Co-written with Random a.k.a. Mega Ran [@megaran]
Over two decades have passed since Capcom released the action platformer Mega Man on the Nintendo Entertainment System. From the day it hit shelves, the little blue robotic boy has pulled in fans from all over the world and has amassed a following so dedicated that the franchise has seen 10 titles from the main series with a number of spin-offs.
We've put together a list of 10 Things You Never Knew About Mega Man as both a tribute to the classic game and as a way for you to stick it to any know-it-all gamers you may come across.
Mega Man And Astro Boy Are From The Same Hood
Mega Man was heavily inspired by the old school anime character Astro Boy. Capcom once had the license for Astro but lost it, so they created their own version. At the end of the first Mega Man game, you'll see young Astro's cameo.
Astro Boy's cameo:
"Mega Man's" Soundtrack Is One Of The Most Covered Ever
There are over 30 cover bands dedicated to the Mega Man franchise including The Megas, The Protomen and of course, Mega Ran.
The Megas perform live:
Dr. Wiley Set Us Up The A-Bomb
Most Of The Characters Have Music Based Names
Mega Man Originally Had A More Colorful Name
Mega Man Has Hip-Hop Credibility
In 2007 Random a.k.a Mega Ran teamed up with Capcom to be the first rap artist to get a licensing deal for a video game character. As an avid fan of the game, Mega Ran gained critical acclaim and is currently hailed as one of Hip-Hop's greatest nerdcore artists.
"Mega Ran"
Not Every Robot Boss Was Made In Japan
Oilman Was A Black man
Oilman from Mega Man: Powered Up had his looks tweaked to avoid African-American stereotypes. At first the greasy villain dawned a black suit and large pink lips that made it look similar to the racist Little Black Sambo character. For once the faux pas was realized, Oilman became dark blue with yellow lips.
Little Black Sambo:
The Blue Ain't So Deep
Mega Man Will Pop Up Where You Least Expect Him
Even in recent video games, Mega Man still has an influence. In Square Enix's 2010 release, Just Cause 2, there's an easter egg that allows you play the NES version of Mega Man 2.
How to get to Mega Man 2 in Just Cause 2: