Line #111 VideoGame/MegaManBattleChipChallenge


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mmbnbattlechipcbox_6.jpg]]
2	''Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge'' is a 2003 spinoff of the ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' series, developed by Creator/IntiCreates instead of Creator/{{Capcom}}. The game released simultaneously for the Platform/GameBoyAdvance and [[Platform/WonderSwan WonderSwan Color]] (as ''Rockman.EXE N1 Battle'', and much like the [=WonderSwan=] itself, it was Japan-exclusive), and is an [[OddballInTheSeries oddball]] at that. Its whole ExcusePlot is centered around tournaments, and there is no exploration or virus battles. Netbattles are a turn-based affair the player has little input on.
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4	Up to 10 battlechips must be equipped on a triangular deck pattern. During battles, chip sequences are chosen at random and played automatically. The player must learn how offensive and defensive skills play off each other to maximize their winning chances.
5	----
6	!!This game features the following tropes:
7	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Before every netbattle your navi can tell you the odds of winning with the chips you have equipped. Also, you can retry battles as much as you need and even fast-foward them!
8	* ArmoredButFrail: There are a number of FragileSpeedster Navis with below average to very low numbers of hit points who rely on their superior dodge rate to save themselves from harm, including Roll, Ring, [=IceMan, ColorMan, SharkMan, MagicMan, ShadowMan, ToadMan, SnakeMan, and BeastMan.=]
9	* ArmorPiercingAttack: Pierce-type damage will hurt a shielded Navi and do damage to the shielding chip as well. Break-type damage will hurt a shielded Navi and destroy the shielding chip outright.
10	* BaitAndSwitchBoss: Normal Navi ZERO is waiting for you at the end of the Hacker's Open Battle. [[spoiler:Bass GS dispatches him and fights you instead]].
11	* BalancePowerSkillGimmick: Among the main player characters, [=MegaMan=] and [=ProtoMan=] are the Balance, each being a JackOfAllStats. [=GutsMan=] is the Power, being StrongButUnskilled and the hardest-hitting of the player characters. Roll is the Skill who [[ArmoredButFrail offsets her very low HP with her unique healing ability]]. [=TurboMan=] and Ring are the Gimmick, who use weak attacks with special effects that can be strengthened by other chips.
12	* BreakableWeapons: Every chip has HP and various attacks can damage one or more of the opponent's current chip sequence.
13	* CantCatchUp:
14	** Each member of the Normal Navi series is outclassed in HP and battle-chip capacity by the next.
15	** [=MetalMan.EXE=] is superior to [=GutsMan=] in every capacity--he doesn't even have the limitation of being a CloseRangeCombatant.
16	* CharacterDrivenStrategy: Most {{NPC}}s have distinct strategies or at least staple tactics that will reoccur in each repeat appearance they make in the game.
17	* CharacterFocus: At the start of every character's game and upon unlocking each new level of tournament, the player character makes some progress through their own personal character arc, giving several cast members CharacterDevelopment they were [[ADayInTheLimelight sorely lacking in the main series]].
18	* ClimaxBoss: DoubleSubverted. Waiting for the PlayerCharacter at the end of the Hacker's Open Battle is yet another variant of a Normal Navi, the tenth so far, and one that doesn't even get its own PaletteSwap. [[spoiler:Surprise, it's a BaitAndSwitchBoss, and your real opponent is Bass GS]].
19	* CloseRangeCombatant: [=GutsMan=] and [=KnightMan=] have Navi attacks that must be launched at close range, which means a field with holes in it will cripple them.
20	* ConfusionFu: The amount of [[{{Mana}} MB]] that a Navi has directly influences their Program Deck capacity, which determines the amount and variety of battle-chips a contestant can use. Navis with high MB have more versatility than those without.
21	* ContinuityNod: When Lan and Mary meet, they talk about [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork2 Lan visiting Netopia in the past]].
22	* CrisisCrossover: It's a big TournamentArc featuring [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover almost everyone who's anyone]] in the original ''Battle Network'' trilogy--[[NotJustATournament and a new generation of the WWW wants to blow it the frick up]].
