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Mega Man Battle Network (video game)
Encyclopedia
Mega Man Battle Network, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom
for the Game Boy Advance
(GBA) handheld console
. It is the first of the Mega Man Battle Network
series of video games. It was originally released in Japan as a GBA launch title on March 21, 2001 and was released later in the year for North America and Europe.
Battle Network takes place during the 21st century in a world where society and everyday life is driven by the internet
. Users are able to interact with and virtually explore nearly any electronic device using highly advanced, online avatars called "NetNavis". The game follows a young boy named Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE as they solve a series of crimes instigated by the "WWW (World Three)" organization. Rather than share the platform
gameplay of its predecessors, Battle Network is a tactical role-playing game
(RPG) in which the player controls both Lan in the game's outside world and MegaMan in its virtual world. Battles take place in real-time
; special abilities called "Battle Chips" can be accessed to fight off the numerous computer virus
es present in the game's electronic environments.
According to the game's producer, the development team wanted Battle Network to identify specifically with younger, modern gamers by creating a setting that resembles the real world and a gameplay model that mixes traditional action and RPG elements. Battle Network received positive reviews from critics. Its unconventional battle system and colorful graphics were given significant praise, but its storyline was met with mixed opinions. The game was followed by a number of sequels and spin-off titles, as well as other media.
(or Net) has become humanity's primary means of communication, commerce, and even crime. Users are able to "jack in" to the Net and other computerized devices, and explore their various aspects using program
avatars called "NetNavis (Network Navigators)". The Net and the inner workings of computers are displayed as a virtual world with which computer programs of all varieties, as personified in a humanoid form, can interact. Users often do so by accessing their NetNavis via a "PET (PErsonal information Terminal)" device. The plot of Mega Man Battle Network follows one such pair, Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE. Lan is a fifth grader
in the town of ACDC. His father, Dr. Yuichiro Hikari, is one of the top scientists and NetNavi researchers in the world. Not long into the story, Lan and MegaMan begin solving various criminal cases around town involving other Navis and their operators. Some of the confrontations with the various criminals involve desperate, life-threatening situations including rigging a bus to explode, cutting off air at a large party, freezing all clean water in a city, and re-educating school students to be mindless slaves. The duo continuously cross paths with Eugene Chaud, using the NetNavi ProtoMan.EXE, an official "NetBattler" commissioned by the government to investigate crimes on the Net.
The protagonists eventually learn that the criminals are all connected to an organization called the "WWW (World Three)". The WWW intentionally infects computer networks with viruses so as to hinder their normal operations and hack
vital information. The group is led by Dr. Wily
, a former colleague of Lan's grandfather. While working together, Wily had specialized in robotics
and Lan's grandafather specialized in networks
, which led to NetNavis. The government cut Wily's funding, opting instead to pursue the NetNavi project. Wily's goal throughout the game is to collect four super programs with which the "LifeVirus" may be constructed. The LifeVirus is a nearly indestructible computer virus
capable of wiping out the Net and all associated devices. During the final confrontation with the WWW, it is revealed the MegaMan.EXE is actually a unique Navi that Lan's scientist father created. Lan had a twin brother, Hub, who died at a young age. Dr. Hikari was able to essentially transfer him into a computer program to become the NetNavi MegaMan. With the help of both Dr. Hikari and Chaud, Lan and MegaMan manage to defeat Wily, destroy the LifeVirus, and restore peace to ACDC.
