In a few weeks, the latestMega Man Legacy Collectionwill be released.Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectioncontains all ten of the mainlineBattle Networkgames, withBattle Network 3and onward receiving both of their respective versions. TheMega Man Battle Networkfranchise originated on Game Boy Advance, and aside from a DS remake that includedMega Man Star Forcecontent, it has remained there until now. Many fans with nostalgia for the series are happy to have it back, and eager to show new players this unique action-RPG.
ThisLegacy Collectiongot what may be its final trailer on March 9, focusing on everything packed in around theBattle Networkgames themselves. Alongside a music player and art gallery, a couple novel features were included. 499 patch cards that were physically released in Japan will now be included as optional power-ups and goodie bags within the collectionforBattle Network 4onwards. In addition, every title in the collection can benefit from a Max Buster mode, multiplying the Mega Buster’s damage by a hundred. This option allows players to focus on the story, but also enables veterans to quickly grind out Battle Chips for use in the revamped online mode.
RELATED:Mega Man Needs a Strong New Game on the Nintendo Switch
Online Multiplayer is a Huge Boon for Mega Man Battle Network
Mega Man Battle Networkhas always had multiplayer modes, but they relied on Game Boy Advance Game Link Cables to work. TheBattle Network Legacy Collectionallows players to freely trade chips and fight with players over the internet, which is fitting considering the games' contents. AcompetitiveBattle Networkcommunityhas existed via in-person events and emulation for a long time, so having a fully featured online mode that even includes ranked play is a blessing.
Despite theMega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collectionhaving a new asynchronous multiplayer mode, many were uncertain ifBattle Networkwould get the real thing, so it’s great to see it in action. This raises the question if futureMega Mangames could also benefit from online multiplayer features.Mega Man Battle Networkwas built for chip trading, akin to card trading, andPokemon-like battles between different NetNavis who may be working with chipsets from different game versions. Such a setup wouldn’t naturally fit in more traditionalMega Manoutings, but the core idea shouldn’t be ignored.
Mega Man Could Do With More Online Multiplayer
When one thinks of multiplayer inMega Man, the first thing that comes to mind is typicallyBattle Network. After that, there’s side games likeMega Man SoccerandMega Man Battle & Chase, as well as a hidden versus mode inMega Man 7. Being an action-platformer series that often requires precision platforming, multiplayer doesn’t seem like a good fit. However,Shovel Knightproves otherwise, as its drop-in multiplayer adds even more replay value to the retro throwback action. AMega Mantitle designed to accommodate multiplayer could make for a great time.
Just looking at the fandom’s works, a demand can already be seen. From a conversion of 8-bitMega Maninto a platform fighter to a 2D hero shooterusingMega Man Xcharacters, the potential to mergeMega Manand multiplayer has already been proven. It may be time for Capcom to revisit its abandonedRockman Onlineproject, and truly give the fans an online multiplayerMega Manexperience. Whether the result is cooperative or competitive, such features would be great selling points for any newMega Mantitle.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collectionwill release on April 14th, 2023 for PC, PS4, and Switch.
