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Mega Man's most notable appearances have been within his own self-titled games, beginning with Rockman for the Nintendo Famicom in 1987. This, and all future Mega Man games released in North America and Europe, would bear the title "Mega Man" due to Capcom USA's senior vice president, Joseph Morici, deciding to change the name.
Nearly all of the classic series Mega Man titles have been two-dimensional side-scrollers involving horizontal movement through various levels. This mechanic persists even on titles developed for high performance platforms, such as the Sony PSP release of Mega Man Powered Up, which features 3D graphics, yet movement to both the background and foreground is restricted. The main series on both the NES and Nintendo Game Boy would follow this formulaic approach in the design of every game developed on those systems, and set the standard for all platformer Mega Man games to come. Mega Man himself has evolved very little cosmetically since his initial release, but has often been given new techniques in each game. The New Mega Buster, for instance, which was introduced in Mega Man 4, allowed him to charge up a shot. The slide was introduced in Mega Man 3. It was these which were used in order to help him exceed any new challenges added by the programmers.
Capcom, regarding Mega Man as a versatile character, has placed him in several different gaming situations outside of his usual series. He has since been seen as a sports star in the Super Nintendo game Mega Man's Soccer, a race car driver in Mega Man Battle & Chase, a board game card in Wily & Right's RockBoard: That's Paradise, and several mobile phone games, including, but not limited to, Mega Man Pinball, Rockman Tennis, Rockman The Puzzle Battle, Chokkan! Rockman, Rockman Poker, and Rockman no Dot Art Logic. A limited release arcade fighting game series containing Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters pitted Mega Man against several boss characters from his original series. Mega Man also appears in the social RPG Rockman ×over as Battle Memory and a Legend Armor of OVER-1 referred to as OVER-R.
Though Capcom owns the rights to all Mega Man games and has been responsible for the development of all of his console titles, it has in the past licensed the Mega Man character to other companies for PC releases. Examples include Mega Man and Mega Man 3 (with no relation to the NES games of the same name) were developed by the US-based Hi-Tech Expressions, the Mega Man game published on the Sega Game Gear, Rockman & Forte: Mirai Kara no Chōsensha released by Bandai for the WonderSwam, and Rockman Strategy was developed and released exclusively in Taiwan by Acer TWP.
Mega Man, or Rockman, came into existence due to the following timeline of events. In the fictional and futuristic year 200X, the robotics expert Dr. Thomas Light (Dr. Right in Japan) worked to create a humanoid robot. This robot would demonstrate an advanced artificial intelligence program that would allow it to make decisions based on vague commands and directions.
Before Dr. Light ever constructed what would eventually become Mega Man, he first designed the robot known as "Proto Man" ("Blues" in Japan) which similar to his name was designed as a prototype of his future creations. Dr. Light's achievement greatly exceeded his expectations, however, he found a critical problem on Proto Man's power reactor. He made plans to modify and repair him, but the robot ran away, fearing that he would lose his identity and become like a different person.
After the disappearance of Proto Man, Dr. Light decided to create another robot. He created two robots siblings around the same time to work as a pair. These robots were called "Rock" (ロック Rokku, Mega in the Mega Man Powered Up remake) and "Roll". Rock was created as Dr. Light's lab assistant, and his "sister", Roll, was designed for housekeeping.
With the success of these two test-type robots, Light designed and built six industrial robots, mainly to be used in the construction and maintenance of public works, the Light Numbers. These robots were Cut Man, a timber felling robot; Guts Man, a construction robot; Ice Man, a robot designed for exploration in extreme freezing temperatures; Bomb Man, a land reclamation robot; Fire Man, designed for waste management; and Elec Man, designed to oversee and control atomic energy power plants. (Mega Man Powered Up introduced two more robots: Time Man, a time researcher robot, and Oil Man, an oil maintenance robot.) Each of these robots had full use of a human-like intelligence and reasoning potential. However, little did Dr. Light know that all of these robots, including the missing Proto Man, would later serve as the key to unlocking Rock's destiny.
Dr. Albert W. Wily, an old colleague of Dr. Light's, grew jealous when his projects were always overshadowed by his self-proclaimed rival. He constructed a robot factory in the Pacific and began to plot to conquer the world.
