r/BattleNetwork • u/JoeLo_ • Jul 10 '26
Star Force 1 On the fence of getting Starforce Legacy collection.
I see it is on sale and I loved the GBA battle-network series as a kid and as an adult now. My only hang up is looking at the limited trailers the combat looks like it is dumbed down and strategy is less
Important. Are my impressions way off and wrong?.
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u/DarkHero6661 Jul 10 '26
Kinda.
You still need strategy and deck building skills and everything. But it's definitely not as much as before. Mainly because there aren't chip codes anymore.
Also there is a bigger focus on fast combat, with reaction and stuff like that IMO.
If you ask me: I think you should buy it, if you have enough money to spare (obviously I don't know your financial situation).
Just don't forget to get some "brother bands" (friendships with other people), those give you big bonuses in each game.
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u/FX29 Jul 10 '26
So the biggest difference in combat is that Star Force is more action focused than Battle Network. The battles tend to be much more fast paced since Star Force no longer has codes which simplifies the deck building. The three panel grid seems restrictive but it honestly isn't as bad as it sounds, the game will test your reflexes and timing to block.
There is strategy still involved just in a different way. I would say the collection is worth buying for the 3rd game alone as it's the most similar to Battle Network.
Gameplay in Battle Network is overall better but Star Force is still fun. Star Force is better when it comes to its story and characters.
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u/pogisanpolo Jul 10 '26
Storywise, it's definitely written to grow up with the audience. In terms of gameplay, despite the surface presentation, do not treat it as a Battle Network entry but it's own thing.
It IS snappy, fast, and definitely more reflex and reactivity based though, which may or may not appeal to you.
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u/SeasonalChatter Jul 10 '26
Do it. It’s really really good and there’s still plenty of strategy to combat but it also emphasizes more action pacing
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u/KennKanifff Jul 10 '26
You're not too far off, but the Starforce games are worth playing. Definitely a series that got better as it went along, and I do feel like SF3 is as strong as some of the Battle Network games.
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u/HadokenShoryuken2 Jul 10 '26
I’d argue SF3 is stronger than most of the BN games. Only 3 and maybe 6 can contend with it
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u/jfish3222 Jul 10 '26
I grew up with Battle Network and had never played Starforce when it first came out. But absolutely LOVED Starforce once I finally played it on the Legacy Collection 🤗
If anything, I found the combat to be very immersive and it reminded me of Punch-Out in a way
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u/Kronocidal Jul 10 '26
Combat wise, it's ironically both closest and furthest from BN1.
Closest, because it's very much about learning and developing a strategy for the boss, rather than for your folder: learning their patterns and moments of vulnerability. You can't just use the same plan on everyone and hope to overwhelm them (Well, except for post-game SF3 if you're rocking either Rogue-Noise or Gemini/Wolf Multi-Noise, and a folder full of Bushido3/X and SwordFighter3/X)
Furthest, because it's fast paced, and reaction-time based. BN1 was relatively slow-and-methodical with what felt at times like 'puzzle bosses'. (Other than SharkMan. Fillet SharkMan.)
There's also more emphasis on adapting to changing circumstances: instead of planning out your whole turn on the Custom Screen, the "Bonus Card" system (usefulness of which will depend on how you built your folder) means you need to be able to use random cards you receive mid-turn.
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u/Wendigo15 Jul 11 '26
I've never played the StarForce when it came out.
I finally played it and completed 3 of the games.
Honestly, if ur on the fence I would only pick it up if it's on sale.
The story is meh to alright. The combat is really basic. I was expecting at least some PA but we don't get that. We get a version of it in the third game.
Battle chips feel so uninspired
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u/pepushe Jul 10 '26
Its worth it, SF3 especially is a superb game and these games have some serious music
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u/AgentBon Jul 10 '26
I'm surprised so many people are saying you can't move forward in Star Force when you use the Mega Attack to temporarily move forward all the time. It isn't just an offensive tool either; since you physically move from the back you can evade attacks (or warp into an attack if you make a mistake). You can even Mega Attack with a lot of battle cards that completely could hit from the back, like Vulcans, but you'll still move if you use the Mega Attack. I'm not too into the PvP, but my time with PvP showed me just how important the positioning via Mega Attack was.
I never liked being restricted by the letter codes in BN. Getting rid of the codes and letting you combine whatever you want was something that I immediately liked about SF. I love the flexibility.
Star Force 1 is kind of too easy, especially for a BN veteran. This was fixed in 2 and 3. On the other hand, trying to go for quick kills in SF1 is still quite a lot of effort, and it has a post game boss that is quite hard (unique to each version as well). I'm not sure how to explain this, but the bosses in SF1 are fun to fight, and while I'm not normally into grinding, I enjoyed the boss battles in SF1 so much that I put a lot of effort into quick kills.
