Rockman EXE WS

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PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS ABOUT MATERIAL THAT HAS NOT BEEN LOCALIZED OR DUBBED OUTSIDE OF JAPAN OR OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES, AND USES THE ORIGINAL TERMS AND NAMES.

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Rockman EXE WS
Game Information
Developer(s):	Tose
Publisher(s):	Bandai
Producer(s):	Yosuke Tanaka
Composers(s):	Akari Kaida
Series:	Rockman EXE
Platform(s):	WonderSwan Color
Release date(s):	Bandai WonderSwan Color February 8, 2003
Genre(s):	Action / Platform
Mode(s):	Single-Player

Rockman EXE WS (ロックマンエグゼ WS, Rockman EXE WS) is a video game in the Rockman EXE series released for the Bandai WonderSwan Color on February 8, 2003. Unlike other games in the series, EXE WS is a retelling of the first season of the Rockman EXE anime series, and is the only tie-in game released for the show. It essentially allows players to "live" out the anime with some story changes.

In a survey held by Capcom on February 6, 2024, the game's name was localized as MegaMan Battle Network WS.

Gameplay

Like Rockman EXE Transmission, Rockman EXE WS is a side-scrolling game rather than a tactical-RPG like the mainline games. It is broken down into several different chapters covering various points of the anime, and chapters 2-5 present two paths for Rockman to take midway through the level, each leading to a different sub-stage and boss. Players navigate Rockman through stages with the four X buttons and use the A button to jump and the B button to fire the Rock Buster, which can be held down to charge. Sliding from the classic Rockman games is also present, and is necessary to avoid enemy attacks.

Aside from the Rock Buster, Netto can supply Rockman with Battle Chips which can be acquired by defeating viruses and found lying around the stage. Four battle chips can be assigned to the each of the four Y buttons and have various amounts of times they can be used before they are used up and disappear. Battle chips can be supplied to Rockman throughout most of each stage, however at certain points Netto will lose Rockman's signal and will be unable to send him any chips, as indicated with an icon of Netto's face with up to three wave lengths in the top right corner of the screen, forcing the player to consider what battle chips to supply Rockman with before entering an area with no signal. Occasionally the icon with flash and beep, indicating a rare chip is nearby.

Style Changes are also available to use during the game, and reflect the ones Rockman acquires in the anime. They are the following:

• Heat Guts Style
• Aqua Custom Style
• Elec Brother Style
• Wood Shield Style
• Saito Style

Story

Rockman EXE WS adapts various aspects of the Rockman.EXE anime. The story begins as Haruka Hikari and Netto Hikari, catching up on the 10th fire in the neighborhood of Akihara Town, receives mail from Yuichiro Hikari addressed to his son. Ecstatic to know that his father's promise of a custom NetNavi upon reaching 5th grade has been fulfilled, Lan installs his new OS, and comes to meet his new companion, Rockman.EXE. Like the first game, they come to encounter a variety of dilemmas to tackle, and ultimately face off against the WWW and their agendas for world domination.

• Stage 1: FireMan - Following the next day, the household is also met with calamity when the oven catches fire. As Netto arrives to the kitchen with his mother, Rockman offers his help in wanting to examine the oven's computer, particularly since yesterday's maintenance visit from a repairman concerning the oven fires throughout the neighborhood.

• Stage 2: Rockman and Netto investigate the internet to find more about the crimes going on.
  • Top path: ElecMan - As Netto is aboard a subway train, the transport system is suddenly hijacked, to where the train suddenly speeds out of control from its normal schedule. Rockman is plugged into the system to help stop the train before Netto and the other passengers face anymore possible danger.
  • Bottom path: ColoredMan - While in town, Netto and Rockman notice various traffic incidents and jams unusually caused by the signal light system going haywire. Netto plugs in Rockman to the Traffic Control Center to find out what's going on.

