MegaMan Battle Network series

[MACandCHEEZWIZ1]

A series that I enjoy way too much to not talk about. Who else here played it? I'm gonna try to remember the list of games.

MegaMan Battle Network

MegaMan Battle Network 2

MegaMan Battle Network 3 White

MegaMan Battle Network 3 Blue (Black in Japan)

MegaMan Battle Network 4 Red Sun

MegaMan Battle Network 4 Blue Moon

MegaMan Battle Network 5 Team Protoman

MegaMan Battle Network 5 Team Colonel

MegaMan Battle Network 5 Double Team DS

MegaMan Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar

MegaMan Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar

MegaMan Battle Chip Challenge

MegaMan Network Transmission

Rockman EXE WS

Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation

Rockman EXE Phantom of Network

Rockman EXE Legend of Network

Rockman EXE Battle Chip Stadium

Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star

MegaMan Star Force (Ryuusei no Rockman 'Shooting Star Rockman') game discussion is also welcome, due to it being in the Battle Network universe. I haven't played them before, but I think I know the names.

MegaMan Star Force Pegasus

MegaMan Star Force Leo

MegaMan Star Force Dragon

MegaMan Star Force 2 ZerkerXSaurus

MegaMan Star Force 2 ZerkerXNinja

MegaMan Star Force 3 Black Ace

MegaMan Star Force 3 Red Joker

RockMan EXE Operate Shooting Star

What are your highlights, low-points, and stories for these series'? Either you love 'em, hate 'em, or don't know 'em. It's not Classic, X, Zero, ZX, or Legends, but an alternate reality.

Edited January 24, 2010 by MACandCHEEZWIZ1
Adding to list of games

[wraith89]

Battle Network? I'm more of a Megaman classics fan (maniac in fact), but I've played Numbers 2-6... got through all of it and got those 7 symbols/stars/whatever in the title screen. So far, MMBN3 is my favorite one... and 4 is my least favorite. Why? I can't stand a storyline based on tournaments... and requiring you to play the same thing 3 times just to get all 6 souls. And it seems not balanced... seeing how Red Sun gets the better souls... and Aqua Soul not being worth anything (darn it! 20 damage buster? Yeah, it charges quickly but so does Fire Soul... when it ALSO sets a grass cross as soon as you fuse and it deals 50 damage per flamethrower... yes I'm a Blue Mooner). Seems they got lazy with the Undernet as well, borrowing the maps from BN2. Mhh, overall, great games...

(come on people, continue the discussion with some interesting parts of the game)...

[Nigoli]

I used to run a site called The Undersquare when it was still active. I'm more however a fan of the Japanese Versions due to the earlier release dates and merchandising of the franchise for the Series.

I really wish they put more in Operate Shooting Star, or did like they're doing with this Zero Collection and put them all into one Game. My Favorite is probably EXE4, I like the transition from 3 at that time. It was when I was most into the EXE Series. EXE5 felt like a good sequel when it came out. I was so used to EXE5DS when that came out in July 2005 that 6 felt kind of cheesy playing it on the GBA, maybe because I knew the Series was ending before 6 came out talking about that "Climax" term. The Music felt so low quality compared to 4 and 5. Don't get me wrong though, I like 6 compared to 1 and 3.

EXE:

4 > 2 > 5 > 6 > 3 > 1 > Transmission > BCGP

SSR:

1 > 3 > 2

SSR felt dummed down. I really liked the 1st one a lot, while the 2nd one felt too much of the same. 3 had a great Storyline and the Bosses were more memorable for me.

I really hope an EXE7 esque thing does come out, whatever they're planning for Rockman's 25 Anniversary. I'm really excited for RM10 outside EXE. And I definitely think they wouldn't bring back EXE without making OSS for no good reason, even if it did lack new things.

