Review: Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge (GBA)

The original Mega Man Battle Network games can be described as fun, involving and a joy to play. Capcom re-invented the character, managing to take him away from his platforming roots, and placed him into another genre without alienating core Mega Man fans.

Gamestyle really wishes this had continued with the spin-off series, Battle Chip Challenge, but it hasn't. Instead you get a game that totally forgets about the player and is more akin to a virtual storyboard than a proper gaming experience. Let Gamestyle explain.... Following on from the Battle Network games, it's up to your character and their Net Navi to win competitions until finally coming face-to-face with their rival. This time, however, you aren't restricted to Lan and Mega Man - you get to choose from five other Net Battlers: Dex/Guts Man, Mayl/Roll, Chaud/Proto Man, Kai/Turbo Man and Mary/Ring. Each one has separate stories and different rivals, but trust us, you won't want to play them all through to the conclusion. The main problem with Battle Chip Challenge is the interactivity - or lack of it, to be precise.

In previous Battle Network games, you had full control of your character as he moved around a nine-square grid avoiding and striking at enemies. This game is different. Capcom has decided to go with a new turn-based approach (which could best be described as Final Fantasy minus the good bits); the only thing you really need to work at is organising your chip folder - and that's it. In the end though, each game comes down to just one thing: luck. Once your chip folder is organised (you can obtain new chips by beating enemies or just buying them randomly at the Chip Shop), you can fight in each tournament, and during each battle the chips in your selection are chosen at random (or possibly blind luck). So, don't expect to individually choose your chips as you would in other RPGs - all you really need to do is press A. Constantly.

You do have two battle chips that can be slotted in at any time during the fight, but once again it's hard to tell whether these actually work or not. Some chips are more powerful than others, and in true Mega Man tradition, each character has a weakness that can be targeted. Capcom has also seen fit to erase one of Battle Network's best features - being able to explore the 'real world' with your character. Rather than interact with characters, you spend most of your time using a dull menu system that transports you to each area (which once again adds about as much interactivity as an alarm clock). Game modes are also few and far between, with only an option to enter the Battle Chip GP (the main mode in the game) or engage in an Open Battle. You do have the ability to play against a friend - if they're unfortunate enough to own the game - but it's about as much fun as having your eyes pecked out by wild ostriches.

Graphically, the battle sequences do look rather nice (and the animation is solid), but this is inconsequential when the majority of the game is played out through boring menus that are about as appealing as watching paint dry. Music is practically the same as you'd find in any Mega Man game since the dawn of time - which isn't necessarily a bad thing - and while it's difficult to complete the game and find all the battle chips (there are over 240 of them),

Gamestyle does wonder whether anyone could actually be bothered achieving this. In short, Mega Man: Battle Chip Challenge is without doubt the worst Mega Man game ever created. It lacks fun, lacks skill and it lacks substance, and will have you hooked for all of 10 minutes. That is, before you've realised how awful it is and decided to do something more constructive - like washing your hair.

Rating: 3 / 10

Words by Adam Gulliver