Mega Man Star Force has always felt to me like the black sheep of the Mega Man franchise. The last of the new sub-franchises, it never quite managed to capture as much energy as its predecessor, Battle Network. It didn't help that it was stuck on the DS for such a long time. There was also something special and engaging about the games that were always quite fun, and it was a delight when Star Force showed up alongside the other main Mega Man titles in cameos in games like Smash Bros. In a way, Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection might be the most appealing of the collections to date, offering a chance to play some of the lesser-known games in the series for the first time outside of the DS. We got some hands-on time with the collection, and it stands out as a potentially very strong compilation.

Mega Man Star Force kind of serves as the Mega Man X to Mega Man Battle Network's Mega Man. Set many years in the future, it follows a brand-new character in a world influenced by and connected to the always-online world of Battle Network but in a new form. Technology has been advancing rapidly, and the Netnavis of the previous game are being gradually replaced by new terminals that connect to "Waves" in the atmosphere. Effectively, the internet goes from being connected exclusively to computers to quite literally floating in the air around you. The earlier games in the franchise somewhat bridge the gap between the two, with Navis appearing but being notably on the way out — including a landfill full of discarded Navi devices.

This particular entry focuses on Geo Stellar, a young boy whose father tragically vanished in a space accident. The loss of his father drove Geo into isolation, and he even stopped going to school. This all changes when Geo's life is suddenly invaded by a "Wave Liveform" named Omega-Xis ("Mega" for short). Mega is an alien lifeform who came to Earth to stop the invasion of other wave-based aliens, and he reveals he knows something about Geo's father. In exchange for the info, Geo needs to be willing to merge with him to create a new hero who can battle the invaders: Mega Man.

The core combat in the Star Force games is an evolution of the Battle Network games. Rather than being a side view of a 6x3 grid, the game instead puts the camera directly behind Mega Man, with the enemies having full access to the grids in front of you. Enemies will move freely back and forth, while Mega Man is limited to moving left and right. However, the same basic gameplay flow of selecting chips, using them to damage enemies, and finishing fights as quickly as possible is still there. It's just from a new perspective.

Things feel a lot more fast-paced. Turns go by quicker, attacks hit harder, and avoiding enemies requires more effort, since you have less real estate. Blocking has been moved from rare cards to being a basic part of Mega Man's toolkit. This means players have options on how to nullify damage beyond pure avoidance, and most enemies have powerful moves that you need to counter to avoid damage. It's both similar and different to Battle Network in much the same way Mega Man and Mega Man X are similar games that feel different.

The collection is comprised of three games: Mega Man Star Force 1, 2 and 3. Each is further divided into Pokemon-style versions, much like the later Battle Network games. The first game has three versions, while the later games have two each. These versions primarily determine the special forms and abilities you get in the games, and are some minor differences and a few distinct bosses between each. You can select which version you want at the start, and you can even maintain different save files between them. This technically means it has fewer games than the Battle Network collection, but they are still full-length RPGs.

Each collection also has a variety of new features. There are Assist mode options that allow you to turn on various cheats to make the game easier if you wish. Separate from that is a new option that allows players to set a toggle that speeds up Geo/Mega Man's movement speed and can increase or decrease the game's random encounter rate. This is a super nice option, especially for later games that had some notably high encounter rates, so this allows you to speed through certain segments with minimal frustration. You also can gain instant access to a number of useful bonus cards, which previously were inaccessible due to being promotional or locked to Japan. This includes the crossover cards with Konami's Lunar Knights.

The collection has some strong visual upgrades. There's an optional HD filter to smooth out the graphics and make them look clearer on high-def screens, in addition to new high-def character portraits that are a lot crisper and clearer than the original DS screen. The fonts and text have all been redone, which is a blessing since the original DS font was particularly bad, and it makes things much cleaner and crisper. The touch-screen features of the original game have been moved over to buttons, and the dual-screen has been moved to a customizable side screen that can be enlarged or shrunk at the touch of a button. In addition, you have access to a gallery that features concept art, high-res versions of the game's artwork, new and old song remixes, and more.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a welcome addition to Capcom's legacy lineup. Of all the games released so far, they were probably the most overlooked and least accessible games, and it's great to finally get another chance to play them. The collection feels well made, and assuming the full version is as good as our demo, it should be everything a fan could want. Thankfully, we don't have to wait much longer, as Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection will be available on Mar. 27, 2026, for all consoles and PC.