Capcom has trudged through its files and has provided the Mega Man Battle Network soundtracks on Spotify. You can go listen to them right now on the streaming service, in addition to Apple Music.
According to Siliconera, the selection includes the music of all six mainline titles in the GBA and DS series, as well as the tracks from the Japanese exclusive spinoff Mega Man Battle Network 4.5 Real Operation. That's real dedication! All of this music amounts to over six hours of entertainment with 281 songs to choose from.
The Mega Man series has always been known for its stellar soundtracks. Mega Man 2 has one of the most iconic intros in a video game ever as the camera pans up the skyscraper to reveal the blue bomber. Once the hero's shown, his rocking theme gets the player excited to play the 1988 video game. A thrilling big band medley based on the game was recently performed by Matthew Gagliardo and a group of musicians. You should check it out.
Speculation is running high that the Mega Man Battle Network series will be the next branch from Capcom to get the remaster treatment. The classic Mega Man run, Mega Man X games, and the niche Megaman Zero/ZX titles made their way to modern systems over the past few years. Now, it might be Mega Man EXE and Lan's turn as Capcom is looking for applicants to license the IP in western territories. It's shockingly Battle Network's 20th anniversary as well this year, leading to the idea of a new remaster on the horizon. We've been wanting some love towards the series for a while, and maybe 2021 will be the year it finally happens.
The Battle Network games are dissimilar to other games in the franchise. It's heavily story-focused, in the vein of a Pokemon, and there are action RPG elements instead of Mega Man's traditional platforming. The combat worked around collectible chips that are used for abilities in a grid-based system. The unique concept for an action RPG made its way to the acclaimed indie project One Step From Eden. We reviewed it highly, so if you're waiting for the next Battle Network game or remaster, this could be a great second.
Currently, no new Mega Man projects have been announced from Capcom. However, Mega Man 11 has sold over 1 million copies and had a positive critical response on release, so we could see a new game coming in the future.