Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection
Genre: Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG
Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online), Online Content Sharing
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Review:
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, released on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in 2023, is a Compilation of two other Compilations that were released alongside it – this package contains Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1, which includes Mega Man Battle Network, Mega Man Battle Network 2, Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue, and Mega Man Battle Network 3: White, and the other Collection in this package is Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2, which contains Mega Man Battle Network 4: Blue Moon, Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Protoman, Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar, and Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar.
That… sounds like a lot. But to boil it down to what this package really contains, you’re getting Mega Man Battle Network 1-6, with Mega Man Battle Network 3 and later including both of the Pokemon-style paired games that are largely identical save for a few unique elements in each game. All of these games were previously released on the Game Boy Advance from 2001 through 2006.
Here is what I thought of all of the games in this collection:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Man Battle Network | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B |
tl;drRight from the beginning, the very first game in this series provided a great mix of unique gameplay that combines Action-RPG and Card RPG elements in a fun and interesting world. It’s not without its problems, though – when not armed with an ability, your standard pea shooter feels a bit stiff, unresponsive, and unsatisfying, and the lack of a traditional experience system can make the random battles feel less satisfying than they should. Also, the game’s labyrinthine mazes get tiresome quickly. Still, this is a solid foundation for this series to build on. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 2 | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B |
tl;drThis is more of the same as what we saw in the first game, even reusing many of the same visuals. There have been a few tweaks, though, with some working out better than others. Health is now persistent from one battle to the next, meaning players need to be more mindful about healing. There’s also a new ability to save multiple “chip folders” (card decks) as well as new wild chips that can be paired with anything. On balance, this is about as good as the first game, albeit far less original. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B- |
tl;drThe third entry in this series adds Pokemon-style Blue and White multi-game releases (that are largely identical) as well as a system to raise your own “viruses” to get custom cards, but this is otherwise mostly another very similar experience to the prior games. Not bad, but the series is definitely starting to feel too “samey” by this point. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 3: White | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B- |
tl;drThe third entry in… okay, look, I won’t insult your intelligence by copy-pasting what I just wrote about Mega Man Battle Network 3: Blue. This is the same game, with some changes to enemies and obtainable “chips”. Again, Pokemon-esque. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 4: Blue Moon | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B- |
tl;drThis entry in the series adds a number of new elements, including dark chips, an “emotion window” and counter-attacks. This game also finally stops reusing the first game’s visuals. However, while this game does strive to do some things differently, the changes to the formula are a mixed bag, and many of the series’ long-standing issues (repetitive mazelike levels, poor sense of progression) are still present. This is still a solid game at its core, but it feels like it’s trying to complicate the series’ formula rather than improve on it. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B- |
tl;drSee what I wrote above for Mega Man Battle Network 4: Blue Moon. This is basically the same game. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | C+ |
tl;drThis game does little to shake up the Mega Man Battle Network formula and it re-uses assets from Mega Man Battle Network 4. This is still an enjoyable game, but by this point, you’ve already played it four times. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Protoman | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | C+ |
tl;drSee what I wrote above for Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel. This is basically the same game. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B |
tl;drTechnically the final game in the Mega Man Battle Network series (though it was followed by the Japan-only mobile game Legend of Network, and Mega Man Star Force on the Nintendo DS is considered a spiritual successor), Battle Network 6 is once again more of the same, but I feel that this game benefits from a refreshing new setting, as well as better pacing and level design than its predecessors, making for a more well-rounded (but still highly derivative) experience. For the series’ swansong, Battle Network 6 is going out on a high note, though I don’t think these games ever truly escaped the shadow of the series’ first title. | |||
| Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar | Compilation / Action-RPG / Card RPG | 1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless / Online) | B |
tl;drSee what I wrote above for Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar. This is basically the same game. | |||
In short, I really enjoy these games, which I feel have some really original, fun gameplay in a delightfully interesting world… though I feel like “original” should almost be in quotes since every game in the series feels largely interchangeable with the others. In this Compilation, I think that Battle Network 5 is probably the low point, offering little in the way of originality. By comparison, I think Battle Network 1 and 2 started things out with plenty of originality before the series seemingly ran out of interesting ideas, and 6 is possibly the best game in this series because even though it fails to offer anything truly new, it manages to refine the series’ gameplay into arguably the best it’s ever been.
