Mega Man Legends Lives! (A North American PSN Re-release Finally Happened)

[Nz17]

They did it. They actually did it. After championing the cause for nearly half a decade, Brett Elston and team Capcom USA have made the impossible happen: Mega Man Legends is headed to PlayStation Network in North America.

Capcom has confirmed the original PlayStation classic will launch on the PlayStation Store next Tuesday, September 29th. The game will run for $9.99 - a little pricier than your typical PSOne Classic but far cheaper than the likes of eBay. It will be playable on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita ONLY. Due to "a variety of constraints" it will not play on PSP. Be advised!

This is a huge win for not only the Mega Man community but curious gamers looking to see what all the Legends fuss is about. Capcom USA has my heartfelt thanks for making it happen!

Now, I'm genuinely curious how they got around those gnarly legal hurdles. I wonder if Sony actually eased their master disc image policy and allowed Capcom to go in and remove infringing content. That *might* explain the additional six dollar charge.We'll find out next week!

Bring on 2!

Source: http://www.rockman-corner.com/2015/09/mega-man-legends-is-coming-to-psn-next.html

Note: He writes, "the additional six dollar charge," but that's not right. PSN games are usually $6 ($5.99) and this is $10 ($9.99), making it an additional four dollar charge. Either way, though, this is good news even if there is a bit of a markup compared to regular PSN PSOne re-releases and even if it doesn't play on PSP.

But, for me, I won't be buying this re-release. I already have Mega Man Legends on PS1, N64, and Windows CD-ROM, and while I would have bought this a few years ago, it would have had to have been a physical release on PSP like what Japan got. Even if this were a digital-only release but it was for the regular $6 and compatible with PSP, I would have bought it. But at $10 and for consoles (the PS3 and PSV) which I don't have?* No, I'll pass - thank you.

*While I technically have a PS3, it is a "potentially problematic" console which is missing its A/V hookups and any controllers, so I don't count that one as I don't know how well it works nor do I have the missing components.

[Niku-Sama]

An hdmi or regular PlayStation cable and a cheapo wired controller is all you'd need to test it.

Swap a cable from another system, buy a cheapo controller from Walmart, if it doesn't work return it (you have 15 days, keep receipt and box) and then you've only lost a little bit of time and no money

And yes i agree with your thinking. I have the psx version so why bother. I could even play it on my ps3 if i felt inclined

[JSoup]

Good for the people who haven't played it yet, but I have a physical copy, so I'll be sitting this one out.
Although I am reminded that a digital release of The Misadventures of Tron Bonne happened a handful of months ago.

[Tanooki]

Very good, kind of like Nintendo with Earthbound at $10 instead of $8, you have a $10 instead of $6 PS1 game that a lot of people want and the price was ugly.

I did not know there was a PC version (not that I looked) as I have the N64 game still and enjoy it when I bother with it. I never did like the sequel as I had it on PSOne when I had that, but I bet that'll follow.

[Tron 2.0]

I still have both mega man legend games for the PS1.Still it's great there heading to the psn.Now,any one that missed out on the games have a cheap way to play them.

[Manhattan Sports Club]

I've been waiting for this to happen forever.

I sold my copy of Tron Bonne for a whopping $130 something dollars a few years ago, which I originally paid 6 for at an EB Games liquidation! And now, with that price, I can consider buying it again on PSN, although I finished it when I first owned it.

Now, I can understand the extra cost of MML (allegedly licensing costs because of contracts with other producers/developers), but I may still pick it up. My exposure to MML was with the N64 port which was absolutely horrid, difficult, muddy, and flat out inaudible. I still get nightmares thinking of that shitter. But to revisit it on PS1 is worth a try. Did they also release the sequel on PSN or just the first?

[Tanooki]

Funny I can't stand the PS1 game and enjoy the N64 version and all the improvements they made. Sure the speaking audio is tinny with compression but outside of that I'd take it over the PS CD anytime. Improved camera, control, wider areas were all welcome to me. I'd take the soft visuals over the hard jagged look of the PS game too.

[kupomogli]

The N64 version had crazy bad draw distances and tons of graphical pop in. Can't see how anyone enjoyed that version better.