[MACandCHEEZWIZ1]

I had no idea you ran The Undersquare, Nigoli! I only started visiting after it was closed. Anyway, Battle Network 4 was a conflicting game for me. Like Wraith said, it was frustrating collecting every Soul Unison due to low replay value. I was shocked with the graphics transition from EXE 3 to EXE 4, although now I prefer them. For some reason, it was one of my favourites. I enjoyed the tournaments and battle sequences. Most of the music I felt to be lacking, except for the tournament and boss music. The Navis were interesting, and Duo was a nice addition, although a tad random. Dark Chips were frustrating with their permanent HP loss, along with the fact that you had to have a Dark Soul to use some Standard Chips, Mega Chips, Giga Chips, and Program Advances (stupid DarkNeo). The introduction of Secret Chips was annoying, because they took forever to collect. What made EXE 4 special to me were the vibrant locations and the sequences of the game that weren't dictated by tournaments (I chuckled warmly at Lan and Mayl's date). Duo Ω looked pretty cool as well. I haven't played EXE 5 in a while, but I remember that I didn't care for it too much. I got bored with the endless liberation missions. I found that Team Colonel had some pretty neat Souls (Toad Soul anyone?) and Chaos Unison fixed the Dark Chip problem. It had a good story, but it felt like the end of the EXE series. EXE 6 was the only game I bothered trying to beat completely (every symbol except for the BLG and Secret Complete; I didn't own Gregar and couldn't find an AR code for one symbol at a time or buying specific Navi Chips in the shop). The game felt empty. It bothered me that they cut out CrossOver 2 Mode, the entire Django quest, Undernet 3, Graveyard 1, Immortal Area, GunDelSol EX, Otenko, Django 1/2/3, and The Count 1/2/3, just because Capcom decided not to localize Boktai 3. I can understand from a business standpoint why they didn't release Boktai 3, but why cut out all references to it in EXE 6? I think I remember hearing that EXE 6 originally had some e-Reader compatibility, but I think it was for the extra 10 missions so you can fight Protoman FZ. At least CoA left him in, although I don't understand why they didn't do the same for DoubleBeast W, Gregar X, and Falzar Y. I know they were originally used with the BLG, but why not leave them in? DoubleBeast W, Otenko O, GunDelSol EX G, and the CrossOver PA still work, even if some of the sprites were replaced with blank circles.

(Continuing my rant later...)

[wraith89]

The only good thing about EXE4 were the better graphics (especially Mr. Match... wow you, sir, look MUCH better!) EXE5's concentration on tactical strategy games (aka liberation) was a bit odd but still fun (me being a Fire Emblem fan too). The thing about Dark Chips, aside from the time I was literally REQUIRED to use one (the match against Shademan in EXE4) I never used it because of that - 1 max HP penalty. So aside from Dark Sword I never really knew how the others worked. EXE5 was a major improvement from EXE4 for me... and EXE6 was cool too (especially the improved Aqua Cross... been dying to get it). But all in all, I liked the older ones (EXE2/3) due to an efficient Life Aura (if you play Continue 3 and above in EXE4, it is literally USELESS because every virus and their mother does like 200 damage or more... and running away from them was futile as well)... the Styles (Custom Style Glitch in EXE3 ftw)/Program Advance Master Style (was fun to run), the brokenness of PlantManEXE's chip, etc...

Well, there is one thing I need to complain about EXE3... it's that darned PRESS program! I hate putting that on just to get into Undernet every single time

And kudos to EXE4 for making Bugstop only ONE square as opposed to that monstrous piece in EXE3.

When they revamped everything in EXE4, I was like... what happened to the map? Yai's house is at the top where the school was and Higsby's shop was moved elsewhere. Then in EXE5 when Lan's dad was asking Lan how was school I was laughing so hard... because apparently there IS no school! Then you go to the past in EXE5 on the net... and you'd expect the arrangement of ACDC town to be like EXE1-3's... nope. It's like EXE4-6's. What?! o_o

[Nigoli]

EXE 6 was the only game I bothered trying to beat completely (every symbol except for the BLG and Secret Complete;

The Gate Mark was only able to be acquired using and installing the Link Navi Data Chips for that version and defeating ForteSP with each one in the Japanese Version

I think I remember hearing that EXE 6 originally had some e-Reader compatibility, but I think it was for the extra 10 missions so you can fight Protoman FZ. At least CoA left him in,

There were 10 "Event" Cards for 1 random different packs of 5 Cards from Card e-Reader+ Rockman EXE6 Modification Card Part 2 for the Japanese Version. You would scan the Card through the other GBA to the Rockman Status and it would add the Mission to the BBS. Besides that everything was the same otherwise, fighting BluesFZ and getting his Title Screen Mark.

