Mega Man Battle Network
Systems: Game Boy Advance
Released October 2001

The Basics
In the future, the whole Internet thing has really taken off. Battle Network finds Mega Man as a self-aware computer program called a Net Navi, acting as a personal assistant and best friend to a boy named Lan. With Net crime running rampant, the mysterious WWW organization wreaks havoc in the network age. Mega Man "jacks in" to personal computers, televisions, and toasters and surfs the Net to combat this menace.

Gameplay
The battle system of Battle Network was quite original, especially when compared to the classic action-based Mega Man games. It was more of an RPG, but unlike in a traditional RPG, skill was a primary factor in the game. Mega Man gained levels by installing upgrade programs to increase hit points and attack power, but in true Mega Man tradition, quick reflexes and recognizing attack patterns ruled the day. Battles took place on a 3-by-8 grid, initially split in two, dividing your area from the enemy's. You and the enemy moved and attacked in real time, which resulted in fast-paced but strategic encounters.

The Weapons and Bosses
Along with the trusty mega buster, your arsenal was composed of battle chips, which were drawn from a customized folder. In this way the combat mimicked the strategy of a trading card game. Each chip had a different range, power, and effect. There were a multitude of damage-dealing chips, such as spreader and longsword, as well as chips that could steal or destroy tiles, recover life, or even call in another Navi for help.

Bosses came in the form of other Navis, which in many cases were pulled from past Mega Man games. You squared off against familiar faces like Guts Man and fought against new robots like the devious Number Man. If you defeated them, there was a good chance you could use their powers against your enemies by attacking with their special chip--an update of the stolen-powers concept conceived in classic Mega Man titles.

Final Thoughts
The game's battle system aptly captured the essence of Mega Man, and so did the colorful visual style. The boy in blue himself was smartly redesigned, as were other classic characters like Roll, Guts Man, and Proto Man. There were also plenty of visual and verbal references that fans immediately picked up on..