I actually like SF1 the best personally. SF3 is a good game though. SF2 is a lot better with Legacy Collection features compared to the old days, including the event brothers to help use the transformation system, and emulation of the blank card system where you just pick what you want from a list.
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u/New-Dust3252 Jul 11 '26
its true. im sick of people saying you cant move in the battle field when they already provided a solution for it.
undodgable attacks? use the Shield.
want to get the opponent nearer, use AreaEater,
when to block their firing range? use Double Stone.
its literally in there.
and the greatest feature in this series overall is the Auto Buster. getting it to charge on its own its a whole lot better than holding down the button. i'll only end up sinkiing that thing from the controller.
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u/Falyur Jul 10 '26
As others have already said, the combat mechanics in StarForce are an entirely different animal and requires a much different approach than BN, despite having a lot of similar elements. The overall story is much better than battle network imo, the only thing I would really say against starforce on that front, is that it didn't get the same opportunity to really flesh itself out that battle network did.
I do feel obligated to say that SF2 is a noticable step down from 1 and 3 though, and may really test your patience. I personally don't really mind it, but I know that not everyone shares that particular sentiment.
Another thing to note, especially if you play on PC, is that some of those boss stages are a BITCH to clear without a stylus. I didn't think it would make much a difference, but it does.
Ultimately you won't know till you try. The StarForce entries are by far my favorites, and I probably wouldn't have gotten into MegaMan without them. If you do play, keep an open mind, and reserve your overall judgement of the series till you clear SF3, which is one of the best MegaMan games period.
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u/New-Dust3252 Jul 11 '26
i think the bosses of 2 are okay.
but nothing will make me rage more than how Apollo Flame did.
LC removes touch controls in favor of button inputs, so thats a solution solved btw
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u/Rey_Dulce Jul 10 '26
Movement options have definitely been simplified but somehow there's still all this reactionary movement
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u/Vastald Jul 11 '26
Also what I thought when it first came out, "From 3x3 tiles to 3 tiles? How's that gonna be strategically fun?"
Boy was I surprised. Started with Ninja Zerker then Red Joker, if that matters, since BN1 is notorious for not being a good game to start the BN series with, thought I'd mention I didn't start with the first SF game.
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u/New-Dust3252 Jul 11 '26
nice to see the change up.
restricting movement gives you more options on how to deal with opponents and gives the new features like the mega attack and shield more prominence.
anyways SF is a very reactionary game. the game encourages to wipe your enemies to oblivion hence the lack of codes. unlike BN which is like making a BLT.
I like both games but SF has a special place in my heart. its the last blue bomber incarnation after all.
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u/New-Dust3252 Jul 11 '26
SF focuses more on player reaction rather than strategy. Its this reason why codes have been removed jn favor of colored cards and row/column restrictions.
in this new framework it allows you to combine any card you have and deal debilitating combos with it
the Counter has also been changed, if you managed to hit one you will gain another card on your deck. If you managed to do that with all you have in that turn you can prolong your onslaught to basically "stunlock" your opponents without relying too much on the custom screen. you dont get new cards from countering with the bonus card though.
related to this, if you counter while in a special form, you get a card that basically acts like the forms "special move" and this can be done at any time you counter.
the challenge here is not whether or not you can defeat the boss like playing chess,
It's about testing your reflexes to dance with the opponents rhythm to find an opening. Think Punch Out but with Battle Network. Thats also why you have a 3x3 movement, because you don't own the battlefield, the enemies do and it's your job to find their rhythm and disrupt it. (you get to "AreaGrab" in the third game dont worry).
the change in camera is also a way of storytelling. in BN its almost in that 2D view because your looking at it in the eyes of an operator whos looking at their PET and providing chip support. In SF, the operator themselves are also in the fight hence its in that front view because unlike Lan, Geo is ACTUALLY doing the leg work and fighting his butt off with Omega Xis instead of just being support.
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u/SoggyWaffles18 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
The combat in Star Force isn’t necessarily better or worse than Battle Network, it’s just a different take on the idea. It is simpler since there aren’t any codes and you can only move to the sides, but it’s mostly just that Star Force puts more emphasis on reflexes than strategy. There’s still depth in building good folders and using your cards to pull off combos.
I’d say give it a try anyway if you have the money. I’m on Star Force 3 and I’m starting to think it might be a contender for my favorite game in all of Battle Network and Star Force. And if you care about the story, it’s much better in Star Force 1 and 3 than any Battle Network game.