Editing Mega Man Battle Network (section)

===Mainline games===

{{Timeline of release years
|title=Mega Man Battle Network <br />Mega Man Star Force
|compressempty = yes
| range1 = 0000 – 2005
| range1_color = #0BDA51 #228B22
| range2 = 2006 - 2008
| range2_color = Red
|2001a ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network (video game)|Mega Man Battle Network]]'''''
|2001b ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network 2]]'''''
|2002 ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network 3]]'''''
|2003a =''[[Mega Man Network Transmission]]''
|2003b =''[[Rockman EXE WS]]''
|2003c =''[[Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge]]''
|2003d ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network 4]]'''''
|2004a =''[[Rockman EXE 4.5 Real Operation]]''
|2004b ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network 5]]'''''
|2005a =''Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team DS''
|2005b ='''''[[Mega Man Battle Network 6]]'''''
|2006 ='''''[[Mega Man Star Force]]'''''
|2007 ='''''[[Mega Man Star Force 2]]'''''
|2008 ='''''[[Mega Man Star Force 3]]'''''
|2009 =''[[Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star]]''
|2023 =''[[Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection]]''}}

====''Mega Man Battle Network''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network (video game){{!}}Mega Man Battle Network}}

A terrorist organization called WWW (World Three) attempted to destroy the world with the use of a super virus known as the Life Virus. Despite interference by Lan and MegaMan, the members stole the four element programs they needed in order to make it and succeeded in its creation. The virus was as strong as predicted, but was destroyed by MegaMan. Its defeat forced WWW to retreat. This game received an averaged score of 80% score on GameRankings and 79% on Metacritic.

''Mega Man Battle Network'' was later re-released for the [[Nintendo DS]] as ''Rockman.EXE: Operate Shooting Star'', which serves both as an enhanced port of the original, as well as a [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] with the ''[[Mega Man Star Force|Star Force]]'' series.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Sounders|first=Mike|date=June 17, 2019|title=Capcom was working on a Mega Man Star Force 4 at one point|url=https://www.destructoid.com/capcom-was-working-on-a-mega-man-star-force-4-at-one-point/|access-date=February 23, 2022|website=Destructoid|publisher=[[Enthusiast Gaming]]}}</ref> The NetNavi exclusive to ''Operate Shooting Star'', ClockMan.EXE, was a winner from a [[CoroCoro Comics]] contest.<ref>{{Cite web|last=LanceHeart|date=December 17, 2010|title=Happy 23rd, Mega Man!|url=http://www.themmnetwork.com/2010/12/17/happy-23rd-mega-man/|access-date=February 12, 2022|website=The Mega Man Network}}</ref> Despite initial strong sales,<ref>{{cite web|author=Graft|first=Kris|date=November 19, 2009|title=Japanese Software: J-League Pro Soccer Club Replaces Winning Eleven At Top|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26154/Japanese_Software_JLeague_Pro_Soccer_Club_Replaces_Winning_Eleven_At_Top.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110221834/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/26154/Japanese_Software_JLeague_Pro_Soccer_Club_Replaces_Winning_Eleven_At_Top.php|archive-date=November 10, 2010|access-date=February 23, 2022|website=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=Informa}}</ref> it would only sell 60000 copies by the end of 2009, which contributed to the cancellation of ''Star Force 4''.<ref name=":2" /> Capcom's then Vice President of Strategic Planning & Business Development, Christian Svennson, stated the company had no plans to release the game for Western territories, however an English [[Fan translation of video games|fan translation]] released in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |author=Spencer |date=July 2, 2010 |title=Capcom Has "No Plans" To Localize Rockman EXE: Operate Shooting Star |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2010/07/02/capcom-has-no-plans-to-localize-rockman-exe-operate-shooting-star/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704210114/http://www.siliconera.com/2010/07/02/capcom-has-no-plans-to-localize-rockman-exe-operate-shooting-star/ |archive-date=July 4, 2010 |access-date=February 23, 2022 |website=Siliconera |publisher=[[Enthusiast Gaming]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greiga Master |date=February 22, 2018 |title=Translations - Rockman.EXE: Operate Shooting Star |url=https://www.romhacking.net/translations/3667/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=ROMhacking.net}}</ref>

====''Mega Man Battle Network 2''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network 2}}
The following summer after WWW's defeat, a new terrorist group called Gospel emerges. Their tactics differed considerably compared to WWW, as they appeared to have no set goal. Gospel's plan had seemingly consisted of only causing random destruction with their navis. Lan and MegaMan battled every member and prevented the worst possible situations. However, Gospel's hidden plan was to re-create the ultimate net navi, Bass. Using bug fragments, they planned to make a large army of Bass navis to take over the world. Unknown to Gospel, their method of creating Bass was imperfect, and his abilities were vastly below predictions. In an attempt to make copies of Bass to create an army, the leader of Gospel overloaded energy to the bug fragments; but something went wrong and the concoction transformed into a giant wolf-like multi-bug organism. Although the bug beast was stronger than before, Lan and MegaMan managed to eliminate it. This game received an averaged score of 82% score on GameRankings and 81% on MetaCritic.

