Mega Man Anniversary Collection
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| Mega Man Anniversary Collection {{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Atomic Planet Entertainment (APE) {{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
| Release date(s) | June 22, 2004 (GC and PS2) March 15, 2005 (Xbox) |
| Genre(s) | Action, 2D Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single player {{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
| Platform(s) | GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox {{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
Mega Man Anniversary Collection is a compilation of ten video games featuring Capcom's hero Mega Man. It features the first eight Mega Man games, as well as two unlockable arcade games that saw only limited release outside of Japan. Other unlockables include original artwork and remixed music. The anthology is fairly complete, although various side story games such as Mega Man & Bass and Mega Man Soccer are not included, the former due to its recent release on the Game Boy Advance.
Each game is nearly identical: traverse eight themed stages (six in the first game) to face off against boss robots, gain new weapons and abilities, then defeat the robots' master, Dr. Wily. A new feature is the "Navi Mode" for the first six titles, which provides hints and pathways for completing each stage. The arcade games are similar in gameplay but a bit more streamlined; the battles cut straight to the bosses, who get progressively more difficult with each defeated boss.
Controversy/Differences
The games in this set are not emulated, but instead ported. However, the ports are not perfect. For example, some controversy exists in the fact that Mega Man 7 had its ending (sans closing credits) removed due to Atomic Planet having a hard time getting the Mode 7 effect to work properly, and was censored, as Bass now no longer says "damn." In addition, the original functions of the B and A buttons have been reversed in the GameCube release: B jumps while A fires, whereas it was the other way around in the original NES versions.
The GameCube version is also missing the Complete Works remixes that were present on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. In addition, Capcom of Europe has not released the compilation in Europe and Australia. The company has not given a reason. Shortly thereafter, there was a petition by fans for both a European release and better treatment of Capcom's mascot in Europe.
There are also differences between each version. The PlayStation 2 version features a Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon episode, while the GameCube version has an interview with Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune and a history of the games. The Xbox version includes the same interview and an episode of the MegaMan NT Warrior anime.
Due to the popularity of MMAC among fans of the series, Capcom followed up with Mega Man X Collection. There is no word from Capcom of Europe whether or not it will see a European release.
Game Boy Advance
A game of the same name (previously known as Mega Man Mania) was supposed to be released on the Game Boy Advance. Despite the name change, the game collection was quite different, featuring colorized versions of the 5 classic Game Boy Mega Man games, including the Super Game Boy game Mega Man V. The title was highly anticipated, as Mega Man IV and V are exceedingly rare.
Originally due to be released concurrently with the GameCube and PlayStation 2 Collections, the game had its release date pushed back several times, with no real explanation given. After rumors of development problems, and of the project's cancellation or transfer to Nintendo DS, the last release date given was February 15, 2006. But in January of 2006, gamers contacting Capcom were told that the game had been placed on "indefinite hold" (many consider this to be equivalent to cancellation). Capcom also began issuing refund checks to those who had ordered MMAC GBA directly through their online store (unlike most other online game sellers, Capcom charges the full amount at the time of purchase for pre-orders which are combined with orders for available items). Around the same time, several retailers, such as GameStop, declared the game "cancelled" and issued refunds or store credits.
As of January 25, 2006, some customers had received their checks (along with a letter from Capcom reiterating the "indefinite hold" status), while some were still waiting, and some were presumably unaware of the situation.