Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team looks like just another quick-buck port of a GBA game (or in this case, two) to the DS. It’s not until you get a little further that you realize that this port goes just a little deeper and the enhanced features actually make the DS version easier to play than the GBA one.

Since Battle Network 5 is an enhanced version of a GBA game, its looks fall more in line with what you would expect to see in a high-quality GBA game rather than one for the DS. So while you won’t see any advanced special effects or highly detailed animations, you can still expect to see all of the brightly-colored towns and characters that give the series its unique look. The only notable additions to the DS version’s presentation are a few added sound-samples that narrate small portions of story sequences or alert you of things like mail.

Like past titles, Battle Network 5 is more of an action RPG than other Mega Man titles. The core idea of the series is that cyberspace is just as real of a world as our own, making it just as prone to problems. Just as in real life, people in the Battle Network world can go online, only instead of using a keyboard and mouse, they use entities known as Net Navis. In the game, you take the role of a boy named Lan and his Net Navi, Mega Man, as they explore the darkest depths of cyberspace destroying viruses, as well as malevolent Net Navis.

Gameplay in the Battle Network series consists mainly of dungeon crawling and random battles – in other words, your typical RPG. Battle Network 5 improves on past games in the series by introducing mini-games and puzzles in each area, adding a little more entertainment value. Still, you’re forced to do a lot of backtracking and must endure several repetitive virus battles, resulting in a game that becomes tedious after a while, so its not likely that you’ll want to see the entire quest all the way through unless you REALLY like the series.

Battle Network 5 introduces a new concept to the series; the ability to switch between multiple characters during battles. Normal battles will usually only allow up to two additional Navis to join Mega Man while others, called Liberation Missions, allow for up to six.

Normal battles work in the same manner as previous games. Battles are set up on a 6 x 3 grid divided down the middle, giving each opponent its own territory. Combat plays out through the use of battle chips that include special attacks and other real estate-controlling actions – but more on that system later. Liberation Missions, on the other hand, introduce more of a turn-based strategy element to the game. In addition to increasing the battle area, Liberation Missions also include dark panels that you must clear in order to get to a boss. The object is to claim dark panels, which is done by defeating the viruses infesting it. Of course, there is a catch -- each Navi can only claim one panel per turn. Also, bosses can heal and spawn viruses every turn.

As I mentioned earlier, Battle Network 5 is more tedious than it is hard. The random virus battles that pop up in dungeons are rarely that challenging and most of the time, you’re simply going through motions and trying to get things over with as quickly as possible. Battles with bosses, as well as other Net Navis, are a little more engaging, however. As with other games in the series, there were times where it seemed like opponents were using stacked decks, making sure that they had just the right attacks when they needed them. Because of this, some battles do feel a little cheap, though you’ll eventually be able to overcome even the cheapest of bosses with some planning and luck (as well as some cheap tactics of your own).

Combat in the Battle Network series is based more on strategy than a quick trigger finger, making it one of the more interesting aspects of the game. At the start of a battle, Mega Man is randomly dealt five battle chips from his folder. Mega Man can then choose to use one or more of the chips (depending on what kind they are) or he can throw some out and wait a turn for better chips. Once in battle, Mega Man can move around the arena, using his buster cannon to peck at enemies or use his battle chips to do massive damage. Some chips can even be used together to create a Program Advance which produces even more damage than regular chips. The number of strategies the system opens is overwhelming and should fit just about any style of player.

In addition to including both the Colonel and Protoman versions of the GBA game, Battle Network 5 also includes a number of touch-screen enhancements, the most useful of which is a drag and drop interface for organizing your battle chip folder. This makes the process much less tedious and is more enjoyable than slogging through menus. The map displayed on the bottom screen while in cyberspace also helps a great deal since it is pretty easy to get lost – especially when you consider the amount of backtracking you’re required to do.

If you’re a fan of the Battle Network series and haven’t purchased the game yet, Battle Network 5: Double Team is worth a look. Not only are you getting two games for one, but you’re also getting a bunch of features that make it a better game overall. The upgrade might not be good enough to warrant a second purchase, since none of the actual gameplay has changed, but it is still a nice upgrade. If you are new to the series, you may want to check out one of the past titles (which you can usually pick up for cheap) to see if the game is your style or not.