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Author: Prof. 9

Bass and Gospel reunite in Rockman X DiVE

Prof. 9 2 Comments

If the regular Bass.EXE didn’t satisfy your lust for destruction, get ready for Bass GS in Rockman X DiVE. Just announced by Capcom Taiwan, the supercharged version of Bass will be available to pull in the upcoming DiVE Festival, which starts after the maintenance period on 24th February. Note that Bass GS is a time-limited character, so if you want him, get him before he goes away. You can also receive 40 Bass GS Memory when you draw.

Bass GS was Bass’s most powerful form in Mega Man Battle Network 3, the result of a fusion with Gospel.EXE – the final boss of the previous game. He comes fully loaded with his classic attacks, Gospel Cannon and Vanishing World, the latter of which seems to hit enemies anywhere on the screen. In addition, he has a passive ability that grants him a random buff when he hits a target.

Mega Man X DiVE is available on the iOS App Store and Google Play in select regions. If the game isn’t yet released in your region, you can also download and install the APK file (Android only) straight from the game’s official website and play that way.

Source: Capcom Taiwan

Rockman Corner has acquired the rare Rockman EXE cell phone games

Prof. 9

Pictures of the games running. Source: Rockman Corner

At long last, the rare Japanese Rockman EXE cell phone games are within reach! Rockman Corner has managed to acquire a phone with both Rockman EXE: Phantom of Network and Rockman EXE: Legend of Network installed.

Phantom of Network and Legend of Network were originally released on Japanese “au” flip phones, with updated versions released on NTT DoCoMo phones a few years later. The games, which were released as episodic titles through the i-mode service, feature full-length, original stories with new NetNavi characters such as HatMan, RideMan and JammingMan.

So why have these games eluded Western Mega Man fans for so long? Well, not just anyone could buy and download these games. Not only was one of a few specific phone models required, you also needed a Japanese SIM card and phone plan that included access to i-mode service – something which was only available to Japanese nationals. So, buying the games on a trip was not an option. In addition, both games were removed from the i-mode service a few years back, meaning the only chance of obtaining the games now was finding a phone that still had them installed.

Thankfully, thanks to an anonymous donor, Rockman Corner has now acquired both games and will begun the process of dumping them to a modern PC. The team plans to release the games publicly, and blew through a $600 fundraiser goal to obtain the necessary hardware in just an hour.

Note that there is no guarantee the games will be in a playable state – after all, we’re dealing with ancient phone hardware here. However, getting dumps of both games and being able to analyze their contents will go a long way towards preservation. We’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on this!

Source: Rockman Corner

First demo of Mega Man Battle Network Overclocked released

Prof. 9 9 Comments

Developer Nick West has released a first demo of Mega Man Battle Network Overclocked, a fan remake of the first MMBN game. Not only that, but it’s fully in 3D! This is one fangame which is truly a cut above the rest.

The first demo of Overclocked contains the entirety of MMBN1’s first chapter, the FireMan scenario. Nick West plans to also add the NumberMan scenario for the final build. This isn’t just a carbon copy of MMBN1, however – Overclocked brings a host of new features that take advantage of the game’s 3D display. Smooth transitions between the overworld and battle screens have been added, and mugshots are replaced with full-size animated character models.

Some features from the later MMBN games are also included, such as SubChips, Regular chips and the ability to run from battles. Accordingly, your health is no longer replenished for free after each battle. The “ADD” button now also works like it does in BN2 and BN3, increasing the number of chips on the Custom Screen for the rest of the battle.

Be sure to watch the launch trailer, and then head over to Nick West’s itch.io page to grab the demo. And if that piqued your interest, give Nick a follow on Twitter.

Bass.EXE also joining Mega Man X DiVE soon

Prof. 9

The Mega Man X DiVE collaboration event with Mega Man Battle Network continues! Following MegaMan.EXE and ProtoMan.EXE, a new character from the series will be added to the game – and it’s none other than the Cyberworld’s God of Destruction himself, Bass.EXE. As just shown in a teaser video on the game’s social media, Bass.EXE is listed as “coming soon”.

UPDATE: Bass.EXE has now been fully revealed, and you’ll be able to get him starting December 2nd, 2020. He comes with a passive skill that grants a shield for a limited time (LifeAura, anyone?), as well as a homing attack that can go through walls and terrain.

Mega Man X DiVE is available on the iOS App Store and Google Play in select regions. If the game isn’t yet released in your region, you can also download the APK (Android only) straight from the game’s official website and play that way. In addition to Battle Network characters, a few weapons from the Battle Network and Star Force series can also be obtained including the Bubbler BattleChip, Zerker’s Light Sword and Rogue’s sword from MMSF2.

One Step From Eden getting a physical release

Prof. 9

If you haven’t yet played MMBN-inspired indie darling One Step From Eden, or you prefer collecting physical games, you’ll soon have the opportunity to grab the game on an actual Game Card.

As spotted by Gematsu, listings have appeared on Amazon Japan and Rakuten Books for a physical Nintendo Switch edition of One Step From Eden in Japan. The physical edition is being published by Flyhigh Works and will release on February 25th, 2020 at a price of 3960 yen.

Currently, we don’t know whether it will also see release in other regions, but we’ll keep you updated. Otherwise, there’s always the option of importing – Nintendo Switch games are region free, so you’ll be able to play it just fine on any Switch.

