Mega Man Battle Network 3 White

Mega Man Battle Network 3 is the latest title in Capcom’s GBA action-RPG series.  This entry deviates from the rest of the series by shipping in two different versions, a Blue and a White version (the White version was used for this review).  However, the basic gameplay formula and much of the graphics and sound have been carried over from the previous games in the series.  This may bother those who would have liked to see more of a variation and improvements to the gameplay, but those new to the series, or those who particularly enjoyed the previous games, should have a long, engaging experience with Mega Man Battle Network 3.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Mega Man Battle Network series takes place in the future, which is known as the Internet Era.  Much of society is focused around the use of the Internet, and each person has his or her own PET, a device used to jack into the Internet from any linking point.  In their PETs, each person also has a unique navigation program, or Net Navi, located within their PET that will perform various tasks, like receiving email or browsing the Internet.  Also, Net Navis use battle chips as a preventative measure to destroy viruses that could pose a problem.  You play as Lan, a young boy and his Navi, Mega Man.Exe.  As Lan, you perform various activities, from going on a field trip with your class to hanging out with your friends.  As Mega Man, you navigate the Internet, fight evil viruses and hack into other people’s computers.

The battles in Mega Man Battle Network 3 occur on a 3 by 6 grid, with you on one side and your enemies on the other.  You fight by using different battle chips against your enemies and by escaping their attacks across your side of the grid.  Using these battle chips, you can chain different attack chips together, power yourself up, or manipulate the battle grid.  Mega Man also can change his fighting styles to gain access to more programs to aid him in battle.

The differences between the White and Blue versions involve a number of different factors.  Each one contains unique enemy viruses, battle chips, fighting styles and each one has a unique boss battle.  In the White version, players have exclusive fighting rights against Mist Man in Chapter Seven.  Certain unique battle chips can also be traded with Blue version players for their unique chips, although the Giga Chips exclusive to each version cannot be traded.

While the battle system is pretty fun for a while and the use of battle chips is an interesting idea, the battle system is pretty much the same thing you played last year in Battle Network 2.  You can customize your chips and arrange them in an order that is more strategically helpful to your given situation, and that is pretty fun.  However, the majority of the game outside of battles is spent running various chores and errands.  There is a lot more interaction between Lan and Mega Man is this entry in the series, but a lot of that interaction is spent running from one place to another to turn on a light switch or find an object.  Plus, in many situations, you have to talk to every person in the room before the game proceeds.  And when all they really have to say is something like, “Wowie! This is cool!!”  it can get pretty tedious. 

The graphics have been left unchanged from the previous entries in the series, which is both good and bad.  The characters look nice and colorful, and the environments are pretty vivid.  However, the graphics are nothing new, and represent what the GBA has been pushing out from day one, with no real innovation.

The sound has also been unchanged.  The music sounds very “8-bit” (the GBA is certainly capable of more) and most of the sound effects have been recycled from Mega Man Battle Network 2.

Mega Man Battle Network 3 should appeal to hardcore fans of the series, who probably wouldn’t want it to deviate much from the original formula, which it certainly doesn’t.  Those who had hoped for a bit more originality from this entry will probably be disappointed.  However, if you are new to the series and would like to play one of the best (and one of the few) long-running RPG franchises on the GBA, then give Battle Network 3 a try.

Gameplay: 7.9
The action/RPG hybrid gameplay has been largely left alone, which can be good or bad for series fans.  The battles are still pretty engaging and the enemies are pretty interesting, and the use of battle chips allows for a lot of strategy.  However, the game is pretty mundane otherwise, forcing you to perform odd jobs and errands to continue the story.

Graphics: 7.5

The characters, enemies and environments look pretty good, but they’re still first-generation GBA graphics that don’t represent what the GBA is currently capable of.

Sound: 7.3
Much of the music and sound effects from Battle Network 2 have been recycled, so don’t expect anything new.  The music also sounds really 8-bit, and lacks the quality of other GBA games.

Difficulty: Easy

Battle Network 3 is a hefty investment of GBA time, clocking in at about 20+ hours to complete.  However, while it is time consuming, it’s still relatively easy to finish.                                                                                                                          

Concept: 7.7
Splitting the second entry of the series into two different versions, each with their own unique features, was a pretty cool idea that made it possible to swap with your friends.  However, the gameplay, graphics and sound are just too similar to the rest of the series to make a strong case for innovation in this game.      

Multiplayer: 8

While the gameplay itself is basically one-player, you can swap chips with your friends who own a different version of the game, which adds a nice element to the series.

Overall: 7.7
Mega Man Battle Network 3 keeps true to the other entries in the series, and some would argue that maybe it’s a little too true.  There really isn’t much of a step up from Battle Network 2, so anyone who wasn’t thrilled about that game probably wouldn’t get much out of this one.  However, if you’re a hardcore fan of the series who likes it just as it is, then certainly give Battle Network 3 a chance.