In the year 200X, famed robotic engineer Dr. Thomas Light develops the world's first artificially intellegent, humanoid robots. Dr. Light holds a vision of robots and humans working peacefully side-by-side. His two household robots, Rock and Roll, he considers like his own children. He also creates six other robots with specific industrial functions.

However, one day Dr. Albert Wily, an old academic rival of Dr. Light's, resurfaces after years missing and steals Dr. Light's six industrial robots. Still carrying his wounded pride from past events, he modifies Dr. Light's robots for battle purposes and uses them in his plans to take over the world.

Rock, having a strong sense of justice, pleads with Dr. Light to convert him into a battle robot. Dr. Light grudgingly accepts his request, and hence the heroic robot Mega Man was born. Mega Man now fights to stop Dr. Light's reprogrammed robots and Dr. Wily's evil scheme.