The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a top-notch gathering of Mega Man DS games that never fully got their due. The games themselves are great, the remaster features are fantastic upgrades, and the bonus content is delightfully informative. If you never played the Mega Man Star Force games, this is easily the best way to go through them.
Credit: Capcom
As I only ever played the first Mega Man Star Force game, the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection finally gave me a chance to check out the two sequels. As Capcom went for the multi-version strategy seen in franchises like Pokémon, experiencing all of the content in the Star Force series was previously a challenging and expensive affair, but with this dandy new collection, it’s finally all present and better than ever.
Like the Mega Man Battle Network series, the three entries in the Star Force series are fairly similar to one another in terms of gameplay. You maneuver Mega Man across three squares on a grid as you shoot at and slash viruses that can occupy the nine squares in front of you. There are all sorts of Battle Cards that let you use varied attacks like mini grenades, different sword slices, and more passive things like removing grid squares and shielding yourself. It’s just different enough from the Battle Network series to feel like a proper follow-up without straying too far from the core concepts that worked so well.
Credit: Capcom
Jumping back and forth between squares and using your carefully-crafted deck of Battle Cards to defeat foes is a blast, and just like in the previous series, the strategy involved in taking on tougher enemies using your best Cards and strategies can be pretty thrilling. The 3D models look especially fantastic in this, which makes the battles even more enjoyable. Plus, all of the games allow you to access the various Cipher Mail/Cipher Code content, granting you some nifty Battle Cards and Sub Cards whenever you feel like nabbing them. I also want to point out the inclusion of all the Battle Cards that were previously Japan-only, which really gives the collection a proper sense of completion.
The overarching story between the three games is less complex than you might expect, but the characters and smaller narratives within each game are plenty entertaining. Geo and Mega are a great duo who are a lot of fun to follow, and the Prez and her cronies make for a pleasant foil and friend group. I’ve always dug the concept of Geo and Mega fusing together to become this version of Mega Man, and though the second entry in particular has a bit of a weaker plot, all three do their own things well enough to be worth a try.
Credit: Capcom
The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection showcases all three Star Force titles in every form.
It’s interesting to track the developments between titles as you go through the three titles in the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection. The changes in gameplay, like with the story, are not massive, but you can see the small changes as they come. I feel as though the third games in the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, Black Ace and Red Joker, go a bit too long with their tutorials, but beyond that, they’re the most solid titles in the bunch.
In terms of upgrades and quality-of-life features that have been added to the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, there are quite a few snazzy additions. Being able to speed up your run speed, tweak encounter rates at will, use a super powerful Mega Buster, or jump between HD and classic visuals are all excellent, and make this the perfect way to play for both newcomers and replayers. Capcom has really been nailing these Mega Man collections because of things like this, especially because they’re totally optional, allowing purists to still get the exact experience they remember if they so choose. Throw in the abundance of Gallery content, from illustrations to the many catchy music tracks of the Star Force series, and you’ve got some great content for a collection.
The Final Word
The Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is another stellar grouping of Mega Man games made more accessible than ever. Capcom keeps nailing it with these collections, as the optional quality-of-life upgrades and inclusion of every bit of international content really do make this the ideal way to play these semi-forgotten classics. Now we just need a similar Mega Man Legends collection…
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