Translation States: [Final Zero Custom]

although I don't understand why they didn't do the same for DoubleBeast W, Gregar X, and Falzar Y. I know they were originally used with the BLG, but why not leave them in? DoubleBeast W, Otenko O, GunDelSol EX G, and the CrossOver PA still work, even if some of the sprites were replaced with blank circles.

Those 3 Battle Chips could be added as Game Data through the Card e-Reader+ and it's Special Chip Transmission Cards like EXE4&5 besides using DoubleBeast and Greiga as Beast Series Battle Chips for the BLG (The Falzer Giga Class Chip was was never produced as a Toy Chip)

These are from the Ultimate Navigation COMP Guide for 6. So it doesn't have information and attack stats for DoubleBeast W

The thing about Dark Chips, aside from the time I was literally REQUIRED to use one (the match against Shademan in EXE4) I never used it because of that - 1 max HP penalty. So aside from Dark Sword I never really knew how the others worked.

There was actually an e-Reader+ Card that's an unused one that gives a Navi Customizer Program called DarkMemory. It allows the user to use Dark Chips without the loss of 1HP each time. I remember hearing about it in a CoroCoro article after the game was released sometime in Janurary 2004, but they scrapped it due to it being too broken in Survival Netbattle Tournaments I believe.

(if you play Continue 3 and above in EXE4, it is literally USELESS because every virus and their mother does like 200 damage or more

From what I've experienced and believe, it definitely takes 4 Playthroughs to get everything. 1-3 for every Rockman Upgrade, Battle Chip, and Data Library Completeion. And just 4 for fighting every Tournament Navi there is to fight including the Soul Entries you can send to the other version so you can have Random Encounters in every Internet Location. I'm personally on Playthrough 4 with everything but 3 more Soul Navis to fight for both versions. I need to definitely finish it up someday.

[wraith89]

Yes, I remember DarkMemory very well... but I had no access to any of that e-reader thing. I was better off with using regular chips anyways, for their damage output could be increased to great amounts if piled up correctly with damage + chips and whatnot. I am at Continue 9 in BN4 though (you can see why I'm sick of all this now)... and when I linked it up with someone with Red Sun I was able to fight Navis from Red Sun (although I was not able to get their respective souls... which is a shame... but encountering the Roll and Fire Man data on the Net was a treat).

[HottSushiz]

The Battle Networks are my favorite game series though i haven't played most of them. When i do get a chance to play them i don't do anything else unless i completely finish it. I've played a Battle Network game when i was 8 or 5 and I can't remember what it was called due to me having bad memory and me actually losing the cartridge. And when i was actually super into them at age 12 i searched high and low for that lost cartridge but to no avail, all i know about the game is that it's unfinished, and i got Heat Guts Soul or something that allowed me to become a fire elemental MegaMan.

I played The DS Battle Network to death. I recently started it again for me hoping that Shooting Star EXE will be localized. I also played all the Star Forces because i try and wait patiently for any Battle Networks to be released. but at least that Zero Collection is gonna be released, Zero is my favorite character i even used his name in Lazer Force. And i miss playing his type of games with the dash jumping, while slashing the enemies anime styled.

[MACandCHEEZWIZ1]

My first EXE game was EXE 3. It, along with Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Pinball, were my first games for the Game Boy Advance. It was quite fun. I've never actually tried EXE or EXE 2, as the battle menu and library categorizing never really appealed to me. I never even got past Fireman on Network Transmission (11 year old attention span). I've been wondering if I should restart all of my games (Blue, Blue Moon, Team Colonel, Cybeast Falzar, and Network Transmission), just to get a fresh start. But, like HottSushiz, I have "gotta complete this completely before moving on" syndrome. That, and all the unused content in the game will bug the crap out of me, making me want to work on ROM expansion and ROM transferring, which I have little experience in. I would love to add the translated Django sidequest to an english EXE 6, but it's impossible with a retail cartridge, and a massive amount of work would have to be done, like area addition, item location rewriting, translating, debugging, etc. By the way, Nigoli, I Googled you and found your blog. Congrats on that Complete Works EXE book. If I could read Japanese, and had the money, Japanese games, and accessories, I would buy it. For me, it's like "Have it complete or don't have it at all". Also, that's a massive amount of e-Reader cards you have there. Which ones are remaining?

