After a series of terrible games, Mega Man X8 restored the series to “tolerable�status. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t even good. But it did shine a lot brighter next to X5, X6, and X7. Maybe?? the 3D brought it down. The series was really at its best on the SNES. If that’s how your brain works, then have I got a fan demake for you.

I nearly missed this. The friend who gave me the news had missed it. But at the Sonic Amateur Game Expo (SAGE) 2024, Alysson da Paz released their work on a 16-bit-ified version of the Mega Man X series�m?ost recent game. Everything f?rom that 3D sidescroller has been compressed down, pixelized, and pressed into a new version of itself.

Okay, not everything. Axyl and Zero weren’t implemented and were never planned to be. Alysson states that it was intended to be “simple in scope.�There are also no s??ecret techniques or armor to be found, but they were able to fit in the? game’s three “secret�bosses.

“Simple in scope�is greatly underselling it. I’ve tried it out. It’s a pretty convincing effort. It feels like Mega Man X in so many ways, capturing even its eccentricities. When they say “no secret techniques or armor,�they don’t mean “no armor.�I played through Earthrock Trilobyte’s stage and managed to find the chest piece on that stage. It’s a unique piece of armor, mimicking the look in the actual Mega Man X8 rath??er than just cheaply reusing an asset. It fe?els fantastic. This is the juice.

You can play it for free here. Alysson notes that perf?ormance may not be the best on lower-end computers, and while I’m not on a lower-end computer, I can see this being true.

There have been some great Capcom fan games throughout the years. Maybe the company will canonize this one like Mega Man x Street Fighter. The Mega Man X8 remake doesn’t completely fill the hole left in my heart by the series�absence, but it at least reminds me of why I love it. And the Super Nintendo, for that m?atter.

The post You can now play the Mega Man X8 fan demake appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom is one of the biggest compa?nies in the gaming world, a position it's pretty much held consistently for several decades now. As such, you'd think it would know what it's talk??ing about when it comes to the industry at large, and it seems as though physical games are still very much within the developer's wheelhouse.

According to a Q&A session, as noted in the 45th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, Capcom is still keen on providing physical pro??ducts to its customers. A question on page three asks whether the increase of digital sales could change the way the company deals with physical games. The answer from Capcom reads:

Given ??that a significant number of end users demand physical games we currently do not expect to eliminat??e physical products.

Do note the word "currently" in that response. However, it's nice that those who still want the option of having disc versions of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and the like are being catered ??to, and it's qu??ite surprising to see that demand for physical products is still "significant."

You can't have "stacks" of digital downloads

The increase in digital sales should not be a shock to anyone. The advent of faster internet speeds and the convenience of on-demand content means a lot of gamers prefer the ease of not having to go out and buy a disc. In an actual shop. How archaic!

We are definitely on the way to an entirely digital society, just because there's very little effort in pressing through a few options on-screen and downloading what you want within minutes. In that regard, the idea of procuring physical gam?es from bricks and mortar places may seem antiquated to some.

I can't say where I stand on the matter. I'm somewhat old-school, or at least I thought I was until I subscribed to Xbox Game Pass. With books, I like an even mixture of the two: shelves of actual paperback and? hard?backs, but also the benefit of e-books neatly stored on a digital device. I feel the same way about gaming.

Whether Capcom will eventually move away from physical video games in the future remains to be seen. The company has been around for longer than many of us have been alive, and if the Mega Man and Monster Hunter creator says users want physical games, who are we to argue? Other than the actual users themselves who ?can make that decision with o??ur wallets, digital or otherwise.

The post Capcom says it’ll keep supporting physical games for now appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo is plumbing the depths of the Blue Bomber's portable efforts this week. All five Mega Man Game Boy games launched simultaneously via Nintendo Switch Online, and are now available for those who have a subscription.

The games included in the drop are Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, Mega Man II, Mega Man III, Mega Man IV, and Mega Man V. You just need the basic Nintendo Switch Online paid membership to dive in, so no w?orries for those who haven't ponied up for the Expansion Pass version. You can relive all the green-tinted glory in Nintendo's June 2024 Game Updates trailer below.

Starting with Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge in 1991—known as Rockman World in Japan—the Game Boy takes on Capcom's NES platformers were actually pretty impressive efforts. Many of them can be seen as remixes of sorts, with the first challenging players to four Robot Master stages from the original Mega Man, followed by fights with four Robot Masters from Mega Man 2 within the treacherous halls of Wily Castle. 

Mega Man II mixes content from the second and third NES games, so you can see a pattern developing. The series came to a close with Mega Man V in 1994, featuring Super Game Boy support and, in a first for the Game Boy entries, a t?otally fre?sh story with new levels, bosses, and weapons. 

All of the games have their awkward aspects, but they're absolutely worth firing up if you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. And hey, it beats paying exorbitant eBay prices for complete versions of these bite-sized bad boys. Now we'll just patiently wait for Nintendo to expand Switch Online support to include the DOS version of Mega Man 3.

The post 5 Mega M?an Game Boy classics join Nintendo Switch Online lineup appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been roughly nine months since Capcom's dino-eradicating PvE shooter Exoprimal hit the scene. It's been an interesting game to follow, as it's continued to find new and surprising ways to ??twist the "shoot a ton of dinosaurs with guns" formula??.

Title Update 4, out today, feels like the latest evolution of that. On one end, you have activities like the Neo Triceratops Savage Gauntlet and Time Loop Rebellion, both adding some high-difficulty options for kitted-out players. Custom matches also add a nice feature, for those looking to gather a dedicated party to tackle the hardest challenges in Exoprimal.

And then you also have the Mega Man Collaboration, bringing special cosmetics and suit skins into the world of Exoprimal, as well as a boss battle against the legendary Yellow Devil, a classic foe of the Blue Bomber. Plus, new suit v??ariants, and plenty of other reasons to return.

So, we took the opportunity to catch up with director Takuro Hiraoka to see just how things are going for Exoprimal. We talk player response, how the Mega Man collab came to be, and even what the future may hold? for this dino-fighting PvE experience. Read on to learn mor?e.

How has player response to Exoprimal shaped your post-launch support plans? For example, the Time Loop Rebellion challenge adds a more-powerful Behemoth fight - is this because players seem to want further endgame-level challenge?

Takuro Hiraoka: Following Exoprimal’s launch and the release of new content with each Title Update, we’ve examined how players respond and utilized their feedback for reference. That said, we don’t develop new content or mak?e changes entirely based on these requests. Instead, the development team analyzes the root causes and true meaning behind these views and consciously combine players�wishes with our o??wn aims.

In terms of Time Loop Rebellion’s addition, we und??erstood the story’s final battle was well received by players. We were also keenly aware the community found the 10-player co-op missions and event battles enjoyable, including the initial Neo Tyrannosaurus enc?ounter. Based on this, the development team had the desire to add content that differed from the competitive PvE components of Dino Survival and the five-player co-op content of Savage Gauntlet. After careful consideration, we decided upon the addition of Time Loop Rebellion.

Another Capcom collaboration is on the way, this time with Mega Man. What was the reason the team decided on Mega Man, over other possible Capcom franchise collaborations?

Hiraoka: We considered collaborations with various Capcom titles, but the following items were
deciding factors for why we opted to move forward with a Mega Man collaboration:

• Personally, I am a fan of the Mega Man series.
• Masakazu Eguchi, who has worked on the Mega Man Battle Network series, was part of the Exoprimal development team and understands the game well. After consulting with him, we thought we’d be able to create an interesting and enjoyable collaboration.
• The development team wanted to see what sorts of fun elements we could bring to gameplay by recreating Mega Man’s 2D action in a 3D action format.