tactical RPG
. To progress through the game the player must alternately navigate both the real world as Lan Hikari and the Net as MegaMan.EXE, each containing certain tasks that must be completed to allow advancement in the other. Controlling Lan, the player may travel around the world map, interact with non-player character
s, check email
, purchase items, and initiate Net missions. In contrast with action
-platformer
Mega Man entries in which battle and movement through the levels happen in the same setting, Battle Networks combat occurs only through by battling computer viruses within the Net. This cyber world is represented by a series of branching pathways and nodes, where MegaMan can travel to both new and previously visited locations, find and purchase items, and fight viruses. Battles do not generally appear on the field screen of the Net but are usually set as random encounter
s as in traditional role-playing games. The battlefield itself is a grid made up of 18 tiles. The grid is further divided into two groups of nine, one being space in which MegaMan may move and the other controlled by the enemy and in which MegaMan cannot usefully move. Akin to other Mega Man games, MegaMan.EXE possesses an arm cannon called the "Mega Buster". By freely moving among the nine provided tiles, MegaMan can fire the Mega Buster at enemies from across the screen. The objective of each battle is to delete
all the viruses by depleting their hit points
(HP). If MegaMan's own health depletes, a game over
occurs. Certain power-up
programs can be found that upgrade MegaMan's HP, defense, or Mega Buster power.
The Mega Buster is quite weak on its own, so in order to delete viruses more efficiently, the player must access special abilities called "Battle Chips". These are minor programs that contain data that the Navi can utilize in order to perform more powerful attacks, summon other Navis for help, or execute supportive actions such as healing or destroying movement tiles. Battle Chips are uploaded to MegaMan by Lan in a process called "Customization." Uploading is limited to chips of the same variety, such as two sword chips, or similarly named chips. Each turn in battle only presents the player with five random chips to choose from. Once the "Battle Gauge" (or "Custom Gauge") at the top of the screen fills during battle, another random set of chips can be chosen from a general pool called the "folder". At any given time, the player may only have exactly 30 chips in the folder from which the Customization process may draw. However, in addition to these 30 chips, a player may possess any number of other chips in inactive reserve, called the "sack", which may be moved to the active folder. The player is only allowed up to ten of the same kind of chip and up to five Navi chips. Every chip and enemy is aligned to one of five elements: Neutral, Fire, Water, Electric, and Wood. If MegaMan or an enemy is hit by an attack from an element they are weak against, the attack will do double damage. Players may use a GBA Game Link Cable to trade battle chips or battle one another.
. Director Masahiro Yasuma recalled that it was a challenge to create the game because no successful precursor of its type had been made before. Yasuma found difficulty in blending action elements with "the kind of fun you get from a Pokémon
game" in order to make it enjoyable, new, and fresh. Producer Keiji Inafune
stated that its concept was to develop a new Mega Man by adding the card-game
feature to the "action-taste" unique to the Mega Man franchise. Inafune elaborated that the development team wanted to add a "real world" feel to the Mega Man series by placing the protagonist of Battle Network in a location where the internet is prevalent. With the release of the portable GBA, the team felt that they should target modern gamers, specifically children, as an audience for the new series. Inafune felt the character would be both successful and relevant because these younger gamers grew up with and utilized such technology on a daily basis.
Inafune takes credit for redesigning the protagonist Mega Man
as MegaMan.EXE for the Battle Network series, though he stated the character designers were reluctant to hand over the responsibility to the veteran artist and even altered his illustrations afterwards. The character's initial concept art went through a large number of changes before it was finalized to a much simpler design, so that even very young fans could easily draw it. The musical score for the game was composed by Akari Kaida
, who would also go on to work on the fifth installment of the Battle Network series. All 22 musical tracks for Mega Man Battle Network were included on the Rockman EXE 1 ~ 3 Game Music Collection, released in Japan by Suleputer
on December 18, 2002.
The Japanese version of Battle Network was first announced in August 2000 as one of four games set to be released for the recently unveiled GBA handheld. A demo of the game was displayed at Nintendo Space World
that month, where it was displayed on only two out of the 140 playable consoles. The game was subsequently displayed on five kiosks at the Tokyo Game Show
the following month. According to series planners Masakazu Eguchi and Masahiro Yasuma, this experimental beta build of the game involved the player fighting a malevolent WoodMan.EXE within the school's electronic blackboard. Battle Network was officially released in Japan as a GBA launch title on March 21, 2001. A commercial advertisement of the game featured the song "Neo Venus" by Japanese rock band Janne Da Arc
. The English localization of Battle Network was announced on May 17, 2001, just prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It was released in North America and Europe on October 31 and November 30 respectively. The game's first sequel, Mega Man Battle Network 2, was announced before the Japan World Hobby Fair in June 2001. Attendees to the fair were able to download chip data for the character Bass.EXE into their original Battle Network cartridges.
