Mega Man: Everything You Didn't Know About The Japan Exclusive Battle Chip Challenge
Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge is a 2003 spin-off title from the Mega Man Battle Network series. The whole game revolves around the "Battle Chip GP" tournament. Sponsored by Yai Ayanokoji, this Battle Chip Challenge tournament pits Operators (NetOp) and their Digital Avatars (NetNavi) against one another in grueling combat. It features an interesting twist on the traditional Battle Chip series gameplay. Rather than directly controlling the player character, like previous titles in the series, players have to create a "Program Deck" using "Battle Chips."
It may not be the most popular Mega Man title, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth looking into. Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge is one-of-a-kind!
10 Battle Chip Challenge Released In Japan Under Another Title
In Japan, Battle Chip Challenge was actually released as Rockman EXE Battle Chip GP. This isn't the first Capcom franchise that has undergone a name change. The Resident Evil franchise, for example, was originally entitled Biohazard in Japan. In that case, this change was primarily due to Capcom having issues registering the name Biohazard in the United States. That, and there was a band called Biohazard too. If we look back at the original release of Mega Man, his Japanese moniker is actually Rock Man. When you combine that with the fact that the in-game tournament is entitled the "Battle Chip GP," it starts to make sense where this second name came from. This is just another fun link between the Mega Man and Resident Evil franchises.
9 It Was One Of The Last Games To Release On The WonderSwan Color And Swan Crystal
While Battle Chip Challenge was released on the Game Boy Advance worldwide, the game was also released on WonderSwan consoles simultaneously and exclusively in Japan. The WonderSwan was Bandai's attempt at a handheld console and was the last piece of hardware Gunpei Yokoi worked on before his death in 1997. Sadly, it did not have a very long life and Rocketman EXE Battle Chip GP was actually the fifth-last game released on the console! Fans may never know if this is what killed the console, but the reviews would suggest that this might be the case.
8 The Notorious Bass.EXE Is A Secret Boss At The End Of The Game
Also known as Forte.EXE in Japan, Bass.EXE features throughout the Battle Network series. In the first couple of games, he appears as a hidden boss. However, as the series goes on he begins to play a larger role. In Battle Chip Challenge though, he appears as a post-game secret boss fight.
It turns out, Bass.EXE has been waiting for the conclusion of the "Battle Chip GP." As someone who wants to fight the strongest NetNavi, he will appear once the player has been declared the winner.
7 The "Battle Chip GP" Is Actually An Elaborate Trap
6 Battle Chip Challenge Features Two Exclusive Characters
5 The Game Has A Whole Lot Of Battle Network Bosses
With the "Battle Chip GP" being the basis for Battle Chip Challenge, the game features nearly every boss from the first several titles in the Battle Network series. You can even come up against MegaMan if you're not playing as him!
The only bosses missing from Battle Chip Challenge are almost all of the SoloNetNavis, NetNavis who don't have a human operator. There are only three of these who feature. Bass.EXE and DesertMan.EXE feature as SoloNetNavis, while FreezeMan.EXE features with Operator Sean Obihiro.
4 "Battle Chip GP" Battles Are Only Ten Turns Long
In Battle Chip Challenge, there are two ways to win a "Battle Chip GP" battle. The first way to win is to fully deplete your opponent's HP. This can be done by using your Battle Chips to deal damage to your opponent and their Battle Chip Deck. However, if a player finds themselves in a stalemate with their opponent... The battle will end after ten turns. Dodging attacks is purely luck-based, so this may not be the case. If it does happen, however, a winner will be decided based on how many chips they have left in their deck.
3 Battle Chip Challenge Is Currently The Lowest Rated Mega Man Game On Metacritic
There are a few Mega Man games on Metacritic that sit in the 50s. Mega Man X7, Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace, and Mega Man 64 all sit in the top half of the 50-ratings. However, Battle Chip Challenge is the lowest rated Mega Man title of all time, despite its favorable User Score.
A lot of the negative reviews suggest that there isn't enough player interaction to merit a higher rating. However, many find the game to be wholly addictive and a fantastic love letter to link battler games.
2 You Can Trade Battle Chips With Your Friends, Sort Of
One feature that players might not expect Battle Chip Challenge to have is multiplayer. Through this, players can actually trade Battle Chips with one another. It is a long process, though. When battling another player, the winner will get several randomly chosen chips from the loser. This won't take any away from the loser, though. It is more like duplicating chips. A Game Link Cable is required to host these Net Battles, though. However, if a player still registers their friend's NetNavi code, they can appear in their tournaments as a Battle Holding Player. Pretty neat!
1 The Random Battle Chip Selection Isn't That Random
When battling in Battle Chip Challenge, the game selects three of the Battle Chips placed in the Program Deck at random for the player's NetNavi to use. However, this may not be as random as it first seems. There are actually slots that are chosen more frequently than others. Setting your strongest Battle Chips in panels B, C, and E should give the player a better chance of victory as these are reportedly chosen more often. It is also worth noting that Guard Chips are most likely to be chosen by the Program Deck when they're placed in panels B and C.
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