Mega Man has
certainly seen a number of changes over the years since our helmeted friend was
introduced to us on the NES. He has gone from side-scrolling action hero to the
star of his own action-RPG series entitled Mega Man Battle Network. Then
again, our favorite hero has seen little change, particularly when it comes to
the mentioned RPG series. Mega Man Battle Network 5 Double Team DS is a
somewhat revamped version of the Game Boy Advance game’s two available versions,
Team Protoman and Team Colonel (much like the color-coded versions of the Pokémon
games on the GBA) and despite the touch screen the game still feels and looks
the same. Then again this game does feel a lot more comfortable on Nintendo’s
innovative handheld.
The Battle
Network series has introduced a new take on the Mega Man legacy and its
futuristic theme, of course, makes its return in the game’s fifth iteration. The
world has come to the Network Age, a time where a network is used to keep
society safe within its construct. However, just like in the Matrix, the safe
confine of the network is not always safe thanks to viruses that always wreck
havoc. Enter Lan, a sixth grader from ACDC Town with the skill to bust viruses
cold. Of course, he has help from his friend Mega Man who acts as his Net Navi
(an avatar used within the network to do battle). It isn’t until one day that
Lan jacks on to the network that he comes to meet a man named Baryl that
controls Team Colonel and a boy named Chaud who leads Team Protoman. From there
Lan discovers a plot by a mysterious Navi that means to control the internet.
With a story
that takes Lan and his friends all the way deep into the Dark Chip Factory, we
follow the youth and Mega Man as they battle various enemies. In the real world,
we take control of Lan as he can move about ACDC town but thanks to his PET he
can log into the cyber world where we take control of Mega Man. The cyber world
itself is huge and while in the beginning Mega Man travels alone he will meet
other Navi characters that can join his party. It is here that you will be
introduced to the concept of battle chips and chip folders. Battle chips are
basically selectable actions used in combat or, in the case of Sub Chips, used
to heal yourself.
Battle can be a
bit intimidating but once you grasp the concept of chips, Dubl Soul (the souls
of those Navi Mega Man battles can be absorbed and can allow our hero to
transform into said Navi and use their abilities against the enemy). You can ask
for support in battle but that depends on Mega Man’s state of emotion (certain
events and enemies can enrage him or even worry him to the point that he can’t
perform a Dubl Soul attack). The best part, though, is that there are hundreds
of chips to discover in this game. The sheer amount is due to both versions of
the game included in this DS version so some features you don’t find on the
Protoman version you’ll find on the Colonel version.
So what’s
different from the GBA versions, you might ask? The most obvious difference, of
course, is the Nintendo DS touch screen. Here the second screen becomes a tool
to instantly access your Chip Folder, e-mail, Data Library, Net Navi, Network
and save functions. You can select your battle chips using the Stylus. The best
feature, though, is its wireless multiplayer. Up to eight players can
participate in Battle Tournaments while two players can go through Net Battles
or Team Battles. This is also a great way to trade chips with friends as well as
other interesting features.
Mega Man
Battle Network 5
doesn’t sport new graphics that will set it apart from the GBA
version. In fact, the game resembles the GBA version in almost every way except
for the touch screen that features a neater interface. This doesn’t mean the
game is bad looking – it’s far from it since the environments and characters
look crisp and colorful. It just means that no special attention was placed on
the graphics when it made it to the DS. The character models are now true to the
Saturday morning cartoon so expect Mega Man to look nicely animated. The game’s
sound is handled a lot better than the game visuals since there’s some good
voice clips from both Mega Man and Lan. There are good sound effects in the game
and the soundtrack that plays throughout the game is actually good.
There is much to
like about Mega Man Battle Network 5 Double Team DS, a Nintendo DS game
that feels much like the GBA version but with touch screen action and wireless
multiplayer. The two versions offer plenty of replay value for Battle Network
fans but it’s the wireless multiplayer matches that will steal the show and give
gamers more bang for their buck. If you missed the GBA version, you might want
to look into this one instead.
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Gameplay: 7.5
The RPG
elements mixed in with the 2D side-scrolling battles are still an endearing part
of this DS version of the Mega Man Battle Network series but much of it
still feels like the GBA originals. It’s nice to have both Team Protoman
and Team Colonel versions rolled into one sweet touch-screen package
although freshly innovative this game is certainly not.
Graphics: 6.2
Crisp and
clear just like the GBA version, the only new twist is that there’s a
better-looking menu and interface thanks to the touch screen. The characters
look a bit dated but that’s not a bad thing considering the visual effects are
pretty decent.
Sound: 7.0
The soundtrack
is still my favorite and there are bits of dialogue as Lan and Mega Man shout
out their catchy phrases (well, catchy to me anyway). There are some sound
effects and while there’s nothing about it that stands out the explosions do
sound good through the DS speakers.
Difficulty:
Medium
Battling
against the Navis from other teams isn’t easy and many of the baddies you’ll
face will make you rethink your every step and decisions on the virtual
battlefield. The game gets progressively harder but not to the point that you’ll
be stumped along the way.
Concept: 7.5
The game is
magnificently lengthy and with two different versions what’s there to complain
about? The touch screen adds a bit more to the GBA game but it’s the wireless
multiplayer option that makes this an even more sweet deal.
Multiplayer:
8.0
Using the DS’
wireless multiplayer capabilities, up to eight players can go head-to-head in a
tournament setting as well as participate in Net Battles. Players can also trade
chips or programs or win chips through fun mini games you’ll get to play for
being a winner of a Battle Tournament. This is portable multiplayer done right.
Overall: 7.5
While not a
huge departure from the original GBA versions of the game, Mega Man Battle
Network 5 is still a more than decent RPG/action game worthy of the Battle
Network series. Mega Man has seen some excellent adventures on Nintendo’s past
handheld gaming machines but on the Nintendo DS it shines just bright enough for
fans to enjoy.
