Mega Man Battle Network

Mega Man Battle Network is a tactical role-playing video game series created by Masahiro Yasuma and developed and published by Capcom as a spin-off of the Mega Man series. First released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) handheld game console, the series takes place in an alternate Mega Man continuity where computers and networking technology became the main focus of scientific advancement, rather than robotics. There are a total of six mainline games (four of which have two different versions), alongside several spin-offs. Created amidst the success of Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon series, alongside the rise of collectible card games, Mega Man Battle Network has players control MegaMan.EXE, a NetNavi operated by Lan Hikari as they attempt to stop the schemes of a net-crime organization called WWW (called "World Three"), headed by the universe's interpretation of Dr. Wily. Players battle enemies on a 6x3 grid, selecting "Battle Chips" which allow for more powerful attacks. The series has been met with positive reviews from critics, although later games, particularly Mega Man Battle Network 5 and Mega Man Battle Network 6, have been criticized for a perceived lack of innovation; the series was followed-up by a sequel series titled Mega Man Star Force, which is set 200 years after Battle Network and focuses on radio waves. A compilation of all six mainline entries, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, was released in April 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows.