How Capcom Rebuilt Mega Man Star Force for Modern Platforms Using RE Engine

Capcom’s Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection brings one of the franchise’s more experimental eras back to modern platforms, but the process goes far beyond a straightforward port. Originally designed for the Nintendo DS, the Star Force series relied heavily on dual-screen interaction, hybrid combat systems, and a range of interconnected mechanics that don’t easily translate to today’s hardware.

To better understand how the team approached these challenges, we spoke with Producer Shingo Izumi and Director Koji Oda about adapting dual-screen gameplay, rebuilding assets within RE Engine, and modernizing accessibility while preserving the original experience.

Can you start by telling me a bit about your background before Capcom, and your career at Capcom so far?

Shingo Izumi, Producer: Prior to joining Capcom, I worked at other game companies where I was involved in the development, operation, and promotion of MMORPGs, browser-based games, mobile titles, and online portal services.

After joining Capcom, I transitioned into the production role and have since worked on titles such as Monster Hunter: World, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, Monster Hunter Riders, and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (current-generation port). My involvement with the Mega Man series began around 2023.

The Star Force games were originally built for the Nintendo DS with a dual-screen interface. What were the biggest challenges in adapting that experience to modern single-screen platforms while preserving the original intent?

Koji Oda, Director: In the original version, players were free to decide which screen to focus on at any given moment, moving their eyes naturally to whichever information they wanted to see. This flexibility is something that simply cannot be replicated this time.

For this collection, our process began by displaying both screens together. From there, we repeatedly tested and evaluated questions such as what moments should each screen become the main display or where should the secondary screen be positioned to remain easy to read? Through extensive iteration and verification, we defined what we considered to be the recommended display.

However, we also came to realize that these solutions could never truly match the flexibility of natural human eye movement. As a result, we decided to implement a wide range of options that allow players to freely customize screen combinations according to their own preferences.

The Star Force series blends grid-based tactical combat with real-time action elements. Did revisiting this hybrid system influence how you think about modern combat design?

Koji Oda: No matter how powerful a card may be, it cannot guarantee victory on its own—players still need a certain level of action-based skill. On the other hand, even those who may not excel at fast-paced action can create opportunities to defeat enemies by focusing on when and how to use powerful cards effectively.

These two elements of action and strategy fluidly shift between static and dynamic moments, maintaining a sense of excitement while also giving players the mental space to respond calmly. We felt that this balance struck an exceptionally fine line between tension and control.

While this approach cannot be applied to every type of game design, it holds a strong potential to engage a wide range of players, from beginners to experienced players, without losing their interest. Although rebooting the system itself may be necessary over time, the core philosophy—encouraging players of all skill levels to keep recognizing and seizing their chances rather than giving up—is something we believe will remain meaningful regardless of the era.

From a technical standpoint, how were the original assets—such as sprites, UI, and 3D battle elements—handled? Can you share details about the production process and pipeline, or which engines, software, and tools were used?

Koji Oda: The process began with converting assets from the original version. However, not all materials remained in a complete or satisfactory state, so we needed to polish them up, and in cases where accurate reproduction was not possible, certain elements had to be recreated from scratch on a per-part basis.

Even when original assets were available, extensive adjustments were required to ensure they fit properly within the current engine environment. This included fine-tuning a wide range of aspects such as color balance, sense of scale, and rendering priority. Completing a single model, effect, or animation involved repeatedly testing how it appeared in-game, making adjustments, and refining it step by step—a process that was very much unique to this Legacy Collection.

(Due to various constraints, we are only able to disclose that the tools used are based on our proprietary RE Engine.)

Why is Capcom so committed to creating collections of its classic IPs? This seems like something a lot of publishers aren't interested in, but Capcom has done an admirable job over the years, especially with Mega Man.

Shingo Izumi:
The first point is the ability to improve overall accessibility from both a gameplay environment perspective and a player experience perspective.

