A fifth-grader named Lan has a Navi named MegaMan.EXE—a virus-fighting blue-suited cyber personality who is also Lan’s best friend. Although MegaMan.EXE has no body (unless the PET device itself counts), he can wander around in cyberspace and explore computer systems as if they were alternate worlds. Together Lan and MegaMan.EXE (also known as just MegaMan) cooperate to fight off hackers and viruses.
The relative peace of Lan’s hometown is shattered when electronic devices begin mysteriously going berserk. Talk of a takeover by the “WWW” (World Three) abounds. MegaMan and Lan decide to tackle the problem from two sides—the real world and cyberspace. It’s going to take everything they have to counter the mastermind behind all of this...
First of all, as you may be guessing from the plot and artwork,
Battle Network has nothing more to do with Mega Man than the
Legends series does. Many of the characters in the game are modeled (directly or remotely) after characters and enemies in the original series, but the similarities pretty much end there.
Secondly, this game is certainly unique if not weird. I get into that more on the Strategies page. The game is essentially a cross between an RPG and an action game—or more accurately, a cross between Mega Man and a trading card game. You don’t fight battles like typical RPGs, nor do you level up via experience, but the rest of the game (as well as the battle screen shots) will have people calling it an RPG before you can blink.
Looking Back
After having played later games in the series, there are a few things which have remained unique to this title (very much in the same vein as with Mega Man 1). Among them are:
- MegaMan recovers his HP after every battle. (This sometimes makes the game almost too easy, and reduces the importance of Recovery chips.)
- The Custom Screen doesn’t gray out the chips that you can’t use when you select other chips. (It’s a lot easier to see what you can use together in later games.)
- Armors were replaced with Style Changes and, later, Soul Unisons, and so never made a comeback.
- MegaMan can’t charge up his buster in this game until you put at least one PowerUp into his Charge category. (Having said that, PowerUps eventually go the way of the dodo as well.)
- MegaMan charges multiple levels in this game. Depending on how long you charge, you do different amounts of damage.
- The ADD feature (which also eventually disappears) operates differently here than other games.
- There is no Regular Memory here.
- There are no Sub Chips here; however, they really aren’t very necessary given that MegaMan’s health is refilled after battles.
- Running from battle can only be done via an Escape chip.
- The color of the Mystery Data is insignificant in this game; in later games, the color matters (for example, you can’t open purple Mystery Data without an Unlocker in later games, but you can here).
- The Net areas have grown stylistically through the years; they started out with very narrow paths that MegaMan could barely fit through. In later games, the paths are much wider and more comfortable to navigate.
This walkthrough will not cover every single step through the game or tell you what items you find where. However I cover the basics of what to look out for.
This covers only the initial play through the game. The hidden areas and “Title Menu Star” aspects are not covered.
- The Mysterious Oven Accidents
- The first thing you have to do is take the school tutorial.
You might consider getting some.
- Once you return home from school, a repairman is working on the control panel. Lan’s mom tells him to go play in his room. MegaMan suggests getting on the Net. Jack in from Lan’s PC.
- In the Net, meet Glyde and find Yai’s missing program. You might also want to do some shopping at the Net merchant if you have zenny, and of course pick up any Mystery Data you see.
- You’ll find the program near Dex’s homepage. Yai’s homepage is just past the path that leads to the Net Dealer.
- When you leave Lan’s room, he’ll find that the oven has caught fire.
- Oven Stage.
- Despite MegaMan saying that the viruses here are tough, they are the same ones you were fighting in the Net.
- You have to use the IceBlock item you get from a program to extinguish the flames in your way. Of course, use only as many IceBlocks as absolutely necessary.
- Right after you pick up the IceBlock, MegaMan will be knocked out by a burst of fire. You gain control of Lan again. Press L (not R) to attempt to contact MegaMan.
- Run upstairs into Lan’s room and pick up his water gun from his toy box. Run back to the oven and Lan will use it automatically.
Talk about a bad draw of chips...
- Back with MegaMan, use the IceBlocks to make your way through the next section to FireMan.
- Boss: FireMan
- (For some reason, the program that the WWW needed was inside Lan’s oven...)
- You must sleep to bring on the next plot point. But feel free to explore some before you do, jacking into things, picking up items and links, that sort of thing.
- The WWW School Takeover
- Once in school, head upstairs to Lan’s homeroom and go in the back door.
- After the cut scene, talk to everyone to advance to the next part of the plot.
- The WWW has taken over the networks. After Dex loses GutsMan, talk to Mayl, then jack in at the blackboard.
- School Stage.
