Source note: Local copy of a Summer Into AI 2026 submission originally published on Substack. Screenshots, video, and audio found in the post body are mirrored locally when publicly accessible; profile and avatar images are intentionally not copied. Read the canonical post.
One of the classic all-time games and game mechanics is the console hit Megaman. The game loop of Megaman has a consistent vibe. Press start, then pick which boss you want to fight, and then beat the stage to reach the boss. Beat the boss and get their weapon. Repeat to get a crack at the final boss where you get to try using all your gear at once. Also, catchy music.
Of all the vibe coded games I’ve built, I have to say I think I like this one the most. While it has controls for a phone, it’s meant to be played on the computer. There’s even cheat codes available if you need a little extra help.
If you stay on the title screen, you’ll be treated to a short cinematic that explains the game, the bosses and characters in the game. I got a little ahead of myself in this one. You don’t just get one “megaman” or “Founderman” in this game. Oh, you get four. Each one has their own unique special weapon plus the typical musketbuster that you can use. And each special is unique.
After you select your character, enter the pause menu to activate their special ability. This is the same UI interaction required to switch to boss modes later on when you’ve acquired power ups. Use the arrow keys to ‘select the powerup’ and then hit enter. You call also quick cycle by pressing the ‘q’ key.
George Washington gets a small charge brigade that charges the field.
Paul Revere throws a newspaper to get a turret that shoots the enemies.
Franklin gets a kite and Jefferson gets an inkwell that acts as a gravitational well-freedom pulls in everyone into the ink. Plus, all the other abilities available in the game.
Each of the bosses has unique fight mechanics. These bosses are hard. Each is defeatable. Be sure to match the weapon and make use of the stage geometry.
The Final Boss
If you make it all the way to the final boss, I have a special treat when the boss is defeated. It’s a little too cool to spoil here, but rest assured it’ll both challenge and delight anyone who makes it all the way to the end.
Controls
The player has a slide. This is useful for sneaking under some shots, or getting away fast from enemies. You can click the slide button or press ‘C’.
Shooting has two levels to it- you can just push ‘x’ to shoot, or some weapons have charge features. Hold the ‘x’ button to charge up your weapon.
Jumping is done by spacebar-but take care, some of those jumps are unforgiving.
Known Issues
If you alt tab away from the game and then return back to it, then game clock will be sped up and the animation and encounters will be played at 10x speed. The only fix found is to just refresh your page or wait the same amount of time you were away from the game for the clock to synchronize.
Charged shots don’t carry with the slide. This is a minor issue, but it’s important to note.
Music Samples
Here’s a couple tracks from the game.
Where to play
https://www.ericrhea.com/gamelab/projects/founderman/
Cheat Codes
Only available at the title screen and on the desktop.
shift+2 - unlock all weapons
shift+4 - unlock boss fights only
shift+9 - unlock final boss stage
Original source
Canonical Substack URL: https://advisoryhour.substack.com/p/summer-into-ai-2026-megaman-1776.