Plates (プレート, Purēto) are items found in games from the original Mega Man series.

Appearances

Mega Man 5

There are eight plates: M, E, G, A, M, A, N, and V (R, O, C, K, M, A, N, and 5 in Japan). Each one is in a different Robot Master stage. When the player gets all of them, Beat becomes available. Those plates are used as a signal that allows Beat to locate Mega Man, as his internal radar cannot lock on to his position from a distance.^[1] Beat can assist Mega Man in Proto Man's Castle and the Wily Castle, most notably against all four Dark Men and the Wily Capsule II.

Plate		Stage	Location
		Gravity Man's stage	In an area that where Mega Man must use the gravity and time his jump just right.
		Wave Man's stage	After defeating Octoper OA. Time the jump to catch it with the Marine Bike.
		Stone Man's stage	Shoot through the wall and slide to enter a hidden area.
		Gyro Man's stage	In the area with falling blocks and Kouker Q. Stay in the block above the plate and jump from the block after taking the plate.
		Star Man's stage	Near spikes in the ceiling. The jump must be precise to avoid the spikes.
		Charge Man's stage	In a window inside the train. Use New Rush Coil to reach it.
		Napalm Man's stage	In the end of the outer area with Yudons.
		Crystal Man's stage	During the fall with spikes.

Mega Man 6

There are four plates to collect: B, E, A and T. These plates are obtained after defeating four specific bosses by choosing to pass through the correct doors in the respective stages.

Plate	Boss	Location
	Tomahawk Man	At the fork after the second Metall Potton, take the lower path.
	Yamato Man	At the second fork, take the upper path and pass by the Spring Face Bombs.
	Knight Man	Just before the boss gate, punch the blocks as Power Mega Man.
	Centaur Man	As Jet Mega Man, fly across to the top boss shutter.

Mega Man 7

There are also four plates to collect: R, U, S, and H. Each plate is in one of the first four stages. When Mega Man collects all of them, he will gain Rush's Super Adaptor function.

Plate	Stage	Location
	Burst Man's stage	In the rising/falling water section. On a ledge.
	Cloud Man's stage	Climb the ladder in the area with invisible floors. It is easier to find it by hitting the second Tel Tel with Freeze Cracker, which will make snow cover the invisible floors.
	Junk Man's stage	After the first elevator, hit the lava fall with Freeze Cracker to reveal a secret path, then hit the next one.
	Freeze Man's stage	Use Rush Coil to climb up a ladder. Then, be quick to reach it.

Mega Man 11

Medals, known as Family Plates in Japan, are plates that appear in the Medal Collector challenges. The player must collect them as fast as possible to complete the challenge. Each plate contains an image related to Mega Man's family: Rock, Dr. Light, Roll, Rush, Eddie, Beat, Auto, and Dr. Light's Laboratory.

Mega Man IV

There is a total of eight plates, half being part of a set. B, E, A, and T are in the first four stages and collecting them allows Mega Man to use Beat. According to the game's manual, these plates represents four parts from Beat's body that he lost during the confusion Wily caused in the robot exposition.^[2] W, I, L, and Y are in the second four stages, and they are required to access Dr. Wily's room.

Plate	Stage	Location
	Toad Man's stage	Just after the first Escaroo. Use a platform to reach it.
	Bright Man's stage	Use the fourth curvy platform to reach it.
	Pharaoh Man's stage	In the section with falling blocks.
	Ring Man's stage	Use the ladder to reach it.
	Crystal Man's stage	During the U-Turn near the start of the stage.
	Napalm Man's stage	Use the falling platforms or use Rain Flush to temporarily extinguish the flames.
	Stone Man's stage	Just before the boss gate.
	Charge Man's stage	Inside the train. Use Rush Coil to reach it.

Other media

The plates appeared in the Rockman manga series. In the Rockman 5 manga, Mega Man collected the O and N plates without knowing their purpose, which is later explained by Dr. Cossack. Mega Man gathers the remaining plates and is able to call Beat. He also collects plates in the Rockman 6 and Rockman 7 manga.

In the Rockman 7 manga, Mega Man finds three plates before facing the boss. Junk Man taunts Mega Man by showing him the Rush Jet item and the last plate before hiding them in his domain. Mega Man finds the Rush Jet item when looking for Junk Man, but as Junk Man perishes without telling the location of the S plate, Mega Man must search it in the area.

In one of the shorts from Rockman 4Koma Dai Koushin, Mega Man collected the four Beat Plates in Mega Man 6 and tries to call Beat, but as he doesn't appear, Mega Man realizes that one of the plates is actually a "ヨ" instead of "E".

Gallery

Plate in the Rockman 5 manga.

Plate in the Rockman 5 manga.

Plate in the Rockman 6 manga.

Plate in the Rockman 6 manga.

Plate in the Rockman 6 manga.

Plates in Rockman 4Koma Dai Koushin.

Passage to Plate in Stone Man's stage.

References