I’ll share more information later on, but the Yellow Devil boss battle is a genuinely interesting fight. I hope that both Exofighters and Mega Man fans enjoy it!

How did you decide which cosmetics you wanted to create for the Mega Man collab? Were there any parts of Mega Man history the team wanted to highlight, in particular?

Hiraoka: When thinking about cosmetic items for Capcom collab??orations, we make sure to pri?oritize the following things:

• The game(s) featured in the collaboration are clear and easy to understand.
• The cosmetic items are impactful and leave an impression on players.

For the Mega Man collaboration, a variety of suggestions arose during internal discussions. After careful consideration, we decided on the contents that are included in Title Update 4??. Personally, I wanted to create a Dr. Wily Exosuit skin, but the team wasn’t able to bring that vision to fruition on an actual Exosuit, so we scrapped the idea. That said, Dr. Wily’s presence can be found in the collaboration’s charm and stamp cosmetics. Haha!

The Rajang skin from the Monster Hunter collaboration seemed to resonate well with players and became a hot topic of conversation. We wanted to create an equally impactful cosmetic item for the Mega Man collabora?tion and decided on a Yellow Devil Exosuit ?skin.

The special fight features the infamous Yellow Devil boss. Why did you opt for this fight, in particular? Was it difficult to incorporate a giant robot fight into a game where you normally fight a different kind of enemy (dinosaurs)?

Hiraoka: Based on Exoprimal’s ??gameplay, we thought it would be difficult to feature one of the Robot Masters that Mega Man fights (e.g., Cut Man, Fire Man, etc.) as a boss for the collaboration mission. These battles consist of ten Exofighters working together to defeat a formidable foe??, so the boss would need to be large and powerful enough to compete with a ten-player squad.

We selected Yellow Devil as a boss-type entity that would be able to meet these challenging conditions. Yellow Devil’s size aligned perfectly with our needs, and we felt its well-known “block movement�attack �where it dematerializes and shoots its body parts at you block by block �would give it a fighting chance against teams of ten Exofighters. Another factor that influenced our decision was the excitement the development team felt when imagining the possibilities for Yellow Devil’s “block movement�attack in a 3D action ??format.

It’s been about nine months since Exoprimal first launched. How has the team felt about its reception since then? What has been the biggest surprise for you?

Hiraoka: The development team is incredibly happy and grateful that so many people have played Exoprimal despite it being a brand-new IP. As a new IP with an unconventional “competitive PvE�mode as its main feature, I feel there have been some challenges, but I also feel that Exoprimal has gained a solid fan base and is well recei?ved among play?ers. Thank you for your continued support.

We are also appreciative of the game’s supportive a??nd active community, incl??uding veteran Exofighters who are stepping up to support newer, less experienced players. I am amazed by how much players�skills have improved and matured since launch. The development team is also extremely impressed by how quickly teams are able to complete Savage Gauntlet trials each week. Well done!

What does the road ahead for Exoprimal look like? Are further Title Updates to be expected, or has the team considered any larger content drops like expansions?

Please stay tuned for ?announcements at a later date.

Are there any remaining Capcom franchises that you’d still really like to work with inside of Exoprimal?

Hiraoka: Since Leviathan utilizes a variety of tactics to generate robust combat data, I think collaborations with other Capcom titles would be near-perfect combat? tests for aspiring Exofighters. Haha!

Putting aside the possibility of execution, I think it would be a lot of fun to fight one of the fantasy monsters that appear in Dragon’s Dogma. It could also be exciting to go head-to-head with a massive horde of zombies from the Dead Rising universe.

Exoprimal Title Update 4 is ?now l??ive on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

The post Exoprimal director talks transporting a clas?sic Mega Man boss into the dino-blasting PvE game appeared first on Destructoid.

As I was reorganizing my Mega Man collection after a move �which is a perfectly normal thing for a human being to say �I paused a minute when looking at the Mega Man X series. While the original Blue Bomber made a return to the spotlight in 2018 with Mega Man 11, his edgier successor still hasn't made a comeback ??in a mainline game. It's a shame that Capcom hasn't figured out how to do that yet, but in the meantime, the 1993 original still hold?s up.

Mega Man X rules, that is all

It's incredible how often Mega Man X comes up in regular conversations with my peers (you're talking about retro platformers all the time too, right?). Recently, I gabbed about how I mistook the Armored Core 6 tutorial boss as a classic From Software "you're generally supposed to lose" fight �half-asleep �trying to accelerate my run-through of the ?first level. Whelp, the subsequent game o?ver screen was a wake-up call, to say the least!

I was conditioned to look for these types of battles early on in my gaming career through Mega Man X,?? where you cannot defeat Vile, the intro-level boss. Like a true anime shonen hero that forced failure gives you something to work toward, and every single weapon you acquire and armor piece you find is an accomplishment. By the end, donned in X's fully upgraded suit, it can feel like you're cheating. The power-progression system was unrivaled at the time, and Capcom manged to do it while creating a world filled with vibrant visuals, tight controls, and sprawling (but not overly big?) level designs.

Beyond that clean intro, Mega Man X is nearly spotless. It wasn't just the first time I had seen the phrase "Kuwanger," I was also blown away by the level-based scavenger hunt system, which tempted players to find all four subtanks and all eight heart containers like a Siren's song. It wasn't until I started sharing my exploits around the schoolyard that ?I even learned there was more to discover.

I still feel that rush when playing Mega Man X for the 100th time.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ixFI_xMYJM

Mega Man X is super easy to play, even now

If I sold you (or you're feeling whimsical and want to play it again), the original Mega Man X is very easy to find. It's not only a part of the Mega Man X Legacy Collection (which is on a to??n of platforms), it's also very cheap on the secondhand market if you're looking for an SNES copy.

Unlike Mega Man X2 and X3 which can go for $100+ and several hundred dollars respectively, X1 SNES copies are roughly $30 ??on average. Get on it!

The post Every now and th?en I re??member that Mega Man X is platforming perfection appeared first on Destructoid.

The best menu screens in games can be articulated in many ways, j??ust like the sheer amount of options you can get from the feature itself. In my mind, they're determined by the music, the visuals, and how unique they can be. You don't want to see a bland introduction to a magnificent game. Here are the top 10 best main menu screens in games, ranked.

Before we start, I have some honorable mentions. While it's too soon to rank this alongside long-standing greats, Sea of Stars' main menu screen is an impressive introduction to its world. The flickering of the flames reflecting on the pixel-based characters, and the gorgeous backdrop is absolutely stunning. Additionally, Rayman 2: The Great Escape's menu features strange, yet enticing music with a view of the world we're about to explore. There's also a cute teensie on the lef?t side, welcoming you to the game with its hat.

[caption id="attachment_400167" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

10. Super Metroid

During the SNES era, gamers weren't anticipating a cinematic introduction to the game. However, Super Metroid features tense mus?ic and neat trans?itions of scenes that feature the creepy sci-fi world of the game. It then reveals a Metroid trapped within a pipe with the machinery flickering in green light. It's genuinely creepy to see fallen bodies next to the machine as well. It's a perfect introduction to this game.

[caption id="attachment_399796" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

9. Psychonauts

Double Fine is a developer known for its wild worlds, game concepts, and characters. This menu follows that same idea. One of the strangest (and coolest) is in Psychonauts, in which you're Raz running around a brain. The concept of the game is that you're trying to fix the issues of a person by infiltrating their mind. It's a clever main menu concept for a game like this and is certainly unique. I also love Double Fine's record-based main menu design in Brutal Legend, but Psychonauts just edges it out.