In terms of the play environment, the biggest advantage is being able to enjoy the game comfortably on current-generation hardware. In addition, thanks to backward compatibility, players can continue playing even after upgrading their hardware, allowing them to enjoy the title over a longer period. From our standpoint, this also helps position the collection as a “long-tail product” that can continue selling over time.

From the player experience side, introducing new features that make gameplay smoother and more convenient helps lower barriers to entry. By improving ease of play, we see this as an opportunity to attract new fans who may not have experienced the series before.

The second point is revitalizing the brand. Through this collection, we aim to bring in new fans as well as re-engage returning players, and ultimately connect that renewed interest to future titles—such as Mega Man: Dual Override—as well as related past releases, including collections like the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.

Many players are experiencing Star Force for the first time. How did the team approach onboarding and accessibility, especially with added features like difficulty adjustments or encounter rate options?

Koji Oda: The protagonist’s compelling coming-of-age story, the equally strong cast of companions, and the deeply refined battle system remain exciting and emotionally powerful even when played today, maintaining a very high standard of quality. However, it is also true that, due to the sales strategies at the time of the original release, the games included numerous layers of hidden mechanics and obscured features. Some content could only be enjoyed through external connectivity beyond the game cartridge itself, and player progression often required a significant time investment. In addition, players had to endure extensive layers of random chance, all of which can feel quite unforgiving when viewed through a modern lense.

That said, we strongly felt that we wanted players who had never heard of Mega Man Star Force to experience this unique sense of fun firsthand. At the same time, we also wanted players who had tried but were ultimately forced to give up in the past to see the journey through to the very end. To achieve this, simply porting the original game would not be enough—we felt that bold structural changes were essential.

When we developed Mega Man 11, we were able to start from a blank slate, which allowed us to realize our ideal approach by integrating modern design sensibilities naturally into the core system. With this collection, however, changing the underlying foundation was not an option. After much deliberation, we shifted our way of thinking and made a decisive choice: instead of enforcing a single “ideal” experience, we would provide players with as many options as possible to pursue their own ideal way of playing.

From that point on, our guiding principle was to enhance overall comfort and accessibility without diminishing the sense of achievement that players originally experienced. We focused on carefully preserving what made the original rewarding while smoothing out the elements that could become obstacles, allowing a wider range of players to fully enjoy the experience.

Legacy projects often reveal quirks in original codebases. Were there any unexpected technical hurdles or discoveries when revisiting the Star Force games?

Koji Oda: In Mega Man Star Force 1 and 2, the program system was largely carried over from the original game to its sequel with only minor changes. However, starting with Mega Man Star Force 3, the program system was completely overhauled, and I was struck by how much more flexible its overall structure had become.

That flexibility did mean that porting Mega Man Star Force 3 required considerably more time. Still, when reflecting on the original development schedule, it gave me a real sense of how much of a bold decision this must have been for the original developers. You can truly feel the weight of the challenges and effort they must have faced in making that leap at the time.

Mega Man: Dual Override represents the next major step for the franchise. Without going too deep, are there any design or technical philosophies from past Mega Man titles—or even Legacy Collections—that are influencing its development?

Shingo Izumi: While there is only a limited amount of information we can share at this time, we can say that the title will undoubtedly draw on the experience and knowledge gained from previous entries in the series.

We hope you will look forward to future updates.

With Mega Man approaching its 40th anniversary, how do you see the franchise evolving? What role do projects like Legacy Collections play in shaping its future alongside new titles?

Shingo Izumi: We intend to continue expanding the fan base while carefully preserving the appeal and value of the brand and pursuing new challenges. Our immediate focus is to ensure the success of Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection and Mega Man: Dual Override, and to build a strong foundation that connects to the future.

At the same time, we believe that collection titles play a significant role in revitalizing a brand, while also serving an important purpose in preserving and passing down game culture as part of its historical legacy. Ideally, we would like to release new titles and collection titles consistently, alternating between the two over time.

Producer Shingo Izumi and Director Koji Oda from Capcom

Interview conducted by David Jagneaux

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