Mega Man Legends 3: 3DS gets another must-have

The last time we checked in with Mega Man Legends 3 we were ogling concept art, comparing prototype art styles and marvelling at the unprecedented openness with which Capcom are developing this most unlikely of sequels.

If you remember, they're running everything past the fans on capcom-unity.com/devroom, getting your approval on many aspects of the game before proceeding.

Since then, we've ogled a bit more concept art, drunk our own weight in tea and witnessed this fan-backed follow-up slowly take shape. If it doesn't turn out to be one of the best 3DS titles of 2011, well, you only have yourselves to blame.


The latest development in the game you should probably get paid for1 is Prototype Version, which will be hitting the 3DS eShop at the time of the service's launch. It's a taster for the main game that's part prologue and part cheeky beta demo. It will cost 200, or in pounds sterling, approximately £1.51694. (They'll probably round that up to a neater number.) But what will you get for the price of a couple of Danish pastries, or two-thirds of a tall cappuccino at a coffee chain?

BETTER BETA

For one thing, you'll get an exclusive version of the game - er, an unfinished version. Although Prototype contains a number of presumably complete levels to try out with a new hero, you'll also be able to poke around in the game's debug menu to look at incomplete features and stages.

Although we're slightly uncomfortable with being charged to play, essentially, an unfinished demo, Capcom are offering an extraordinary level of access to an in-development title - more than us lowly journalists are often afforded.

And if you don't like what you see, you can bet they'll adjust the game accordingly (provided you tell them). In the more complete sections of Prototype, you'll control one of the game's new protagonists - along with Mega Man and his mechanic friend Roll - Barrett.

As a human rather than a walking tin can, Barrett is imbued with Assassin's Creed-style athleticism, which lets him run up walls (take that, Altair) and leap gaps with the power of 1,000 fleas. If that doesn't do it for you, you can always hop on his flying motorcycle and traverse the game's 3D worlds that way.

Interesting development process aside, Legends 3 is shaping up to be one of the must-have games of 2011. To those who posted their ideas and feedback: we salute you, particularly whoever came up with that flying motorbike.

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