[Nz17]

Owning all three of the releases from back in the day, I must say that I find these claims puzzling. With the N64 game, the audio is more compressed than the PS1/PC version and you can definitely hear that with the audio being a little bit less discernible in Mega Man 64, yet it is still clear enough and with most speech also being "subtitled," what is being said is quite understandable; but all of these other claims about the differences between the PS1/PC version and the N64 which people have made over the years I find dubious. From my understanding, the changes are /very/ small between the two outside of the more compressed audio, and all versions play fine.

But let's hear from someone who took the time to compile all of the differences:


Section 3:
4.Differences

From PS1 (Mega Man Legends) to N64 (Mega Man 64), here is a complete
list of differences:

Audio:

1.Capcom has used voice compression technology in Mega Man 64. This
reduces the quality of the voices so they take less space. All the voices
remain intact and are understandable, however.

2.After the first cutscene with Tron and after collecting the red refractor, the
music doesn't start up in the N64 version until you enter a different area.

3.The CD Samples (found in the CD shop in the Apple Market) have been
removed in Mega Man 64.

4.The ending credits music has been removed, replaced with the KTOX
TV Station music.

Graphics:

5.The draw-in distance is slightly weaker in the N64 version, resulting in a
foggier distance (thus, not allowing you to see quite as much in the distance).
There are a few exceptions, however. Many of the smaller places (such as
the City Hall, KTOX TV Station, Apple Market, etc.) have the same draw-in
distance as the PS1 version.

6.Capcom takes advantage of the N64's extra graphical beef by adding Anti-
Aliasing to the graphics. This makes everything smooth, so the visuals are no
longer pixellated and everything looks far less jagged. The game looks about
30% more realistic than the PS1 version.

Controls:

7.You can use the Control Stick or Pad in Mega Man 64. The PS1 version is
limited to the pad only (since the game was released before the Dual Shock
controllers arrived).

Misc:

8.The 5 second Capcom FMV (full motion video) from the PS1 version that
appears when you turn the game on has been removed. A full-color, high-res
picture of the Capcom logo replaces that.

9.The name of the game has changed to "Mega Man 64".

10.The copyright info on the title screen has been updated to "© Capcom Co.,
Ltd. 1997, 2000 All Rights Reserved"

11.The game says to "Press Start" instead of "Press Start Button" on the title
screen (this is common in Nintendo versions of games....)

12.After crash landing on Kattlelox Island, find an old vehicle. Pressing the
search button in the PS1 version (Circle) does nothing, but pressing the
search button in the N64 version (C-Down) gives you two new bits of information
about the vehicle.

13.You can use the Rumble Pak to feel Mega Man's pain. The PS1 version does
not support rumble.

14.Battery-backed cartridge memory replaces Memory Cards.

15.The N64 version has 16 save files. The PS1 version has 5.

16.There is a glitch that occasionally happens in the N64 version while
standing on cars, trucks, tanks, etc. (basically, any moving vehicle) that causes
Mega Man to slowly slide to the right or left and fall off.

17.Credits for the N64 port team have been added to the credits in the N64
version.

18.Since the N64 version is a cartridge, load times are not required. Since
the PS1 version is a CD, it requires load times everytime a different area is
entered.

19.In the Akbar Toys store in the Apple Market, search the game in there. A
minor change has been made to the text that appears. It now says "So this
is that new game called Mega Man 64...it looks pretty interesting!". Take a
wild guess as to what it said in Mega Man Legends.

20.Orange houses have a "1963" poster in the N64 version. These houses have
a "Peace" poster in the PS1 version.

21.Blue houses have a poster with a blown up pig in the N64 version. The blue
houses have a poster with a miniature pig and the words "Don't kick us!" in the
PS1 version.

Source: http://www.gamefaqs.com/n64/913960-mega-man-64/faqs/33895

Thank you for the info, Mr. "Mega Man 5."

[Tanooki]

Well that's a better detailed and more things list of what I kind of said. It just comes down in a way to taste if you get beyond the compressed audio. That differences list does lack the fact they changed the shape of the areas and made them a bit less confined on the N64 as I recall that being in an old NP magazine in the day.

[kupomogli]

It also mentioned the bad draw distances that I was pointing out .Some of the time I might talk crap because it's Nintendo, but I'm not downing Mega Man 64 because it's Nintendo, it's because it's easily the worst of the two.