23	* CriticalHit: Random-type and Delete-type attacks target a random slot in the opponent's queue and [[ManaBurn damage]] or [[OneHitKill delete]] the occupying battle-chip. This may result in a dud if that slot is empty, or it may [[SpannerInTheWorks remove a cornerstone of the opponent's strategy]] and leave them helpless.
24	* CriticalHitClass: [=ProtoMan=] is the only Navi who can do Random type damage, and [=MagicMan=] the only one who can do Delete type damage.
25	* {{Crossover}}: This game features an ensemble cast of nearly every character from the original ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' trilogy, and nearly every battle-chip likewise. Kai and Mary are OriginalGeneration characters, though.
26	* CrutchCharacter: In most playthroughs, Roll and [=GutsMan=] are available after winning the Class E Heal and Guts tournaments, offering some handy early defensive and offensive options, but their battle-chip capacity is so low that their lack of versatility will inevitably catch up to them in the later game. The game tellingly gives the [=ColorMan or MetalMan=] Navi chips, normally available much later in the game, to Mayl and Dex in the Class E tournament of their respective stories.
27	* DamageOverTime:
28	** The Poison Panel stage does damage to both combatants and every single one of their loaded battle-chips every turn.
29	** The Magma stage does set damage to every non-Heat element Navi on the field every turn.
30	* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: You can not only continue after any loss, but you can also restart fights any time things start going sour. If, however, your chances are too poor, leaving the tournament will require you to start from the beginning on re-entry.
31	* DeckbuildingGame: Players must arrange a set of battle-chips in their program deck, a flowchart of possible battle-chip {{Combos}} that a random path will travel each turn. Players can change their program decks before each battle, but only using battle chips they've loaded into their folder before the start of the tournament.
32	* DefeatMeansFriendship: Defeating the last opponent in each tournament will result in the player obtaining their Navi-chip; other Navi-chips are gained from every fifth opponent in the Free Battle {{Marathon Level}}s.
33	* DegradedBoss: Navis encountered as the final opponent of lower-ranked tournaments will reappear as intermediary opponents in higher-ranked tournaments.
34	* DownloadableContent:
35	** Multiplayer can't be done directly by linking games; instead players must input lengthy passwords that encode an enemy Navi and their program deck and download them into the waiting roster for free battle.
36	** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork4RedSunAndBlueMoon'' hide special codes that provide {{Superboss}} versions of the {{Player Character}}s, including the only way to get Hub Style.
37	* EasterEgg: {{NPC}}s occasionally have unique dialog for specific {{player character}}s.
38	* ElementalRockPaperScissors:
39	** Most fields with an elemental affinity can be altered by a superior element.
40	** If a competitor's current battle-chip has a superior element to the opponent's, it gets automatic priority.
41	* FinalBoss: There's a ClimaxBoss waiting for each {{Player Character}} at the end of the S-Rank tournament that will end the player's main CharacterArc and trigger the ClosingCredits when defeated.
42	* GamePlaysItself: The battles themselves are almost entirely automatic, with the player only having control over the contents of their program deck, some customization ability before each battle, and the ability to slot-in up to two special chips in case of emergency during the battle itself.
43	* GenderFlip: Ring.EXE is the female counterpart to the robot master [=RingMan=] from the ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' series.
44	* GlassCannon: [=ColorMan=] has superb accuracy and dodge rates and does formidable Navi chip damage, but has a low quantity of hit points.
45	* JackOfAllStats: [=MegaMan.EXE=] and [=ProtoMan.EXE=] are the most balanced of the starting characters, though Mega has slightly more battle-chip capacity and Proto has a slightly stronger Navi chip attack.
46	* LazyArtist: Normal Navi [[spoiler:ZERO]] gets [[BaitAndSwitchBoss so little screentime]] that it didn't even get a different palette from Normal Navi [[spoiler:X]].
47	* LightningBruiser: [=SkullMan=] and [=GateMan=] have lots of hit points, astonishing Navi chip attack power, and above-average dodge and accuracy rates, but have [[MagicallyIneptFighter low battle-chip capacity]].