- Inside the school network, you’ll need to open locks by guessing PINs. The first three have hints; their answers are:
- 9 Chairs
- 30 Books
- 15 Doors
The rest you have to just guess. Use the “halving” method for best results (start at 50, keep halving from there) except always choose a different value for each digit for each guess. This is because if you get one digit correct, the game will say “n digit, verification error” where “n” tells you which digit is wrong (first or second). If you take too many guesses the number will change, but the game will tell you which digit changed.
- To save MegaMan from the trap, search the computer in the upper right corner of the AV room and reboot it. (See, one crashed computer can ruin a network!)
- To open the final door you must get an ID card from Ms. Mari. Go through the double doors near the nurse’s office and straight across to the other side. The first door is a storage room which is where Ms. Mari is. Then take the card to the terminal at the end of the hallway.
- As soon as you input the passcode for the last door you are taken straight to the boss so save first if you want.
- Boss: NumberMan
- The Blocked Metroline
- Enter the Metroline (lower corner of town) and talk to the officials. One will ask if you want anything else; say yes, then ask him what happened, and he’ll tell you about the virus in the net.
- Note: If you haven’t done so already, jack into the ACDC area and try to go to the next area of the Net (the entrance is right past Dex’s access point). I’m pretty sure that you do not need to do this again if you have done so before now.
- Once you have done all of this, you should get an email from Dex challenging you to a battle against GutsMan. Accept his challenge, because you need Dex’s link. (If he asks for a Recov50, you can get one from Mayl’s piano.)
- Boss: GutsMan
- Once you’ve netted Dex’s link, enter the Net and go back to his passage. In the maze beyond there you will eventually stumble upon the landslide.
- Boss: StoneMan
- Once StoneMan is out of the way, head to the government complex via the Metroline. Fight WoodMan if you want but be careful where you jack in; if you’re not powered up the enemies around here will make mincemeat out of you.
- Immediately inside the building is the Waterworks. Head to the SciLab portion of the building (it’s through the passage to the right) and talk to the receptionist to get access to the elevator.
- Upstairs, you find that Lan’s dad isn’t around. But check out his office anyway.
- When you search Dr. Hikari’s PC, MegaMan will want to jack in. Do so and talk to the program inside to find out about the power-up.
- Leave the WaterWorks and go back to ACDC town, and Lan’s dad will email an HPmemory and a PowerUp to you.
- After you’re done exploring and so forth, head to bed.
- The Water Shortage
- The water’s off everywhere, and Lan still has to go to school—what a day!
- Go to Lan’s classroom and talk to the kids in the class (Yai, specifically) to advance the plot, as usual.
- Once you’re out of school, head over to the Waterworks (in the government complex). You may want to stop by Higsby’s shop first.
- Inside the complex, talk to Chaud, then try to get into the Waterworks. You need an ID to use the elevator, huh...?
- Head to Lan’s dad’s office and grab the ID off the lab coat hanging near the PC. This will let you work the elevators.
- Upstairs in the Waterworks, wander around and talk to everyone and jack into things.
- Once you’re done, head back downstairs for a bit of common sense from MegaMan.
- Go to Lan’s dad’s office to hide out.
- Once it’s after closing hours, head back to the Waterworks to where Dr. Froid was.
- The door is closed and locked, so search the water cooler nearby and jack in.
- Water Stage.
- Having a steady thumb is useful here to point MegaMan in the correct direction when you slide across ice. Remember he can really only walk in eight directions, so imagine straight lines in those eight directions to visualize where you need to go. (You do slide along walls and other barriers, though you’ll fall off overhang edges.)
- Turn faucet handles to open new areas.
- When you encounter (rather without warning) the duo ice bears mini-boss, you know you’re at the end. But you’re not done yet. Head back to town to discover the water is now polluted.
- When you get the email about the missing son being Froid’s, go back to ACDC town and search the car that’s parked near Higsby’s shop.
- Head back to the Waterworks and use the Handle you got on the broken faucet that was near ColorMan. You can now work your way to IceMan.
- Boss: IceMan
- The Transportation Mishap
- You get to see things from MegaMan’s perspective this time as he receives an email from Mayl. Read it and respond, then head over to Mayl’s PC (in the Net) and deliver Lan’s message to Roll.
- The next order of business is to meet up with Mayl. Use the Metroline to head over to Dentown.
- When you exit the Metroline in Dentown, you’ll receive an email from Mayl. There is in fact an antique shop in this town, which is one of the only buildings you can enter. You can’t do much there yet however.
Well, no, I wouldn’t exactly call them “friends”...
- Wander around Dentown a bit and try to remember which block is which and note how the traffic lights and underground passages work.
- When you reach Block1 of Dentown, find the bus stop—when you approach close enough to it, you should get a cut scene.
- After the cut scene ends, jack in at the traffic light (the small panel on the pole).
- Traffic Lights Stage. You won’t do the entire stage in one go. Instead, you will have to keep jacking out and running to other traffic signals to jack back in.
