Remember the Nintendo e-Reader for the Game Boy Advance? It was a special add-on allowing you to swipe and scan e-cards to unlock games, special items or additional content for existing games.
One of the titles that made use of this feature was Mega Man Zero 3 – allowing players to unlock modification cards in-game that made cosmetic changes and even powered-up Zero's arsenal. These modifications were also included in the Mega Man Zero Collection on Nintendo DS.
Now, in the upcoming release Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection for Switch and multiple other platforms, the latest Capcom-Unity blog post has confirmed these cards will be making a return. They're being reintroduced as Bonus Cards and are tied to ZZ Cards, which can be unlocked as you play.
One other old-school feature Capcom is reviving – this time from Mega Man ZX on the Nintendo DS – is the ability to unlock optional bosses from Mega Man Zero 3 and Mega Man Zero 4. Instead of having to slot a Game Boy Advance cartridge into a DS, all you'll have to do is boot up Link Mode and "Link" either Zero 3 or Zero 4 when you start Mega Man ZX.
When you set Link Mode to Mega Man Zero 3, you’ll be able to take on:
-Blazin’ Flizard
-Childre Inarabitta
-Deathtanz Mantisk
-Devilbat SchiltAnd if you set it to Mega Man Zero 4, prepare to square off against:
-Popla Cocapetri
-Pegasolta Eclair
-Fenri Lunaedge
-Sol Titanion
The Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection arrives on the Nintendo Switch on 21st January 2020. Are you excited these old-school features are making a return? Tell us below.
[source capcom-unity.com]
Comments 33
I honestly like the idea of the E-Reader. I never owned one because I (really my parents, since I was to young to have a part time job yet) weren't willing to spend the money on it.
It's a little like the Wii U, an idea that I find cool but with poor execution. I blame the E-Reader's lack of success for the reason Pokemon never embraced Amiibo. Pokemon embraced the E-reader and many cards had E-Reader strips, but that probably raised the costs but did little, if anything, to raise sales.
Nice! I always like when devs make these considerations when re releasing stuff.
See the SMA4 Wii U Virtual Console, which had all the e reader levels ever made (which required modifying the base game because it couldn't store them all at once)
I did not know that these existed, but am happy to see them return in the collection, unlike some others COUGH super obscure pocket-station required dragon eggs in Spyro 2 COUGH. Was already going to get this at launch, and am now even more excited!!
I look forward to finally playing these games on a bigger screen than my 3DS and hopefully actually get good at them.
I adore Mega Man X, but the Zero games never quite clicked with me for some reason.
@PBandSmelly I absolutely agree. I cannot understand why we don't have a pokemon game that utilises Pokemon bought physical cards.
@Heavyarms55 Poor marketing/advertising. I remember getting three e-cards with my copy of Ruby, but for the longest time I didn't know what they were for. And to this day, I've never seen an e-reader in real life. I don't think they sold them for a long time, or at least, they must've been hard to find.
I've heard that this release is not emulation, but instead uses the original source code and recompiles to the target platform.
So you get latency-free play and smooth performance, and it becomes extendable with link-features from previous games and new modes and features possible.
Looking to be a much better release than the X Legacy Collection, really looking forward to this one. I have the JP copy pre-ordered along with a collector's edition box of Rock Man titles for the Switch.
Nice touch, Capcom
I love these little nods to past features that aren't attainable anymore
@Octane I remember them being adverted in my local Target and Meijer at the time. But I didn't know anyone who owned one.
@Heavyarms55 ''As the e-Reader was not released in Europe, no Pokémon Battle e cards were released there.''
That explains it...
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Battle_e
Loved the E-Reader feature in Zero Collection on DS, it'd be dumb if they didn't include it here. Remember the one that let you turn the elevator into the cage Vile put Zero in during Mega Man X1? The irony... Love what they're doing here, but I probably won't get it since I have all of the games already. But if they did a Battle Network Collection...
@RupeeClock That's for the heads up on the box set! Nearly welled up when I saw the legacy collection 2 had it's own physical release within it. So glad I didn't import any of the physical releases up until now (except for MM11). This has really made my day.
Did you see that the box has space for Zero/ZX collection too?
Still have my e-reader in mint condition, as well as most of the e-reader cards that were released in NA.
@Jack_Goetz
Yup, I saw that it has the space specifically for the Zero/ZX Collection.