48	* LimitBreak: Slot-In, where the player can interrupt the flow of combat to use one of up to two specially-reserved chips; the [[LuckBasedMission success rate]] of this action depends on how much time has passed without using it. In ''Rockman.EXE N1 Battle'', however, this isn't possible.
49	* LuckBasedMission:
50	** The game is ''heavily'' driven by randomness. It is very telling that it allows you to retry battles over and over until something works.
51	** Most battlechips in the game must be obtained at random via booster packs at Higsby's shop.
52	** The Slot-In mechanic depends on the length of the custom gauge, which makes Slot-In attempts more successful with each passing turn--until that gauge reaches 100%, however, success lies in the hands of the RandomNumberGod.
53	* MageKiller: Some attack types and the Navis that specialize in them focus on crippling enemies by [[ManaBurn attacking their battle chips]].
54	** Navis that deal straightforward Add type damage include [=MegaMan, Ring, QuickMan, SharkMan, Navi-Aqua, Normal Navi X=], [[spoiler:Bass, Hub Style, and Aqua Custom]].
55	** Navis that deal DamageOverTime with All Add type attacks include [=TurboMan, Navi-Wood, ElecMan, NumberMan, AirMan, FreezeMan, PlantMan, FlameMan, KingMan=], and [[spoiler:Bass GS]] all specialize in this type of attack.
56	** Only [=ProtoMan=] does Random type damage.
57	** [=MagicMan=] is the only competitor with a Delete type attack.
58	* MagicallyIneptFighter: [=GutsMan, WoodMan, SkullMan, MagnetMan, GateMan, KnightMan, HeatMan, and MetalMan=] all have lots of hit points and Navi chip damage, but low battle-chip capacity.
59	* {{Mana}}:
60	** Outside of battle, a Navi's MB determines the capacity--and thus [[ConfusionFu the versatility]]--of their program-deck. Some Navis have [[MagicallyIneptFighter low MB but powerful stats or Navi-attacks]], while others have [[SquishyWizard inferior personal abilities but lots of MB for battle-chips]].
61	** In battle, each battle-chip has its own amount of HitPoints that determines how much punishment it can take; a battle-chip taking damage is in effect ManaBurn.
62	* ManaBurn: While some attack types are primarily about targeting an opponent, other attack types damage or even destroy an enemy's loaded [[BreakableWeapons battle-chips]] instead; [[PowerNullifier destroyed battle-chips can't be used for the rest of the fight]], so Navis that rely too heavily on battle-chips and not their own abilities may be left helpless.
63	** Add type attacks deal damage to the last loaded battle chip in a Navi's queue. This is the most straightforward type.
64	** All Add type attacks do less average damage than regular Add-type attacks but hit every loaded chip, so they whittle down the whole queue with DamageOverTime. Usually the hallmark of a StoneWall Navi, but there are certain SituationalSword All Add battle-chips that do lots of damage but can only be used on the right {{Field\|Power Effect}}.
65	** Random type attacks target random slots in the enemy's program deck queue, which may or may not have a chip in it.
66	** Delete type attacks also strike random slots in the program deck, and while they do almost no damage, they may [[OneHitKill destroy a whole battle chip outright]].
67	* MarathonLevel:
68	** The Class S tournament provides a sequence of no less than fifteen battles ending in a ClimaxBoss, nearly double the eight opponents of each Class A tournament. [[spoiler:The class X and Y tournaments also feature fifteen battles, while the Class Z tournament provides a whopping 20]].
69	** The Open Battle sequences challenge players with even more than that. The Yumland Open Battle features twenty opponents, the Netopia Open Battle thirty, and the Hackers Net Open Battle has still more, [[spoiler:weighing in at a formidable one hundred opponents]].
70	* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: ''Battle Chip Challenge'' draws almost every unique navi from the original trilogy into a single cast pool, and they're all playable, provided you install their navi-chip.
