To the joy of many fans, Capcom finally announced theMega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionin a Nintendo Partner Direct. This will collect all six of the mainMega Man Battle NetworkGame Boy Advance titles, as well as both versions ofBattle Network 3and onward. A number of spin-offs are being left out of this collection and the fate of theMega Man Star Forcetrilogy remains uncertain, but what is in the full package is worth celebrating regardless.
The digital version of theMega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionwill be split into two installments, the first containingBattle Network 1through3and the secondBattle Network 4through6. The latter package does technically contain two more games than the first, but like thePokemongames that inspired them, there aren’t many differences between versions. Thosegetting into theMega Man Battle Networkseriesfor the first time or veterans who want to return to an alternate version may be wondering what the differences in these titles are. They are best illustrated with the version differences betweenMega Man Battle Network 3 WhiteandMega Man Battle Network 3 Blue.
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The Odd Creation of Battle Network White and Blue
Battle Network 3was the first entry in theMega Man Battle Networkseries to employ two versions. Every subsequent title up to the end ofMega Man Star Forcewas released with two equivalent takes on the game. This encouraged friend groups to diversify their purchases and trade Battle Chips they couldn’t otherwise get. For European and Western players, it seems like an initiative todouble down on thePokemonqualitiesBattle Networkwas designed with. However, that was not initially the case.
The initial December 2002 Japanese release ofBattle Network Rockman EXE3was a standalone title. At the end of March 2003, a second version titledBattle Network Rockman EXE3 Blackcame out. The original game was released outside of Japan asMega Man Battle Network 3 White, whileBlackwas localized asMega Man Battle Network 3 Blue. Like later alternate versions,Blackexchanged some Battle Chips, chip codes, one boss, and one form change, as well as introducing a number of cosmetic changes. However,Blackwas not followingPokemontradition; rather, it was upholdingCapcom’s tendency to release upgraded versionswith new content.
Mega Man Battle Network 3’s Major Version Differences
Differences between theWhiteandBlueversions ofBattle Network 3start off small, with things like color differences in various menus and objects, some standard Battle Chips having unique codes per version, and shops having different inventories. The major differences come in with bosses andBN3’s high-end equipment.Battle Network Whitehas playersfight MistMan as Serenade’s #2, whileBlueuses BowlMan. Of greater note is the appearance of Mr. Famous and his NetNavi Punk, who older fans may recognize as one of the Mega Man Killers from the Game Boy platformers. This is the onlyBattle Networkgame to feature Punk, as Mr. Famous is replaced by his hint-giving assistant inWhite. Even though Punk’s Battle Chip was exclusive to a Capcom promotion,Battle Network 3 Bluecould be worth playing overWhitejust to see this bit of classicMega Manfanservice.
The other reason to playBattle Network Blueis because of how much easier it is thanWhite. The biggest advantage is the FolderBack Giga Chip, theeasiest Giga Chip to get inBlue. FolderBack is strong enough to alter how battles are approached, as it restores all used Battle Chips including itself to the Folder, thereby promoting an extra-aggressive playstyle. The five Giga Chips in each version are different, even if they are unlocked the same way, andWhite’s Navi Recycle just can’t hold a candle to FolderBack.
The last majordifference between theWhiteandBlueversionsis the unique Style in each, and the Navi Customizer blocks that come with them.White’s Ground Style is gained by using terrain-affecting chips, and can crack enemy panels with charged shots. Shadow Style’s charged shot inBluedeals no damage, but turns MegaMan invisible and invincible for a few seconds. That’s in addition to gaining it by simply using lots of Invisible chips, and the Style conferring Customizer blocks that let MegaMan ignore most harmful panels.
In summary,Battle Network 3 Bluegives players more safety and resources, whileBattle Network 3 Whitedemands more strategy. Both arevalid ways to experienceBattle Network 3, and players will be able to get both at once as part of theMega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionwill be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, and Switch.
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