In 1990, Capcom released Mega Man 3. People usually remember different things from this NES classic – some players remember Magnet Man and his goofy character design, while others remember that the most useless power-up in the game was what beat the final boss. Putting the smaller details aside, almost nobody forgets the robot that showed up in the middle of every level to kick your ass, but how could you really – he was wearing a scarf. Break Man made his first appearance, but his identity would not be revealed until the end of the game.

Whether you spell his name Proto Man, or "Protoman," it’s not hard to instantly find something to like about the Blue Bomber’s mysterious older sibling. A haunting whistle always announces his arrival, and he usually disappears as quickly as he came. His motives are always shrouded in fog, and just when you think you have him figured out, he does something you didn’t expect.

Proto Man’s air of mystery could be the cause of his popularity, but given Capcom’s penchant for spin-off games and prequels, it’s shocking to see that Proto Man never received a solo adventure of any sort. He’s obviously a very experienced fighter, so why didn’t Capcom ever explain where his experience came from? Only adding to the surprising nature of this lack of Proto Man titles are the original intentions of Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. Inafune has gone on record saying Proto Man is the character he originally came up with before being convinced to use the blue-hued robot we all know and love.

Will Proto Man ever see his own game? The closest he has ever come to his own adventure is when he was included in Mega Man Powered Up for the PSP as an unlockable character. An awesome bonus to say the least, but only a bonus in the end. A solo game isn’t looking too likely for the red and gray reploid – it seems Papa Inafune has already satiated his desire for a crimson-hued protagonist in Zero, a character hailing from the Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero series’. Will cameos be enough to satisfy his fans? It’s starting to look like they’ll have to be, as this lone wolf will probably never get his time in the limelight.