With a new gameplay trailer out, Mighty Number 9, the side scrolling shooter from Keiji Inafune, is showing tons of promise.
Last year the famed Mega Man creator set out to find funding for his modern license-dodging take on the classic run/jump/shoot formula he helped to pioneer, successfully pulling almost 4 million dollars in funding for the project on Kickstarter. With plans to release the title, named Mighty Number 9, on every major console currently in production, Inafune’s team an Comcept USA is aiming for the stars with their homage to retro shooters.
If their new gameplay footage trailer is anything to go by, they might just hit their target.
Watching the trailer is likely to bring both fond and frustrating memories to the minds of old-school gamers everywhere. With its influences obvious in everything from the character and level design to the very music pulsing through every frame, Mighty Number 9’s intent as a “spiritual sequel” to the classic Mega Man series is clear. The game does more than show its roots through subtle hints and references: it shouts about them from the rooftops while Storm Eagle’s theme blasts from the stereo behind it, proclaiming to all and sundry the pride it takes in its heritage.
Inafune is far from the only Mega Man alum with ties to Mighty Number 9. Much of the dev team behind the title is composed of programmers, artists, and level designers who all share a history with the series, and so far the scope of their work has shown a strong dedication to all the elements that made a series a classic, even down to the story.
Quoted below is the story blurb from the game’s own official site:
“Dr. White created 9 robot siblings known as the “Mighty Numbers”, who were the most popular and powerful team of robots in the Battle Colosseum and always in the top ranks. But, during one competition there was a sudden act of cyber terror, infecting them with a computer virus causing them to become crazed and rampant.
The crazed siblings took control of various key facilities and utilities. The virus continued to spread to all the robots of the world. It is now up to the lone Mighty No.9 “Beck”, who remains unaffected by the virus. Beck, who had always been the weakest link on the team, was now entrusted with the future of all humanity!”
Similarities to the storyline of Mega Man 6 are far from the only influences the game sees from the last Mega Man title on the NES. Like its spiritual predecessor Mighty Number 9 has also decided to take input from fans on everything from enemy design to color schemes, and the game’s official site is active with user input and developer response.
For now, release is expected in April of 2015 for the PC (Windows, Mac, and Linux,) Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PS Vita, and 3DS.