Did you happen to pre-order it from Amazon.co.jp as well? That's where I pre-ordered the collector's box and the JP version of the game.
I believe that all of the titles included are multi-language, though I'm not sure about the Rockman Legacy Collections 1 and 2.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07X5BBPGJ/
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07X45KJ7F/
Back when I pre-ordered the box, it only had a plain white sleeve, but now I can see it's been updated with an awesome blue and yellow design featuring the schematics for Rockman and X!
@RupeeClock Yep picked up both releases from Amazon.co.jp! I'm not too concerned about the first two games being multi-language, as I picked up both digitally in a sale (but I'm pretty sure they'll have language options).
The box looks great! To have all of these titles physically is a dream come true for me. I have the GameCube collections but the controller setup was awful. Nearly picked up Legacy Collection 2 for the PS4, just to have it physically. Glad I waited!
@Jack_Goetz
Even if they lack language options, it shouldn't hurt too much, the games are enjoyable even in Japanese, although things like the menus and achievements for Rockman 9 & 10 might be difficult.
Yup, having all of this physical is a real treat, especially Legacy Collection 2. I'm confounded that they never gave it a physical release in any territory until now, but grateful that it's happening.
You know what's odd though? That for Mega Man/X Legacy Collections 1+2, they have a download code for the second title, whereas multiple releases recently have demonstrated that it's possible to have multiple titles on a single game card.
They display as two or three different icons on the Switch's home menu, I wish they would've done that.
@RupeeClock I've just had a look on the Japanese eShop and it looks like the first two Legacy Collections do support English!
I couldn't bring myself to import Legacy Collection 1 & 2 with the second title being download only and ruining the artwork.
I didn't know about multiple icons being possible off just one game card. Hopefully Capcom (and other developers) make use of that going forward!
@Jack_Goetz
That's good to hear! Sounds like Capcom have been consistent in including both the English and Japanese releases of their games for all the collections on Switch and PS4.
And yeah, I didn't want to import Legacy Collection 1 & 2 if it included a download code for either, made worse by it being a US or JP region download code.
What I suspect happened is that multiple icons per game card wasn't possible until a later date, so earlier compilation titles like these could only offer a download code for the other games.
Like, a Switch firmware update may have made it possible.
That's really nice. Pardon if I'm asking a well known thing, but is it possible to obtain Model O in Megaman ZX thanks to this feature?
@Diddy64
Model O is obtainable in ZX without the GBA link feature, all you need to do is fight the secret boss Omega in Area N.
Inserting Zero 3 or Zero 4 unlocks four of the bosses from their respective titles, and defeating them is an alternative means of acquiring Model O.
It might be the only way to fight Omega whilst using Model O.
@Bobb I wouldn't go as far as saying they're unattainable today... I still keep my e-Reader and GBA to this day for various reasons, and for a long time, I had my only DS as the OG Phat one with the GBA slit as my only DS for compatibility reasons like these...
@Octane It wasn't released at all in Europe? I had no idea, that's real strange.
@Heavyarms55 It explains why I've never seen them. And I imported my (NTSC) Ruby copy from HK, because Europe always got the games a year later. So that explains that as well.
That's pretty sweet!
Mega man zero 3 had e-reader support?!
@Captain_Toad
Yup, it also has cross-link support with Mega Man Battle Network 4, to unlock bonus content in each game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaLBOsXcgqg
Now it'll be interesting to see how they handle that in this Zero/ZX legacy collection.
The e-reader content was also available in the Mega Man Zero collection for the DS. The bonuses it provides can be quite overpowering actually, making your weapons deal extra damage with no elf/score penalties for example.
@RupeeClock That's a good theory. I suppose we'll see in future it it was just Capcom being cheap or not.
@RupeeClock Thanks for telling me. Since it has been a while since I saw some Zero/ZX Collection news, I couldn't recall.
Seems like they are putting more effort into this than the previous collections. Much appreciated Capcom.
The Great Clement is going to love this bit of news.
In Advance Wars Dual Strike IIRC you got hidden maps for linking your GBA Adv. wars cartridge. on DS lite... Knight in the Nightmare had a similar link in but I've forgotten which game you needed; only changed an outfit in main character ono KoTN
Those bonus cards look just like Battle Network chips <3
The artwork for the Z/ZX series is exactly what I love: rough textures and soft lines
I’m pretty pumped for this collection; I have the original DS games but I bet they’d be more fun on my Switch.
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