[caption id="attachment_399797" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. L.A. Noire

This may be a controversial pick, but L.A. Noire has a unique menu design that complements the subject matter. You get the old-fashioned black-and-white styling mixed in with a shadowy figure of the text. The light shone from the car gives a wonderful effect on the brick wall, addin?g to the atmosphere of the scene. While it can be annoying to have a gentleman walking in and out of the menu, it's certainly an interesting take on this classic gaming feature that we haven't seen before.

//youtu.be/cHGF302fBZk

7. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Yes, this is a simplistic menu for such a huge RPG like Starfield, but it more than m??akes up for it with the theme alone. You hear a majestic choir and triumphant orchestra calling to you. It ??????????????????????????gets you pumped for the adventure you're about to have. The logo also looks iconic amongst the white mist and the black background.

//youtu.be/njoPUWILwpo

6. Pokemon Red & Blue

Despite the limited power of the Game Boy, Pokemon Red & Blue still had amazing intros and menus. You see two Pokemon fighting it out in the intro underscored by a memorable theme song. It then constantly switches between the different Pocket Monsters you'll find in the game like Snorlax, Mankey, and Ditto. It's simple but "super effective"at introducing us to the world of Pokemon. 

//youtu.be/DRgLR-cPMls

5. Xenoblade Chronicles

The Xenoblade Chronicles title screen is super simple. You see the Monado sword stuck in the ground al?l by itself. However, the beauty of the world surrounds us as day turns to night. You?? also see the shine of the metal blade against the sunlight, which is a nice touch. The Monado also glows in the dark as the stars shine brightly above. The emotional music is engrossing as you simply stare at this stunning scene. This is one of the best main menu screens just from how stunning it is.

//youtu.be/kAwwQ7dTjRY

4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

I know, many say that Ocarina of Time's menu screen is better, but the one from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess holds more prestige for me. You see Link riding Epona valiantly across the Bridge of Eldin and the wilderne??ss of Hyrule. In the background is a somewhat creepy choir singing th??e main theme of the game. Then, the intro transitions to Wolf Link who howls to a strange golden wall in the distance.

You also have a hint of the "Midna's T??heme" from the music, hinting at how prevalent your partner will be in the plot and gameplay. You're then left with a feeling of dread as you only have the sound of wind to keep you company. It's a brilliant main menu that pulls you into the intended darker atmosphere of the game.

//youtu.be/IM-r2hxtO8g

3. Kingdom Hearts 2

Possibly with the prettiest main menu theme ever "Dearly Beloved," Kingdom Hearts 2 has one of the best intros in gaming history. The credits roll and the music begins to build up. As you begin to see Sora emerge into the title screen, you hear the harp play and the bass ??strings refer to the protagonist.

It sounds like an orchestra prepping to play before a concert occurs. It then calms down for a brief second until the full menu appears. The?n, the piano begins t?o play the main melody, and each wonderful instrument of the piece blends together in a truly "beloved" way.

Seeped with the sound of waves from Sora's home world Destiny Islands, you remember where the end goal lies. The blue streak to the right also has a wave-like gradient to it. I just noticed ?this as I was writing, but the color of the?? streak goes from navy to turquoise to yellow like a beach. Neat!

[caption id="attachment_399816" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Persona 5

Persona 5 has so much style behind its UI and graphical ingenuity. However, the main menu stands out as well. The introduction of the train pop art and then the Phantom Thieves at a stop is fantastic. I love the s??triking red and white style as you see the trains beside them rush on either side.

The music gives you the depiction that this is going to be a cool, suave adventure. When Futaba gets off her seat, you'll see a graffiti mark on her seat. It also shows Haru in ??the back, showing her more shy side.

Personally, I prefer the calmer nature of this scene to the more energetic Persona 5 Royal's, but it's a personal taste, for sure. It give?s a more underground feel that matches the Phantom Thie??ves better.

//youtu.be/ZT9DST_M_g8

1. Mega Man 2

Admittedly, I haven't grown up during the NES era, but my goodness, this is?? one of the greatest main menu screens in a game, bar none. You start ?with an overview of the city with a brief summary of the story. The music begins slow and pleasant, but as the camera moves up the skyscraper, the music gets faster until you get one of the most badass menu themes ever. You can't help but get hyped.

You see Megaman's hai??r waving in the air as he readies himself for his tough adventure. When you choose a selection, he then teleports away. Despite having better technology today, this main menu still stands as one of the most epic. Let's set out and defeat each of the bosses (or at least hope we can). This is one of the best main menu screens ever just due to the excitement I get every time I boot it up.

The post Top 10 best menu screens in games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom has unleashed a "Mega Man Summer P?ack" on Steam, and it's worth raving about. For $29.82 (normally $134.94) you're getting a massive chunk of Mega Man, spanning multiple Legacy Collections, Mega Man 11, and the Zero/ZX Legacy Collection. If you were to pick up the recent-ish Battle Network re-releases, you'd have a pretty good collection of many mainline Mega-games. You can cross-check that for yourself in the image below, taken from my Mega Man collection (which I started in 1990!).

[caption id="attachment_396110" align="alignnone" width="640"] Photo by Destructoid[/caption]

Here are all the games you get with the Mega Man Summer Pack (with reviews!)

While the bundle technically states that you get "six items," it's actually six compilations you're picking up with the Summer Pack. It covers the vast majority of mainline Mega Man history, from the original 1987 classic to 2018's Mega Man 11. Note that like oth?er Steam sales, if you already have access ?to any included games, the platform will deduct the ones you own from the total price.

And because we're Destructoid, we reviewed them all! Feel free to peruse the links below if you're looking to just pick up a few compilations, but?? the entire shebang is worth it if you ??can spare the coin.

• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man 11
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection

There's a larger Capcom End of Summer Sale going on if you're interested

Mega Man is arguably the best part of Capcom's "End of Summer Sale," but there's a bigger promotion going on at t??his landing page here (the summer is ending? Man life goes by fast).

Highlights include:

• Okami HD
• Capcom Arcade Stadium
• The Disney Afternoon Collection
• DuckTales Remastered
• Strider
• Dark Void Zero (for $2.49!)

The post T??he Mega ??Man Summer Pack on Steam is an insanely good deal appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom is one of the giants in the gaming industry, and it earned its reputation through its stable of hit franchises. This year has been a good one for the company, with titles such as Resident Evil 4 Remake and Street Fighter 6 releasing to critical acclaim. Capcom’s most recent quarterly report revealed the company’s bestselling franchis??es, and there aren’t man??y surprises.

[caption id="attachment_393594" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Capcom franchises continue to thrive - here are the top five as of July 2023

As a surprise to nobody, Resident Evil tops the list, with 146 million units sold in the franchise's entire lifetime. This number has been boosted by Resident Evil 4 Remake, which has sold 5 million units as of July 2023.

Other titles in the series also continue to sell well, with Resident Evil 2 Remake surpassing 12 million units sold. Fans of the franchise can look forward to RE4 Remake’s VR mode which is in development.

The rest of the list looks like this:

2. Monster Hunter - 94 million units
3. Street Fighter - 52 million units
4. Mega Man - 40 million units
5. Devil May Cry - 29 million units
6. Dragon’s Dogma - 7.7 million units

Monster Hunter’s lifetime sales are to be expected, as the report also reveals that Monster Hunter Rise has sold over 13 million units, with Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak selling over 6 million units. Street Fighter 6, the lates?t entry in the series, launched in June and has already sold over 2 million units.

Plenty of upcoming Capcom titles will ensure those sales numbers stay high. This includes Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy. Hopefully, the indefinitely delayed Pragmata also sees the light of day eventually.

The post Capcom reveals its top 5 best-selling franchises – Resident Evil is still king appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/3 to 6/9/2023

-Taterchimp writes a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of the TRPG Triangle Strategy.