====''Mega Man Battle Network 3''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network 3}}

''Mega Man Battle Network 3'' was released in late-2002 in Japan, and mid-2003 internationally; the game follows a revived WWW seeking to release Alpha, the original prototype of the internet.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} New to the game is the ability to customize Mega Man by placing blocks in a grid, however placing blocks incorrectly will cause a bug to occur.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Speer|first=Justin|date=August 4, 2003|title=Mega Man Battle Network 3 Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mega-man-battle-network-3-review/1900-6072945/|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[Red Ventures]]}}</ref> ''Battle Network 3'' was the first game to get two distinct versions,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=IGN Staff|date=June 25, 2003|title=Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue Version|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/06/26/mega-man-battle-network-3-blue-version|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> although this wasn't the case in Japan initially, which didn't get ''Blue'' until a few months after ''White''<nowiki/>'s release.<ref group="lower-alpha">''White'' was simply called ''Battle Network Rockman.EXE 3'' in Japan, while ''Blue'' is called ''Battle Network Rockman.EXE 3: Black''.</ref>

Like with the previous two games, reception to ''Battle Network 3'' was positive,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mega Man Battle Network 3 White for Game Boy Advance Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mega-man-battle-network-3-white/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[Red Ventures]]}}</ref> although some thought the game had innovated too little.<ref name=":4" /> The game also topped sales charts, with both versions selling a total of 768,000 units in Japan at the end of 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=2003年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP300|trans-title=2003 Top 300 Video Game Software Sales|url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2003_ne_fa/index.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627132904/http://geimin.net/da/db/2003_ne_fa/index.php|archive-date=June 27, 2015|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=Geimin|language=Japanese}}</ref>

====''Mega Man Battle Network 4''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network 4}}

Released in December 2003 in Japan, and June 2004 in North America, ''Mega Man Battle Network 4'' involves a meteor on trajectory towards Earth, and a new crime syndicate "Nebula" corrupting Navis with Dark Chips.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|last=Vassar|first=Darryl|date=July 7, 2004|title=Mega Man Battle Network 4: Red Sun / Blue Moon|url=http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/mega-man-battle-network-4-blue-moon/528846p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207074155/http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/mega-man-battle-network-4-blue-moon/528846p1.html|archive-date=December 7, 2010|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref> Style Changes are removed in this installment, instead being replaced with Double Souls (Soul Unisons), which can be activated by sacrificing a certain chip.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> During the game, players will have several scenarios they encounter which are different depending on the version.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Provo|first=Frank|date=July 12, 2004|title=Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mega-man-battle-network-4-red-sun-review/1900-6102503/|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[Red Ventures]]}}</ref>

Reception to ''Battle Network 4'' was mixed-to-positive, although it too received lower review scores than the first three, which much criticism going to the lack of any real story outside of tournament scenarios.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> In addition, ''Blue Moon'' received criticism due to a bug on the Nintendo DS that would cause the game to slow down significantly when exiting from battle during the WoodMan scenario, which was acknowledged by Nintendo and fixed in time for the DS Lite.<ref>{{cite web|title=Customer Service&nbsp;— Specific GamePak Troubleshooting|url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/gameboy/trouble_specificgame.jsp#missingno|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127200258/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/gameboy/trouble_specificgame.jsp|archive-date=January 27, 2008|access-date=February 24, 2022|publisher=[[Nintendo]]}}</ref> Despite this, ''Battle Network 4'' is the best-selling entry in the series, selling 1.35 million copies worldwide as of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=Roper|first=Chris|date=May 23, 2008|title=Capcom Releases Lifetime Sales Numbers|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/23/capcom-releases-lifetime-sales-numbers|access-date=February 24, 2022|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

====''Mega Man Battle Network 5''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network 5}}

Nebula attacks again, this time with an all-out invasion. They kidnap Lan's father and use SciLab's computers to take over the internet. In response, either Chaud or Baryl (depending on the version) create a team of elite net navis and operators. Lan and MegaMan are the first members. As the story progresses, more team members are gained, and more areas of the net are liberated. When all of the net is won back, the team locates Nebula's headquarters and attempt to defeat the organization. The GBA versions received an average score of 68% on GameRankings and 67% on MetaCritic, whereas the NDS version received 70% on GameRankings and 68% on MetaCritic.

====''Mega Man Battle Network 6''====
{{Main|Mega Man Battle Network 6}}

''Mega Man Battle Network 6'' is the final game in the series, in which Lan's father gets a new job and the family moves to Cyber City, leaving behind Netto Hikari's classmates and friends from ACDC Town. WWW destroy once again, aiming to revive the legendary Cybeasts, Gregar and Falzar.<ref name="IGNreview">{{cite web |last=Bozon |first=Mark |title=IGN: Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar Review |url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/712/712597p1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720072527/http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/712/712597p1.html |archive-date=July 20, 2008 |access-date=July 2, 2008 |website=IGN|date=14 June 2006 }}</ref> The Double Soul system is replaced with the similar Cross System, this time allowing the player to activate at any time, although it will be disabled if hit by its elemental weakness; players are also able to "Beast Out" MegaMan for a limited time, allowing him to tap into the power of the Cybeasts. Like the previous games, the Crosses and Beast Out differs depending on the version.<ref name="GameSpot Review">{{cite web |last=Provo |first=Frank |title=Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar for Game Boy Advance Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/megamanbattlenetwork6faltzerversion/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;reviews |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124133431/http://www.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/megamanbattlenetwork6faltzerversion/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;reviews |archive-date=January 24, 2013 |access-date=July 2, 2008 |website=GameSpot}}</ref>

The developers have stated the decision to end the series with the sixth game was only made part-way through due to wanting a new ''Mega Man'' series for the Nintendo DS;<ref name=":10" /> the English version also removed a significant amount of content, mainly the removal of the ''Boktai'' crossover.<ref name="Boktai crossover" /> Reviewers generally showed little enthusiasm for ''Battle Network 6'', with it being near-universally highlighted for its lack of changes from previous installments in terms of graphics and gameplay, although some praised its story.<ref name="IGNreview" /><ref name="GameSpot Review" /><ref>{{cite magazine |date=August 2006 |title=Reviews: Mega Man Battle Network 6 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=Sunrise Publications |issue=160 |page=93}}</ref>