In Battle Network 4, Lan starts his first year in the 6th grade. The net has been clean of viruses since a previous battle with Dr. But Lan and pal Mega Man still have to deal with everyday family/friend issues, and of course, viruses in home appliances.

A microwave virus-busting tutorial introduces new features to the Battle Network series. Besides choosing like battle chips and using them in action-oriented battle, Mega Man can now counter attack enemies when he attacks at the same time as his enemy. The counter attacks stuns the enemy for a few seconds and gives Mega Man time to attack again or wait for the custom gauge to activate another turn. When Mega Man counter attacks or performs well in battle, he’ll transform into a full syncro state where the next attack’s damage will be multiplied by two. The new Soul Unison attack lets Mega Man utilize powers from robots beaten in tournaments. Each soul has an additive power, like adding more HP or special attacks in battle.

Another new feature are battle chips marked by an asterisk. These chips act like wild cards and can be added onto most chips as an extra move. Asterisk cards like Area Grab add a row of the enemies’ battlefield to your own. All the new features add more fun and depth to battles without hindering its basic concept.

Battle chips are more varied in Battle Network 4. At the start, new battle cards like the Air Buster and CrakOut mix things up a bit. The Air Buster can knock an enemy back one space and cause some damage, while the CrakOut crushes one panel of the enemy’s area. The enemies are more cunning with various ways to attack Mega Man on the grid. A giant wolf can fire a wave that takes up two rows of the battlefield, or a droid can send a slow moving spark that’s tough to get around. The actual network fields have been color-coded and make it easier to travel the net. Previous Network Battle games contained the same roads just about everywhere, making it difficult to separate one area from the next.

MMBN4 has slicker interfaces and improved visuals. The menus are very straightforward and well designed. Plus the attention to animation and character drawings is more active and inspired. The storyline also moves in a quick fashion so there are no sluggish moments.

Battle Network 4 is everything you expect it to be. It continues the popular series with new features that add a bit more depth to battle. The simplistic storyline does cater to the younger crowd, but the latest entry is still worth jacking in to.