Snapshot 2014 01 08 214009

Let's forget all about consoles for a moment. Mega Man is an icon that defies the medium, up there among the greats and immortalised in song, literature, and even Lego. He's had a shot at just about everything by now, and in December we reported that an officially licensed board game concept had hit Kickstarter.

It may sound like a niche idea, but after smashing an initial target of $70,000 the Kickstarter campaign is now rapidly approaching $300,000 in funding, so the audience is definitely there. It's an idea that may seem a little nonsensical at first - transferring the frantic twitch gameplay of a classic NES series to a slow-paced board game - but think back to the intensity and bitter tactics of a game so simple as Monopoly, and the blue bomber starts to feel right at home.

Tabletop gaming has been going through something of a renaissance lately with games both old and new getting a fresh surge of interest, and Jasco Games have strived to give an authentic experience here. The pieces look great, the idea seems fun, and now a recent video explains exactly how the game works over the course of 20 minutes.

It may seem pretty daunting to some, but the appeal for many will actually be how elaborate it all looks. There's plenty of room for strategy and planning well ahead, meaning tons of replay value for fans.

In short, 2-8 players will control not only their character, but Dr.Wily's legion of robot masters as well, aiming to progress while simultaneously slowing down other players. You travel from stage to stage, defeating each 'boss' and powering up as a result before attempting to take down the evil doctor himself and win the game. Alliances will be built and broken along the way, backs will be stabbed, and friendships will be tested. It seems like a fantastic way to keep momentum going when the idea of waiting around for your turn is completely eliminated.

It's a different kind of interactivity for the android hero. There are ten days left in the campaign and upcoming stretch goals will bring coloured game pieces and Mega Man's trusty companion Rush as a bonus character. You can still snag yourself a copy of the game too, and with an estimated delivery date of October this year, it can be just in time for a not-so-lazy after Christmas dinner distraction.

Check out the video and let us know what you think — does this tempt you?

[source destructoid.com]