-Virtua Kazama bids farewell to Street Fighter V in welcoming the latest Street Fighter game.

-Lord Spencer continues his retrospective of the Mega Man series with this blog focusing on Mega Man X5.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force 2 and Blues and Ragtime music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and Folk music.

-Inquisitive Raven reveals his 2023 Art Commi??ssion prices, take a look at his work.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF co??mmunity forum for random disc??ussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this her?e front page next week.

The post Wh??o is your favorite of?? the classic Mega Man villains? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 5/13 to 5/19/2023

-Lord Spencer continues his retrospective of the Mega Man series with this blog focusing on Mega Man X5.

�strong>Queen of Philosophy tries to predict the path to Mortal Kombat 12.

�strong>Spazzzh20 writes a fully uncensored review of Sonic Frontiers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Zelda 3 and bluegrass and ragtime music.

-TheBlondeBass updates us on the development progress of their game, Mirama, in this latest dev update blog.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum for? rand??om discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on ?over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page n??ext week.

The post Which Legend of Zelda game has your f?avorite soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

Who knew this was the Blue Bomber's most popular form?

Capcom may not be giving fans any new Mega Man games as of late but the company has certainly been generous in rereleasing its old classics on modern platforms. We've seen collections for the original Mega Man series, Mega Man X, Mega Man Zero and ZX, and, just a week and some change ago, Mega Man Battle Network. While I missed out on the Battle Network games in their prime, it turns out a lot of people were into the series. At least, that's what I can surmise given the meteoric sales of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.

According to Capcom, the impo?ssible-to-find-at-retail collection of Game Boy Advance games has already sold one million copies at retail and digitally which can be purchased as one complete package or as two separate volumes.

Sales like these are another feather in the cap of a company that has been on a roll as of late, with its Monster Hunter and Resident Evil franchise seeing strong sales with each new release. With Street Fighter VI right around the corner, Capcom's winning streak i?s likely to continue.

//twitter.com/MegaMan/status/1651741299182301187

Despite its success with its other franchises, Capcom hasn't been eager to invest in Mega Man. The last new mainline game, Mega Man 11, was released back in 2018. Outside of Mega Man X DiVE, a free-to-play game available now for mobile and PC, we don't see much of the Blue Bomber anymore outside of the occasional crossover. While I know many fans have been clamoring for a new Mega Man and Mega Man X title for years, perhaps what we should be asking for is a new Battle Network game.

The sales of the Legacy Collection show there is a lot of demand for this specific iteration of Mega Man. While the formula might have gone stale with the Nintendo DS sequel series, Mega Man Star Force, it's been about 14 years since the series went dormant following Rockman.EXE: Operate Shooting Star's dismal sales. That's more than enough time to generate some fresh ideas and concepts for a sub-series that clearly has its fanbase. I'm not sure if anything will come of this collection's success, but making a new Battle Network game certainly has to be cheaper than however much money Capcom is pumping into Pragmata.

The post Capcom has one million reasons to revive th??e Mega Man Battle Network franchise appeared first on Destructoid.

Street Fighter and Ace Attorney are included too

"Golden Week" is happening in Japan starting this weekend, and tons of publishers are partaking in the festivities. The good news for folks outside of Japan is th?at said publishers typically hold huge sales globally, and Capcom's recent Golden Week offerings are what I'd call "huge."

Live on multiple platforms, C??apcom's Golden Week sale is significant. Applicable franchises include (many of which have copious DLC on sale):

• Resident Evil (Village, VII, RE2 remake, RE3 remake, RE4 [OG], RE5, RE6, RE1 remake, RE Zero remake, Umbrella Corps, RE Revelations 1, RE Revelations 2)
• Monster Hunter (Rise, World, Iceborne, Stories 2)
• Ace Attorney (Trilogy, Ace Attorney Chronicles)
• Street Fighter (Street Fighter IV, Street Fighter V)
• Devil May Cry (DmC, DMC HD Collection, DMC4, DMC 5)
• Dead Rising (Dead Rising 1, Dead Rising 2, Dead Rising 3, Dead Rising 4)
• Mega Man (Mega Man 11, Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1+2, Mega Man Legacy Collection 1+2, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection)
• Capcom Arcade Stadium (Stadium 1+2)
• Okami HD
• Onimusha
• Marvel vs. Capcom (Infinite, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3)
• Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle
• Lost Planet (Lost Planet 1, Lost Planet 3 Complete)
• Remember Me
• Disney Afternoon Collection
• DuckTales Remastered
• Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
• Strider
• Flock!
• Bionic Commando
• Bionic Command Rearmed

A few of these offerings really bring me back. Bionic Command Rearmed is absolutely worth two bucks, as are, frankly, most of the games on this list. It's a super easy excuse to cozy up with a game like Okami HD and spend the entire weekend playing through it. Most of those Resident Evil games are a steal too, especially if you fancy co-op play with RE5 and Revelations 2.

You can find a helpful visual breakdown of the sale directly on Steam.

These sales are happening on the PSN and Xbox platforms as well

Although Steam has by far the best landing page, sales are also happening on console platforms. Here's a link to each sale page, ??which contains multiple other Golden Week d?eals:

• Xbox Golden Week deals
• PSN Golden Week deals
• Nintendo Switch Golden Week deals

The post Capcom’s massive Golden Week sale includes Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Mega Man, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/18 to 03/25/2023

-TheCooperators shares their thoughts on 2022 hit Cult of the Lamb.

-Lord Spencer reviews The Granstream Saga as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Egg&BrewsterJr discusses 10 games they are very close to fi??nishing n?ow.

-Skazfest thinks the reception of Metroid Prime 2 would be better in a post-Dark Souls world.

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Metal Gear and Jazz/Blues music.

-TheBlondeBass s?hares som?e odds and ends writing with the community.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's T?GIF community thr??ead for random discussion.

Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking the time out of their week to recap this wee?k's blogs for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the Cblog editor is not uploading images at the moment. We apologize. We are hopi??ng we can encourage someone more tech-sav?vy than ourselves to take a look at it soon.

The post Which is your favorite in-game cult? appeared first on Destructoid.

The Destructoid Institute of Critiquing Kusoge

Here at the Destructoid Institute of Critiquing Kusoge (DICK), we attempt to be thorough when categorizing games. Hyperbole is avoided when possible, so we don’t make it a habit of using phrases like “worst game of all time.�/p>

With that said, �i>Mega Man 3�is the worst Mega Man 3 of all time.

You might have heard that some people claim that Mega Man 3 is the best Mega Man game in the series. Not only are those people wrong, but they are also wrong. I’ve never personally been big on Mega Man 3 on the NES. Mega Man III on the Game Boy is okay, I guess. Mega Man 3 as a standalone Tiger Electronic handheld is fine if you’re trapped in a collapsed tunnel and are waiting to starve to death. And then Mega Man 3: The Robots Are Revolting on DOS is only sli???ghtly worse than self-immolation.

Guess what the DICK is looking at today?

[caption id="attachment_368531" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

They sure are

Mega Man 3: The Robots Are Revolting is the follow-up to Mega Man on DOS. Note that there was no Mega Man 2 on DOS. I have no idea why. The first DOS game was released in 1990, the same year that Mega Man 3 was released. Robots Are Revolting was released in 1992; the same year as Mega Man 5 on NES. It seems really arbitrary to claim it’s the third game, when it bears no r??esemblance ?to the NES equivalent.

The DOS version of Mega Man 3 is its own thi??ng. You have six robot masters, which is two fewer than the series standard of eight, but three more than were featured in the first DOS title. None of these robot masters are featured in a mainline game, but some of them are visual rip-offs of bosses from the series. Yo?u have Bit Man, Oil Man, Shark Man, Wave Man, Blade Man, and Torch Man.