Just look. Skip to 2:15 PSX / 2:27 N64 for one comparison 5:38 PSX/ 5:38 for N64 comparison 2. 49:45 PSX/49:44 N64 for comparison 3. Despite what that quote states, apple market also takes a second to fully be visible as it has a slight white hue at the end that disappears after it's finished loading. Old City definitely looks the worst of them because not only is the draw distance worse than the other areas it seems, all the textures are just terrible. When the PSX version is available, I don't see how this game can be played.

N64 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZFjLFy8Wxc PSX https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbb__1MYC28

Resident Evil 2 on the other hand s a fine port. Sound quality isn't as good and it isn't quite as sharp, but it has better 3D character models is a plus and it's otherwise identical.

Nightmare Creatures on PSX looks sharper, but Ignacius having either no hit detection at all or horrible hit detection for some of better combo attacks makes the N64 version the best version to play.

[Tanooki]

I don't mind the draw distance with the trade off of the other perks but you are on the nose with RE2 and NC as ice tried both and on n64 they're more fun. I really need to hook it back up sometime. Away from the selective crazy price games it has potential. I just loathe using it on a job crt because of lighting issues notable on rogue squadron

[PizzaKat]

I never played this so I'm definitely looking to see what the fuss is all about. I got The Misadventures of Tron Bonne and that is a pretty fun game. So many Playstation games that I overlooked. I gotta check which are some good cheap ones.

[Zthun]

How I'm looking at it since I love digital copies:

WTS Mega Man Legends Complete PS1 - $50.

Goes to buy MML on PSN for $10.

~$35 left over for other stuff. Makes sense to me.

[Az]

What's this "infringing content" referred to in the original article? Better yet, does their claim of this not running on PSP hold water (IE will it work on a modded PSP)?

[kupomogli]

What's this "infringing content" referred to in the original article? Better yet, does their claim of this not running on PSP hold water (IE will it work on a modded PSP)?

I own the game and used a program to rip it from the CD then PSX2PSP to create an Eboot file. Much better than paying $10. The only PSX games I've purchased digitally on PSN have been $3 or less. At that price I don't mind spending money as it takes less time than from me creating the eboot file.

[Tanooki]

I actually pulled out my N64 last night due to this thread and I got some surprises. I was just going to pop Mega Man 64 in there to refresh my memory but wow I lucked out. I've had it in a cardboard box sealed up for over a year now, and really other than a few times when I had the Sharp NES TV (using RF) had not been able to use it for years because most LCD tvs have light/shadow (goes black) problems, very muddy visuals (well beyond AA), hard blurring on 2D imagery and other garbage so I gave up on it. Shock and surprise my cheap 29" Vizio I picked up due to the awesome low MS lag on it and style screen actually loves the N64. I ended up running MM64 and Mario last night and the 2D stuff was crisp, the AA was normal, the mud wasn't there, and then I pulled out DOOM 64 chronically dark as hell and impossible to play -- not this time, very viewable without even tweaking the brightness/gamma bar. Today I went and snapped up Blast Corps and Bombmerman Hero -- the first had light/blur problems and Hudson games add on extra mud -- both accurate to a CRT. I'm happy to have that plugged back in after so long.

MM64 did take a little getting used to again, N64 was the middle ground where only some games held your hand and a lot threw you to the wolves or only gave partial help. Did the opening stuff and wandered around the outside of the crashed ship. I think it has aged pretty well and is still fun. The draw distance of course isn't what the PS1 game, it's a little less, and you have the fog to cover it up nicely enough you don't get a lot of pop in. Controls worked great, audio was awesome though yes I did remember voices are compressed a bit but not badly. It played with good flow, didn't chug from what I saw, and it handled all around admirably well. I think it just gets a bad rap.

[The 1 2 P]

I read about this a few weeks ago but only releasing it on PSN assures they won't be getting a sale from me. I found the first Mega Man Legends at Goodwill last year for $4 but sold it before I ever got a chance to play it. My PS3 is no longer hooked up to my tv due to a lack of any more hdmi ports but I still would have preferred to get it for one of the systems I play the most which would be my Xbox's.

[Gameguy]

How I'm looking at it since I love digital copies:

WTS Mega Man Legends Complete PS1 - $50.

Goes to buy MML on PSN for $10.

