Mega Man 8, known as Rockman 8 Metal Heroes (ロックマン8 メタルヒーローズ, Rokkuman Eito Metaru Hīrōzu?) in Japan, was released in 1996 and 1997 for the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. It was the only game in the Mega Man Classic series to be released on a CD-based console by itself. Upon its release, Capcom reached the franchise's 10th anniversary, and some limited edition copies of the game were packaged with a color history booklet, celebrating one decade of the series. It was produced by Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune.
Mega Man 8 is the second of four games in the series to feature FMV sequences, and was ported in 2004 to the PS2 as part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection.
Characters
Japanese Cover Art
- Tengu Man: A robot obsessed with honor who looks like a tengu, a Japanese supernatural creature. His hideout is far above Japan, and contains enormous airships and flying robots. At one point, all of Mega Man's allies join him in an air assault. Tengu Man attacks using air-based powers. Frost Man's Ice Wave can trap him on the ground, frozen, leaving him open to numerous attacks. His defeat yields the powerful Tornado Hold, which allows Mega Man to jump into a whirlwind column to soar to new heights. Tengu Man also appeared in Mega Man & Bass.
- Clown Man: An immature robot that takes the appearance of a circus clown. His hideout is in Australia, and is filled with toys and games. He uses electric powers to battle Mega Man, including the "Thunder Carnival" and "Thunder Claw." Clown Man is weak against Tengu Man's Tornado Hold move, which causes him to be tangled up in his long arms. Once Mega Man defeats him, he gains Thunder Claw ability, which acts like a powerful electric whip. It can be used to activate machinery and swing on grappling points.
- Grenade Man: A masochist robot that is obsessed with demolitions and junk. His hideout is in Peru, and contains piles of garbage and machines. He attacks Mega Man using deadly bombs and body slams. At one point, he blows up his own lair with his "Raging Destroyer" attack. Clown Man's Thunder Claw can bounce the bombs back at Grenade Man for extra damage. Once he is destroyed, Mega Man gains the Flash Bomb, which fires powerful orbs that act like grenades, creating prolonged explosions. They can also light dark areas.
- Frost Man: A stupid, mammoth robot that loves snow and crushing things. His hideout is in the northernmost parts of Canada, and has a large tract of platforms that can only be navigated on a rocket-propelled snowboard. Frost Man attacks using his massive size and ice powers. Grenade Man's Flash Bombs cause him to collapse and cover his face. Once Frost Man explodes, Mega Man obtains his Ice Wave ability, which travels along the ground and freezes everything it touches, including plumes of fire. Frost Man returned in Mega Man Strategy.
- Aqua Man: A prima donna robot that looks like a water container. His hideout is on a small island off the coast of Africa. There are an underwater city and many ocean lifeforms to be found there. Aqua Man teases Mega Man and uses water attacks. Astro Man's Astro Crush can shatter Aqua Man's glass body and spill his water everywhere, forcing him to recover. Aqua Man's defeat gives Mega Man the Water Balloon, which can douse fiery enemies and travel at great speeds. Aqua Man also appeared in Mega Man Strategy.
- Sword Man: A British robot who acts like a nobleman. His hideout is in a secret temple deep with Asia. Mega Man must use all of his new powers to overcome the lava of the lair. Sword Man is the only Robot Master who does not want to fight, but he must act on orders. He uses fire and his mammoth sword to fight Mega Man. Aqua Man's Water Balloon can douse his flames and leave him open to attack. His defeat yields the Flame Sword, which can light fuses and cut through any plant life Mega Man might encounter.
- Search Man: A military sniper robot with two heads that often disagree. His hideout is somewhere in the African jungle. It is full of robots based on animals and dangerous traps. Search Man attacks using missiles, and loves to hide in large shrubbery in his lair, forcing Mega Man to guess where he might be hiding. Sword Man's Flame Sword can destroy the bushes and burn Search Man, stopping his powerful attacks. Search Man offers the Homing Sniper, which can fly to any enemy for a powerful attack.
- Astro Man: A completely cowardly robot that hovers high in the air. His hideout is somewhere in the Netherlands, and contains strange flora, disappearing platforms, and a difficult maze involving switches. Astro Man fights in a simulation of outer space, and tries to fly to keep out of reach. He calls upon the power of stars and gravity to fight Mega Man. Search Man's Homing Sniper can interrupt his attacks and reach him anywhere in the room. His weapon is the Astro Crush, which calls huge meteors to rain down and destroy everything. Astro Man also appeared in Mega Man & Bass.
- Yellow Devil
- Batton M64
- Cut Man - (Saturn version only)
- Wood Man - (Saturn version only)
Story
In the year 20XX, two alien robots engage in a climactic battle in the depths of space, the ultimate outcome of which causes them both to plummet towards Earth, critically injured.
Meanwhile, Mega Man and Rush are battling their rivals Bass and Treble, when Dr. Light calls Mega Man to investigate strange energy readings on a nearby island. On the island, Mega Man finds Dr. Wily, flying away with a strange purple orb. Before chasing him, he sees a damaged robot and asks for Dr. Light to pick it up and try to repair it. Dr. Wily then releases 4 new Robot Masters to combat Mega Man. Each time he destroys one, he receives a purple orb like the one Dr. Wily had. Each of the Robot Masters are empowered with a new energy that is unlike any that Mega Man has faced yet, and it seems that this power comes from the new energy cores that Wily has enfused within them.
After Mega Man defeats all four, he returns to the lab and Dr. Light tells him that the robot he found should be fine if he rests for a while. Additionally, he tells him that the strange new energy cores that they have found contain great power and that they must not fall into the hands of evil. After Dr. Light and Mega Man leave the lab, the robot wakes up, sees the purple energy, becomes enraged, and flies off into the distance. Mega Man follows suit on Rush. Mega Man finds him in a mine shaft on the other side of the globe, and after battling the robot, Proto Man shows up and tells Mega Man that Dr. Wily's new fortress, "Wily Tower," is just ahead. Mega Man goes ahead, but is captured by one of Wily's giant robotic creations. The robot saves him, introduces himself as Duo, and explains what his purpose is. He then quickly dispatches the gigantic machine.
Duo then explains what the energy is, calling it "Evil Energy." He says he has been traveling the universe tracking down this energy and trying to destroy it. Moreover, he says that they must destroy it as soon as possible or it will engulf the entire world. However, "Wily Tower" has a barrier around it that prevent him from taking out the source. Duo tells Mega Man to destroy the four other Robot Masters that hold the key to the barrier while he collects and extinguishes the rest of the world's Evil Energy.
Once the Robot Masters have been defeated, "Wily Tower's" barrier is lifted and Mega Man makes his way through it, defeating the hordes of robotic henchmen inside, including Bass and Treble, and ultimately, the evil doctor himself.
In the end, the "Evil Energy" is destroyed before it is allowed to spread throughout the world, and Wily's newest compound is destroyed... with Mega Man inside, trapped by the Evil Energy. We later see Mega Man on an open field, knocked out. Duo arrives, examining Mega Man and determining that he's corrupted by the Evil Energy, and that it's killing him. He attempts to help Mega Man recover, searching his thoughts to see if his mind is taken over by the evil. Fortunately, it hasn't been taken completely, and Duo seemingly destroys the last of the Evil Energy on Earth. Leaving Mega Man in the care of Proto Man, Duo leaves Proto Man with a message to give him when he wakes up: "Thank you."
Notes
The Yashichi is randomly given by Rush, when he is in his Rush Charger mode.
Gallery
Box Art