This compilation does more than just present the games exactly as they were. The title screens and text of these games have been updated to feature a smoother look to appear nicer and more legible on a big screen, while the rest of the visuals have been left untouched. Special in-game items that were previously only available via special promotions or through the use of the Game Boy Advance e-Reader are now obtainable via an in-game “download”. Players can also optionally enable a mode in these games called Buster MAX Mode, which supercharges their normal shots to the point of being absurdly overpowered – perhaps amusing for those looking to easily cruise through the game, but probably not something most players will want to bother with.
I should also make it a point to note that this release does not include the improvements made to the first game in the series in its Japan-only Nintendo DS re-release, Operate Shooting Star, nor does it include the improvements made to the Nintendo DS version of Mega Man Battle Network 5, subtitled Double Team. This release also doesn’t support the connectivity features that these games had with other products (collectively referred to here as “Toy Link”), and doesn’t include connectivity with Mega Man Zero 3 or the Japan-only game 4.5: Real Operation (though I couldn’t imagine how the latter would work in any case, as it isn’t on the Nintendo Switch in any form). I cannot say whether the promotional cross-over content featuring Konami’s Boktai series made it into this game, as I wasn’t able to progress that far in time for this review.
On the bright side, this release also expands the multiplayer features of the original games to support online play and trade with others, though in my time trying the game I couldn’t find anyone in the public lobbies to fight or trade with. Suffice it to say, if you want to play this game with others, you’ll probably have to bring along a friend who owns a copy of the game on their Nintendo Switch.
These games are contained within main menu screens adorned by a cel-shaded fully-3D version of this series’ version of Mega Man (Mega Man.EXE) who looks fantastic and says various things as you’re looking around on the menu screen, which is a nice touch. In the menus, players can select from a few different control layouts, choose visualization options, earn in-game trophies, check out a full music player, as well as looking at art from throughout the series (even games not included in this collection, like Mega Man: Battle Chip Challenge).
It’s a pretty decent selection of features and extras, but the price is pretty steep, with this full collection costing $60 for all six games and their counterparts. You’re getting a better deal here than the $80 it would cost to buy Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 separately, but just because those Compilations were a terrible deal doesn’t mean that this comparatively better-priced package is good. Remember, you’re basically paying $10 per game in a Compilation full of games that you could previously get on the Wii U Virtual Console shop for $8 each individually.
It bears mention that if they really wanted to fill out this Compilation and give players value for the money they’re spending, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is still a woefully incomplete Compilation of this series of games. It’s missing the divisive GameCube game, Mega Man Network Transmission, the honestly pretty terrible Battle Chip Challenge, the Japan-only Rockman.EXE WS and Rockman.EXE 4.5: Real Operation, the Japan-only arcade games Rockman.EXE: The Medal Operation and Rockman.EXE: Battle Chip Stadium, the Japan-only mobile games Rockman.EXE: Phantom of Network in 2004, and Rockman.EXE: Legend of Network, and the spiritual successor, Mega Man Star Force. Most of those games are… not really all that good, but their inclusion here would have at least justified the price that Capcom is demanding.
Is the $60 price for this package justified? Is it worth it? Eh, I suppose that comes down to how much you enjoy Mega Man, and how much you mind playing six different games that feel like very nearly the same experience repeated over and over again. Please don’t get me wrong, I think these games are fantastic despite their flaws and despite how repetitive the series became, but it’s hard for me not to compare this with the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection, released three years ago, – that collection contained six great Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games and only costs $30. I can only surmise that Capcom must have thought that people would be willing to shell out more for a Compilation that’s padded out with duplicate copies of most of its games… yet not so padded that it’s anywhere even remotely close to being comprehensive.
I suppose I’ll say that I absolutely do recommend these games… but perhaps wait until this package goes on sale.
tl;dr – Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is a Compilation that contains Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1 and Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2, which together include Mega Man Battle Network 1-6 (as well as the Pokemon-style nearly-identical pairings of games 3-6). These are all games that mesh together elements of Card RPGs and Action-RPGs, and they are all excellent, though the latter games seem to copy most of their content from the first game and drag their feet when it comes to fixing that game’s problems. This Compilation also comes with an excellent array of bonus content. Unfortunately, at $60 for what amounts to six 15-20 year-old games, this Compilation feels overpriced, especially considering that this isn’t even a comprehensive collection of the franchise. There are still some solid games worth playing here, but I recommend waiting for a decent sale before buying.
Grade: B
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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2023 Game Awards:
Runner-Up: Best Compilation/Collection
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