The levels aren’t based on anything from the NES games, either. They’re not even linear, instead being sort of a maze. The level design isn’t very good, but it’s not egregious either. Enemy placement is sometimes unfair, and it has a habit of concealing deadly hazards where you can’t see them. On the other hand, I found that I was able to read them easily and could find the best path to the boss without diffic??ulty. This was ??nice because exploration was almost always an annoying bust. I found it better to just make a mad rush to the end like I was trying to find the washroom at the mall. Plumbing for E-tanks and lives would usually just result in taking more damage than I actually gained.

[caption id="attachment_368532" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Homemade Robot Oil

The levels are a special?? kind of boring, though. They’re mostly oil platforms, a tanker ship, and sewers. The sewers have this part where you can see the houses on the street above, and all I could think during that moment was how much I’d rather be up there.

It’s so bad, that at about the time I hit the sixth stage, my fight or flight kicked in. It was like I was trapped in Mega Man 3 with no escape. At that point, I had maybe only been playing for 45 minutes, but in that moment, I ju??st couldn’t fathom tolerating one moment more. I pushed through because I’m dedicated to the DICK and felt the need to fulfill my role as chairwoman, but I haven’t been this close to a panic attack while playing kusoge for quite a while.

Anxiety-inducing boredom aside, Mega Man 3 makes some improvements over its predecessor. I just can’t think of any, because I’ve already mention?ed there are now six robot masters.

[caption id="attachment_368533" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Panic-inducing

If anything, this is worse than the previous DOS game, if only because it’s longer and more painful to play. This might partly be because the programmer, Steven Rozner, first conceived the game as an unrelated title called Eco-man. The publisher, Hi-Tech Expressions, had the license for Mega Man, so their stipulation for publishing the title was that it be converted to a Mega Man title.

This is where the themes of oil rigs and acid pools come from. It also explains why Mega Man spends so much time swimming. The change-over is rather convincing, as the bosses still have weaknesses to weapons acquired from previous battles. If I was?n’t aware of its concept, I probably would have ??just guessed it was a misguided facsimile rather than having an unrelated progenitor.

I mentioned that Mega Man on DOS showed signs of talent on the programmer’s part, and the same is true for Mega Man 3. The mostly smooth four-way scrolling is still rather impressive, given the platform and time per??????????????????????????iod. There is an issue where it’s locked to the system’s CPU speed, however. It will slow down in some parts, then speed up in ot??hers, which makes the game difficult to play in parts. It’s still possible to conquer it, it just can be annoying.

[caption id="attachment_368534" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Categorization

You also have to look at games that were released for DOS and microcomputers at the time. While Mega Man 3 is pretty bad, so were a lot of games. We like to remember Commander Keen and Duke Nukem, but those games were outliers amongst bad arcade ports and games that coyly skirted copyright. My old IBM PC-Compatible from when I was a kid was loaded up with games that were barely games, and I probably would have been happy to have Mega Man 3. It’s the ultimate “we already have Mega Man at home�title.

That said, I stand by my statement that it’s the worst Mega Man 3. I managed to get through it without cursing at my screen too often. I’d file it under the category of “not the most excruciating pain I’ve had to endure.â€?That’s ??just the sort of quality analysis you can expect from th??e DICK.

For previous Weekly Kusoge, check this link!

The post Mega Man 3 for DOS is easily the worst Mega Man 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 2/25 to 03/03/2023

-Grethiwha shares their first impressions on PSVR 2.

-Isay Isay reviews One Piece: Odyssey.

-Virtua Kazama shares their though??t?s on the EVO 2023 games lineup.

-Lord Spencer continues their retrospective on the Mega Man series with this blog about Mega Man X4.

-Siddartha85 shares a list of their top mu??sic of 2022 in?? this A-List.

-Siddartha85 shares a list of their top music of 2022 in this ??B-List.

-Boxman214 reports on their solo playthrough of the table-top game, Ironsworn: Starforged.

-ChronoLynxx opens this we??ek's TGIF community thread for random discussion?.

A healthy batch o' blogs this week, thanks a lot! Thanks to Lord Spencer for taking th?e time out of th?eir week to recap them for the front page. As always, if you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.

We are aware that the cblog editor has been incredibly testy of late. We apologize?. We are hopi??ng we can encourage someone more tech-savvy than ourselves to take a look at it this year.

The post What is your own level ??o??f interest in PlayStation VR 2? appeared first on Destructoid.

They are The Robots

Destructoid has been known for its iconic robot mascot, Mr. Destructoid, for almost two decades, so it's strange that there has never been a list here featuring of the best robots in gaming. Well, today, we are fixing ??that by talking to you about the most beloved walking and talking machines from throughout gaming history. From a certain lombax's robotic pal to the most adorable cat (that isn't a cat), here are the 10 best robots in gaming, ranked.

10. 808 (Hi-Fi Rush)

[caption id="attachment_360679" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Our newest entry on this list but the most adorable addition is 808 from Hi-Fi Rush. 808 is an animal, yet robotic, companion that accompanies Chai on his adventures. While it doesn't necessarily help in battle, it can turn into different?? forms like a sphere to amplify Chai's music. During cutscenes, its eyes also change color depending on who's speaking in the conversation through 808's speakers. For example, when Peppermint comes with a sharp remark about Chai, its eyes turn blue. It's a neat touch and gives 808 plenty of personality. Lastly, between missions, Chai can pet 808 in the cutest way possible.

9. BD-1 (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order)

[caption id="attachment_360682" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via EA[/caption]

Another cute ally that just happens to be a unit droid is BD-1 from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Its main function is to guide the stranded Padawan Cal Kestis through treacherous landscapes and scan artifacts. It can also heal the promising Jedi with a quick injection to Cal. Within cutscenes, the developer Respawn Entertainment successfully makes BD-1 as adorable as BB-8 with impeccable animation and model quality. Despit??e having no English-speaking voice, BD-1 carries a bunch of charisma and charm, thanks to its gestural communication.

8. R.O.B.

[caption id="attachment_360684" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

R.O.B. is an iconic robot all the way back to the NES era for Nintendo. This Robotic Operating Buddy was used as a cool accessory for Gyromite and Stack-Up, which have the robot twisting from side to side. In Gyromite, this robot balances spinning tops onto real-life platforms to move the level's pillars in the game. The professor you control in Gyromite can then move forward through the platforming sections. While this NES accessory was not particularly successful, R.O.B. has also appeared as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series with an exhilarating move set like spin??ning its arms rapidly and releasing a rocket-like fire under its base towards the?? ground.

7. Bastion (Overwatch)

[caption id="attachment_360698" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Blizzard[/caption]

Bastion is arguably one of the strongest characters in the Overwatch series, and it's incredibly satisfying to play as him. Alongside its quirky personality, Bastion can instill fear in the hearts of its enemies. The mini-gun on its back when utilized can incur massive amounts of damage, and his ultimate attack has him hailing down artillery fire. While many Overwatch players hate him for how much DPS opportunity he has, he is still one of the best robot gaming characters, thanks to his ability to wreck everyone in front of him. He even has a LEGO-like skin in the game.

6. Connor (Detroit: Become Human)

[caption id="attachment_360695" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Quantic Dream[/caption]

While Quantic Dream's games can be hit or miss when it comes to its characters, Connor is one robot that truly shines in Detroit: Become Human. The game tackles a future in which A.I.-driven robots can take on investigations and work other jobs humans usually perform. In Detroit: Become Human, there's a conflict that arises about the rights of robots and how they should be treated. Connor is an endearing and intriguing character within this universe as he considers the relationship between humans and robots. His decisions between right and wrong rest upon the player most of the time, and what comes out of it is a memorable performance by Bryan Dechart as the character struggles to? understand his true purpose. This fascinating storyline with the character makes him one of the best robots in gaming.

