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Mega Man Battle Network 3, known as Battle Network Rockman EXE3 [4][5] (バトルネットワーク ロックマンエグゼ3 Batoru Nettowāku Rokkuman Eguze Surī) or Rockman EXE 3 [2][3][6][7] in Japan, is the third mainline game in the Mega Man Battle Network series released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in two versions: White and Blue. The game follows Lan Hikari and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE as they battle the second incarnation of the WWW. A sequel, Mega Man Battle Network 4, was released the following year.

In Japan, White version is called Battle Network Rockman EXE 3 or simply Rockman EXE 3 with no version title. Meanwhile Blue version is called Battle Network Rockman EXE3 BLACK, or simply Rockman EXE 3 BLACK [6][7]. The Japanese version had White releasing by itself first with Blue coming out months later. Despite that, Blue contains the same bugs White had.

Battle Network 3 is the first game in the series to come in two versions. Like later alternate versions, it replaced and introduced exclusive Battle Chips, chip codes, a boss, a form change, and a number of cosmetic changes. Unlike later games however, the in-game shop stock greatly differs, the preset story virus battle setups are changed, there are exclusive Navi Customizer parts, and contains one new boss that doesn’t replace a Navi from the original. All future mainline Battle Network games released in two versions from this point on.

Story elements from Battle Network 3 were loosely adapted for the First Area of the first season of the MegaMan NT Warrior anime series; namely the N1 Grand Prix, while characters from the game were used in later seasons.

Story[]

Months after the Netmafia Gospel tried to take over the world in Mega Man Battle Network 2, Lan Hikari and friends return to their ordinary lives, until the crime organization WWW started surfacing again. At the same time, a NetBattle tournament called the N1 Grand Prix was being held, in an attempt to find the strongest NetBattler in the Electopia, attracting people from neighboring countries into entering. Lan and MegaMan manage to pass the preliminary rounds, only after numerous attacks by the WWW in an effort to get the TetraCodes. Once Lan and MegaMan get into the N1 Grand Prix, it was discovered that the tournament was a set-up created by WWW to announce their return to world.

Lan and friends, with the help of Eugene Chaud had pieced together the WWW's plan after their attacks on ACDC School and the Yoka Zoo, both of which are hiding places of two of the TetraCodes: needed to revive the monster Alpha, the original prototype of the Internet, and take over the world. As Alpha had went berserk and devoured Navis and programs upon its creation, scientists were forced to seal Alpha to prevent further damage.

In addition to the TetraCodes, WWW needed Bass in order to awaken Alpha. It was revealed that Dr. Wily, head of WWW, was moving behind-the-scenes in Gospel, and had put them to the task of creating a copy Bass specifically for the resurrection. However, this time Wily didn't need a fake Bass because he tricked the true Bass into removing the final security measure on Alpha. When Lan and MegaMan arrived, Alpha was awakened and after a battle with Bass, Alpha appears and devours Wily (who was in the Net via a Pulse Transmission) and Bass. Seeing that, the duo fight Alpha. Once they destroyed Alpha, a door appeared, leading to a Vision Burst of SciLab, where Lan (also on the Net) and MegaMan meet Tadashi Hikari, Lan and Hub's grandfather. Being only personality data, he was only able to give Lan and MegaMan an encoded letter to be delivered to Lan's father, and also remarking on how well Lan and Hub had become great friends and brothers, before the Vision Burst within Alpha collapses. Before being able to jack-out, Alpha captures Lan and MegaMan and begins devouring them, until MegaMan sacrifices himself to save Lan. MegaMan was thought to be deleted, until Lan's father finally decoded the letter from his father, which contained MegaMan's backup data, and Tadashi Hikari's personality data.

Changes from previous games[]

Chip Folder[]

Once again, the game introduces a few changes to the folder building system. First, the Library has been split into four portions - Standard Chips, Mega Chips, Giga Chips, and Program Advances. This allows for a more balanced folder whilst allowing for amazingly powerful chips to be used.

  • Standard Chips are now limited to four copies per folder, and all Navi chips from the previous game are treated as Mega Chips, along with some incredibly powerful chips.
  • As players can only hold one copy of a Mega Chip in the folder, this prevents the abuse of incredibly powerful chips like Full Custom, which was horribly exploited in the previous game, where it was allowed in fives like every other chip.
  • Giga Chips are a new addition, giving way to exceptionally powerful chips like Balance or Navi Recycle, and only one Giga Chip is allowed in each folder.

Navi Customizer[]

The Navi Customizer (NaviCust for short) is introduced in this game. Instead of receiving PowerUps which are used to permanently upgrade the Buster, MegaMan now receives NaviCust pieces that grant him different abilities like the ever-useful Undershirt. Some parts of the plot also require the use of certain parts, like Press and Black Mind. This game is the only one in the series that uses Extra Codes and Color compatibilities, seeing that after MegaMan loses Styles in the following game, the codes and compatibilities are of no use afterwards and are hence scrapped. 