- After fixing the first traffic light, go back to Central Dentown and talk to the people trying to buy the car program. Then talk to Madd, ColorMan’s operator. Then try to leave Central Dentown; when you do you’ll get a phone call.
- The first place you have to jack in is Block4 (it’s down-left from Central Dentown).
- The second place is Block2 (upper-right).
- The third place is Block3 (you get the feeling you’re running in circles?).
- Finally, jack in at Central Dentown.
- Boss: ColorMan
- Electrical Mayhem
- Things are quiet until Lan’s dad invites him to a party. Head over to the SciLab and find the designated meeting place. Chaud’s there when you arrive, but Lan’s dad will come shortly thereafter.
- At the party, you can wander around and talk to people and jack into things. Eventually Count Zap will show up to spoil the party.
- The elevators aren’t working, so you’ll have to find some other way down. Hmm, is that a chute I see?
- Head down the hall and talk to the people in front of the doors. Then go back and talk to them again. The second door should open when you talk to the first man a second time. Inside the room, go to the computer in the upper middle and try to jack in.
Aren’t you people overdoing this just a little bit?
- Power Plant Stage. This one’s annoying not only because of the nature of the puzzles but because you drain battery power by just walking around. You won’t die even if you run out of juice, but try to conserve power anyway.
- Boss: ElecMan
- Boss: ProtoMan (Yes, you have to do both of these in a row.)
- Hunting Addresses
- Go to the SciLab, where you will learn that Chaud has gone to Dentown to chase after a WWW member. Head to Dentown.
- You will find Chaud talking to a woman in Central Dentown, near the top of the screen.
- You need to talk to a former WWW member. Know who?
- Go to Higsby’s shop and walk around the counter and talk to him that way.
- From Lan’s PC, go to the fourth Net area and find the door where you use Higsby’s Memo. You need Miyu’s link to get there.
- When you unlock the door you’ll fight viruses. You can use piercing attacks (like FireMan) and thrown attacks to get past the shield of the big one. Anything which will hit over or through the row with the shield to strike at the virus’s body.
- You will officially be in the Undernet. Doesn’t look much different, does it?
- You get an email from Hisby saying he’s got a friend at the SciLab who might be able to help.
- Go to the SciLab and talk to the scientists in the lobby until one of them reacts. He gives you a memo and tells you to look for two more in DenCity. A young lady and an old man.
- Go to Dentown. (Note: You can challenge Chaud for his chip now if you wish.)
- The woman you’re looking for is the twin sister of Lan’s school teacher, Yuri. She’s in the school on one corner of Dentown. She checks your Library. I think you need at least 60 Battle Chips listed there to get the memo (thanks to Steven).
- An old man in Dentown tells you to talk to a man in ACDC Town. So go there and find another old man behind the Metroline entrance who responds to you (the senile guy). He checks your Navi, and if MegaMan’s at least level 30, he’ll give you the memo. (Thanks again to Steven.)
- Go back and jack in again. Retrace your steps back to the Undernet and find your way to the gate that needs the LabMemo (use the maps if you get lost).
- Navigate the next area; there’s really only one way to go here, and a lot of dead ends. You’ll use the YuriMemo next.
- Ditto for the next area. Use your last memo here.
- This last area is a dead end. You’ll find your way eventually to a panel with BombMan.
- Boss: BombMan
- You get the WWW address, but BombMan blows up the tunnel behind him, so you are left at a dead end.
- Go to the SciLab to find Lan’s dad. Dr. Hikari asks if you are sure you want to fight this war. Say, uh, yes, or really, say what you want, heh.
- Lan’s dad tells him to practice Net Battling. This is a good time to go get Navi Chips and take care of anything else you haven’t done yet.
- Go sleep in Lan’s bed when you are done.
- The WWW
- The next day, Dr. Hikari delivers the location as promised. But there is no apparent way to get to the WWW lab, although somehow their members manage to get to DenCity...
- Out in the living room, Lan’s mother is watching a broadcast by Wily, where he basically alerts the world to his next plan (even knowing full well that the Officials know the location of his lab...).
- Go to Higsby’s shop and pick up the WWW Pass sitting next to the register.
- Go to the Metroline and talk to the conductors in there.
- Go to Lan’s school. You’ll get a cut scene just as you enter.
- Search the statue by the fountain.
- Inside the hidden Metroline, Lan tries to use the outdated pass (just jumping over the barriers would have been my plan) and sets off an alarm.
- Back outside, go to the SciLab again and have Dr. Hikari reset the expiration date.
- Return to the hidden Metroline and now you can simply walk through.
- This triggers a cut scene between Lan’s mom and dad.
