During the height of the Game Boy Advance’s reign as my favorite handheld, the Mega Man Battle Network franchise was a big part of my teenage years. The games traveled with me on trips, I played a variety of them at home, and I generally really enjoyed them. Cue my excitement when Capcom announced the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.

Now, I’m going to review the full collection here, which consists of 10 total games, though technically 4 are alternate versions of Battle Network 3, 4, 5, and 6. Online play is supported and there are also add-ons such as a gallery of pictures and concept art, as well as the ability to listen to various music tracks from in-game. As you can expect, all 10 games play very well on the Nintendo Switch and the porting is excellent.

Since there are basically 6 storylines worth of games here, I’m not gonna go into details on the individual plots. However, the premise of the franchise is that you play Lan Hikari, a young student in an ambiguous year of the early 2000s. According to the official description:

“In 200X, the rapid advancement of Internet technology has created the “network age.” People have come to enjoy the benefits of network technology through portable exploration devices called “PET” and personality simulation programs called NetNavi. As the network world expands and life becomes more convenient, however, network crime is raging. Main character Lan Hikari and his NetNavi, MegaMan.EXE, join forces to confront these incidents.”

To fix network bugs and fight various villains, Lan will need to collect Battle Chips to equip Mega Man and give him various combat abilities. Combat plays out like an early form of Deckbuilder, where Mega Man can use a certain number of special moves between each recharge. He can also use his mega-buster to deal consistent damage.

Combat takes place over a grid in real time, so you’ll have to focus on dodging enemy attacks and dealing damage at the same time. Some enemies can affect the terrain and grid, so being aware of things like that is important. The combat is engaging and really has a unique blend of RPG elements with the Mega Man style.

The characters and environments are colorful and interesting. It is a blast to see common Mega Man characters get reimagined in this anime-styled world. There is a lot of nostalgia for me in this collection, but overall, they’re solid games too. The gameplay was meticulously designed, it is an absolute blast, and you can save anywhere so it is perfect for bite-sized sessions at home or on the go.

You can purchase the entire collection together for $59.99. Alternatively, you can purchase the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1 and the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2 individually for $39.99 each. You’re saving 20 bucks by buying the bundle though, and it is incredibly worth it.

Seriously, if you’re a Mega Man fan that missed out on these the first time, this is the perfect chance to try the Battle Network games. At the same time, if you’re a veteran of the series, this is a great way to revisit a nostalgic franchise. You can’t go wrong with the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection was provided by Capcom for this review.

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Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

$59.99 USD

10

Score

10.0/10

Pros

• 10 Games in One Package
• Engaging Combat
• Fun Characters and Story
• Great Soundtrack and Art
• All Content from Previous Releases