. The battle system was a positive stand-out aspect for many critics. Justin Speer of GameSpot
found combat within the game to rightfully capture the spirit of Mega Man as the "most original and compelling feature". IGN
's Craig Harris likewise regarded the battle interface to be well-designed, a refreshing change from traditional Japanese RPGs, what gives the game its charm, and a very appreciative addition to the game's limited multiplayer mode. GameSpy
contributor James Fudge summarized the combat as "very easy to learn, but difficult to master -- and yet very satisfying". He did, however, admit that the random encounters can be overwhelming at times. Kristian of Game Informer
considered the gameplay both deep and simple to pick up on, but thought the menu system to be "clunky" at times and its battles to be repetitive.
The presentation of Battle Network was overall favored by reviewers as well. Harris, Fudge, and Kristian were impressed by the crisp, colorful graphics and futuristic locales found within the game. As far as the sound was concerned, Speer opined that the music appropriately matched the rich visual style. Kristian otherwise accepted the sound as "enough here to get by", but that nothing would be missed if it were turned off. Harris comparably stated that "the standard Japanese tunage could have been given a bit more variety". The reviewers gave mixed opinions of the game's storyline. Though Kristian called it "engrossing", Harris recognized the plot as the game's one major fault, describing it as "kiddy" and disliking the consistent use of computer terminology for character names. Speer similarly summarized, "If there's something that might hold you back from enjoying the game, it's the lighthearted and somewhat goofy story. However, the game doesn't take itself too seriously, so neither should you."
Mega Man Battle Network entered Japanese sales charts at number 12, selling approximately 43,048 units during its first week. A total of 224,837 units were sold in Japan during 2001, with the game being listed by Dengeki Online
as the 50th best-selling video game in the region for that year. The success of Mega Man Battle Network led to several sequels and spin-offs on other consoles, mobile phone
s, and arcade
; an anime series
; and numerous pieces of merchandise. The Mega Man Star Force
series, a spiritual successor to the Battle Network games, began in 2007 after the end of the latter. Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star
, a remake of the first Battle Network game for the Nintendo DS
, integrates elements from the Star Force series.
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
(GBA) handheld console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It is the first of the Mega Man Battle Network
Mega Man Battle Network
The Mega Man Battle Network series is one of Capcom's Mega Man series and debuted in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance. It is a spin-off series based on the original Mega Man. In Japan, as of the release of Rockman EXE Transmission in 2003, the series has been known as Rockman EXE; prior to this it was...
series of video games. It was originally released in Japan as a GBA launch title on March 21, 2001 and was released later in the year for North America and Europe.
Battle Network takes place during the 21st century in a world where society and everyday life is driven by the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Users are able to interact with and virtually explore nearly any electronic device using highly advanced, online avatars called "NetNavis". The game follows a young boy named Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE as they solve a series of crimes instigated by the "WWW (World Three)" organization. Rather than share the platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
gameplay of its predecessors, Battle Network is a tactical role-playing game
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
(RPG) in which the player controls both Lan in the game's outside world and MegaMan in its virtual world. Battles take place in real-time
Real-time tactics
Real-time tactics or RTT is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics...
; special abilities called "Battle Chips" can be accessed to fight off the numerous computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
es present in the game's electronic environments.
