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Megaman Battle Network, why aren't there more games like this?

wwm0nkey

Member
The first 3 games of the series where pretty amazing and had one of the most original battle systems I've seen in a long time and the story wasn't half bad either until later games. Don't know why there has never been a similar game though, it had a very interesting RPG and Card Game hybrid style that was fun and addicting but it seems like it just never caught on or not enough people played it, maybe it was just a GBA era only thing.

Mega-Man%20Battle%20Network%203%20-%20Blue%20(2).gif


Anyone else have fond memories of these games?
(Would kill for an HD version of the first 3 with online)
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
Loved the first Battle Network but the second wasn't that good so I passed on the 3rd.
Never touched the Starforce games but I've heard there weren't as good.
 

Tashi

343i Lead Esports Producer
I used to love these games. The way you would fit upgrades like a puzzle for Megaman was awesome. Great for handhelds.
 

Drkirby

Corporate Apologist
Loved the first Battle Network but the second wasn't that good so I passed on the 3rd.
Never touched the Starforce games but I've heard there weren't as good.

I personally felt the first was Subpar, while the 2nd and third were great. 4 and 5 were pretty poor, but 6 ended the series on a high note.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
I personally felt the first was Subpar, while the 2nd and third were great. 4 and 5 were pretty poor, but 6 ended the series on a high note.

I hear 6 was good but 4 and 5 where so awful I didnt even bother. 2 and 3 (mostly 3) where the highlights of the series for me.
 

Jaroof

Member
I played the first two games, and loved the hell out of both of them.
I think I even tried to get Bass... :p
Never got a chance to play the third, or had any interest in the Starforce series.
I'm also curious why there haven't been any more games like this.

Edit: Holy shit, they got all the way up to 6???
I had no idea >_o
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Would anyone be opposed to a remake of 1-3 on XBLA/PSN with online play. Or a new game in the series with 2-3 gameplay based around online play? Would be a GREAT way to bring back Megaman (well Battle Network at least)
 
They were pretty good and I enjoyed all of the ones I had played, but they ran this franchise into the ground. Capcom probably drove any interest competition could have had away with this.

(2001) Mega Man Battle Network
(2001) Mega Man Battle Network 2
(2002) Mega Man Battle Network 3
(2003) Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge
(2003) Mega Man Network Transmission
(2003) Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun
(2003) Mega Man Battle Network 4: Blue Moon
(2003) Rockman EXE WS
(2004) Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation
(2004) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Proto Man
(2004) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel
(2004) Rockman EXE Phantom of Network
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS
(2005) Rockman EXE The Medal Operation
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar
(2005) Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium
(2006) Rockman EXE Legend of Network

That is a significant amount of entries in such a short amount of time. There's also the Mega Man Star Force games, which are essentially the same.

That said, I really loved the battle system of this series and the Pokémon-esque collection aspect to it. It was good at rewarding you for playing well, featured some great redesigns of classic Robot Masters and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the general concept behind the series too.
 
I totally forgot there were entires 4-6, thought it ended as a trilogy.

Funny you should say that. Bought Battle Network 4-6 brand new and sealed earlier this month from an online retailer because I never finished the trilogy. Battle Network 1-3 gave me some of my fondest childhood memories. £9.99 each from Play.com but I think I bought the last ones as they've gone up in price now.

afE8jl.jpg


http://www.play.com/Search.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=Battle+Network
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Anyone else own one of these bad boys lol

Advanced_PET.png


No joke I only found out they made these because I bought a random shirt and found PET chips where bundled with them lol
 
Like the Digivice of days gone past, it's pretty cool. Now I wish Capcom hadn't gone full cash-crop on this franchise, because it's more unique than a lot of people think.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Like the Digivice of days gone past, it's pretty cool. Now I wish Capcom hadn't gone full cash-crop on this franchise, because it's more unique than a lot of people think.

I think the worst offender was the GC Battle Network platformer. Was pretty letdown by that :/

I think Battle Network was probably my favorite series with Legends pretty much being right up there. Sucks that one was run into the ground because they got greedy and the other one was killed because they hate Inafune (and apparently money since they never released the prototype)
 
Let's not talk about Legends—I don't feel too good about what's happening at Capcom right now.

But, yeah, the GC game was pretty dull and abysmal by both BN standards and MM standards of design. The music was fantastic, though, so that's something.

