Mega Man Battle Network 3 - Blue

Megaman Battle Network 3 has a few significant improvements over the past two games in the series, but the overall concept is the same. Lan solves puzzles in the "real world," while Megaman.exe fights viruses and solves puzzles on the Net. The battle system is still the same, and that isn't a bad thing--it is still the best live action battle system for any RPG on a handheld. At this point in the story, it's been about a month since Lan and Megaman's encounter with the nefarious Net Mafia Gospel, and a new semester at school is about to start. When Lan and his classmates are invited to the seemingly innocent net battler Semi-Finals at ACDC Square, little do they know that a new, incredibly evil plan is about to be hatched! The most exciting addition to the game, hands down, is that you can now make your own Megaman with segments of code that you gather throughout the game. Watch out, though: Do it badly, and you can get a buggy program. In addition to programming your own Megaman, you can still change Megaman's battle styles (just like in Battle Network 2). The end result is the best character creation system on a handheld. In a homage to the Pokemon games, there is both a White and Blue version of Megaman Battle Network 3. The game is more or less the same, but there are unique cards, styles, and programs for each version--which makes trading and battling via link cable a real incentive. In short, Megaman Battle Network 3 is one of the best RPG's for the GBA, and is appropriate for all ages. Fans of traditional Megaman games will also like the live action battles. --Bryan Karsh Pros: tNew Programming language lets you make your own Megaman tWhite and Blue versions have unique cards, styles, and bosses Cons: tGraphics look a little stale--a rehash of the past two games