71	* MechanicallyUnusualFighter:
72	** Roll alone has the Recover ability, which offsets her very low HP by healing her every time she gets off her Navi chip attack successfully.
73	** [=NumberMan=]'s Dice Bomb attack does a randomly determined number of hits depending on how it lands.
74	** [=MagicMan=]'s Navi Chip has a unique Delete effect, allowing giving him a solid chance of deleting opponent battle-chips outright, adding an extra element of LuckBasedMission whenever he's in battle.
75	* MightyGlacier: [=GutsMan.EXE=]'s merely average accuracy and dodge rates are the worst of the six main Navis, but he also has the most hit points and the strongest Navi chip attack.
76	* MinMaxing: Among the MagicallyIneptFighter Navis:
77	** [=GateMan=] and [=SkullMan=] boast the highest and second-highest Navi chip damage in the game, but their attacks have no special effects and can only rely on sheer power to get around shields.
78	** [=KnightMan=] has the most hit points but does the least Navi chip damage.
79	* MovesetClone: [=MetalMan=] is essentially [=GutsMan=], but superior in every stat, down to having a Break-type punch attack without the limitation of being a CloseRangeCombatant.
80	* MythologyGag:
81	** The two most powerful Normal Navi variants are [[VideoGame/MegaManX Normal Navi X and Normal Navi ZERO]].
82	** Normal Navi ZERO is dispatched [[spoiler:by the more powerful Bass GS, which mirrors the fact that in the world of ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'', Zero was a superior replacement for the original Bass]].
83	* OddballInTheSeries: Features completely different mechanics than the rest of the ''Battle Network'' series.
84	* OldSaveBonus: In the Japanese GBA version, Normal Navi V5 is unlocked by obtaining it in ''Rockman EXE N1 Battle'', then entering the ''N1 Battle'' Navi Code into the GBA; in an attempt to ensure that the player bought both games, the save names also have to match. Since the rest of the world didn't see the [=WonderSwan=], much less ''N1 Battle'', one of the Open Battle tournaments swaps out [=KnightMan=] for Normal Navi V5.
85	* OptionalBoss: ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork4RedSunAndBlueMoon'' contain seven hidden codes that can be entered into the Open Tournament to unlock special PurposefullyOverpowered versions of the six {{Player Character}}s, plus an extra fight with Mega Man Hub Style.
86	* OriginalGeneration: Kai and Mary, two new {{Player Characters}} created for this CrisisCrossover SpinOff.
87	* PlayerCharacter: 6 characters including newcomers Ring and [=TurboMan=] are available in the beginning, but you can actually obtain navi chips that swap them for anyone else in the cast. In ''Rockman.EXE N1 Battle'', however, only Lan and [=MegaMan=]'s story is available.
88	* PowerfulButInaccurate: Chips with high damage are often inaccurate, especially those that can destroy the opponent's deck.
89	* {{Pun}}: Mary leaves for home at the end of her story on Flight #69 (in Japan, sixty-nine can be pronounced "rokku", as in "Rock", as in "[=RockMan=]").
90	* RankInflation: The first tournament block players can enter is E, followed by D and then on all the way to A. The A tournament is then followed by the S tournament, after which the credits roll. The postgame then introduces another three tournaments, X, Y, and Z.
91	* TheRashomon: Each PlayerCharacter story has a unique take on what happens during the tournament.
92	** Lan, Chaud, and Kai cover mostly the same sequence of events--a tournament is going on but is threatened by an evil plot by the WWW. Lan focuses mostly on the tournament itself and only discovers the evil plot later; Chaud is alerted to the evil plot from the start and spends his story investigating; Kai deludes himself into thinking there's a villainous plot afoot from the start and accidentally blunders into the real operative, who's just as goofy as he is.
93	** When Lan and Kai meet, Lan jokingly plays along with Kai's misconception that a villainous plot is afoot. In Lan's story, he responsibly shuts down the joke before it gets out of hand, but in Kai's story he does no such thing.
94	** In Mayl's story, Lan sits the main tournament out completely due to being sick, and Mayl enters primarily to make it up to him (since Lan got sick from the rain after giving Mayl his umbrella).
