This is my personal opinion from that time, and it has no connection with my evaluation of the Mega Man series that continues today. I would also like to express my gratitude and respect for the efforts made by the company over the past 40 years to keep producing Mega Man games.

The greatest characteristics of Mega Man are, without a doubt, its game system, which allows players to select stages and obtain and use the weapons of defeated enemies. This unique form, which came about unintentionally, produces unexpected effects and makes the game something special.

As I mentioned briefly in "[RM#21] Level Design 3," when we first started making Mega Man, we did not yet understand the unexpected effects of its game system. As development progressed, these effects gradually became clear, and I myself felt great expectations as well as a certain sense of surprise.

The core of this game lies in the player character being a "robot who takes his helmet on and off." This is a very important form of expression in terms of the story, but it also has an important meaning in the game system.

Rock is not a combat robot, so putting on a helmet and carrying a weapon represents that he has already been customized. Mega Man's weapon changes begin here. From that point onward, further customization takes place by obtaining the weapons of enemies. This is a characteristic of the player character in the action game called Mega Man, and it can be said to define the very nature of this game.

What Controls the Game System

Action games have a central image, and this image creates their worldview. Ghosts 'n Goblins and Castlevania are also games with such central images. The player characters in these games are designed to fit their respective worlds. Their bodies and the weapons they carry are designed in the same way.

What is important here is the existence of enemies. The enemies in a game are also strongly influenced by the image of its world. Therefore, even when making sequels as a series, it is not possible to change the impression of these enemies. Even if new enemies are introduced, changes cannot be made to the extent that they alter the worldview. It would be impossible for the enemies in Ghosts 'n Goblins to suddenly become aliens.

When considering a sequel, it is necessary to consider how to attract new users while also taking into account the expectations of existing players who have experience with the series. Therefore, there is no benefit in renewing the image of a title that has already sold well. Normally, when producing a sequel to an existing title, the most important thing is how it differs from the previous game. This may include improvements to controls and presentation, but it is generally considered necessary to have something that raises the overall level beyond the previous game.

In the stage-clear-type action games that existed at the time, as well as in many games today, the player character is strengthened. The controls are improved, or new weapons become available. This is because neither the worldview nor the image of the enemies can be changed. However, it is not possible to make major changes. In Castlevania, the whip remains the weapon, and in Ghosts 'n Goblins, the main weapons also remain unchanged. This is about the limit of what can be done to escape repetition. It almost feels as if there is an unwritten rule that "this is simply what sequels are supposed to be."

This can be described as "the player character controls the game system."

In ordinary action games, the way the game is played changes depending on the player's weapons and attack methods. The enemies corresponding to those weapons, the level design of the maps, and even the player's movements and status also change. This is a situation in which the game system depends on the settings of the player character. This is the general method of upgrading an action game.

What is promoted as something new in a sequel is the actions of the player character. What kind of attacks will be possible this time? What kind of fighting style will there be? By revealing these upgraded elements from the previous game in advance, expectations are raised.

This is just my personal impression, but when sequels are made using this method, it becomes difficult to continue making them after about three or four games. This is because if the weapons of the player character and the gameplay associated with them are changed any further, the impression that has been carried over throughout the series will also change. However, if they are not changed, every game will offer almost the same kind of gameplay, resulting in a dilemma where the series becomes repetitive.

So, what about Mega Man? Of course, when making a sequel, it is also necessary to consider some kind of upgrade. Mega Man also has its own unique worldview. The same applies to its enemies. Therefore, as a general approach, strengthening the weapons and movements of Mega Man would seem to be the most effective method.

As mentioned earlier, Mega Man is characterized by its ability to use the weapons of enemies. Therefore, in order to upgrade Mega Man's weapons, the weapons of the enemies must be changed. That is the game system of Mega Man.

This can be described as "the enemies control the game system."

No matter how excellent a weapon may be, it must be obtained from an enemy. Also, movements that are not normally available must be acquired from enemies or support characters. Mega Man himself must not be changed.

Why am I so particular about this part? There is a reason for it.

The reason ordinary action games become repetitive even as they evolve is not simply that ideas for strengthening weapons eventually run out. There is another, more important aspect that comes along with it. That is the changes in enemy attack methods and level design.

When weapons change, the gameplay changes. As a result, the maps (the shapes of collision areas) that accommodate that gameplay also change significantly. Players react sensitively to these changes. They may think, "It looks more flashy and seems interesting, but when I actually play it, something feels different." This means that the newly introduced weapon (gameplay) does not fit the image of that title. Another way of looking at it is that, in trying to avoid repetition in a sequel, the game has gone beyond its limits.

Mega Man is the only action game that can avoid this kind of change. No matter how much the weapons change or how unconventional the enemies become, the level design of the maps does not change. This is because they are special weapons, not normal weapons. If they were equipped from the beginning as normal weapons, the level design of the maps would have to be changed to accommodate them. This is the same approach used in action games up to that point. However, with special weapons, it is only necessary to give certain locations special characteristics and change the shape of the map accordingly.