• Stage 3: Netto and Rockman discover that the WWW is responsible for the crimes, and they investigate the internet to find more info about the group.
  • Top path: MagicMan - Netto and Rockman notice one day the entire town oddly acting like animals. Deducing that the hypnosis is coming from Maha Jarama's Yoga Hour TV show, Rockman is plugged into the TV station to stop the show's broadcast and brainwashing.
  • Bottom path: PharaohMan - On a visit to the Ministry of Science, Netto and Rockman notice a nefarious NetNavi having installed itself in Ministry's depths, using the center as a base of operations as the Navi wrecks havoc on the Global Network. Rockman and Netto then set off to stop the renegade Navi's agenda before it can do anymore damage.

• Stage 4:
  • Top path: BombMan - Rockman and Netto come across an oddly desolate and devastated part of the internet. Hearing it from Rockman himself, Netto can only deduce that the WWW is behind the scene, and the two decide to liberate the area from the perpetrator responsible. Beating this stage grants Rockman the Aqua Custom Style Change.
  • Bottom path: SnakeMan - Rockman and Netto venture into a curious part of the net, being described as the site for the underground online game Survival 7. Though Rockman only feels that the game is shady, the prize wagered is described as one heart's desire, and Netto agrees to enter to win an expensive designer purse for his mother. Beating this stage grants Rockman the Wood Shield Style Change.

• Stage 5: All during a crucial WWW group meeting, Hinoken, Count Elec, Madoi, and Maha Jarama vow revenge on Netto and Rockman for having foiled their terrorist attacks. Rallying with Dr. Wily, they begin a new wave of all out attacks on the Net.
  • Top path: FireMan V2 - Venturing out into a heat devastated part of the Net, Hinoken and FireMan make their official announcement to challenge the two to a rematch, and gives them little choice, threatening to unleash a swarm of viruses to the waste disposal plant. The two venture to the rematch to stop Hinoken and FireMan once and for all. Beating this stage grants Rockman the Fire Guts Style Change.
  • Bottom path: ElecMan V2 - In an unspecified part of the Net, Rockman and Netto hear a voice beckoning them to come to it. The two eventually reach Count Elec and ElecMan, who desire a full on deathmatch, complete with electric shocks administered when one's respective Navi's is damaged. Beating this stage grants Rockman the Elec Brother Style Change.

• Stage 6: Having monitored Rockman and Netto's progress, Dr. Wily orders a kidnapping by BombMan on one of Netto's friends in order to lure out Rockman, who is said to bear the Ultimate Program, being key for his agenda. When Netto hears from Meiru that Roll has been kidnapped, the two make a lone attack on the WWW's headquarters to rescue her.
  • Blues - Netto and Rockman encounter Enzan and Blues, who are none too happy that the two are facing the WWW. Demanding them to go home as they feel Netto and Rockman are inexperienced to face off against what the WWW has in store for the world, the two face off against the Official duo to prove to them that they do have what it takes.
  • Dream Virus - As Netto and Rockman reach the center of the WWW Headquarter's Network, they encounter the Dream Virus and Dr. Wily, who stand in their way to Roll. Though Dr. Wily offers an agreement that the dispute can be resolved peacefully by giving Rockman over to him, Netto and Rockman ultimately refuse as they learn that the Ultimate Program will be used in the mass destruction of the worldwide Net Society, and face off against Wily's greatest creation. Beating this stage after beating all prior bosses grants Rockman the Saito Style Change.

• Extra Stage: Gospel - One day while surfing the Net, Netto and Rockman come across an ominous entrance to what is known as the Ura Internet, a place rumored to be an abandoned part of the Net rampant with viruses. This stage is unlocked after obtaining the Saito Style Change.

• Forte (EX-Hard Challenge Mode only, which is unlocked after beating Gospel)

Screenshots

Digital cover

Logo

Japanese advertisement

Title Screen

Trivia

• The cover is drawn by the Rockman EXE anime's character designer, Mitsuru Ishihara.

See also

• List of Rockman EXE WS enemies
• List of Rockman EXE WS Battle Chips

External links

• Rockman EXE WS official page (archive)