Mega Man Battle Network 4 Impressions

Capcom is currently putting the finishing touches on a fourth game in the popular Mega Man Battle Network series. The set of games, which puts Mega Man in cyberspace as an avatar under the control of a boy named Lan, have players collecting battle chips and participating in battles on a grid-like playfield. Battle Network 4 definitely doesn't appear to buck this trend, but it also appears to be making its own set of improvements.

Much like the previous entry in the series, Mega Man Battle Network 4 will be available in two variations. In Japan, these two variants will be known as Red Sun and Blue Moon, though those names may change when the game makes its way to the English-speaking world. Among other things, the two versions will contain a slightly different chip inventory.

The two games will also feature different tournaments, which are a new addition to the series. Though details are a little sketchy at this point, the game will contain a number of different elimination-style tournaments. Also new to the series are "dark chips," which will play a pivotal role in the game.

Producer Keiji Inafune stated that the development team has really worked hard to pack this upcoming Battle Network game with as much fun as possible, and he hopes that this installment will sell over a million copies. The game will be released to Japanese Game Boy Advance owners on December 2, with a North American release likely to occur sometime in 2004.