~$35 left over for other stuff. Makes sense to me.
Or you could download an ISO of Mega Man Legends, burn it to disc, and play it on a modded PS1. If you already have a modded PS1, that's just about $0.50 for the disc. This method was readily available for years so waiting for a PSN release is really a waste of time. I really hope nobody wasted years just hoping for this type of release to happen.

With just reading this thread I now found out it was the same game as the N64 Mega Man 64, as I've played the N64 version it's really nothing special anyway.

[Tanooki]

I couldn't agree with that. It's special in its own way because it's unique up against what Mega Man games had been until that time. It's kind of a take it or leave it thing really if you can deal with the change. Also, surprisingly not a lot of people are into modding and would refuse to hack their hardware, and I'm sure some out there still have no idea you even could do it either. I never cracked open any of my disc based systems. I've used a few flash kits but they leave the system alone.

[The 1 2 P]

Also, surprisingly not a lot of people are into modding and would refuse to hack their hardware.

That would be me. I put modding up there with drinking and smoking, I just don't do it and never had any real interest in it. Also it was pretty simple to play imports(another reason people mod their systems) on the PS1 with an import converter so that kept me quite busy with all my domestic and import games. The only modding I've ever been interested in is the modding done on PC games but since I don't play games on PC that also doesn't affect me.

[Zthun]

Or you could download an ISO of Mega Man Legends, burn it to disc, and play it on a modded PS1. If you already have a modded PS1, that's just about $0.50 for the disc. This method was readily available for years so waiting for a PSN release is really a waste of time. I really hope nobody wasted years just hoping for this type of release to happen.

With just reading this thread I now found out it was the same game as the N64 Mega Man 64, as I've played the N64 version it's really nothing special anyway.

In all honesty, I'm starting to get really into libretro and retroarch's emulator workflow. The interface is much nicer than anything I've seen so far and it can be controlled with a joystick.

But the best part (and saddest), is that the PSX emulator core in retroarch is mednafen, and if you look at the accuracy scores for different emulators, mednafen scores among the top of the bunch and is 30% more accurate than sony's official emulator. That's funny.

So I would say now that you can rip your ps1 game and load it using retroarch and mednafen, that's the current way to go. No modding required, though you'll be running through your PC.

[Tanooki]

That would be me. I put modding up there with drinking and smoking, I just don't do it and never had any real interest in it. Also it was pretty simple to play imports(another reason people mod their systems) on the PS1 with an import converter so that kept me quite busy with all my domestic and import games. The only modding I've ever been interested in is the modding done on PC games but since I don't play games on PC that also doesn't affect me.

I was speaking in general but I include myself in that. I've never hacked the firmware or lockout chip of any system really. The exception was snipping the security chip once on an original NES so I could play Parodius PAL and more so to stop it being so bitchy about loading games (was rock solid like a top loader after I did it too.) And I put a 101 screen in my original GBA last month but that was a visual improvement not really hacking to circumvent or anything crazy. I don't like mods and I don't like breaking into stuff as I'm fine as it is. If I can find a pure software work around or a flash kit I can deal with that. I've got a Freeloader v2.06 for my gamecube, it lets me play the PAL version of Doshin the Giant and also 2 of the Hudson JP titles (Bonk and Star soldier) which are awesome. If I get back into GB again eventually there's a few other games I'd snap up.

[Gameguy]

So I would say now that you can rip your ps1 game and load it using retroarch and mednafen, that's the current way to go. No modding required, though you'll be running through your PC.
That's another option, just playing it on an emulator. Just mentioned the burned disc as it would be on authentic hardware if it mattered. I personally don't mod my systems as I prefer them to be stock unaltered, but finding modded PS1s is pretty easy and cheap, or at least it used to be. I found several with all hookups and controllers for under $10 total.


As for not liking the game, it has nothing to do with nostalgia over the original Mega Man games. I never got into any Mega Man games until much later on, I found the N64 game around the same time as finding the NES games or at least I got around to playing them at the same time. The NES and SNES games are playable once you get used to not having to defeat all enemies before moving forward, I used to have the mindset to destroy all enemies on screen before moving forward as that's what I usually do with my other games, but the Mega Man games aren't beatable this way as enemies respawn. The N64 game I got sick of after a few minutes of playing, I might try it again as I think I still have a copy, but I don't think it's anything amazing or special.