Kicking off the 9/16 Capcom Spotlight at the Tokyo Game Show is Capcom’s blue bomber, Mega Man. His upcoming 2.4D platformer, Dual Override, brings the series’ side-scrolling format to its 40th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate the Mega Man franchise than fighting the Robomasters with his arch-rival, Proto Man. They will be bringing the heat with new game mechanics to face new foes and save the world.
Mega Man Still Ransacking His Foes’ Arsenal
Dual Override follows previous titles’ formula of Mega Man’s jump-and-shoot platforming. He will still have access to Special Weapons that will aid his progression in stopping the Robomasters from destroying his city. So long as the Blue Bomber defeats them and uses their arsenal against them.
Like past Mega Man titles, Special Weapons grants him abilities that offer creative platforming tricks and powerful attacks to progress through stages. The Blue Bomber will still have his trusty Mega Buster by his side for his Default weapon.
Proto Man’s Shield Has Abilities Now
Players can now swap between Mega Man and Proto Man for this adventure. Unlike previous mainline titles, Dual Override is taking the helm of giving the Proto Shield the spotlight. Proto Man was always designed with a shield on his back, but it wasn’t used as a game mechanic until the 2006 PSP spinoff, Mega Man: Powered Up. It protected him against incoming projectiles while standing idle.
The Proto Shield requires mastery, as executing actions will overheat it. Players will need to plan carefully before using its capabilities, or they will suffer the consequences. Like Mega Man, it also gathers battle data from defeated Robomasters.
Custom Chips for Your Play Style
Custom Chips are another new feature in Dual Override that no one ever expected. Players have acknowledged their existence in the Mega Man Battle Network and Mega Man Star Force series. They grant Mega Man battle commands in timed reactions.
Dual Override treats Custom Chips as upgrades and modifiers for Mega Man and Proto Man’s abilities. They can adapt to any play style the player desires. They can play more offensively, stay on the defensive, or even become more agile.
Going Override in Dual Override
Finally, there’s the Override System. According to the Capcom Spotlight broadcast, this acts as an ultimate attack to unleash devastating damage against foes. However, it will leave Mega Man and Proto Man vulnerable for a limited time. It forces players to defend against themselves while dealing with a temporary cooldown.
The gameplay demonstration features both robot heroes using Override. The developers find it wise and risky to use it only against bosses. If a player isn’t aware of their attack patterns, they could soon meet their fate multiple times till they see a game over screen. While side-scrolling Mega Man titles have always been challenging, the Override System zests up the traditional formula.
Has Dr. Wily Returned?
The main question in this next installment is whether the lead villain, Dr. Wily, is making a return. Dual Override has hinted at his appearance, but there is no trailer showing signs of the mad doctor.
The official game page does suggest that it is him thanks to the one snippet of the synopsis. It reads, “When Dr. Light is away from the lab, robots at the ongoing Robot Exhibition suddenly go haywire!” And Dr. Wily is one of the main super geniuses in the Mega Man series.
Another possible antagonist that could return for the Blue Bomber’s 40th anniversary could be the Black Shadow, Bass. He has stayed in the mainline games for Mega Man 6, 7, 8, and 9. For now, players will have to wait and see if the mastermind appears.
