is flanked by two floating platforms. The main gimmick of the stage is that the Yellow Devil resides here as a stage boss. Otherwise, it is a stage similar to Yoshi's Island, with small floating platforms moving in and out of the stage. The platforms that appear differ in function depending on the version of Smash 4. In the 3DS version, platforms will float above the plateau and to the left and right of it. The layout is similar to the Bright Man Stage from Mega Man 4. In the Wii U version, on-rail platforms move along a set path. They are similar to the moving platforms in the Guts Man Stage from the original Mega Man; there are breaks in the rails that cause the platforms to abruptly fold and drop the characters and items that were on top of it. It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 3(3DS) and Level 4(Wii U) of All-Star Mode as a home stage for Mega Man. Only its Ω form can accommodate 8-Player Smash, which takes place on the plateau.

Items[edit]

Assist Trophy[edit]

  • Elec Man: a Robot Master from the original Mega Man; an android that can discharge electricity from his hands. When summoned, he hops around the stage and fire projectile Thunder Beams at opponents. He does not harm the summoner.

Smash Tour items[edit]

  • Energy Tank (Red): a health-restoring item from Mega Man 2. It heals the user if their damage exceeds 100% in battle.
  • Proto Man (Green) a reoccurring rival of Mega Man's created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. He is used on the board. If an opponent tour item specifically targets this item's user, it is reflected back to that item's user.

Enemy[edit]

Main article: Enemies

Smash Run enemy[edit]

  • Mettaur: a hard hat-wearing robot from the original Mega Man. It ducks underneath its helmet to protect itself from attacks and projectiles. It uncovers itself periodically to fire a three-way shot at opponents. It behaves similarly to the Octorok.

Mii Costumes[edit]

Main article: Alternate costume (SSB4)/Mii Fighter

Outfits[edit]

  • Mii Gunner's stock icon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. X's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Mega Man X, a spiritual successor to the original Mega Man and Dr. Light's final creation. X himself appears in Smash 4 to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on April 15, 2015. The Mii wears blue armor and fires projectiles from X's arm cannon, the X-Buster.
  • Mii Gunner's stock icon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Proto Man's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Proto Man, a reoccurring rival of Mega Man created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on April 15, 2015. The Mii wears gray-and-red armor with a yellow scarf around their neck and has Proto Man's shield strapped to their back. The Mii fires projectiles from Proto Man's arm cannon, the Proto Buster.
  • Mii Swordfighter's stock icon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Zero's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Zero, a reoccurring ally of X from the Mega Man X subseries and the protagonist of Mega Man Zero. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on June 14, 2015. The Mii wears red-and-white armor and wields the Z-Saber, Zero's beam sword.
  • Mii Gunner's stock icon in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. MegaMan.EXE's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on MegaMan.EXE, a virtual incarnation of Mega Man from the Battle Network subseries. MegaMan.EXE himself appears in Smash 4 to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on June 14, 2015. The Mii wears a navy-and-white suit.

Headgear[edit]

Music[edit]

Main article: List of SSB4 Music (Mega Man series)

Original Tracks[edit]

Arrangements and remixes unique to SSB4.

  • Cut Man Stage: an arrangement of "Cut Man Stage" from the original Mega Man. It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Mega Man 2 Medley: a medley of pieces from Mega Man 2, including "Game Start", "Title", "Stage Select", and "Dr. Wily Stage 1". It plays on Wily Castle.
  • Air Man Stage: an arrangement of "Air Man Stage" from Mega Man 2. It plays in Smash Run and on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Quick Man Stage: an arrangement of "Quick Man Stage" and "Heat Man Stage" from Mega Man 2. It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Spark Man Stage: an arrangement of "Spark Man Stage" from Mega Man 3. It plays in Smash Run and on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Shadow Man Stage: an arrangement of "Shadow Man Stage" from Mega Man 3. It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).

Source Tracks[edit]

Compositions and arrangements directly sourced from Mega Man games with no alterations.

