Chill Penguin, known as Icy Penguigo (アイシー・ペンギーゴ) in Japan, is a Maverick from the X era, first appearing as one of the bosses in Mega Man X. He is an ice-themed Reploid based on a penguin, with the ability to summon snowstorms and create ice sculptures. He was a Maverick Hunter serving in the 13th Polar Region Unit until he joined Sigma's rebellion.
Chill Penguin debuted in Mega Man X as one of the eight Mavericks on the Stage Select screen. He serves as the boss of Snow Mountain Stage. The Japanese game manual states he is a former Maverick Hunter of the 13th Polar Region Unit who joined Sigma's rebellion to escape his unfulfilling post at the South Pole. He now plans to trigger a giant avalanche to crush a city below.[4]
Chill Penguin is considered one of the game's easiest bosses, thanks to his easily-readable attacks and the knockback he takes from X-Buster shots. Since the Foot Parts are in his stage too, players frequently target him as their first Maverick. Defeating Chill Penguin grants X the Shotgun Ice and causes the Factory Stage to freeze over, removing its lava hazards. His weakness is the Fire Wave, from Flame Mammoth, which briefly engulfs him in flames. A boss attack rematch with Chill Penguin later occurs in Sigma Stage 2.
Mega Man Xtreme & Xtreme 2
Sprite from Mega Man Xtreme.
In Mega Man Xtreme, Chill Penguin returns as a digitized Maverick in the Mother Computer. He is one of the four bosses in Normal Mode, being the boss of Snowfield Stage. He again yields Shotgun Ice to X, but because Flame Mammoth is not in this game, Penguin's weakness is changed to Flame Stag's Speed Burner. Chill Penguin is later part of the boss attack in Sigma Stage 3.
In Mega Man Xtreme 2, Chill Penguin returns in Boss Attack mode alongside the other Mega Man Xtreme bosses. Because Flame Mammoth is in this game, his weakness is back to Fire Wave.
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
Render from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.
In the remake Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Chill Penguin receives a redesign but plays largely the same role as in Mega Man X, being the boss of Abandoned Missile Base. He claims that getting paid to work for Sigma is much better than being stationed at the South Pole with nothing to do.
In X Mode, Chill Penguin is weak to Fire Wave and yields Shotgun Ice upon his defeat. In Vile Mode, he is weak to most weapons obtained from Flame Mammoth (Wild Horse Kick, Dragon's Wrath, Green-Eyed Lamp, Burning Drive) and yields the Frozen Castle upgrade. In Hard Mode, he gains a new attack where he jumps and spits three Shotgun Ices consecutively. Penguin's boss attack rematch occurs in Sigma Palace 3.
Chill Penguin also appears in the included animation "The Day of Sigma" , which is set before the events of the game. He fights a berserk Mechaniloid on a mission with the 17th Unit, working alongside X, Zero, and Sigma. He is then present during a briefing to find the hackers responsible.
Mega Man X DiVE
In Mega Man X DiVE, Chill Penguin appears as a Maverick Data boss in the Deep Log. In Story Mode, he is the final boss of Chapter 4, being fought in Air Force 4-6. He fights with a similar strategy as in Mega Man X. His defeat unlocks the Chip for Shotgun Ice. He also reappeared as a boss in Co-op and Jakob.
A variant of Chill Penguin called Summer Penguin appeared in the Summer 2020 event, Summer Vacation for Lord of Snowy Plain. The premise is that he left his snow base to open a water amusement park instead. He fights with water and summer-inspired attacks instead of ice attacks.
Other Game Appearances
In Mega Man X4, Chill Penguin can be seen frozen in Frost Walrus's Snow Base stage as an easter egg, alongside Blizzard Buffalo. The concept art for Storm Owl also claims that he did not get along with Chill Penguin, because someone once mistook him for a penguin.
In Rockman ✕over, Chill Penguin is the boss of the tutorial and is one of the four bosses from World 1. He also appears in a Battle Memory.
In Zombie Cafe, Chill Penguin appeared as an enemy during the Rockman X event.
In Tower of Saviors, Chill Penguin appeared as an event character.
In TEPPEN, Chill Penguin appears in multiple Unit Cards.
In Minecraft, Chill Penguin appears as a boss in the Mega Man X crossover DLC.
Other Media
In the Rockman X Carddass series, Chill Penguin's role from Mega Man X is represented in multiple cards.