5. Claptrap (Borderlands)

[caption id="attachment_360723" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via 2K[/caption]

Many people hate Claptrap, but he's arguably one of the funniest characters in gaming history. The slapstick humor matched with his nutty antics in the Borderlands series makes him a charismatic character to get to know. There are some memorable gags throughout the series like him not being able to climb stairs to his absolute dismay and him being a god to some bandits with a mighty hat on top. More often than not, when he's whining and struggling in the game, you'll likely be laughing. Hopefully, he makes for some excellent comedic relief in the upcoming movie adaptation.

4. Clank (Ratchet & Clank)

[caption id="attachment_360702" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via PlayStation[/caption]

Ratchet's right-hand man and constantly on his back, Clank is a wonderful sidekick to the lombax. Alongside his trademark laugh, Clank has hilarious quips to bounce off Ratchet's hair-brazen attitude. He's the smarty-pants of the duo, coming up with clever plans and resolving issues with his quick thinking. Clank also has ?you solving puzzles while you're playing as him, making for a needed break from the third-person shooting chaos that Ratchet delivers. He's an endearing character that is a perfect hero within Insomniac's famous platforming franchise. Clank's one ??of the best robots in gaming for that reason.

3. Dr. Nefarious (Ratchet & Clank)

[caption id="attachment_360703" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Scr?eenshot via?? PlayStation's YouTube Channel[/caption]

Another robot character from the Ratchet & Clank series makes the list. While we don't usually have two characters from the same franchise in a list, you have to make an exception for Dr. Nefarious. He's a clever, yet dumb antagonist for Ratchet, who loves to complain and make insults towards the lombax. The slapstick comedy from the character is absolutely hilarious, especially within the original trilogy of the franchise. For example, when he gets too angry, he suddenly malfunctions and a love scene is played as his system tries to recompile itself. His scenes with Clarence are especially funny. However, when the final boss battle arises, Dr. Nefarious pulls out all the stops to defeat Ratchet & Clank. The one in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, for example, is spectacular.

2. GLaDOS (Portal)

[caption id="attachment_360724" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The cake is a lie, but it's true that GLaDOS is one of the best robots in gaming. The sarcastic tone and engrossing writing behind her lines is top-notch. The dark comedy is on point as she delivers her lines in a dark AI-driven tone. The way GLaDOS tries to fall you until the very end is extremely co??mpelling. And then the puzzles she lays forth for the player and how she makes fun of you is just a delight. GLaDOS is one of the best robots in gaming because it's sat??isfying to stop her in her tracks and outwit her at the end. She's one of the best antagonists in gaming and wonderfully evil while trying to confuse you.

1. Mega Man

[caption id="attachment_360726" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mega Man, since his legendary adventures on the NES, has been an iconic Capcom character. His platforming adventures helped grow the genre as he faces tough bosses and takes on their powers. He has also been in a charming RPG series called Mega Man Legends and a set of long-running GBA spinoffs within the Battle Network. After decades of challenging players, this robot boy has fought the likes of Mario, Link, Sonic, and Cloud Strife among other famous video game characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Mega Man's varied arsenal in?? each game makes him one of the best robots in gaming because of Capcom's well-crafted level design.

The post 10 best robots in gaming, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm bad, and that's good

Heroes get a lot of love. The main character of a game is, by their very nature, the star of the show. But a great villain is often even more compelling than a great hero - everyone wants to save the world, but it takes a special so???ul to want to destroy it.

It's almost impossible to whittle a list of iconic video game villains down to just ten. It would be easy to simply point to the villains from games that sold really well, but that's not really what it means to be iconic. So I tried my hardest to compile a list of ten video game villains who are real ico?ns; the ones who stand tall in the world of gaming, whose silhouettes are enough to ??send shivers down your spine.

[caption id="attachment_358899" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

10. Ridley - Metroid

The Metroid games have all sorts of great villains, but if you want to talk about iconography, Ridley's your guy. This nasty space dragon has done battle with Samus Aran on nearly every single one o??f her many adventures. To be fair, Samus has a pretty good reason to want Ridley dead: he killed her parents way back when.

Secretly, though, I think Samus got o??ver that a while ago. She just wants to flex about beating the same alien pterodactyl like a dozen times.

[caption id="attachment_356767" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Nintendo[/caption]

9. Sephiroth - Final Fantasy VII

If you asked ten people who played Final Fantasy VII what Sephiroth's motive was, you'd probably only get three answers, and you'd be pretty lucky if one of them was correct. Honestly, it's hard to remember much about Sephiroth himself. He wears that really cool coat, he's got a huge sword, and he's a weirdly chill co-worker in Crisis Core, but that's about it. He's not even really the main villain of Final Fantasy VII Remake. So how does a character like that wind up on a "most iconic" list? Why does Sephiroth keep cropping up in Final Fantasy VII spinoffs and crossover events?

To answer that question, I'd like t??o give you a few instructions. First, I want you to open up a ne?w tab on your computer. Now head on over to YouTube, and type in "One-Winged Angel Distant Worlds." Go ahead and click on any of the first three results. See? Iconic.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZVo2J53TM

8. Albert Wesker - Resident Evil

Looking at Albert Wesker now, it's kind of hard to believe that Resident Evil brie?fly tried to trick us into thinking he was a nice guy. See those sunglasses? Those are very evil sunglasses.

Wesker is such a classic villain. He meddles in things beyond his understanding, he gets arrogant about playing God, he throws hi?s buddies under the bus. Even his death is incredible - how many guys can make it through multiple self-engineered zombie apocalypses just to get launched into a volcano by a missile explosion? Just one. And his name is Albert Wesker.

[caption id="attachment_358901" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

7. Dr. Wily - Mega Man

Speaking of guys who love to play God, who could forget Dr. Wily? This old weirdo has one of my favorite backstories in all of video games. He had a friend in college, his friend was smarte??r than him, so he got mad and moved to the ocean to build world-dominating robots. Who wouldn't?

Mega Man games are great on their own, but they're even better for their wrinkly antagonist and his stupid petty robo-army. Now, only one question remains: where is Dr. Wily?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMTizJemHO8

6. Dracula - Castlevania

Maybe it's cheating to include Dracula on this list. I mean, he's Dracula. Of course he's iconic. But Castlevania's version of Dracula is a very specific take on the character, and one who's surely earned his place in the rankings. He's a frightening and sinister foe, and as if his long-standing anti-Belmont p??olicy wasn't bad enough, he's also an awful father.

But, I mean, you've gotta ??give him credit for that dope line about miserable little piles of secrets. What a cool guy.

[caption id="attachment_358903" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Valve[/caption]

5. GLaDOS - Portal

I have a feeling that anyone who's ever heard a single line from GLaDOS would include her on this list. You don't need to have finished Portal, or eve?n played? very much of it, to appreciate GLaDOS.

Ellen McLain's performance as GLaDOS in the original Portal is one of the best pieces of video game voice-acting ever, and she delivers similarly impressive results in every other Portal project and crossover. She's so deliciously cruel to Chell, both as a demanding taskmaster and as a very rude friend, and the amazingly resentful songs that play over the credits of both Portal games only serve to cement her? as one of gaming's greatest bad guys.

[caption id="attachment_358905" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via Konami YouTube[/caption]

4. Pyramid Head - Silent Hill

..Sorry, Masahiro Ito.

[caption id="attachment_358906" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot via The Pokémon Company? YouTube[/captio??n]

3. Team Rocket - Pokémon

Team Rocket rules. Why does this organization of super-criminals have such a bone to pick with one random kid? Why is ??their plan for world domination centered entirely around children's sporting events? Wha??t, exactly, are they planning on doing once they've stolen all the most expensive pets in the world? How will that materially help them?