According to the game's producer, the development team wanted Battle Network to identify specifically with younger, modern gamers by creating a setting that resembles the real world and a gameplay model that mixes traditional action and RPG elements. Battle Network received positive reviews from critics. Its unconventional battle system and colorful graphics were given significant praise, but its storyline was met with mixed opinions. The game was followed by a number of sequels and spin-off titles, as well as other media.
Plot
Mega Man Battle Network is set in the ambiguous year in the 21st century ("20XX AD"). Within this world, the internetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
(or Net) has become humanity's primary means of communication, commerce, and even crime. Users are able to "jack in" to the Net and other computerized devices, and explore their various aspects using program
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
avatars called "NetNavis (Network Navigators)". The Net and the inner workings of computers are displayed as a virtual world with which computer programs of all varieties, as personified in a humanoid form, can interact. Users often do so by accessing their NetNavis via a "PET (PErsonal information Terminal)" device. The plot of Mega Man Battle Network follows one such pair, Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE. Lan is a fifth grader
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in the town of ACDC. His father, Dr. Yuichiro Hikari, is one of the top scientists and NetNavi researchers in the world. Not long into the story, Lan and MegaMan begin solving various criminal cases around town involving other Navis and their operators. Some of the confrontations with the various criminals involve desperate, life-threatening situations including rigging a bus to explode, cutting off air at a large party, freezing all clean water in a city, and re-educating school students to be mindless slaves. The duo continuously cross paths with Eugene Chaud, using the NetNavi ProtoMan.EXE, an official "NetBattler" commissioned by the government to investigate crimes on the Net.
The protagonists eventually learn that the criminals are all connected to an organization called the "WWW (World Three)". The WWW intentionally infects computer networks with viruses so as to hinder their normal operations and hack
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
vital information. The group is led by Dr. Wily
Doctor Wily
, full name Albert W. Wily, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the original Mega Man series of video games. Designed by Keiji Inafune, he appeared in the first Mega Man video game and later in promotions and other media related to the series...
, a former colleague of Lan's grandfather. While working together, Wily had specialized in robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
and Lan's grandafather specialized in networks
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
, which led to NetNavis. The government cut Wily's funding, opting instead to pursue the NetNavi project. Wily's goal throughout the game is to collect four super programs with which the "LifeVirus" may be constructed. The LifeVirus is a nearly indestructible computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
capable of wiping out the Net and all associated devices. During the final confrontation with the WWW, it is revealed the MegaMan.EXE is actually a unique Navi that Lan's scientist father created. Lan had a twin brother, Hub, who died at a young age. Dr. Hikari was able to essentially transfer him into a computer program to become the NetNavi MegaMan. With the help of both Dr. Hikari and Chaud, Lan and MegaMan manage to defeat Wily, destroy the LifeVirus, and restore peace to ACDC.
Gameplay
Unlike previous entries in the Mega Man franchise, Mega Man Battle Network is a real-timeReal-time tactics
Real-time tactics or RTT is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics...
tactical RPG
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
. To progress through the game the player must alternately navigate both the real world as Lan Hikari and the Net as MegaMan.EXE, each containing certain tasks that must be completed to allow advancement in the other. Controlling Lan, the player may travel around the world map, interact with non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s, check email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, purchase items, and initiate Net missions. In contrast with action
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
-platformer
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
Mega Man entries in which battle and movement through the levels happen in the same setting, Battle Networks combat occurs only through by battling computer viruses within the Net. This cyber world is represented by a series of branching pathways and nodes, where MegaMan can travel to both new and previously visited locations, find and purchase items, and fight viruses. Battles do not generally appear on the field screen of the Net but are usually set as random encounter
Random encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
s as in traditional role-playing games. The battlefield itself is a grid made up of 18 tiles. The grid is further divided into two groups of nine, one being space in which MegaMan may move and the other controlled by the enemy and in which MegaMan cannot usefully move. Akin to other Mega Man games, MegaMan.EXE possesses an arm cannon called the "Mega Buster". By freely moving among the nine provided tiles, MegaMan can fire the Mega Buster at enemies from across the screen. The objective of each battle is to delete
File deletion
File deletion is a way of removing a file from a computer's file system.The reasons for deleting files are#Freeing the disk space#Removing duplicate or unnecessary data to avoid confusion#Making sensitive information unavailable to others...
all the viruses by depleting their hit points
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
(HP). If MegaMan's own health depletes, a game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
occurs. Certain power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
programs can be found that upgrade MegaMan's HP, defense, or Mega Buster power.