In the Rockman X manga, Chill Penguin reprises his role from Mega Man X. He is the first of the Maverick bosses that X tracks down. Before facing him, X finds Penguin's frozen commander, Marth. Penguin initially has the upper hand in his battle with X, until Marth is broken free from the ice and restrains him, sacrificing himself to allow X to destroy them both with a Charge Shot.
In the manga Irregular Hunter Rockman X, Chill Penguin reprises his role in Mega Man X. When Vile escapes from prison and becomes a Maverick, he is joined by Launch Octopus, Spark Mandrill, Sting Chameleon, and Chill Penguin. As Boomer Kuwanger attempts to arrest Mandrill in the power plant, Penguin ambushes him from behind. X arrives to fight the two simultaneously, and Penguin flees once Mandrill is destroyed. Later, Chill Penguin and Vile cause an avalanche to destroy a village. X goes to face Penguin, only to be overwhelmed by him and his army of Mechaniloids. Fortunately, the reformed Flame Mammoth arrives to give backup, but once he too is defeated, X takes Mammoth's Fire Wave and uses it to finally finish off Chill Penguin.
In the manhua Rockman: Battle & Chase, Chill Penguin is a contestant in the Battle & Chase race. He entered alongside Ice Man and Blizzard Man to finance a trip to Antarctica. During the race, Napalm Man sets Penguin's vehicle on fire and he puts it out with his ice powers, leading Napalm Man to capture him to keep him cool in the desert. Penguin refuses, so Napalm Man throws him out, only for Mega Man to save him. While he lost the race, Chill Penguin leaves satisfied with Ice Man, Blizzard Man, and a new friend, Shadow Man.
In the Archie Mega Man comic, Chill Penguin is first seen frozen in Sigma's snow base in Sonic Universe #76 (alongside Blizzard Buffalo). In Sonic Universe #77, Penguin is the first Maverick revived by Sigma using the power of the Genesis Portals. Sigma notes that his DNA Soul is not fully intact, but is pleased that Penguin is completely loyal to him. Penguin can later be seen in Sigma's massive Maverick army.
In Rockman X The Novel: Irregulars Report, Chill Penguin reprises his role from Mega Man X. Here, Penguin instead joined Sigma because he felt he was discriminated against due to his penguin design, developing a hatred for humanoid Reploids. He faces X and is defeated.
Penguin was designed for operating in sub-zero temperatures. He was deployed along with the 13th Polar Unit to guard a station at the South Pole, but soon grew tired of his dull, isolated life, and when the news of Sigma's uprising reached him, he saw his chance to return to civilization. He destroyed his own commander, made his escape, and joined up with Sigma. He's rowdy and belligerent despite his small stature, and gets along poorly with Flame Mammoth out of jealousy for his large size. Currently he is planning to use avalanches to crush cities near mountains under tons of snow.[2]
A cold-weather Reploid who attacks with ice bullets using his Special Weapon, Shotgun Ice. He is a member of the 13th Polar Unit, but was tired of life in the Antarctic, so he joined Sigma's rebellion. He is small in stature but has a strong competitive spirit. He doesn't get along well with the larger Flame Mammoth.[JP]
A cold-weather Reploid belonging to the 13th Polar Unit. He took advantage of Sigma's rebellion to destroy his superior Reploid and escape, becoming Sigma's subordinate. He specializes in ice attacks and snowstorms.[JP]
An Arctic region Reploid, he grew bored of living in the Antarctic and joined the rebellion. He uses cold attacks and can freeze X with cryogenic temperatures. Appeared in Mega Man X.[JP]
Reploid specially designed for extremely cold regions, formerly of the 13th Polar Battalion. Had been operating on a wholly unsatisfying mission at the South Pole, but once he heard Sigma's call to rally Reploids, Chill Penguin started operating with the 17th Battalion. His thought circuits are designed to be flexible so he can perform missions with his small-size body, but this has gained him a reputation among other Reploids of being somewhat warped. He's on bad terms with Flame Mammoth, who relies solely on brute strength.
He was a Maverick Hunter from the 13th Polar Region Unit. Chill Penguin has flexible thought circuits in order to perform missions with his small body. But due to the other coworkers can't understand his thought, so they consider him as a trouble maker. [sic]
"Inafune did Eagle and Penguin, Kaji designed Mandrill, Octopus, and Chameleon. Mammoth, Armadillo, and Kuwanger were Tazaki's. Even as I watched them work, I could really see each of their distinct flavors coming out in their illustrations." - (Tatsuya Yoshikawa)[3]
In the Japanese version of Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Chill Penguin often ends his lines with "kuwa" (クワッ). This is a Japanese onomatopoeia used for the squawking of birds.