I don't know. But I'm glad they're out there trying, because I think they're very funny. They're also undeniably iconic. While they're only the main villains in two generations, they've been cropping up in remakes for years, and they even made a full reappearance as a secondary villain team in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.

[caption id="attachment_358907" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via SEGA[/caption]

2. Dr. Eggman - Sonic the Hedgehog

You can call this guy "Dr. Robotnik" if you want, but he'll always be Dr. Eggman to me. He's a man w??ho kinda looks like an egg. It just makes sense.

Ever since Dr. Eggman first started putting animals inside of robot suits, he's been one of the most ridiculous villains in the medium. That's fitting, given that his nemesis is a hedgehog who can move really quickly. There have been other Sonic villains, but I'd bet good money that you can't name three of them. Dr. Eggman, on the other hand, is a true icon. He's been given deeper characterization since his first appearance, but players have been enamored by this rotund ra??bbit trapper from minute one.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=03bAayBtcb0

1. Bowser - Super Mario Bros.

Was this spot ever going to belong to anyone else? Bowser, the big lizard who hates plumbers, is one of the greatest villains ever. He's also probably the only character on this list my grandpa would recognize, which is a huge argument in favor of his iconograp?hy.

Sure, Bowser has oscillated back and forth between "kidnapper" and "reluctant buddy," but at the end of the day, this guy can only be called a villain, and a very good one at that. Any dinosaur who can be a doting dad, a piece of paper, a tyrant king, a go-karting superstar, and Dennis Hopper is okay in my book.

The post 10 mo??st iconic video game villains of all t??ime, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-orders are up now, too

By way of a new trailer, Capcom has confirmed that Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is out on April 14.

Amazingly, the extent of the collection's online play has been revealed (Netbattle), with support for private and public matches. This is in addition to chip, style, and program trading (which will only be supported in Mega Man Battle Network 3 "and beyond"). As previously confirmed, the collection series will also have "over 180 songs" to listen to, ??as well as "over 1,000 images" to peruse in a gallery.

You can pre-order it now on PS4, PC (Steam) and Switch, via a $60 bundle that includes both collections (the physical version has "one game card" if you were wondering). Individual collections will be available "separately at launch" for $39.99 each. In the meantime, here's some more info, and a recap of what each collection actually en??tail??s.

When this was announced it was completely unexpected, but I'm stoked this happened. My original copies of every game are readily available in every collection, but this series deserves to live on through a new generation. While Capcom is no stranger to pushing out Mega Man collections instead of new releases: it's good enough for me, so long as said collections actually have a good amount of love and care put into them. So far, this packed Legacy Collection seems to be heading down the right path.

Here's a look at the online systems revealed this week

[ga?llery link="file" ids="354136,354137,354138,354139,354140,354141"]

Here's a new Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection trailer

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADBHfvEWNNk

Mega Man Battle Network Switch Volume 1 game list:

• Mega Man Battle Network
• Mega Man Battle Network 2
• Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue
• Mega Man Battle Network 3 White

Mega Man Battle Network Switch Volume 2 game list:

• Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun
• Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon
• Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team ProtoMan
• Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel
• Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar
• Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar

The post Save the date: Mega M??an Battle ?Network Legacy Collection is out on April 14 appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 12/03 to 12/09/2022

-Chris Bradshaw reflects on his ever-shrinki?ng time in ?the face of an expanding/disappearing backlog in Xbox Gamepass.

-Jonathan Holmes introduces the latest A Profound Waste of Time magazine edition, which highlights the Sony exclusives of the past, PaRappa the Rapper and The Last Guardian.

-Vadicta reflects on the classic excellence of DOOM 3.

-Lord Spencer continues his Mega Man series retrospective blogs with this blog on Mega Man X, the first game in the X series.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VI and several music genres.

-Virtua Kazama shares his experience of playing Virtua Fighter online via Fightcade.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum?? for random community discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! And thanks to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week. In addition, we??'ve been informed that there are some issues with the blog editor currently. We will try and get this looked into.

The post How much use did you get out of game streaming services this ye?ar? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 11/27 to 12/03/2022

-Virtua Kazama suggests s??ome?? crossover ideas for the Virtua Fighter franchise.

-mrkrono has some ideas for how to fix Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

-RoomWithaMoose talks about the decision to pick Sonic Frontiers over God of War Ragnarok.

-Seymour ranks every si??ngle video game they played during the past quarter.

-Mrkrono wonders what's our time worth in the face of increasingly longer ga?mes.

-GoofierBrute is back with another "Games that Time Forgot", with this blog about Sonic 3D Blast.

-Taterchimp shares their thoughts on Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy and Marimba music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mega Man X and Jazz music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy and Salsa music.

-ChronoLynxx ope?ns this week's TGIF commun?ity thread for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! Great stuff as always If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all mat?ters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week. In ad??dition, we've been informed that there are some issues with the blog editor currently. We will try and get this looked into.

The post Which exciting fighting game crossov??ers ??still need to happen? appeared first on Destructoid.

Prepare yourself!

If you played Mega Man X4 sight unseen, the cutscenes will stay with you forever. Like a few of Mega Man 8's anime story videos, this is a collection of some of the wackiest scenes and voice acting in video game history, and that infamy spread far and wide among the Mega Man community. Now, Capcom is leaning into it, like many other brands (Sonic Twitter immediately comes to mind). Further proof of that is this official standee for the "What am I Fighting Forrrrr" moment in Mega Man X4.

This came across our desk thanks to the official Mega Man Twitter account, which announced a new acrylic standee designed by artist Mikoto. You can pre-order it now on the site Yetee for $15, and it's expected to "ship in early December for customers in North America." My Mega Man shelf is com??pletely full, but for all of you who have the space, this could be a funny? conversation starter.

Here are the full details on the Mega Man X4 standee if you're looking for measurements:

Designed by Mikoto. Each includes:

• 1 x 4" x 6" Flat Acrylic Stand
• 1 x 4" x 6" Original Art Postcard
• 1 x 4" x 6" Secret Stage Logo Postcard

And of course, the original moment:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OVv-J-LXQU

The post Mega Man X4’s memorable “what am I fighting forrrr” moment is memorialized in this official standee appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 10/29 to 11/04/2022

-Brendle introduces themselves with this blog about their Street Fighter 6 OST frustrations.

-BRAV0 F1VE reviews the indie darling, Cult of the Lamb.

-Manasteel88 made ?a game as a celebration for this y?ear's Halloween.

-Kerrik52 continues their retrospective on the Legacy of Kain series with another deep dive into Soul Reaver.

-Taterchimp is host?ing a Games Done Quick stream for charity purposes. Check it out!

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mega Man X2 and the weird combination of Electronic M?usic and Blues.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week??'s TGIF co?mmunity forum for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks, and thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now. Spill your thoughts on all matters g??aming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Which Street Fighter game has t??he best soundtrack? appeared first on Destructoid.

It hit 1.6 million in sales according to Capcom data

It's wild seeing the disparity between how big some series seem, and how big they really are. Metroid is one that comes to mind. While the Mega Man series is mighty in terms of raw number of games, it doesn't always lead to mega sales. Mega Man 11 however, can be considered a success by nearly any metric. Especially after learning that it's taken the top spot overall in terms of overall sales. "Best-selling Mega Man 11" has kind of a ring to it, especially given the circumstances behind its release, and how it effortlessly swooped in and crushed Mighty No. 9.

