Franchise Festival Franchise Festival

Chris and Spencer discuss the development, gameplay, and plot of 1997's Mega Man Legends (Nintendo loyalists may know it as Mega Man 64). If our show piques your interest, don't miss the great development team interviews available on shmuplations.

Hamilton and Chris go in-depth with Capcom's first 32-bit Mega Man game: Mega Man 8! Along the way, your hosts give a primer on the series' extended sidekick roster, offer their thoughts on the (in)famous auto-scroll stages, and get to the bottom of why this game's voice acting is so... unique.

Chris and Hamilton are joined by special guest Nadia Oxford, author of the Maverick Hunter's Field Guide, to talk about Mega Man X (1993). Along the way, they learn about Capcom's difficulty growing Mega Man past its 8-bit roots, discuss changes between the original and its 2006 remake, and let listeners in on Dr. Cain's secret weakness.
Be sure to support Nadia's work over at Axe of the Blood God!

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer talk about the first Mega Man game developed after the departure of creator Akira Kitamura: Mega Man 3! Along the way, your hosts discuss yet another troubled development period, a bewildering localization, and what happens when you build a tower out of snakes.

Chris, Hamilton, Spencer and special guest Eddie V (@thatretrocode) discuss the development, gameplay, and stage design of Capcom's Mega Man 2. Don't miss Eddie's work over on The Boss Rush Network!

Chris, Hamilton, and Spencer embark on a new season covering Capcom's 11 classic Mega Man side-scrollers. Unfortunately, in order to appreciate the heights which the series would later reach, this requires taking a critical look at the franchise's inauspicious 1987 debut. Even so, there's always joy to be had in learning about abandoned concepts and early installment weirdness!
Sources on development information include:

Shmuplations - The Birth of Mega Man (2011)
Game Developer - Crushed: Inside Capcom's Marketing Feud with Acclaim and Mortal Kombat (2022)
The Reploid Research Lavatory - The Rockman Character Collection (1991)