Wily stumbled upon Proto Man one day, who was dying when his energy system was malfunctioning. He repaired him, and while analyzing him he discovered that he had found a way to create robots at the same level as Dr. Light. He decided to reprogram Dr. Light's industrial robots to exact revenge. One day, the industrial robots became misled and forced under his rule. With his new followers, Wily seized control of the city and demanded recognition. This string of events set in motion what would later become the purpose for Mega Man's existence.
Realizing that it would be very difficult for the armies to stop Wily, Dr. Light knew something had to be done. Rock, having a strong sense of justice, volunteered to be converted from his current state as a lab assistant into a fighting robot, or rather, a super fighting robot. Thus, on May 25, or December 17, he became known as "Mega Man" (Rockman in Japan).
From that day forward Mega Man volunteered himself for action against crime and serving to support and protect mankind's existence and coexistence with robots within society.
Mega Man fights and stops each of the Light Numbers before journeying to Wily's fortress to defeat him once and for all. Mega Man eventually wins the battle, but Wily bows down and begs for forgiveness, which Mega Man grants. Mega Man then walks home to meet Dr. Light and Roll.
After the events of the first Mega Man game, Dr. Wily somehow returned with a new fortress and eight of his own combat robots, designed specifically for destroying Mega Man.
Mega Man defeats all eight Wily Numbers and confronts Dr. Wily himself, who turns into an Alien. Mega Man defeats the Alien, which is revealed as a hologram operated by Dr. Wily. After Wily begs for mercy, Mega Man spares him and returns home...again.
Some time later, Dr. Wily claims to have changed and teams up with Dr. Light to create a giant peacekeeping robot called Gamma. However, the eight robots created to mine the Energy Elements needed for Gamma's construction have gone out of control. Mega Man goes after them alongside Rush, meeting his older brother, Proto Man (under the alias Break Man in this game, until the ending) along the way. Mega Man soon retrieves the Energy Elements, but returns to discover that Dr. Wily has stolen Gamma and plans on using it to take over the world.
Mega Man defeats Gamma and foils Wily's plan again, and the mad doctor is seemingly killed by debris of his fortress at the end. (Wily's UFO can be seen flying in the ending, revealing he had survived.)
One day, Dr. Light received a message from a scientist named Dr. Cossack, challenging Light and Mega Man to a contest to see whose robots were better. Eight of Dr. Cossack 's robots started causing chaos and Mega Man went out to stop them, but this time with the New Mega Buster, which able to charge a more powerful shot.
After defeating the eight robots, Mega Man goes to Dr. Cossack's Citadel to confront him. Upon defeating the scientist's final machine, however, he discovers that not all is as it seems...
In truth, Cossack was being forced into his criminal acts because his daughter, Kalinka, had been kidnapped by Wily (who was very much alive). Luckily, Proto Man betrays Wily and rescues her, allowing Mega Man to head for Wily's new fortress and defeat him once more. This time, however, Wily was able to escape.
Mega Man discovers, to his shock, that Proto Man has kidnapped Dr. Light and a new group of eight robots under his command were attacking the city. As usual, Mega Man heads out to save the day and get to the bottom of Proto Man's strange behavior. Before he sets out, Dr. Cossack improves his Mega Buster and gives him a new ally, Beat.
After defeating the eight robots and navigating Proto Man's Castle, Mega Man confronts Proto Man. At first, his opponent gets the better of him, as Mega Man is reluctant to hurt his ally, but the real Proto Man shows up and reveals the fake as Dark Man 4, who Mega Man defeats.
After defeating Dark Man, Dr. Wily appears and reveals himself as the creator of Dark Man. Saying that he is holding Dr. Light captive at his castle, Wily challenges Mega Man to come after him.
Yet again, Mega Man goes to Wily's castle and defeats him once more. But the fortress starts to collapse and Mega Man, using his super strength, tries to hold it up. Wily escapes while Mega Man is distracted, but Proto Man comes in and rescues Mega Man and Dr. Light.
An event called the First Annual Robot Tournament, sponsored by the billionaire Mr. X, is held. Everything seems fine as the contest begins, but when the top eight robots enter the arena for the final event, Mr. X appears and reveals he had reprogrammed the eight robots to use them to take over the world.
