Mega Man Battle Network 3

What if Mega Man didn't race across platforms but fought inside computer networks? Mega Man Battle Network 3 takes this bold idea to perfection and offers one of the most beloved entries in the entire sub-series. It's an RPG, action game and card game rolled into one, wrapped in a cyberpunk world of an interconnected future.

The heart of the game is combat on a grid measuring three by six squares. You control the network warrior MegaMan.EXE, move around your half of the field and attack using so-called Battle Chips — chips you draw both before and during battle from your own assembled palette. Each chip represents a different attack or ability, so building your own collection and strategically assembling your deck is just as important as real-time reflexes. This combination of instant action and deck-building keeps the battles feeling fresh even years later.

The series was handled by Capcom, and the third installment came out in 2003, released in two versions, White and Blue, which differ in the available chips and some content elements, similar to Pokémon. Outside of combat, the game alternates between exploring the real world, where you unravel plots surrounding the schoolboy Lan, and the internet dimension of the Net, full of long corridors, puzzles and hidden treasures.

Battle Network 3 is often singled out among fans as the peak of the series, whether for its polished combat system, the abundance of content, or its legendary punishing hidden bosses. The cyberpunk theme of an interconnected world, where battles take place inside appliances and networks, brilliantly captures the era's fascination with the internet at the turn of the millennium.

The entire Battle Network line received the collected release Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, which made all the installments accessible to modern players and even revived online battles. For many players this series was a gateway to both turn-based and action RPGs, and Battle Network 3 remains its most brightly shining point.

Why play: An addictive mix of grid-based action and battle chip collecting in a cyberpunk world, one of the most acclaimed installments in the entire series.