95	* RecurringBoss: Most if not all opponents appear in multiple tournaments and the Open Battle levels with more challenging program-decks, even if you've already obtained their navi chip.
96	* SaveGameLimits: The game features six playable characters with unique stories, but you only get two save slots, presumably so the player can have both a main file and a secondary file to play the remaining character stories in.
97	* SecretFinalCampaign: After the Master Tournament of Class S, Mr. Famous approaches the PlayerCharacter with three new tournaments.
98	* SignatureMove: Each Navi has both a personal attack and a "Strong Chip" unique to them when fought as an opponent.
99	* SkillGateCharacters:
100	** Normal Navis, who have loads of hit points and battle-chip capacity--this gives players lots of room for error and potential for pure battle-chip strategies without having to work with more specialized Navis. However, because of their abysmal Navi chip attacks, accuracy, and dodge rates, they effectively have only three real attacks per turn and are vulnerable to MageKiller Navis who will take their battle-chips away.
101	** MagicallyIneptFighter Navis have low battle-chip capacity and rely on the power of their Navi chip attacks, but these can be shut down by stunning them in advance.
102	* SpamAttack: Numerous Navi and battle-chip attacks do small quantities of damage but hit multiple times at once, which means they benefit exponentially from QuadDamage. Ring, [=QuickMan=], the Navi-Wood, [=ShadowMan=], [=BeastMan=], and [[spoiler:Bass]] all deal damage this way.
103	* SquishyWizard: [=MagicMan.EXE=], naturally enough, who has the absolute lowest health of all the Navis in the game, but the highest battle-chip capacity of any non-Normal Navi, and his personal attack has a 50% chance of deleting one of the opponent's loaded chips on contact.
104	* StoneWall: The Normal Navi series, whose members have high HP totals but low accuracy and damage potential.
105	* TookALevelInBadass: A number of NonActionGuy [=NPCs=] from the core series of games get to fight with the {{Player Character}}s, like Lan's mom Haruka and Class 5-A's teacher Ms. Mari.
106	* TournamentArc: The entire game is made up of those.
107	* TrueFinalBoss:
108	** As the SecretFinalCampaign goes on, Mr. Famous slowly admits that the new tournaments are meant to draw out and capture an especially dangerous target, who is faced at the end of the Chaos Tournament of Class Z: [[spoiler:Bass.EXE]].
109	** {{Subverted}} with Normal Navi [[spoiler:ZERO]] waiting for you at the end of the 100-Navi challenge run. [[spoiler:He is promptly dispatched by Bass GS, who is the true final fight]].
110	* UmbrellaOfTogetherness: [[TheRashomon Mayl's story]] starts when Lan offers Mayl his umbrella but [[DefiedTrope rejects the notion of walking home together]] under it. This results in Lan getting sick and losing his ability to compete, so Mayl takes it upon herself to compete on his behalf.
111	* TheUnfought: Normal Navi ZERO, [[spoiler:who exhibits TheWorfEffect when Bass GS arrives to take his place]].
112	* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: You must keep a balanced chip folder that can deal with pretty much anything when you tackle the latter tournaments, or else...
113	* VisualInitiativeQueue: The program deck requires the player to arrange Battle Chips in a flowchart-like array with divergent paths. At the start of every round, a selection of up to three chips will be made as the program randomly determines a path through the deck, and they will be used in that order. Each Navi uses a Program Deck, so combat is the Navis using their first, second, and third Battle Chips, and then following up with their Signature Attack until one or the other is defeated.
114	* WakeUpCallBoss: The Class C tournaments are when the game really begins to push the player strategically. [=SkullMan.EXE=] in particular, with his large quantity of hit points and devastating Navi chip damage, will slaughter any players trying to just plow through with straightforward force.
115	* WhatIf: While Lan and Mayl both compete in the tournament in every story, Mayl's story {{Rewrite}}s the premise such that Mayl is competing on Lan's behalf after he gets sick, putting her in his shoes.
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Context VideoGame / MegaManBattleChipChallenge