Mega Man goes to stop Mr. X and his army of robots, defeating the Robot Masters and battling Mr. X atop his castle. As it turns out, Mr. X is only an alter ego for Mega Man's nemesis, Dr. Wily. Thus, Mega Man battles Wily and puts a stop to his plans once again. This time, he finally apprehends the mad doctor, sending Wily to prison.
Unfortunately, Dr. Wily had planned for even this outcome. Six months after Wily's defeat and imprisonment, it is revealed he had four robots hidden away. These robots are activated remotely and break Wily out of prison.
Mega Man arrives upon the scene and encounters Bass, a humanoid robot, and Treble, his robotic wolf. Mega Man and Bass get into a short battle, apparently impressing the latter with his skill. Bass claims he is trying to stop Wily as well and comments that Mega Man might not need his help before leaving.
After defeating four of the Robot Masters, Mega Man finds out Wily is attacking a robot museum and has stolen Guts Man. He attempts to intercept the villain, but is delayed when Wily deploys Mash to battle him.
Mega Man finds Bass again, injured in a fight against Shade Man. Mega Man takes him back to Dr. Light for repairs. However, when Mega Man returns to the lab, he finds the lab has been damaged by Bass, who has also stolen blueprints for the Super Adapter intended for Mega Man and Rush. Dr. Wily appears on the screen and reveals that Bass and Treble are his creations.
Mega Man then heads to Wily's castle to stop his latest plan. Along the way, he fights Bass, using a similar version of the Super Adapter with Treble.
Mega Man then confronts Wily and defeats him again. As always, Wily begs for forgiveness, but Mega Man points his Mega Buster at him, saying he does not trust Wily and plans on killing him. Dr. Wily, scared out of his wits, reminds Mega Man that robots cannot harm humans. In the original Japanese version, Mega Man is speechless. In the English version, he replies that he is "more than just a robot", implying he was planning on firing his Buster anyway, which was a stark contrast to how Mega Man is normally.
Before Mega Man can pull the trigger, Bass and Treble appear and rescue Wily. Mega Man then leaves Wily's fortress as it goes up into flames, apparently conflicted about what happened before reuniting with his family inside Big Eddie.
During a city battle against Bass, Mega Man is called away to investigate an island uncharted by any maps. After defeating a hermit crab-like robot, he finds Dr. Wily, who reveals that the island was his base before absconding with an orb of strange purple energy. Although unable to stop Wily's escape, Mega Man finds a badly damaged robot in a crater and takes it back to Dr. Light's lab. While the robot is brought in for repairs, Dr. Light informs Mega Man that Dr. Wily is at it again, with four brand-new Robot Masters attacking locations all over the globe.
As Mega Man defeats each of the four Wily Numbers, he finds capsules of the strange energy Dr. Wily took from the island. When he returns to the lab, he gives the samples to Dr. Light for study, but the robot he found earlier breaks free and heads out to the desert. Mega Man goes after him and briefly fights him, but realizes that his opponent is holding back. Before he can consider it further, the robot flees and Proto Man appears, telling Mega Man that Wily's new headquarters is up ahead.
Mega Man goes to the "Wily Tower," but is captured by a massive robot. He is then saved by the strange robot he battled earlier, who introduces himself as Duo and explains his mission to destroy all "Evil Energy" in the universe. Duo informs Mega Man that the other robot contained Evil Energy within it, which Wily was using to make his robots more powerful. He also told the hero that Wily Tower was protected by a forcefield linked to four more Robot Masters hidden around the world. As Duo left to secure the rest of the Evil Energy around the world, Mega Man set out to defeat the other four Robot Masters and foil Wily's latest plan.
In the end, Mega Man defeated the remaining four Wily Numbers and infiltrated Wily's fortress. Along the way, Bass challenges him to a duel, having used Evil Energy to increase his power, but Mega Man emerges triumphant once more. When he finally reaches Dr. Wily, he is caught in an energy trap and is almost destroyed by Wily's machine's cannon, but is saved when Duo appears and takes the blast for him. Duo, now immobilized, is in turn saved by Proto Man. Mega Man thanks Proto Man for helping Duo recover and takes on Wily's newest machine.