The data comes directly from Capcom, who updated their sales figures over on their official site (thanks Nintendo Life!). If you scroll quite a ways down, all the way past tons of Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and Dead Rising entries, and even a few Onimusha titles (bring this series back!), you'll see Mega Man 11 at number 67 overall with 1.6 million in sales. That puts it above the previous champion, Mega Man 2, which sports 1.51 million in sales and helped kick off an emp????ire.

So where's Mega Man 12? We can only hope it's in the works at some point, and builds on the foundation of everything Mega Man 11 was; but with feedback and enhancements. I'd love to see a bigger budget rendition of Mega Man 8: anime cutscenes and all.

The post Mega Man 11 quietly became the bes?t-selling?? game in the series appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 10/23 to 10/30/2022

-manasteel88 has gotten into the Halloween spirit by making their own spoopy game!

-BravoF1ve takes a look at the cartoonish horrific indie hit Cult of the Lamb.

-TroyFullbuster offers up a review of Sega hack 'n' slash classic Bayonetta.

-Kerrik52 continues their uber-epic exploration of the Legacy of Kain series.

-TaterChimp is pretty sure that they can define every Final Fantasy title as a type of cake.

-Lord Spencer continues their Mega Man odyssey with a look at 2015's Mega Man 11

-PhilsPhindings looks at the connections between Mega Man themes and electro-blues music.

-PhilsPhindings looks at the connections between Mega Man themes and fiery salsa music.

-Chronolynxx welcomes? the weekend with another community-themed TGIF thread??.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! Some really great entries with some nicely themed creepy characters... And Mega Man. If you wa??nna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head on over to the Cblogs section right now.?? Spill your thoughts on all matters gaming, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

Stay spooky!

The post Will you be pla??ying anything?? spoopy this Halloween nite? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 10/15 to 10/22/2022

-Tittanel exhaustively ??looks at the g?ame that shaped their childhood. There will be a lot of overlap with many '90s kids.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mega Man 4 and reggae music.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Mega Man and salsa music.

-TheBlondeBass is making a game, Mirama, and this is the sec?ond developer upda?te blog on the game.

-Jordan Devore says his goodbyes to the Dtoid com??munity after years of great service. Hopefully, we will keep seeing him in these parts. Good l?uck Jordan in all your future endeavors, and godspeed.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week?'s TGIF community foru??m for random discussions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! And thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for taking the time to provide us with this week’s recap. If you wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head to the Cblogs section, spil???l your thoughts, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Which five vide??o games would you say define your childhood? appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 10/8 to 10/14/2022

-Necrowondo thinks that Pokemon is no longer for dedicated video ga?me fans like them.

-Queen of Philosophy reminds everyone about the 30th anniversary of Mortal Kombat.

-Tittanel sheds light on the unfortunate end of an indie gaming store due to Hur??ricane? Ian.

-Spazzzh20 discusses the news about Call of Duty World at War: Director's Cut.

-Kerrik52 continues his in-depth retrospective of the Legacy of Kain series with a new Soul Reaver blog.

-taterchimp takes us on a fun travelogue of Dublin, Ireland.

-PhilsPhindings takes a look at the musical connections between Pop and the Mega Man series.

-PhilsPhindings takes a look at the musical connections between Reggae and Mega Man 4.

-PhilsPhindings takes a look at the musical connections between Pop and Sega's Shadow Dancer.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF community forum ?for open discuss?ions.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! And thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for taking the time to provide us with this week’s recap. If you ??wanna join in on the HOT TAKE party, then head to? the Cblogs section, spill your thoughts, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post How l??ong have you been a ded?icated disciple of Pokemon? appeared first on Destructoid.

At least we're getting a compilation next year

While any given year for Mega Man can be a dire situation, there's at least something on the horizon for the 35th anniversary: the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection in 2023. Of course, the Mega Man 35th anniversary celebrat??ion is mostly centered around merch for now.

As reported by Rockman Corner, the "first collaboration" for the 35th anniversary of the Blue Bomber is...an expensive t-shirt line. In a partnership with Japanese company Avirex, Capcom is putting out Mega Man t-shirts, which will run you about 45 USD (as Rockman ??Corner points out, there's international shipping).

The main bit of news here (because there is always an endless supply of Mega Man merch) is the logo reveal, which came by way of the Avirex store. It's a stark contrast to the other logos (gathered by Rockman Corner), dating all the way back to the old school 10th anniversary. For four straight anniversaries (10th, 15th, 20th, 25th) we have a clear view of Mega Man's face (in various incarnations). Then for the 30th anniversary, Capcom opted for a cool minimalist design that lined up with the release of the Mega Man 30th Anniversary Bundle.

But the 35th logo is simply text, an off-putting giant "35th" numerical value, and a Capcom copyright. Mega Man fans know better than to expect anything from any given anniversary, but hopefully there's something in the ca?rds for this milestone.

The post The Mega Man 35th anniversar?y logo looks blander than the rest appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 10/1 to 10/10/2022

-Queen of Philosophy takes a look back at 30 bloody years of Mortal Kombat.

-Kerrik52 continues with their epic Legacy of Kain retrospective.

-Lord Spencer continues their Mega Man series with 2010's Mega Man 10.

-taterchimp takes us on a fun travelogue of Dublin, Ireland.

-PhilsPhindings takes a look at the musical connections between Pop and the Mega Man series.

-PhilsPhindings takes a look at the musical connections between Pop and Sega's Shadow Dancer.

-Queen of Philosophy rings in the weekend with another TGIF article.

Thanks for the blogs this week, folks! And thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for taking the time to provide us with this week’s recap. If you wanna j?oin in on the HOT TAKE party, then head to the Cb??logs section, spill your thoughts, and you will find yourself recapped on this here front page next week.

The post Wha?t memories do? you have from 30 bloody years of Mortal Kombat? appeared first on Destructoid.

"We're currently working on online functions such as chip battles and chip trading"

Today during Capcom's Online Program stream (that's what it's called!), the publisher confirmed that Mega Man Battle Network Switch online play is currently being worked on.

Here's what they had to say right on stream: "We're currently working on online functions such as chip battles and chip trading." Simple enough! This will, in theory, allow players to confront each other just like back in the portable-versus days, and trade abilities with one another. Yes, it's highly reminiscent of Pokemon, like many other portable games of that era. Capcom used the phrase "every series" when they were talking about what games would be impacted, and later provided a full article regarding their online plans.

We had a few other bits of news too. On top of a fully voiced "3D" Mega Man main menu navigator for the main menu, extras include 1,000 illustrations and 188 songs across the represented games. You can find a reminder of what games are included in the Mega Man Battle Network re-release effort below. Capc??om is calling the game a "two-part" release, due out in 2023 (no precise date was provided in the stream today).

Mega Man Battle Network Switch Volume 1 game list:

• Mega Man Battle Network
• Mega Man Battle Network 2
• Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue
• Mega Man Battle Network 3 White

Mega Man Battle Network Switch Volume 2 game list:

• Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun
• Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon
• Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team ProtoMan
• Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel
• Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar
• Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar

The post Capcom is adding onli??ne battles and chip trading to Mega Man Battle Netw?ork Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 8/27 to 9/3/2022

-MinhazFahme writes prose about Melania of Elden Ring.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Dr. Mario and Caribbean music.

-PhilsPhindings looks at the huge variety of inf??luences in the Mega Man soundtracks.

-ChronoLynxx opens this week's TGIF co??mmunity thread for random discussions.

A slim selection of blogs this week, but it's cool �this happens sometimes and we appreciate each and every one of them. Thanks to Lord Spencer, as always, for providing this week's recap. If you wanna join the HOT TAKE party, then head to the Cblogs section, have your say, and you will find yourself r??ecapped on this her?e front page next week.

The post Who is your favorite of the Elden Ring bosses? appeared first on Destructoid.