Style Change[]

Style Changes now serve a different function. Leveling up MegaMan's style no longer improves the damage of his charged Buster, but instead grants him special NaviCust pieces that can be used with the Style. Some existing Styles are also given new innate abilities, like the Custom Style's ability to yield special chips when S-ranking viruses. Three new Styles are also introduced, with two of them being exclusive to either version. However, MegaMan can now only hold one Style.

Bug Frags[]

Finishing off opponents while they are in the midst of attacking - also known as Countering - will now give Bug Frags. These are used in many areas - for trading, virus breeding, and for trading at the Bug Frag trader. This game also introduces the Number Lottery, where the player can input a certain number code to get an item. Often these items would range from Sub Chips to rare chips unobtainable through any other means.

Version differences[]

Both versions have identical plots, but distinct qualities unique to each game: White has the standard appearance of buildings and objects, evidenced by ACDC Town's squirrel statue, which is always pink. However, Blue has new color schemes for buildings, and some objects are totally different, such as the squirrel being gold (a color change that becomes prevalent between both game variations in later installments).

The preset battles in the story and the Job BBS differ between versions. Not only the enemy viruses, but the stage set-ups will be different. One battle filled with cracked panels in White might have sand panels in Blue.

This is also the first time different chips can be obtained in separate games, such as unique, one-of a kind Giga Chips, which also becomes the standard among the later games. Giga Chips cannot be traded, but in this game, the Omega Navi Giga Chips are actually duplicated.

In addition, both versions have their own unique Styles that can be obtained by certain conditions. White has Ground Style whose focus manipulating area in combat, while Blue has Shadow Style that has its charge attack make MegaMan become invisible and invincible for a short period of time. Leveling up the Styles will also give Navi Customizer Program Parts, which are also version exclusive. For the opposite version to receive them, it requires trading.

The games also have two separate bosses who know Serenade. White has MistMan, but Blue has BowlMan. As such, their chips must be obtained through NetBattles, not a Chip Trader, and even then, the Mega Chip library isn't complete until the chips of both Navis are traded between separate versions.

White Version has Mr. Famous' apprentice outside of the Yoka Zoo and provides the player with helpful tips. In Blue Version, Mr. Famous will appear instead. He will give different tips and allow NetBattles with his new Navi, Punk. Punk does not give his chip and will only drop Zennys.

Secrets[]

There are secret achievements that can be activated in both games. One Giga Chip is only obtained by NetBattling a friend while both players have at least three stars, and then S-Ranking the friend. It has a 1 in 32 chance of showing up, but can only be obtained once, and these odds improve with additional stars, like the ten secret chips in Battle Network 2.

Even more secrets can be activated at five stars. By holding Left on the D-pad on the GBA at the Start screen and inputting the code, R R L R L R L L, the stars move closer together and make room for two more. After this, 15 Omega Navis will surface on the Net to fight, and beating them grants the player another star. Finally, using a Program Advance only usable with KingMan V5, BowlMan V5, or MistMan V5, will finish the library of 32 Advances, the second largest P.A. library to date.

Lastly, this is the first time that a final boss will grow stronger after completing sidequests. Alpha evolves into an Omega form with new attacks, sporting more HP, after all of the stars (barring the Program Advance star) are obtained. By beating him, his Giga Chip can be obtained to completely finish the game.

Bosses[]

The game has 8 chapters[8] with bosses at the end. There are also side bosses in certain chapters.

  1. FlashMan
  2. BeastMan
  3. BubbleMan
  4. DesertMan
  5. PlantMan
  6. FlameMan
  7. DrillMan
  8. Bass

Optional bosses:

  • Punk (Blue version only)

Post-game bosses:

Release Notes[]

  • Rockman EXE3 BLACK was pre-released at World Hobby Fair events in 2003, starting on January 19th[9]. The game can also be purchased via mail-order through Monthly CoroCoro Comic from January 15th to February 28th, with deliveries beginning on February 10, 2003[10].
  • In Japan, first issue of the games (marked with limited edition text on the cover) contained a non-holographic Rockman.EXE Card Game card with a Navi Customizer code: Ground Style with the Error Code B4 (for Set Sand) in EXE3, and Shadow Style with the Shadow Shoes Extra Code in EXE3 BLACK.
  • In Japan, there is a v1.0 and a revised v1.1 of both game versions.

Development Notes[]

  • The development team was told to have the two version split when they were short of finishing the game. The implementation of MistMan, BowlMan, and Shadow Style were added in a rush. The graphical changes were done within the time period allotted.[11]
  • Writer Masakazu Eguchi strived for Battle Network 3's story to feel as completion of the EXE series, with later games going for a different approach[12]. Eguchi had the most delight working on this game and thinking, “That’s all she wrote, this series is over,” but then it wasn’t long at all before the prospect of Battle Network 4 arose[13]. This is also the final numbered Rockman EXE game to have "Battle Network" in its Japanese title.
  • When the Battle Network development staff was polled, the majority considers Battle Network 3 as the best among the games[14].