The Mega Buster is quite weak on its own, so in order to delete viruses more efficiently, the player must access special abilities called "Battle Chips". These are minor programs that contain data that the Navi can utilize in order to perform more powerful attacks, summon other Navis for help, or execute supportive actions such as healing or destroying movement tiles. Battle Chips are uploaded to MegaMan by Lan in a process called "Customization." Uploading is limited to chips of the same variety, such as two sword chips, or similarly named chips. Each turn in battle only presents the player with five random chips to choose from. Once the "Battle Gauge" (or "Custom Gauge") at the top of the screen fills during battle, another random set of chips can be chosen from a general pool called the "folder". At any given time, the player may only have exactly 30 chips in the folder from which the Customization process may draw. However, in addition to these 30 chips, a player may possess any number of other chips in inactive reserve, called the "sack", which may be moved to the active folder. The player is only allowed up to ten of the same kind of chip and up to five Navi chips. Every chip and enemy is aligned to one of five elements: Neutral, Fire, Water, Electric, and Wood. If MegaMan or an enemy is hit by an attack from an element they are weak against, the attack will do double damage. Players may use a GBA Game Link Cable to trade battle chips or battle one another.
Development
Mega Man Battle Network was developed by Capcom Production Studio 2Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. Director Masahiro Yasuma recalled that it was a challenge to create the game because no successful precursor of its type had been made before. Yasuma found difficulty in blending action elements with "the kind of fun you get from a Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
game" in order to make it enjoyable, new, and fresh. Producer Keiji Inafune
Keiji Inafune
is a video game producer and illustrator. He was the former head of Research & Development and Online Business and Global Head of Production at Capcom, best known as the illustrator and co-designer of the character Mega Man, as well as the producer of the Onimusha and Dead Rising video game series...
stated that its concept was to develop a new Mega Man by adding the card-game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
feature to the "action-taste" unique to the Mega Man franchise. Inafune elaborated that the development team wanted to add a "real world" feel to the Mega Man series by placing the protagonist of Battle Network in a location where the internet is prevalent. With the release of the portable GBA, the team felt that they should target modern gamers, specifically children, as an audience for the new series. Inafune felt the character would be both successful and relevant because these younger gamers grew up with and utilized such technology on a daily basis.
Inafune takes credit for redesigning the protagonist Mega Man
Mega Man (character)
Mega Man, known as in Japan, is a cybernetic video game character, and the main protagonist of what has been referred to as the original Mega Man series developed by Capcom since 1987. The pixel art for the character was created by the designer of the original game in the series, credited under...
as MegaMan.EXE for the Battle Network series, though he stated the character designers were reluctant to hand over the responsibility to the veteran artist and even altered his illustrations afterwards. The character's initial concept art went through a large number of changes before it was finalized to a much simpler design, so that even very young fans could easily draw it. The musical score for the game was composed by Akari Kaida
Akari Kaida
is a video game music composer. She has composed musical scores for Capcom games including Resident Evil, Dino Crisis and Ōkami...
, who would also go on to work on the fifth installment of the Battle Network series. All 22 musical tracks for Mega Man Battle Network were included on the Rockman EXE 1 ~ 3 Game Music Collection, released in Japan by Suleputer
Suleputer
Suleputer is a record label the Japanese game development company Capcom uses for its releases. Its name derives from the full name of Capcom: " ".-Discography:*Biohazard 2 ReMIX ~met@morPhoses~...
on December 18, 2002.