On a different note, I'm considering buying every Star Force game (minus RM EXE OSS), but I'm saving up for HG and SS. The battles put me off, with Battle Cards having no codes, only being able to move left and right, and the polygon enemies, but other than that, I'm alright. Would it be worth it?

[wraith89]

Funny EXE3 was my first EXE as well... and it was Blue version too!

And I do hate that... them taking out that extra graveyard zone in the US version of EXE6 making certain chips inaccessible (why did they have to do that?)

[trance]

I had no idea you ran The Undersquare, Nigoli! I only started visiting after it was closed.

(...)

Yes, unfortunate that TUS closed, since I was a mod there for about 6~8 weeks before the close. It's a small world, after all.

(...)

It bothered me that they cut out CrossOver 2 Mode, the entire Django quest, Undernet 3, Graveyard 1, Immortal Area, GunDelSol EX, Otenko, Django 1/2/3, and The Count 1/2/3, just because Capcom decided not to localize Boktai 3.

(...)

Konami made the Bokura no Taiyou series.

[MACandCHEEZWIZ1]

Konami made the Bokura no Taiyou series.

Whoops! I forgot about that! *Slaps myself*

Anyway, I'm restarting Blue Moon today, and my brother is restarting Red Sun. I need a little clarification on Free Tournament mode. I heard that if I send Navi data to him first and he sends it second, I will be able to fight his Navis in Free Tournament mode with their original AI, while he'll fight mine with a different one, and vice-versa? I also heard that after I beat a Navi in the championship, I get his/her Secret Chip, but the version I get is based on what Continue the other player was on (ex. same Continue = 1, one Continue higher = 2, two Continues higher = 3). This doesn't make sense to me, because I won't be able to get 3 of the V1 secret chips from his Navis unless we both enter Continue2 at the same time and get our other Souls. Then, he has to get one continue ahead of me so I can get his V2 Secret Chips, and vice-versa. Then, I repeat those steps to get the V3 Secret Chips, and trade with him to get the 18 Secret Chips from my Navis. By then, we're on Continue4 or Continue5. Another theory I heard was that if the Navi has an HP boost by XXX-XXX, YYY-YYY, or ZZZ-ZZZ, I'll get their V1, V2, or V3 Secret chip. I'm at a loss as to which one is true.

Also, after you exchange Navi data, you're able to encounter them in their respective tournaments, do their stories (minus Soul Unison, which I have on my Action Replay), and encounter them on the net like your own to collect their V1, SP, and DS Mega Chips? Do they appear in the same area that their corresponding Navi appears in?

Finally, are Duo and GrandPrixPower counted towards the list of Secret Chips in Japan, but not in English? Or do they appear in the Library at all? Do they even work in the English games, or do they freeze it up like Falzar, Gregar, Django 1/2/3, and the Count 1/2/3 from EXE 6?

Thank you for your time.

P.S. *everyone groans* What other things were cut from the English games?

[Nigoli]

Whoops! I forgot about that! *Slaps myself*

Anyway, I'm restarting Blue Moon today, and my brother is restarting Red Sun. I need a little clarification on Free Tournament mode. I heard that if I send Navi data to him first and he sends it second, I will be able to fight his Navis in Free Tournament mode with their original AI, while he'll fight mine with a different one, and vice-versa? I also heard that after I beat a Navi in the championship, I get his/her Secret Chip, but the version I get is based on what Continue the other player was on (ex. same Continue = 1, one Continue higher = 2, two Continues higher = 3). This doesn't make sense to me, because I won't be able to get 3 of the V1 secret chips from his Navis unless we both enter Continue2 at the same time and get our other Souls. Then, he has to get one continue ahead of me so I can get his V2 Secret Chips, and vice-versa. Then, I repeat those steps to get the V3 Secret Chips, and trade with him to get the 18 Secret Chips from my Navis. By then, we're on Continue4 or Continue5. Another theory I heard was that if the Navi has an HP boost by XXX-XXX, YYY-YYY, or ZZZ-ZZZ, I'll get their V1, V2, or V3 Secret chip. I'm at a loss as to which one is true.