As usual, Mega Man destroys the latest incarnation of the Wily Machine, leaving Wily on the ground begging for forgiveness. As Mega Man berates Wily for trying the same old ruse after so many failures, he is taken over by the Evil Energy in Wily's machine as the tower collapsed around them, and lays near death outside. However, Duo saved Mega Man and destroyed the evil energy within him. He leaves before Mega Man wakes up, but Proto Man informs him of Duo's final message to the Blue Bomber: "Thank you".
A new robot named King, claiming to be the strongest robot in the world, began to recruit other robots to form a new Robot Army. Mega Man went to stop King, aided-to his surprise-by Bass, who took offense to King's claims of being the strongest robot.
After defeating the eight Robot Masters and King himself, it is revealed that King was created by Dr. Wily, who Mega Man and Bass defeat once more.
Several years later, new robots were causing havoc around the world, all created by Dr. Light. Mega Man quickly volunteered to clear Light's name and was sent out to investigate the source of the problem.
Soon, the police came to arrest Dr. Light. Meanwhile, Mega Man went after the Robot Masters and, after he defeated a few of them, discovered that they were scheduled to be decommissioned and sent to the junkyard because they had reached the expiration date assigned to them by the government. Once the final robot had been taken down, Mega Man brought back his Memory Circuit Board to Auto for investigation. As it turned out, Dr. Wily had reprogrammed the robots, who were scheduled for demolition, to rise up against their human masters rather than be destroyed.
Mega Man then went to Dr. Wily's castle and defeated Dr. Wily again. Dr. Wily, as usual, begged Mega Man for forgiveness. Mega Man responded to this by having Rush play clips of all the times Wily had done the same routine (the clips being scenes from previous games). Although Wily seemed contrite and apologetic, he tricked Mega Man into thinking that Dr. Light was, in fact, imprisoned in a jail cell in the next room. Although Proto Man appeared and warned him that it was a trap, Mega Man went to investigate the cell and was electrocuted by the fake Light robot and Wily set his hideout to self-destruct. Proto Man saved Mega Man, but Wily escaped yet again.
Mega Man is enjoying his day until Roll falls ill with Roboenza. At first, he believes that Wily is behind the epidemic, but Wily claims that he had found the cure, only to have it stolen by eight out-of-control Robot Masters. After defeating them all, Mega Man learns that Dr. Wily actually was behind the Roboenza epidemic all along. He succumbs to Roboenza himself, but Roll gives him her saved medicine to give him the strength to defeat Wily.
After Mega Man defeats Wily, the doctor becomes sick. Mega Man asks Wily if he has been infected with the Roboenza and Wily answers that he is a human, not a robot. Despite this opportunity to finally end Wily's evil schemes once and for all, Mega Man's heroic nature wins out and he takes Wily to a hospital. The mad scientist immediately broke out after recovering, but left behind enough of the cure to restore all of the robots infected with Roboenza. This would imply that Dr. Wily does in fact have some kindness in him.
Although he is not actually playable in the Bass and Proto Man modes, he still played a key role in those modes: In Proto Man mode, he was responsible for curing Proto Man when the latter started succumbing to Roboenza, and in both Bass and Proto Man mode endings, it is heavily implied that Mega Man was responsible for taking Wily to the hospital after the latter succumbed to influenza.
In a dream, a flashback sequence reveals that while they were at Robot University, Wily was working on a device named the Double Gear System, a device that pushes robots beyond their usual limits. Light was resistant to Dr. Wily's research due to him believing that robots shouldn't be strained, and if the Double Gear System fell in the wrong hands, it could cause harm. Dr. Wily recalls the research in his dream, and set out to kidnap eight new robots that Light was checking up on to use as test subjects. Despite some reluctance from Light, he eventually is persuaded by Mega Man to have the Double Gear System installed in him. After recalling the rift between Light and Wily at Robot University (Light's independent thinking robots vs. Wily's Double Gear System), Mega Man ponders a way for them to work together. Wily then hacks into Light's lab, telling Mega Man where to find him, and Mega Man obliges, going to Wily's Gear Fortress.
After Mega Man defeats Wily, Light comes in and ponders the idea of him and Wily working together again, explaining that Mega Man was the amalgamation of both of their ideas. Wily rejects it however, and storms off. With the Gear Fortress collapsing, Mega Man escorts Light and Auto out of it.
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