Officially Acknowledged Issues[]

  • There is a "11th Chip Glitch" that allows the cursor on Custom Screen to reach an 11th, 12th, and 13th chip slot, allowing impossible repeated access to certain chips in the Folder throughout the battle. This can occur by being in Custom Style and running enough Custom1 and Custom2 Navi Customizer parts to make the Custom Screen go above 10 chips. The glitch's existence was acknowledged by Capcom and bans opening the chip slots beyond 10 in official Capcom tournaments[15]. Despite this, the glitch was not fixed in international releases.

Gallery[]

Box Art[]

Logos[]

Promotional Art[]

Screenshots[]

Miscellaneous[]

Video[]

See also[]

Trivia[]

CorocoroSticker-EXE3

Rockman EXE3 WHITE sticker sheet.

  • While the Japanese release of White Version is officially without a subtitle, the March 2003 issue of Monthly CoroCoro Comic has a sticker sheet calling it "Rockman EXE3 WHITE" (ロックマンエグゼ3 ホワイト Rokkuman Eguze Surī Howaito). It has also been distinguished as “White” by director Masahiro Yasuma[16] and Capcom-Unity’s Ucchy[17].
    • Also, starting in 2022, Japanese promotion has now written Rockman EXE 3 BLACK as Rockman EXE 3 Black (with lowercases)[18]
  • In the Mega Man Through the Ages video, Rockman EXE3 BLACK is called Mega Man Battle Network 3 Black.
  • In Japan, Rockman EXE3 won a 6th CESA Game Awards Future for excellence, which are given to anticipated non-released works.[19]
  • The game has some real life product references:
    • Lan's room has two Rockin' Action figures on the drawer and two Rockman Cubes (called "MegaCubes" in the English version) on the floor.
    • The artwork in Yoka Inn is based on a page of the Rockman EXE 2003 calendar, which had anime art.
    • The real life snack company, Lotte, is advertised within the game. It’s a collaboration where buying Nut-wafer Chocolate both in real life and within the game to obtain Lotto Numbers, which are used to get exclusive BattleChips and other items. This was done as a way to intertwine the game and reality[20].
  • The device that Dr. Cossak invented that allows living things to access the Net bears a notable resemblance to the jack in chairs from The Matrix trilogy, both in terms of function and design.
  • This game has the most amount of chips in the whole series.
  • This game has the most Giga Chips in the series. There are a total of 20 Giga Chips.
  • This game introduces new elements that would be incorporated into later games such as countering and classification of Battle Chips.

External links[]

References[]

  1. Rockman Magazine
  2. 2.0 2.1 ロックマン エグゼ 3 | Wii U | 任天堂 (nintendo.co.jp)
  3. 3.0 3.1 ロックマン エグゼ 3 BLACK | Wii U | 任天堂 (nintendo.co.jp)
  4. Rockman.EXE Sound Box
  5. Battle Network Rockman EXE3 Official Guidebook
  6. 6.0 6.1 Rockman EXE no Subete
  7. 7.0 7.1 Rockman EXE Collection (Chinese version)
  8. Rockman EXE no Subete
  9. Capcom World Hobby Fair 17 overview
  10. Monthly CoroCoro Comic February 2003 issue
  11. 江口: これも、 完成ちょっと前に「2バージョンやるから」と言われて 、「マジすか!?」ってビックリして。――あ、そんなに急だったんですね(笑)。
    江口: 急きょミストマンとボウルマンを用意して、シャドースタイルを考えて(笑)。
    石原: フィールドの色や小物など、通信に影響しない部分でグラフィックも変更したりして、テキストも含め、 時間の許す限りギリギリまで差し替えました 。 この頃はゲームキューブ版やバトルチップGPなんかも同時進行していたので、キャラデザイン面でも大変でした。Rockman EXE3 Virtual Console release interview archive
  12. inside-games Rockman EXE 15th Anniversary Special Staff Discussion
  13. Capcom-Unity: Ten Years of Battle Network: Questions Answered
  14. Rockman EXE 6 Ultimate Navigation COMP interview (English translation)
  15. Rockman EXE3 Ultimate Navigation SP pg. 133
  16. Rockman EXE3 Ultimate Navigation SP interview
  17. Rockman EXE3 Virtual Console release interview archive
  18. "『ロックマンエグゼ アドバンスドコレクション』に収録『ロックマンエグゼ 3』の発売後に登場した別バージョン『ロックマンエグゼ 3 Black』も9月15日(木)~開催「東京ゲームショウ2022」で試遊可能!TGSの詳細はこちら→"Rockman-Unity Twitter
  19. CESA Awards website
  20. Rockman EXE3 Ultimate Navigation SP interview


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