Rockman Battle & Fighters

Last updated
Rockman Battle & Fighters
Rockman Battle & Fighters Coverart.png
Developer(s) Capcom
Publisher(s) Capcom
Designer(s) Keiji Inafune
Series Mega Man
Platform(s) Neo Geo Pocket Color, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseNeo Geo Pocket Color
Switch
  • WW: August 3, 2022 [2]
Genre(s) Fighting
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Rockman: Battle & Fighters [lower-alpha 1] is a Mega Man fighting game developed and published by Capcom for the Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld system in 2000. It is a portable version of the two arcade fighting games Mega Man: The Power Battle , and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters . The game involves choosing one of four characters and fighting through a series of boss battles. The game was originally only released in Japan, but was localized in 2022 as Mega Man Battle & Fighters for the Nintendo Switch. [3] This version was included as part of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 2 for Switch and Microsoft Windows later that year.

Contents

Gameplay

Rockman Battle & Fighters is a single-player fighting game. As in Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters , players control one of four characters (Mega Man, Proto Man, Bass and Duo) and choose between three sets of boss battles with various Robot Masters from the first seven Mega Man games. [4] [5] The battles are fought linearly in any order and after each boss is defeated, a special weapon is added to the player's arsenal. Each boss is weak to one specific weapon, so the player is encouraged to strategize the order in which the bosses are faced. Players will battle six robot masters before challenging a sub-boss and a final boss battle against Dr. Wily. [4] By playing the game, players will unlock entries in an in-game database for each of the main characters and bosses. [6] Two players can use a link cable to transfer database information between systems, but no co-op or versus play is supported. [4] The digital re-releases omit the database transfer feature but add the ability to rewind gameplay. The western release doesn't feature any in-game translation. [6]

Reception

Critical reception for Rockman Battle & Fighters has just mixed. Tim Torres of 2D-X called the game "tightly designed and wonderfully animated", and summarizing it as "way better than it has any right to be". [5] Colin Williamson of IGN stated, "I really enjoyed this one. Boss encounters have always been one of the big perks of the Mega Man series, and porting over not one, but two arcade games in the same package was a stroke of good fortune. I wish there was a little more to do with the link cable, but this is a fine little action game for one of the best 'dead' portable game systems out there". [4] Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com didn't recommend the game, but found it to be "a fun (and cute) portable diversion". [8]

In 2023, Time Extension identified Rockman Battle & Fighters as one of the best games for the NGPC. [9]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: ロックマン バトル&ファイターズ, Hepburn: Rokkuman Batoru Ando Faitāzu

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo Geo Pocket Color</span> Handheld video game console

The Neo Geo Pocket Color (NGPC) is a 16-bit color handheld game console developed and manufactured by SNK. It is a successor to SNK's monochrome Neo Geo Pocket handheld which was released in 1998 in Japan, with the Color being fully backward compatible. The Neo Geo Pocket Color was released on March 19, 1999 in Japan, August 6, 1999 in North America, and October 1, 1999 in Europe, entering markets all dominated by Nintendo, competing with Nintendo's Game Boy Color.

<i>Mega Man</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Mega Man, known as Rockman in Japan, is a platform game developed and published by Capcom in 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was directed by Akira Kitamura, with Nobuyuki Matsushima as lead programmer, and is the first game of the Mega Man franchise and the original video game series. Mega Man was produced by a small team specifically for the home console market, a first for Capcom, which previously focused on arcade video games.

<i>SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium</i> 1999 video game

SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium is a crossover fighting game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999.

<i>The King of Fighters 98</i> 1998 video game

The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest, known in Japan as The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends , is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1998. It is the fifth game in The King of Fighters series. It was advertised by SNK as a "special edition" of the series, as it featured most of the characters who appeared in the previous games.

<i>The King of Fighters 99</i> 1999 fighting video game

The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle is a 1999 fighting game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS arcade and home consoles in 1999. It is the sixth installment in The King of Fighters series, introducing a new story arc known as the "NESTS Chronicles" which is centered around a young man named K', who is formerly associated with a mysterious yet threatening organization known only as NESTS. The game introduces several changes to the established KOF format, most notably an assisting character labeled "Striker". The game was ported to the Neo Geo CD and the PlayStation. Dreamcast and Microsoft Windows versions were also released under the title The King of Fighters' 99: Evolution whose stages were remodeled in 3D.

<i>Ogre Battle Gaiden: Prince of Zenobia</i> 2000 strategy video game

Ogre Battle Gaiden: Prince of Zenobia is a 2000 real-time tactical role-playing game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. The game is a spin-off within the Ogre Battle series, originally created by Quest Corporation. The storyline takes place parallel to Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen, and follows the path of Prince Tristan of Zenobia during his quest to reclaim his kingdom. As with other Ogre Battle titles, the player controls squads of an army, moving to different parts of the map accomplishing tasks and battling armies encountered on the route. Choices made during the narrative impact the ending.

<i>SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos</i> 2003 video game

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos is a 2003 fighting game produced by Playmore for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It was then later ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, although only the Xbox port was released in North America and both platforms were released in Japan and PAL regions.

<i>Mega Man Zero</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Mega Man Zero is a 2002 action-platform video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) handheld game console. It is the first installment in the Mega Man Zero series, the fifth series in Capcom's Mega Man video game franchise. The game is set 100 years after the events of the Mega Man X series and follows Zero, a Reploid awakened from his sleep to aid a human scientist named Ciel and her resistance force in a fight against the utopia of Neo Arcadia.

