Mugen (game engine) facts for kids
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| Developer(s) | Elecbyte |
|---|---|
| Initial release | July 27, 1999 |
| Stable release |
1.0 / January 10, 2011
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| Written in | C |
| Platform | MS-DOS, Linux, Windows, macOS |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Game Engine |
| License | Freeware |
Mugen (also known as M.U.G.E.N) is a free 2D fighting game engine. It was created by a company called Elecbyte. This engine lets people make their own fighting games. Players can create thousands of characters and stages. Some characters are completely new, while others are from popular movies, shows, or games. The name "Mugen" comes from a Japanese word meaning "limitless" or "infinity."
Contents
How to Play M.U.G.E.N
M.U.G.E.N uses four direction keys and seven buttons for gameplay. These buttons are usually A, B, C, X, Y, Z, and Start. This setup works well for fighting games that use three punch buttons and three kick buttons. However, characters don't always use all seven buttons.
Up to two players can control characters in a game. Other characters can be controlled by the computer's AI. There's even a "Watch Mode" where the computer controls all characters. The game has different modes you can choose from the main menu.
Game Modes
The first mode is Arcade mode. Here, your character fights against computer-controlled characters. The order of these fights can be random or set up however you like.
There are also three types of Team modes:
- Single: This is like playing alone without a team.
- Simul: In this mode, your side gets a computer-controlled partner. Both of you fight at the same time.
- Turns: You use a different character for each round. You can have a set number of characters, usually from 2 to 4.
If one side has more characters than the other, their starting health might be adjusted. For example, if two characters are on one side and only one on the other, the two characters will each have half of their normal health.
Survival mode is another exciting option. In this mode, you face an endless stream of opponents. They can fight you one by one or two at a time in a Simul match. Your goal is to defeat as many opponents as possible. The game ends when your character or team is defeated. You can play Survival mode alone or in Simul or Turns mode. Playing alone usually gives you more health and more health back after each round you win. This mode was added later, so it's not in the very old versions of M.U.G.E.N.
The Story of M.U.G.E.N
M.U.G.E.N was first created for MS-DOS computers. It was made by a group of students from the University of Michigan. The first public test version came out on July 27, 1999. Elecbyte later stopped working on the DOS version and moved to the Linux computer system in November 2001.
For a while, Elecbyte asked for donations to help them make a version for Microsoft Windows. However, the group stopped working on the project in 2003 and closed their website. People later thought that the original developers stopped working on M.U.G.E.N after they finished college, as it was a college project.
WinM.U.G.E.N
A private test version of WinM.U.G.E.N (the Windows version) was shared with a few people. This version had some limits, like only allowing two characters and locking some game modes. When this test version was leaked, a "no limit" hack was created in 2004. This hack removed most of the restrictions. This hacked version worked much like the last Linux release.
In May 2007, a modified version of WinM.U.G.E.N was released by someone else. This version allowed for high-resolution stages, which made the game look sharper. Later, other modifications added support for high-resolution select screens. By December 2007, a hack allowed both low-resolution and high-resolution stages to work in the same game.
In mid-2007, Elecbyte's website came back online. They later added a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. They announced plans to release a fixed version of WinM.U.G.E.N. They also warned that future versions might not work with older characters and content.
M.U.G.E.N 1.0 and Beyond
On September 19, 2009, Elecbyte made a surprise return. They updated their website with a forum and a downloads section. A new version of M.U.G.E.N was available there. This version, called M.U.G.E.N 1.0 Release Candidate, included new features. These included official support for HD (high-definition) resolutions, victory screens, and different languages.
On January 18, 2011, Elecbyte released the full 1.0 version for Windows. This version fixed most of the bugs from the test versions. It was also compatible with almost all the content that had been made before. After the 1.0 release, Elecbyte became quiet again for a long time.
In 2013, a test version of M.U.G.E.N 1.1 alpha 4 was leaked online. This version added features like stage-zooming. In August 2013, M.U.G.E.N 1.1 beta 1 was released to the public. This version fixed many bugs from the earlier 1.1 test versions. More updates for 1.1 were planned to improve the engine even more.
In July 2014, a fan-made version of Mugen 1.0 for Mac OS X was released. It worked very well. The 1.1 beta 1 version for Mac came out in January 2015.
Elecbyte's website has been offline since 2015. However, an open-source project called I.K.E.M.E.N started in 2010. It adds new features like online play. A newer version, I.K.E.M.E.N Go, is also being made to work with M.U.G.E.N content and improve online play.
Customizing Your M.U.G.E.N Game
People who create content for M.U.G.E.N are often called "authors." These authors make custom characters, stages, and even change the look of the game's menus. Many authors create popular characters from other 2D fighting games like Street Fighter. They also make characters from TV shows, books, and games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokémon, and Dragon Ball. Many authors also create their own original characters.
There are many websites where authors share their creations. This group of creators and fans is often called the "Mugen Community." Games built using the M.U.G.E.N engine sometimes focus on a single series, like Dragon Ball Z.
Because M.U.G.E.N is so customizable, no two versions of the game are exactly alike. Everyone can download their own copy of the engine and add content to make it just how they like. Sometimes, groups of M.U.G.E.N authors work together to create a full game using the engine. These games are available in different qualities and follow the general M.U.G.E.N license. This license allows people to use the M.U.G.E.N engine for free for non-commercial (not for money) purposes.
See also
In Spanish: MUGEN para niños
- Fighter Maker
- Beats of Rage
- Rivals of Aether