I'm not really sure, but it's definitely accumulated by HP Rates of what the other person's is sending the Data to you, lower triple digits give V1s, middle triple digits give V2, and higher triple digits and past 1000 HP give V3. I'm not totally sure about the Continue+'s. I don't think it's true because I haven't seen that with my games.

Also, after you exchange Navi data, you're able to encounter them in their respective tournaments, do their stories (minus Soul Unison, which I have on my Action Replay), and encounter them on the net like your own to collect their V1, SP, and DS Mega Chips? Do they appear in the same area that their corresponding Navi appears in?

They usually come up in the same area for their location as their other version counter part, so that there's a Random Encounter in every area. You can fight their set Encounter V2~3 in the Area they become Random in. I forget about acquiring their DS Chips though, it's been a couple of years since I personally started over, and I already have a complete Data Library on Playthrough 4 for my last Playthrough.

I highly recommend sending them on Playthrough 2 or 3, then deleting them as you defeat them in the Tournament that way the Shared Navis don't get all scrambled when you fight those. You'll get repeats if you have their Data in just like you would through next Playthroughs.

Finally, are Duo and GrandPrixPower counted towards the list of Secret Chips in Japan, but not in English? Or do they appear in the Library at all? Do they even work in the English games, or do they freeze it up like Falzar, Gregar, Django 1/2/3, and the Count 1/2/3 from EXE 6?

They are not since they're Event Chips. Event Chips for EXE2, 3 (no Punk P for Data Library), 4, 5GBA, & 6 never go into the Data Library.

GrandPrixPower G and Duo D work fine on English games, but their made up data made by an Card e-Reader+ and using the Special Chip Transmission Card for that device will not be presented in an English game. As the Card e-Reader+ isn't compatible with English Regions.

Hacking it on an English or Japanese game without the Card and Card e-Reader+ device results in having a Blank Chip with no picture, description, and name.

[trance]

What's funny is that in 3 (and 3 Black), Punk is ordered at the end of the Mega Battlechips, while in 4, Grandprixpower and Duo are ordered at the absolute end. Grandprixpower seems kinda out of place being after the Giga Battlechips :<

[Narwhal]

I got EXE3 first, too! By far the best, in my opinion. I tried 6 and 1, but I didn't like them as much. I never beat EXE3... :\ I didn't know there were this many people who played Megaman!

[Tidus]

I love all of them, I am a big MegaMan fenatic and have pretty much enjoyed every Megaman game I've played. Legends gets major respect points for being so different, quirky, and awesome. Legends is what megaman should continue on to become, instead of being held back as a 2d game...not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Pkmn 337]

Battle Network is awesome! When I played 6 it was fun to use the P.As based from the previous games(Sun Moon was the best!) And the feeling of using the Bass chip too. I think Battle network is the only Megaman series I truly like (along Megaman Zero for Gba).

[MACandCHEEZWIZ1]

Last week, as I was playing EXE 6, I got an idea. A stupid idea. One that resulted in the deletion of my save. I decided that I wanted to know what it was like to fight Gregar, so I used an "Encounter Gregar in Net" code. My game froze, deleting it. This left me wondering. On my new file, I tried an "Encounter GBeast in Net" code, only to have the same results. I am therefore left to assume a few things:

1. There are multiple versions for sprite data; one for chips, one for battles, and others. That's why DoubleBeast works as a chip, but you can't encounter the other Beast Out. It also means that your real opponent Beasting Out in battle does not equal GBeast or FBeast. That, or DoubleBeast relies on sprite data from link battles. I assume you can't fight Gregar on a Japanese Falzar, but you can still use his chip.

2. I might be wrong with the sprite data thing, as it might actually be that their AI is not programmed into the other game, freezing upon encountering something that can't exist. Although the other game's Link Navis are encounterable and playable through a cheating device.

All that, or I'm an idiot when it comes to stuff like this. WHICH I AM.