I'm General Specific from the CU Devroom, btw.
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Let's not talk about Legends—I don't feel too good about what's happening at Capcom right now.

But, yeah, the GC game was pretty dull and abysmal by both BN standards and MM standards of design. The music was fantastic, though, so that's something.

I'm General Specific from the CU Devroom, btw.
I think the music was what kept me playing. I remember being so hyped for the GC Battle Network game, but that was because I thought it was a remake of the first one with 3D graphics lol.


Also I remember you! lol
 

lordmrw

Member
They were pretty good and I enjoyed all of the ones I had played, but they ran this franchise into the ground. Capcom probably ran any interest competition could have had away with this.

(2001) Mega Man Battle Network
(2001) Mega Man Battle Network 2
(2002) Mega Man Battle Network 3
(2003) Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge
(2003) Mega Man Network Transmission
(2003) Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun
(2003) Mega Man Battle Network 4: Blue Moon
(2003) Rockman EXE WS

(2004) Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation
(2004) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Proto Man
(2004) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel
(2004) Rockman EXE Phantom of Network
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS
(2005) Rockman EXE The Medal Operation
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar
(2005) Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar
(2005) Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium

(2006) Rockman EXE Legend of Network

Jesus christ at 2003 and 2005. They really beat this franchise into the ground. The sad thing is if they had shown a little restraint it would still be running today.
 

Nemo

Will Eat Your Children
The main BN games were awesome, the graphical style peaked at BN2 tho :/

Jesus christ at 2003 and 2005. They really beat this franchise into the ground. The sad thing is if they had shown a little restraint it would still be running today.
They were milking it hard, I think in Japan it was very popular. Even BN6 did wel so not sure why they stopped
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
Hopefully Capcom will rerelease the games on the 3DS VC. I had a lot of fun with them back in the day.
 

hank_tree

Member
Yeah I loved these games back in the day. So much so that I finished two of the Starforce games as well even though they were awful.
 

Bulzeeb

Member
The main BN games were awesome, the graphical style peaked at BN2 tho :/

They were milking it hard, I think in Japan it was very popular. Even BN6 did wel so not sure why they stopped

well they closed the first story and tried to continue with Starforce and as far as I know that game wasn't well received
 

salromano

Member
Anyone else have fond memories of these games?
(Would kill for an HD version of the first 3 with online)

Wonderful memories. I bought the first Mega Man Battle Network at a GameChamp in Staten Island. My father was visiting, so we were driving around the Island before going to see Kung Pow in theaters (wee-ooo!).

I didn't play it until the next day, and I'd never heard of the series before (Battle Network, I mean - not Mega Man), so I was worried I wouldn't like it, therefore wasting $30 bucks. But man, I fucking loved it. The sprites, the battle system, the game world sucked me in like a vacuum. I told everyone I knew to go by it. Two of the probably ten went out and did so (jerks!).

Then Mega Man Battle Network 2 came out, and it was great. Then Mega Man Battle Network 3 came out in Blue and White, and I bought and played through both (yes, they're essentially the same game, but I was a fan, leave me alone). After playing through Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun and Blue Moon, the series felt like it was getting tired. I picked up Mega Man Battle Network 5 (the DS combo version), but I didn't get too much into it before I stopped playing.

That GameCube spin-off, Battle Network Transmission, was pretty good, though. I like how it adapted the GBA games' card system to more classic, side-scrolling gameplay. I also enjoyed kicking Bass' ass.

They came out with a remake of the first game / collabo with Star Force for Japan in 2009 that never came to America / Europe. I might have to import it, since knowing Capcom it's probably never coming here.
 

Duo014

Member
I love the series.

Anyone remember this one.

818528-fireman.exe_large.jpg


I don't enjoy the starforce serie actually, I played the first 2 but it wasn't so refreshing I guess..

Edit: And I have a PET 2 with some chips.
 

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Actually the game is fine as a handheld game, putting the game as is but just touched with HD graphics would be bad.

Thankfully they knew this and did Network Transmission.
 
Anyone else own one of these bad boys lol

Advanced_PET.png


No joke I only found out they made these because I bought a random shirt and found PET chips where bundled with them lol

I still have the Protoman and Bass ones somewhere in my house. Awesome things.

Loved the first Battle Network but the second wasn't that good so I passed on the 3rd.

Dude, that opinion is like, completely wrong :|


They came out with a remake of the first game / collabo with Star Force for Japan in 2009 that never came to America / Europe. I might have to import it, since knowing Capcom it's probably never coming here.

