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> Results: Mega Man Network Transmission
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A Chip Off The Old BlockMega Man Network Transmission is a fusion of old school action-platform gameplay with a strategic battle system that requires plenty of strategy while allowing the action to go on unhindered. For those that grew up with Mega Man and games of its ilk, this is a great way to jump back into those digs and live it up. The game features many classic Mega Man characters reborn in a new computerized age.  Network Transmissionﾒs story takes place after the events of the first Game Boy Advance Mega Man Battle Network game. The WWW has been defeated so Mega Man and his operator, Lan, are just kicking back when they find out a new virus is on the loose. Lan decides that he and Mega Man should investigate and jacks into the net to check it out. Thereﾒs a lot of mystery in the story and it serves the gameplay well. Youﾒll fight your way through all sorts of different themed areas on your way to over fifteen boss fights. The structure of the levels encompasses a run, jump and attack section that often requires precision gamepad gymnastics along with a strategic selection of chips followed by a boss fight. Chips are the key component of this Mega Man game and the entire Battle Network series. Lan, as Mega Manﾒs operator, sends him different chips that can be used for attack, defense and health among other things. You get five chips at random or four and a ﾓfavoriteﾔ that you can set beforehand. A meter fills up to give you access to a reshuffling of chips at a touch of a button. This meter refills gradually so having the right group of chips in your folder to draw from (20 of them) along with the luck of the draw will often affect your ability to fight effectively. Thankfully, you can affect this meter with subchips that make it fill faster or even instantaneously. As you progress through the game, many new chips can be acquired and you can even combine them for a cool Program Advance that offers powered up weapons and actions. The game demands your experimentation with different chips and rewards you for recognizing powerful combinations as well as strategizing your fights. There are some instances where you wonﾒt have the right chip for the situation youﾒre in and may have to wait a bit for that right one to come to you. This is probably the gameﾒs biggest weak point but later in the game itﾒs completely alleviated by the use of subchips.  Fighting is certainly the main theme of the game. You have superb control at your fingertips to get Mega Man through tight spots. The levels provide opportunities to power up Mega Man and gain new chips from defeated enemies. When you reach a boss, strategic battles ensue. These fights are the best part of the game and often involve a lot of chip swapping, pattern recognition and just plain old guts. Each boss is completely unique and with so many of them, thatﾒs no small feat. The first couple bosses are tough to beat, but the game actually becomes easier as you plow through them until you get near the final boss where the difficulty ramps up once again. Still, quick reflexes and a little bit of thought will get you through the game without too much hair pulling or teeth gnashing. Graphics and sound are definitely not the best youﾒll ever see, but they do fit the setting perfectly. Mega Man is animated well as are many of the viruses and especially the bosses. Music is a throwback to the earlier 8 and 16-bit Mega Man games and that will be either a bonus or a grievance depending on your views of old video game music. Given this is Mega Manﾒs 15th anniversary, the throwback design of this game in both action gameplay as well as presentation is a welcome sight. When combined with the cool chip system, it offers something new in action platform gaming.  Kid Factor: You may not realize it, but Mega Man is hot right now. The anime cartoon series is playing on Saturday mornings in the WBKids lineup and is apparently a big hit. A few character names were messed with, but the series really does smashingly capture the action of the Battle Network games. Thereﾒs also some cool stuff parents might notice about this game and Battle Network in general. Lan works with Mega Man as a team and teamwork is a central tenet of the gameﾒs story as only with the help of his operator can Mega Man succeed. Lan also has lots of contact with his Dad throughout the game and thereﾒs some decently written dialogue between the two that creates a very positive father-son relationship. Imagine if you were a net battler at age 12 and your Dad was the guy who researched all the cool net stuff! While younger kids will get into all of this, the gameﾒs challenge can be daunting, especially since you just donﾒt get to play too many games like this these days. Still, if theyﾒre willing to stick with it, the early gameﾒs difficulty lightens up and kids may find themselves determined to beat the cool bosses just so they can see the next one. A sequel to this game that fleshes out the chip system even more would certainly be welcome. Ages: 6+ ESRB Rating: E - for Everyone Publisher: Capcom Developer: Arika Genre: Action/Platform Players: 1 Player 
You may not realize it, but Mega Man is hot right now. The anime cartoon series is playing on Saturday mornings in the WBKids lineup and is apparently a big hit. A few character names were messed with, but the series really does smashingly capture the action of the Battle Network games. Thereﾒs also some cool stuff parents might notice about this game and Battle Network in general. Lan works with Mega Man as a team and teamwork is a central tenet of the gameﾒs story as only with the help of his operator can Mega Man succeed. Lan also has lots of contact with his Dad throughout the game and thereﾒs some decently written dialogue between the two that creates a very positive father-son relationship. Imagine if you were a net battler at age 12 and your Dad was the guy who researched all the cool net stuff! While younger kids will get into all of this, the gameﾒs challenge can be daunting, especially since you just donﾒt get to play too many games like this these days. Still, if theyﾒre willing to stick with it, the early gameﾒs difficulty lightens up and kids may find themselves determined to beat the cool bosses just so they can see the next one. A sequel to this game that fleshes out the chip system even more would certainly be welcome.
Kid Factor by Dave Long
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