[SQTE-062]

On 2/10/2010 at 11:16 AM, MACandCHEEZWIZ1 said:

Last week, as I was playing EXE 6, I got an idea. A stupid idea. One that resulted in the deletion of my save. I decided that I wanted to know what it was like to fight Gregar, so I used an "Encounter Gregar in Net" code. My game froze, deleting it. This left me wondering. On my new file, I tried an "Encounter GBeast in Net" code, only to have the same results. I am therefore left to assume a few things:
Tuần trước, khi đang chơi EXE 6, tôi chợt nảy ra một ý tưởng. Một ý tưởng ngu ngốc. Một trong đó dẫn đến việc xóa bản lưu của tôi. Tôi quyết định rằng tôi muốn biết cảm giác chiến đấu với Gregar như thế nào, vì vậy tôi đã sử dụng mã "Gặp Gregar trên mạng". Trò chơi của tôi bị treo, xóa nó. Điều này khiến tôi băn khoăn. Trên tệp mới của mình, tôi đã thử mã "Gặp GBeast in Net" nhưng vẫn nhận được kết quả tương tự. Do đó tôi phải thừa nhận một số điều:

1. There are multiple versions for sprite data; one for chips, one for battles, and others. That's why DoubleBeast works as a chip, but you can't encounter the other Beast Out. It also means that your real opponent Beasting Out in battle does not equal GBeast or FBeast. That, or DoubleBeast relies on sprite data from link battles. I assume you can't fight Gregar on a Japanese Falzar, but you can still use his chip.
1. Có nhiều phiên bản cho dữ liệu sprite; một cho chip, một cho các trận chiến và những thứ khác. Đó là lý do tại sao DoubleBeast hoạt động như một con chip nhưng bạn không thể chạm trán với Beast Out khác. Điều đó cũng có nghĩa là đối thủ thực sự của bạn Beasting Out trong trận chiến không bằng GBeast hay FBeast. Điều đó hoặc DoubleBeast dựa vào dữ liệu sprite từ các trận chiến liên kết. Tôi cho rằng bạn không thể chiến đấu với Gregar trên Falzar Nhật Bản, nhưng bạn vẫn có thể sử dụng con chip của anh ta.

2. I might be wrong with the sprite data thing, as it might actually be that their AI is not programmed into the other game, freezing upon encountering something that can't exist. Although the other game's Link Navis are encounterable and playable through a cheating device.
2. Tôi có thể sai với dữ liệu sprite, vì thực tế có thể AI của họ không được lập trình vào trò chơi khác, bị đóng băng khi gặp phải thứ gì đó không thể tồn tại. Mặc dù Link Navis của trò chơi khác có thể gặp được và có thể chơi được thông qua một thiết bị gian lận.

All that, or I'm an idiot when it comes to stuff like this. WHICH I AM.
Tất cả những điều đó, hoặc tôi là một thằng ngốc khi nhắc đến những chuyện như thế này. TÔI LÀ AI.

Can I ask if there is a Megaman Battle Network 5 NDS chip editing tool like the PKHEX tool?

I found Chip Editor MBNW but it only edits GBA roms

[NekoSabrina]

There actually are ways to make the E-Reader content work in BN4 and 5 (not 6, that data was actually gutted) outside of hacking, but you have to be somewhat resourceful to do so. At least then you can get copies of Duo, PrixPower, TwinLeaders, and ChaosLord that have their names and images intact (as well as run the Mod Cards which were another fun E-Reader bonus for BN4-6....although they kinda suck in 4 because 90% of them give you HP bugs when using them). There's a site that's really good with various things regarding Battle Network and Star Force (and you can find some interesting little things like tools, mods, and romhacks if you dig deep enough) called The Rockman.EXE Zone. As far as I'm aware, though, I don't think something like PKHeX exists for the BN games at all (kinda wish it did, though it's not that hard to get what you want if you know what you're doing).

As great as the Legacy Collection was, it did come up a little bit short in ways it could have made the experience easier for the average player (like the ability to trade between your own BN3 White and Blue saves, for example). Too much content became reliant on the online functions. I hope they're able to address that whenever a Star Force legacy collection eventually rolls around (though I wonder how they're going to handle Star Force 2's weird version setup).