Players start with normal Mega Man and change weapons to find places where they can use them. Therefore, while maintaining the familiar maps designed around Mega Man's walking speed, jumping ability, and shot attacks, it is possible to create locations that correspond to the weapons appearing in each game. This allows each stage to have its own characteristics and dramatic highlights.

Therefore, as long as the game system depends on the enemies, no matter how much the weapons change or how much Mega Man's movements change, Mega Man himself does not change as long as those weapons remain special weapons. This is an extremely rare mechanism for an action game, and it is something that must never be broken.

Mega Man can even fly through the sky. He can disappear and reappear. He can burrow into the ground like a mole. He can teleport, slide, charge shots, create duplicates, and even stand on his hands. These are all abilities of the enemies that appear in each game. Their individual characteristics become the gameplay of Mega Man itself.

"Mega Man will never become repetitive, almost indefinitely."

I often describe it this way. This is not simply an idealistic statement. It is because the action game called Mega Man is designed that way. Whether underwater or in outer space, as long as Mega Man himself does not change, the game will work. This is a game system that neither Ghosts 'n Goblins nor Castlevania can imitate.

From the middle of the development of Mega Man1, I began to realize the uniqueness of its game system. When I finally understood it, I honestly felt a chill run down my spine. The reason was that I imagined this system would lead to an extraordinary future. As I have said many times, Mega Man must not be treated as an ordinary action game. The same applies to upgrading its sequels.

For example, suppose a new weapon is added as a normal weapon. Then, a scene would be necessary for players to learn how to use it. Normally, a tutorial stage is provided as the main stage or before it. From there, players gradually become familiar with the controls as they progress through the stages. However, Mega Man uses a stage-selection system. The appeal is that players can start from any stage. If the normal weapon is changed, the stage-selection feature, which is one of Mega Man's defining characteristics, becomes an obstacle. This is what happens when the game is made in the same way as an ordinary action game.

The same applies to weapon power-ups. If a new power-up weapon is added as standard equipment to strengthen Mega Man, as was done in previous action games, the weapons obtained from enemies would lose their meaning. At the time, I had no good idea for solving this problem, and the answer I came up with was to make one of the enemy weapons an extremely powerful weapon that would serve as a power-up. Those were the Elec Beam and the Metal Blade.

If Mega Man is made like an ordinary action game, there will be limits no matter how much we try to make it more flashy. If we change it any further, as I mentioned at the beginning, players will feel that something is different from the image of Mega Man when they actually play it. This is the boundary line of repetition. The game would run into a barrier that should not have existed in the first place.

The development period for Mega Man2 was extremely short. The instability and roughness of the game were not simply the result of physical limitations in the production work. Another reason was that it took a great deal of time to understand how to handle this new game system.

Mega Man has unlimited possibilities. It contains the potential to accommodate all kinds of ideas, whether they come from professionals or amateurs. It looks like an ordinary action game, but hidden within it are ideas that have yet to be discovered.

Powerful enemies, unusual enemies, spectacular enemies... The appeal of the boss enemies is directly connected to Mega Man itself. The appeal and fun of Mega Man lie in its ability to accept any kind of idea. As long as the basic, normal Mega Man does not change, the weapons of the enemies can change dramatically. Just looking at the designs and abilities of the enemies makes you excited. That is Mega Man.

From the moment I understood the nature of Mega Man, sequels became essential in my mind. When I imagined the characters and various worlds that this game could create, I even felt uneasy, wondering whether a newcomer like myself would really be able to handle such a game.

In the boss enemy illustrations in the Mega Man1 instruction manual, numbers are written next to the brief descriptions of the characters. This indicated that the main characters that would continue to be created one after another as the series developed would be numbered. At the time, it was just a small game that nobody knew about, but inside me there was a great hope that it would grow into something much bigger.

As the number of characters increased, I secretly imagined on my own that there might eventually be multimedia developments, such as figures and card games. I also thought it would be interesting to create a manga featuring a mysterious character called Number 0 as a hidden part of the story.

The multimedia expansion of Mega Man began after I left the company. Therefore, even now, I still feel somewhat strange about seeing Mega Man turned into manga and character merchandise. It looks like a different world to me. When I saw the Mega Man pixel art I had created on clothing in a shop, I felt something rather mysterious rather than simply happy.

Finally, I would like to say once again that this is how I understood Mega Man at the time. I am absolutely not denying the Mega Man games that came afterward. When the creators change, the games also change. Today's Mega Man exists as the result of the tremendous efforts of many staff members who have been involved over the years. This is something that I, as someone with experience in its development, understand better than anyone.

Even after 40 years, seeing Mega Man appear as a new game in this era is a miracle, and I feel that the joy of being able to witness it is greater for me than for anyone else.

(Automatic translation by AI)