Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue

"Despite a few annoying additions, MMBN3 is a fantastic game."

When the Megaman Battle Network series started off, I doubt anyone could have foreseen how big it was going to become. In just a few short years, the series has spawned three instalments on the Gameboy Advance (with a fourth currently in the works) and a cel-shaded 2D version on the GameCube.
While Megaman Battle Network 3 is a fantastic game which offers some welcome additions to the series, including new styles and a brand new system for collecting BugFrag, it sadly doesn't live up to the standard set by the second game.

Graphics - 10/10

While not the most stunning thing to be seen on GBA, the graphics are not bad by any standards. The environments are varied and well designed, and the character sprites are well animated - as is usual for Capcom games.

Music - 7/10

Fans of the first two games will recognise some of the music - namely the main theme and the song that plays while you're inside a house - but sadly, I felt that the rest of the music was lacking somewhat compared to the previous games.

Gameplay - 10/10

The battle system remains unchanged from the previous games. You and your opponent start a battle on a 6x3 grid with 9 squares each, and when a battle starts you're given the chance to choose battle chips to aid you in battle. These chips have a wide range of effects, including healing, dealing large amounts of damage, and summoning other Navis to attack your enemies.
During the fight, you can either use these chips with the A button, or use your basic attack - the MegaBuster. While the buster starts out being almost totally useless, as you power up Megaman it will slowly become a force to be reckoned with.

The way Megaman becomes stronger has been completely changed for MMBN3. While the HPMemories that add more health to Megaman remain, you no longer use PowerUps to make your Buster stronger. You now have a Navi Customiser, where you have to obey a set of simple rules to install programs for Megaman into a 4x4 grid. Violation of these rules causes Megaman to glitch. This means that in battle, Megaman may become the victim of negative effects, such as losing the ability to use his MegaBuster, or having his health drained constantly.

When not fighting, the gameplay revolves around either Lan or Megaman. As Lan, you play in the real world and are given basic puzzles to solve. As Megaman, you play in the cyber world, and the gameplay becomes more like a traditional RPG - fighting off random encounters to finish a dungeon, or explore a new area.
The level design has sadly taken a step back from the last game. Rather than linking together like some kind of maze, the areas are now connected with a cyber world version of the Metroline, and in my opinion, this makes the whole net seem much smaller and more linear.

The dungeons can be very frustrating, especially when you have to install a new program on Megaman. Now, when Megaman needs to do something in the field, such as walking along a narrow path or talking to some evil navis, you have to install the relevant program in the Navi Customiser. While this doesn't sound like much, having to completely rearrange your grid just to incorporate some program that you'll never have to use again is tedious and tiring at best.

Final Mark - 9/10

While this is, in many ways, a step back from the perfection that was MMBN2, it's still a must have game for every GBA owner.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/13/03, Updated 07/13/03