  • Mega Man Retro Medley: a medley of sourced pieces from the original Mega Man, including: "Game Start", "Elec Man Stage", "Bomb Man Stage", "Cut Man Stage", "Guts Man Stage", "Fire Man Stage", and "Ice Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle.
  • Mega Man 2 Retro Medley: a medley of sourced pieces from Mega Man 2, including: "Air Man Stage", "Wood Man Stage", "Quick Man Stage", "Flash Man Stage", "Crash Man Stage", "Metal Man Stage", "Dr. Wily Stage 1", and "Dr. Wily Stage 2". It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Mega Man 3 Retro Medley: a medley of sourced pieces from Mega Man 3, including: "Top Man Stage", "Shadow Man Stage", "Spark Man Stage", "Snake Man Stage", and "Hard Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).
  • Mega Man 4-6 Retro Medley: a medley of sourced pieces from Mega Man 4, 5, and 6, including: "Dive Man Stage", "Skull Man Stage", "Dark Man Stage", and "Flame Man Stage". It plays on Wily Castle(Wii U).

Victory Theme[edit]

  • Victory! Mega Man: the first few bars of "Title" from Mega Man 2, led by electric guitar.

Trophies[edit]

Main article: List of SSB4 trophies (Mega Man series)

Masterpiece[edit]

Main article: Masterpieces

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

The Mega Man franchise returns with a sizable boost in representation. Along with all previous content returning (sans one Assist Trophy), the franchise has expanded its scope to include content from other subseries such as Mega Man X and Mega Man Star Force. Along with the titular character returning as an unlockable fighter, two new Assist Trophies make their debut. The lone Mega Man stage returns now with more hazards and an even larger selection of music tracks, both sourced and rearranged. Rounding out the representation is a large variety of spirits spanning every major video game subseries in the franchise, with no other third-party series having as many Spirits in Smash as Mega Man.

Fighter[edit]

  • 46.
    MegaManIcon(SSBU).png
    Mega Man (Unlockable): The iconic Blue Bomber and star of the original series returns as an unlockable fighter after being a starter in Smash 4. He no longer has access to his large variety of Robot Master abilities as custom special moves, but he retains his patient projectile-centered playstyle nonetheless. For his Final Smash, Mega Legends, the Mega Man incarnations are now joined by Proto Man and Bass.

Stage[edit]

  • WilyCastleIconSSBU.png
    Super Smash Bros. 4Wily Castle (Starter): The iconic base from Mega Man 2 returns with the stage updated to have the stage hazards of both the 3DS and Wii U versions of Smash 4.

Assist Trophies[edit]

With Elec Man's removal, both of the Mega Man Assist Trophies are new to the Smash Bros. series.

  • Zero: Zero makes an appearance as an Assist Trophy. He attacks opponents with the Z-Saber and Genmu Zero.
  • Wily Capsule: Dr. Wily appears in his recurring final machine, the Wily Capsule, attacking with fire, lightning, and ice orbs similar to its appearance in Mega Man 7.

Mii Costumes[edit]

Main article: Alternate costume (SSBU)/Mii Fighter

Outfits[edit]

  • MiiGunnerHeadSSBU.png Proto Man's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Proto Man, a reoccurring rival of Mega Man created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on September 4, 2019. The Mii wears gray-and-red armor with a yellow scarf around their neck and has Proto Man's shield strapped to their back. The Mii fires projectiles from Proto Man's arm cannon, the Proto Buster.
  • MiiSwordfighterHeadSSBU.png Zero's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Zero, a reoccurring ally of X from the Mega Man X subseries and the protagonist of Mega Man Zero. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on September 4, 2019. The Mii wears red-and-white armor and wields the Z-Saber, Zero's beam sword.
  • MiiGunnerHeadSSBU.png X's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on Mega Man X, a spiritual successor to the original Mega Man and Dr. Light's final creation. X himself appears in Smash Ultimate to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash, just like the previous game. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on January 28, 2020. The Mii wears blue armor and fires projectiles from X's arm cannon, the X-Buster.
  • MiiGunnerHeadSSBU.png MegaMan.EXE's Armor (DLC): an outfit based on MegaMan.EXE, a virtual incarnation of Mega Man from the Battle Network subseries. MegaMan.EXE himself appears in Smash Ultimate to assist Mega Man during his Final Smash, just like the previous game. The costume was released with a corresponding helmet as downloadable content on January 28, 2020. The Mii wears a navy-and-white suit.

Headgear[edit]

Music[edit]

Main article: List of SSBU Music (Mega Man series)

Original Tracks[edit]

Arrangements and remixes unique to Ultimate.

Returning Tracks[edit]

Arrangements and remixes returning from Smash 4.

  • Super Smash Bros. 4Mega Man 2 Medley: A rock based medley of tracks from Mega Man 2, including the level start jingle, the title screen theme, and the Wily Castle theme. Returns from Smash 4.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4Air Man Stage: A remix of Air Man's stage theme from Mega Man 2. Returns from Smash 4.
  • Super Smash Bros. 4Spark Man Stage: A remix of Spark Man's stage theme from Mega Man 3. Returns from Smash 4.
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii UCut Man Stage: A remix of Cut Man's stage theme from the original Mega Man. Returns from Smash for Wii U.
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii UQuick Man Stage: A medley of Quick Man's stage theme and the victory theme from Mega Man 2. Returns from Smash for Wii U.
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii UShadow Man Stage: A remix of Shadow Man's stage theme from Mega Man 3. Returns from Smash for Wii U.

Source Tracks[edit]

Tracks sourced directly from the Mega Man games.

Victory Theme[edit]

Spirits[edit]

Main article: List of spirits (Mega Man series)

Media with elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Main article: Mega Man (universe)/Elements appearing in the Super Smash Bros. series

The Mega Man universe has media represented throughout the Super Smash Bros. series with a total of 32 games and media. The latest game represented in this universe is Mega Man 10, released on March 1, 2010.

Trivia[edit]

  • Mega Man is the first third-party universe to have debuted on a Nintendo system and currently one of five third-party universes to have done so; the others being Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Dragon Quest, and Banjo-Kazooie.
    • Coincidentally, both Mega Man and Final Fantasy debuted on the NES in 1987, with the former being released a day before the latter launched.
  • Of all the third-party universes, Mega Man has the most:
    • Assist Trophies, with three in total. This also makes it one of two third-party franchises to have more than one Assist Trophy, the other being Sonic the Hedgehog.
    • Mii costumes, with 8 in total.
    • Spirits, with 57 in total.


v • d • e
Universes
Host Super Smash Bros. (Subspace · World of Light)
Fighter-based Animal Crossing · ARMS · Banjo-Kazooie · Bayonetta · Castlevania · Donkey Kong · Dragon Quest · Duck Hunt · EarthBound · Fatal Fury · Final Fantasy · Fire Emblem · F-Zero · Game & Watch · Ice Climber · Kid Icarus · Kingdom Hearts · Kirby · Mario · Mega Man · Metal Gear · Metroid · Minecraft · Pac-Man · Persona · Pikmin · Pokémon · Punch-Out!! · R.O.B. · Sonic the Hedgehog · Splatoon · Star Fox · Street Fighter · Tekken · The Legend of Zelda · Wario · Wii Fit · Xenoblade Chronicles · Yoshi
Stage-based Balloon Fight · Electroplankton · Miiverse · Nintendo DS · Nintendogs · Pilotwings · StreetPass Mii Plaza · Tomodachi · Wii Sports · Wrecking Crew
Assist Trophy-based Art Academy · Bomberman · Brain Age · Color TV-Game · Custom Robo · Devil World · Dillon's Rolling Western · Drill Dozer · Excite · Fatal Frame · Golden Sun · Jam with the Band · Joy Mech Fight · Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru · Kururin · Monster Hunter · Nintendo Badge Arcade · Nintendo Wars · Sheriff · Shovel Knight · SimCity · Sin and Punishment · Swapnote · The Legendary Starfy · The Mysterious Murasame Castle · Virtua Fighter
Item-based Clu Clu Land · Galaxian · GoldenEye · Panel de Pon · Perfect Dark · Steel Diver
Enemy-based Dig Dug · Rhythm Heaven · Xevious
Others Mii · List of minor universes (Nintendo · Third-party)
v • d • e
MegaManSymbol.svg Mega Man universe
Fighter Mega Man (SSB4 · SSBU)
Assist Trophies Elec Man · Wily Capsule · Zero
Stage Wily Castle
Enemy Mettaur
Other Bass · Energy Tank · MegaMan.EXE · MegaMan Volnutt · Proto Man · Star Force Mega Man · X  · Yellow Devil
Trophies and Spirits Trophies · Spirits
Music SSB4 · Ultimate
Masterpiece Mega Man 2
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