Don't. I'm a huge fan of the franchise, but not even I can recommend that game. It's pretty much a copy paste of the first game with like 15 minutes of new content (I'll admit the Megaman vs Megaman battle was an incredible moment though), * codes, and playable SF Megaman that makes the BN Megaman pretty much useless.



I know everyone hates 4, and I can't blame them (who thought it was a good idea to force you to replay it at least 3 or 4 times :|), but that game honestly was the most fun I had with the franchise.

Also *insert obligatory fuck the Starforce haters comment*
 

Derrick01

Banned
Battle Network 3 is one of the best games on the GBA.

Truth. I loved how much there was to do after the main game, like that super tough area with Bass.

I loved 1-3 but I can't remember much of 4 or 5 and I don't think I played 6 at all, I was kind of done with the series by then. I wish more would be made by a better developer.
 

TreIII

Member
Jesus christ at 2003 and 2005. They really beat this franchise into the ground. The sad thing is if they had shown a little restraint it would still be running today.

Pretty much.

At one point, EXE had a nice multimedia sensation going. The anime series was doing well for its timeslot(s), and the manga apparently did well too. Toys were selling. Japanese children were actually knowledgeable about just who Rockman is.

To me, the easiest way to help get Rockman/Mega Man back into prominence would probably be to have a game that truly acts as successor to EXE, both catering to children and having a nice social aspect.

I mean, as long as Capcom has some funny notion in their head about how "Mega Man isn't popular in the West" (see: http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/0...oesnt-believe-mega-man-is-popular-in-america/), they might as well start the ball rolling with crafting a Rockman series that might pique Japanese interests, at least.
 

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
Truth. I loved how much there was to do after the main game, like that super tough area with Bass.

I loved 1-3 but I can't remember much of 4 or 5 and I don't think I played 6 at all, I was kind of done with the series by then. I wish more would be made by a better developer.

Oh man, this! Battle Network 3 is one of my top RPGs of all time. The battle system was at its best, the main story wasn't quite terrible yet, and the post-game content was insane.

I cannot believe that no-one has ripped off the battle system. One reason I want to do my own game development is so I can.
 

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
You know, I always imagined .EXE and Digimon would make good crossover, or even .hack too.

But no, you get fucking Duel Masters crossover.
 

kaioshade

Member
I could totally see a online PSO3 style battle system with this franchise. Since the card system was already in effect and the different fields, it would have been relatively trivial, and could have been a huge success.
 

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
Man, I'm remembering more and more of what there was to do in the post-game in BN3. You had like two different levels of time trials, and at least two or three secret bosses...
 
You know, I always imagined .EXE and Digimon would make good crossover, or even .hack too.

But no, you get fucking Duel Masters crossover.

Haha, yeah, that only happened because they were both Coro Coro mangas IIRC, right? Still, the Duel Masters crossover was completely insignificant compared to the Boktai one. I still have no idea how or why that happened, but I love that it did.
 
Its a sad state of affairs that Capcom seem to not give a shit about megaman no more...

Probably the first capcom ip I can think of next to RE and Streetfighter..
 
http://www.mmbnchronox.com/

not sure if this is coming out anytime soon.

Fanmade MMBN game.

music sucks compared to the gba one.

----------------------
edit
Rockman.EXE: Legend of Network and Phantom of Network looks so good.
if cap com released this on 3ds eshop for like $10 a lot of people will buy it(is a new game to all outside japan ).
 

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Haha, yeah, that only happened because they were both Coro Coro mangas IIRC, right? Still, the Duel Masters crossover was completely insignificant compared to the Boktai one. I still have no idea how or why that happened, but I love that it did.

Yeah it was pointless. Only an anime thing I think.
 
It was like a 5 minutes short before their movies of Cross Fusion Megaman meeting Shobu and both save each other's ass once and become frineds or something. Oh, and there was that one giga chip in 5.
 

Mzo

Member
There are like 8000 games in the Battle Network series, and nobody played them past the 2nd game. There are too many games like this.
 

Azure J

Member
Even though I'm a devout Megaman platformer head, this series was really fun. It really shouldn't have had all it's sequels packed so closely together though, but then again it's Megaman and to be expected.

Edit: GAF loved 3? Awesome. Everyone always talks up 2 and neglects 3. 3 also had the best post game content in the series by a lot. MMBN3 > 2 > 6
 
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