<i>Mega Man: The Wily Wars</i> 1994 video game

Mega Man: The Wily Wars is a 1994 video game compilation developed by Minakuchi Engineering and published by Capcom for the Sega Genesis; the compilation features remakes of the first three Mega Man games, alongside a new game called Wily Tower, only unlockable with a completed save file.

<i>Mega Man Xtreme</i> 2000 video game

Mega Man Xtreme is a 2000 video game developed by Capcom for the Game Boy Color handheld console. It is a spin-off title in the Mega Man X series of video games that originated on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Mega Man Xtreme takes place within the series timeline during the 22nd century, in which a group of "Maverick" androids called the "Shadow Hunters" hack into the world's "Mother Computer" system, destabilize all of the networks, and allow other Mavericks to cause rampant destruction all over the world. The heroic "Maverick Hunter" X is tasked with going into cyberspace to relive his past missions and put a stop to the group's plans.

<i>Mega Man: The Power Battle</i> 1999 video game

Mega Man: The Power Battle is an arcade video game and a spin-off title for the Mega Man series. It was released in Japan in 1995 and was followed by a sequel, Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, the following year. Both games—which were the first and only arcade titles ever to exist within the Mega Man franchise—were ported to home consoles in North America in 2004 as part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection for PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox and in Japan during the same year as part of two game compilation titled Rockman Power Battle Fighters, also for the PlayStation 2. An adaptation of both games for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, titled Rockman Battle & Fighters, was also made. Both games were later re-released as part of the Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium compilation in 2022.

<i>Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters</i> 1996 video game

Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters is a fighting game in the Mega Man series released as an arcade video game in Japan in 1996. It is the direct sequel to Mega Man: The Power Battle released the previous year. Both games were ported to home consoles in North America in 2004 as part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube and in Japan during the same year as part of two game compilation titled Rockman: Power Battle Fighters, also for the PlayStation 2. An adaptation of both games for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, titled Rockman Battle & Fighters, was also made. Both games were later re-released as part of the Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium compilation in 2022.

<i>SNK Gals Fighters</i> 2000 video game

SNK Gals' Fighters is a fighting game for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, released in 2000. The game was ported to the Nintendo Switch in the eShop on April 29, 2020, and included as part of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 in 2021.

<i>The King of Fighters 96</i> 1996 video game

The King of Fighters '96(KOF '96) is a fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home consoles in 1996. It is the third game in The King of Fighters series, following The King of Fighters '95. Like its predecessor, the game was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Unlike the previous game, the PlayStation and Saturn versions were released only in Japan, with a language setting allowing the player to set the game to English.

<i>Fatal Fury: King of Fighters</i> 1991 video game

Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, known as Garō Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai in Japan, is a 1991 head-to-head fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. Fatal Fury was SNK's first fighting game for the Neo Geo system and served as the inaugural game in their Fatal Fury series, as well as the first game to depict the fictional "King of Fighters" tournament, which became the basis for the later The King of Fighters games.

<i>Karnovs Revenge</i> 1994 video game

Karnov's Revenge is a 1994 fighting game developed by Data East, released for the Neo Geo. It is the second game in the Fighter's History series. The game was later ported to the Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD and Sega Saturn home consoles.

<i>Aero Fighters 2</i> 1994 video game

Aero Fighters 2 is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1994 by Video System. It is developed by SNK and released in Japan, North America and Europe. It is the second part of the Aero Fighters series followed by the third part Aero Fighters 3 and a spin-off Aero Fighters Assault. It was initially released as a cabinet token base game.

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash is a series of SNK Playmore games between 1999 and 2006 for hand-held consoles. It is a digital collectible card game, spun off from the popular series of fighting games by SNK and Capcom, and also including references to many other kinds of games from both companies. The game uses cards based on Capcom and SNK characters from a variety of earlier games. The first two versions of this game were released for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, and a new version for the Nintendo DS was released in 2007.

<i>Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection</i> 2021 video game

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection is a pair of video game compilations developed by SNK and Code Mystics. Each of the two volumes contain emulated versions of 10 games originally published by SNK between 1999 and 2000 for the company's short-lived Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld game console, including some featuring characters from fellow game developer Capcom. The first volume was released for Nintendo Switch in March 2021, followed by a release for Windows the following September. The second volume was released for both systems in November 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Mega Man: Official Complete Works. Udon Entertainment. January 6, 2010. p. 106. ISBN   978-1-897376-79-9.
  2. ↑ Romano, Sal (3 August 2022). "SNK-developed Mega Man Battle & Fighters now available for Switch". Gematsu. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  3. ↑ Leone, Matt (4 August 2022). "SNK brings a pair of obscure Mega Man games to Switch". Polygon. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Williamson, Colin (August 7, 2000). "Rockman Battle and Fighters". IGN . Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Torres, Tim (February 7, 2012). "X-List: The Best Neo Geo Pocket Color Games". 2D-X. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Massey, Tom (August 9, 2022). "Mega Man Battle & Fighters Review (Switch eShop)". NintendoLife . Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  7. ↑ Famitsu staff (July 14, 2000). クロスレビュー [Cross Review]. Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 604. Enterbrain. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  8. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (May 10, 2007). "The Mega Man Series Roundup". 1UP.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  9. ↑ McFerran, Damien (February 3, 2023). "Best Neo Geo Pocket Color Games". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.