Mega Man Soccer
Mega Man and Robot Masters face off in soccer matches.
Mega Man Soccer is a soccer video game for the Super NES, based on the original Mega Man series of action-platform games. It was released in Japan on March 25, 1994, and in North America in April of that same year. The game features characters and Robot Masters from previous entries, each with a unique special shot that temporarily disables anyone who contacts the ball.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Sun L
- Publisher
- Capcom
- Producer
- Tokuro Fujiwara
- Artist
- Keiji Inafune
- Composer
- Toshio Okamoto
- Norihiko Togashi
- Kenichi Tomizawa
- Released
- March 25, 1994 (JP); April 1994 (NA)
- Genre
- Sports
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Mega Man Soccer is set after Mega Man 4. A televised soccer game is interrupted when an explosion occurs on the field, and all players are replaced by several of Dr. Wily's Robot Masters. Dr. Light sends Mega Man and some of his own Robot Masters to stop them. Due to a glitch, completing Championship or Tournament modes does not play the ending or credits; instead the game returns to the title screen. The unused ending and credits sequences remain in the code and are accessible only through a cheat device or modded version. In the Championship ending, Mega Man confronts and defeats Wily at his arena; Wily begs for mercy and flees as the lair collapses, with Mega Man collapsing as rubble rains down. Proto Man watches the sea and teleports out, and Wily's saucer escapes. Whether Mega Man escaped is unknown. In the Tournament ending, Mega Man celebrates with Beat carrying a banner reading "You Are The Champ!" and Kalinka and Roll arrive. Proto Man again watches the sea and teleports out.
Development
Mega Man Soccer was first announced in an interview with Capcom's Senior Vice President Joseph Morici in the March 1993 Game Players magazine. Series artist Ryuji Higurashi recalled seeing Guts Man and Heat Man in preview screenshots; after joining Capcom, he was told the staff planned to include them in a prospective sequel. Guts Man was originally in a sketch for the Japanese cover art but was cut and replaced by Proto Man. The game's ROM contains inaccessible features, including simultaneous play for up to four players via the SNES Multitap, the ability to play as Dr. Wily (normally available only in Elec Man's and Dust Man's teams in League Mode), and a closing credits sequence. The song "We Are Rockman" by Tatsuo Kamon, used in the Japanese television commercial, was included on the Rockman Theme Song Collection CD.
Reception
Mega Man Soccer received overall mediocre critical reception from major gaming publications due to its play control. GamePro noted sluggish controls, slowdown, and repetitive computer AI aside from the special shots. Game Players made similar comments about sluggish control and slowdown with many sprites on screen, while Nintendo Power cited poor play control "uncharacteristic of Capcom games". Local newspaper columnists gave more positive reviews; Michael Pflughoeft of The Milwaukee Journal felt the game was easy to play and that special attacks would appeal to younger players. Contemporary retrospectives showed mixed opinions. GamePro ranked it fourth on its "10 Weirdest Sports Games Ever", comparing it to Mario sports games but noting the oddity of multiple copies of characters on the field. Bill Barnwell of IGN called it "one of the worst soccer games you'll ever play". 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish contrarily recommended it as "nonsensical, sure, but awfully fun." GameSpot editors Christian Nutt and Justin Speer summarized it as a bargain bin curiosity. Brett Elston of GamesRadar found dismantling opponents with special attacks entertaining. In 2018, Complex rated it 61st in "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time", praising its chaotic gameplay.
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