Source: Amazon Japan via Gematsu

New MMBN fangame MegaMan Cosmic Network announced

Prof. 9

The 20th anniversary of the Mega Man Battle Network series is coming up in less than a year, and both Capcom as well as the fan community alike are gearing up for an epic celebration. One thing to look forward to is a new BN fangame just unveiled by Cosmic Nobab: MegaMan Cosmic Network.

MegaMan Cosmic Network is a fan sequel to Battle Network 6 being developed for PC, which brings a host of changes to the gameplay. The game forgoes the standard isometric overworld for a top-down view inspired by the mobile games, Phantom and Legend of Network. Combat is overhauled as well, with a greater focus on real-time, on-the-fly strategizing.

Instead of building a folder of 30 chips, in Cosmic Network, you choose just 6 chips to bring into battle. These chips are available at any time, but there’s a catch: MegaMan will automatically use the selected chip whenever the Custom Gauge fills. This means you’ll need to be mindful of MegaMan’s position, and switch to a chip with a different range accordingly.

In addition, chips have cooldowns during which they can’t be used. Stronger versions of chips have longer cooldowns, meaning you’ll have to choose between high single shot damage, or an increased rate of fire. Aside from the chips, you can also use your trusty rapid-fire MegaBuster. MegaMan Cosmic Network will have over 90 chips to collect, as well as upgrades to improve things such as MegaBuster stats and Custom Gauge speed.

For those who like customization, Cosmic Network also has plenty to offer in terms of options. You can change the battlefield and background to your liking and enable an in-battle timer. Cosmic Network has an original soundtrack, but you can also play with music from the official GBA Battle Network games if you want.

Check out some more screenshots below, and if you want to keep up-to-date on MegaMan Cosmic Network, follow developer CosmicNobab on Twitter!

MegaMan Cosmic Network on Itch.io
CosmicNobab Twitter
Source: CosmicNobab

TeamBN Summer Showcase 2020 coming later this month

Prof. 9

If you’re in the mood for more Battle Network speedruns, you’re in luck! MMBN speedrunning group TeamBN is holding their next Summer Showcase marathon later this month, with a plethora of new speedruns and fan project updates. The marathon is set to take place on the weekend of 25th and 26th July.

This time, catch runs of Mega Man Battle Network 1, 3, 4, 4.5, 5 and 6, as well as Mega Man Star Force 1 and 3, and the recently released MMBN-inspired game One Step From Eden. There are also updates on some fan projects and indie games: Mega Man Battle Network: Chrono X, Mega Man Star Force DX and Net King’s Call.

For the full schedule, check out this link, which auto-adjusts to your own timezone. As always, you can tune in at twitch.tv/teambn to watch the marathon when it happens.

Summer Showcase 2020 schedule
TeamBN Twitch channel
TeamBN Twitter

Battle Chip Gate Homebrew released!

Prof. 9

Ever wanted to play around with Battle Network’s real-life Battle Chip Gate peripherals that were never released outside of Japan? Buying tons of expensive chips from the secondhand market is now a thing of the past, with The Rockman EXE Zone admin Greiga Master‘s brand new Battle Chip Gate Homebrew!

This nifty GBA homebrew app turns a second GBA with a flash cart into a Battle Chip Gate and is fully compatibility with both the English and Japanese versions of Mega Man Battle Network 4, 4.5, 5 and 6, as well as Mega Man Zero 3. The app also lets you build folders for easy access to your favorite chips and even slot-in Program Advance combos automatically, making it far easier to use than the real Battle Chip Gate.

Although a number of the real-life BattleChips were sold outside of Japan, the Battle Chip Gate, first introduced in Mega Man Battle Network 4, was not. This peripheral connected to your Game Boy Advance via the link port and allowed you to play a special mode named Operation Battle in Battle Network 4 and 5. This was later followed up with full-game compatibility in Rockman EXE4.5 and Battle Network 6.

The Battle Chip Gate Homebrew supports multi-player as well – it’s even possible to combine it with a real BattleChip Gate if you have one on hand. Greiga Master lists the following additional features:

  • Battle Chips are arranged by Library and can be sorted by Name, Attack, and Element
  • Can mark chips as Favorite for quick access in a dedicated tab
  • Create up to 16 Chip Folders for managing multiple themed folders or strategies
  • Favorites and folders are saved
  • When browsing Chips, switch between Send Mode to send instantly, and Sort Mode to rearrange Chips in the order you want
  • Send Navi Chips, grouped by compatible game version
  • Send Program Advance (PA) combinations automatically
  • For Battle Network 6, send Navi chips in all available levels and even view their stats before sending
  • Can do multiplayer battles with real Chip Gates or with other Chip Gate Homebrew players

Download the Battle Chip Gate Homebrew below (be sure to read the included readme.html!) and head on over to TREZ Forums to discuss the project!

DOWNLOAD v1.1

EndCycle VS adds custom game modes, including Custom Screen gameplay

Prof. 9

EndCycle VS, an MMBN-inspired game for PC and Android, has just received a big new update! The REVO Update bolts a full-featured scripting IDE right on top of the game’s modding tools, which allows you to create your own custom battle systems and game modes that completely transform the gameplay.

The REVO Update is set to go live later today on both Steam and Google Play. Along with the update, 12B3 Games are releasing a free More Modes Pack which contains a few sample game modes. This includes Operation Mode, replacing the battle system with classic Battle Network combat, complete with a Custom Screen and folder editor! Another new battle system is Turn-Based, which morphs the game into a turn-based RPG where you and the enemy alternate actions on a familiar 6-by-3 grid.

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