- At the WWW base, Lan boldly rushes in. Head to the first door you see. Did you notice all the WWW folks you’d talked to before for the memos have been missing lately? Well, this explains why.
- Run up to the next door. When you try to go through, you receive a message prompting you to jack in.
- Welcome to the first of the WWW servers. (If it doesn’t remind you of something, it should.) In each one, you must navigate through to the lock on the other side.
- WWW Stages.
- For the first one, pick up the IceBlock program from the Navi standing nearby. You have to freeze flames that are in your way.
- At the end, Glyde comes to help you out, and MegaMan blows the key to smithereens.
- Jack out and talk to Yai for a Roll chip.
- For the next door, use the halving method of opening the passcodes like you did before.
- At the end, NumberMan comes in to decode the last door.
- After jacking out, you get a cut scene with Wily.
- The next door involves sliding across ice just perfectly to get to where you need to go. The last slide in particular is tricky at first.
- At the end is an ice block which IceMan takes care of.
- For the next one (are you sick of doors yet?) you have to walk through the orbs to change which paths are lit.
- GutsMan comes at the end to smash a boulder out of the way.
- Go in the nice big door marked with a “W” (it’s not even locked). Recognize this room? Search the portrait of Wily. Twice.
- This last door lock involves walking over more invisible walkways. At least there is no battery meter to worry about here.
- Save when you reach the Program, because you can’t save the game from here on out.
- Boss: MagicMan
- After you defeat MagicMan, Wily powers him up with data from the LifeVirus, and he blows MegaMan away. Then ProtoMan comes in and slashes him to pieces before he can get another shot off.
- There’s a long cut scene here where you learn the origins of MegaMan (who is Lan’s twin brother Hub).
- After this, go through the painting. You’re almost there. (Notice that during this section, MegaMan operates as if his stats are all maxed out even if you didn’t spend enough PowerUps to get there? This is why you can’t save after fighting MagicMan.)
- Final Boss: LifeVirus
Most of the bosses in the game are Net Navi which are generally detailed in the
Data Base. This section only contains details which differ from the Data Base. Note:
Hidden bosses are not yet listed here. I will get to them later.
- Dex’s Navi: GutsMan
- If you challenge Dex you can earn a GutsMan chip and Dex’s link. You’ll need the link to progress in the story so you should challenge Dex as soon as he’s ready.
- Sel’s Navi: WoodMan
- This battle is a test, not an actual enemy, and as such is optional (just don’t agree to fight her). Also if you lose this battle the game does not end; you just don’t gain anything. You’ll have to win though to get her link.
- Miyu’s Navi: SkullMan
- This is another optional battle for a link.
- Masa’s Navi: SharkMan
- This is a test just like Sel’s. You’ll want to defeat SharkMan eventually for Masa’s link, but you don’t have to do it right away.
- Chaud’s Navi: ProtoMan
- Try to hit him with swords if you can—he can’t usually block those. Otherwise, charge up and wait for him to attack, then dodge his swipe and quickly hit him with your super-shot and/or chips. You’ll want to use chips which come out fast—he doesn’t stay still long. Note that ProtoMan’s sword swipes have different ranges depending on which one he decides to use; some can hit all three tiles across your battle field in a row, and others hit a column. So you’ll have to learn when to dodge up/down, and when to move left/right. I’d stand on the second column of blocks over while waiting for ProtoMan to attack; this way, you usually have enough room to dodge any of his swipes. Note: If you can do enough damage in one shot to cause ProtoMan to reel, you’ll interrupt his swipe and won’t even have to bother dodging.
- The LifeVirus
- The main virus has a shield of 100 which regenerates. You first must hit it with an attack that does at least 100 damage to break the shield, and then blast it for all you’re worth before the shield regenerates. Repeat until it is toasted. (Note: If you’re run down on chips, the LifeVirus will also drop its shield when it attacks, leaving it vulnerable for a few seconds, so you can get some hits in then as well.) The holes in front of the LifeVirus are where its little helpers come up; it has one of each Element, but they appear randomly. The helpers attack using Tower-style attacks you’ve seen before. Since you could get attacked by any and all Elements it doesn’t really matter what armor you wear to this battle. Destroy the helpers when they get in the way, but focus your chips on the LifeVirus.
In the style and footsteps of the original Dr. Wily, the WWW fortress blows up once Wily’s LifeVirus is defeated. There is a virus leak which causes the systems to go haywire and the place to self-destruct to contain it. Presumably, Wily sinks with the ship so to speak and is caught in the blast, but we’ll see if he lives up to his namesake.
After that, life returns more or less to normal. Lan has discovered his “long-lost” twin brother, but that hasn’t changed much between himself and his Navi. He’s still, as Roll and MegaMan affectionately put it, “dense.” But hey, he wouldn’t be Lan otherwise, right?