The Japanese version of Battle Network was first announced in August 2000 as one of four games set to be released for the recently unveiled GBA handheld. A demo of the game was displayed at Nintendo Space World
Nintendo Space World
Nintendo World, formerly called Nintendo Space World, Nintendo 64 Space World, Super Famicom Space World, Famicom Space World, and , is a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds...
that month, where it was displayed on only two out of the 140 playable consoles. The game was subsequently displayed on five kiosks at the Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
the following month. According to series planners Masakazu Eguchi and Masahiro Yasuma, this experimental beta build of the game involved the player fighting a malevolent WoodMan.EXE within the school's electronic blackboard. Battle Network was officially released in Japan as a GBA launch title on March 21, 2001. A commercial advertisement of the game featured the song "Neo Venus" by Japanese rock band Janne Da Arc
Janne Da Arc
is a Japanese rock band from Hirakata, Osaka. The band's name is often seen shortened to either "Janne" or "JDA".- Career :The band is currently signed to the Motorod record label, which is owned by Avex Group...
. The English localization of Battle Network was announced on May 17, 2001, just prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It was released in North America and Europe on October 31 and November 30 respectively. The game's first sequel, Mega Man Battle Network 2, was announced before the Japan World Hobby Fair in June 2001. Attendees to the fair were able to download chip data for the character Bass.EXE into their original Battle Network cartridges.
Reception and legacy
Mega Man Battle Network has been received generally well-received, holding aggregates score of 80% on GameRankings and 79 out of 100 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The battle system was a positive stand-out aspect for many critics. Justin Speer of GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
found combat within the game to rightfully capture the spirit of Mega Man as the "most original and compelling feature". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Craig Harris likewise regarded the battle interface to be well-designed, a refreshing change from traditional Japanese RPGs, what gives the game its charm, and a very appreciative addition to the game's limited multiplayer mode. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
contributor James Fudge summarized the combat as "very easy to learn, but difficult to master -- and yet very satisfying". He did, however, admit that the random encounters can be overwhelming at times. Kristian of Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
considered the gameplay both deep and simple to pick up on, but thought the menu system to be "clunky" at times and its battles to be repetitive.
The presentation of Battle Network was overall favored by reviewers as well. Harris, Fudge, and Kristian were impressed by the crisp, colorful graphics and futuristic locales found within the game. As far as the sound was concerned, Speer opined that the music appropriately matched the rich visual style. Kristian otherwise accepted the sound as "enough here to get by", but that nothing would be missed if it were turned off. Harris comparably stated that "the standard Japanese tunage could have been given a bit more variety". The reviewers gave mixed opinions of the game's storyline. Though Kristian called it "engrossing", Harris recognized the plot as the game's one major fault, describing it as "kiddy" and disliking the consistent use of computer terminology for character names. Speer similarly summarized, "If there's something that might hold you back from enjoying the game, it's the lighthearted and somewhat goofy story. However, the game doesn't take itself too seriously, so neither should you."
Mega Man Battle Network entered Japanese sales charts at number 12, selling approximately 43,048 units during its first week. A total of 224,837 units were sold in Japan during 2001, with the game being listed by Dengeki Online
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
as the 50th best-selling video game in the region for that year. The success of Mega Man Battle Network led to several sequels and spin-offs on other consoles, mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s, and arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
; an anime series
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
; and numerous pieces of merchandise. The Mega Man Star Force
Mega Man Star Force
Mega Man Star Force, known in Japan as , is a Mega Man action role-playing video game published and developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console...
series, a spiritual successor to the Battle Network games, began in 2007 after the end of the latter. Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star
Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star
is a Mega Man action role-playing video game published and developed by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was revealed at the 2009 World Hobby Fair in Japan and released on November 12, 2009....
, a remake of the first Battle Network game for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, integrates elements from the Star Force series.