PAX: Mega Man Creator Announces Mighty No. 9

At PAX today, Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune announced Mighty No. 9, a new project seeking funding on Kickstarter.

According to the project page, Mighty No. 9 features “classic Japanese side-scrolling action” in which the player takes on the role of Beck, “the 9th in a line of powerful robots, and the only one not infected by a mysterious computer virus that has caused mechanized creatures the world over to go berserk.”

Gameplay sound similar to Mega Man in that players “run, jump, blast, and transform your way through six stages” that can be completed in any order. Players will steal weapons and abilities from enemies they defeat, and Beck’s “body itself can also reconfigure into new shapes, allowing for all kinds of new skills and abilities.”

Concept art from Mighty No. 9 (not an in-game screen).

An example of Beck's abilities presented on the project page suggests, "his limbs might become giant magnets, enabling him to walk up walls or rip away enemy shields... Or maybe extendible spring-loaded hands would allow him to activate far-away switches or work as a grappling hook... Or he could have a tank-like body, easily crossing over spikes and pushing objects around the levels... These are just a few possibilities we’re considering (the game is still in the design phase), but you get the idea!"

Beck will also be able to take "xel" energy from foes, which he can store and use later to perform "a double-jump and speed boost for a limited time, unleash a concentrated flurry of powerful punches directly ahead, or set off a blast that hurts everything on the screen." The project hints that the "Mighty Number" robot bosses will be revealed later, but a few pieces of concept art are included below.

 

Aside from Inafune, talent on the project includes designer Naoya Tomita (level designer on the original Mega Man), character designer Kimo Kimo (who worked on Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Darkstalkers 3), composer Manami Matsumae (responsible for the soundtrack of the original Mega Man) and art director Shinsuke Komaki (mecha and character design on Mega Man Legends).

Mighty No. 9 is being developed for PC, with other platforms “including home consoles, Mac, and Linux” potentially available as stretch goals. The project is seeking $900,000 before October 1st and is targeting an estimated release date of Spring 2015.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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