Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection releases worldwide today, and even after just a few hours with the game, the nostalgia factor is clear as day. The best part is that it isn't even the first collection released by Capcom, with it following in the footsteps of the Mega Man Legacy Collection and Mega Man Legacy 2 Collection, as well as the exact same treatment for Mega Man X. As such, it can't really end here when there's reach backlog of content that deserves these re-releases.
There's really two sub-series in the Mega Man franchise that deserve this treatment next: Battle Network and Star Force. They're definitely later entries from the franchise and break the mold from the style of Mega Man portrayed in collections thus far, but that doesn't mean they would be any less fun.
Mega Man Battle Network
Set in a different timeline and continuity than the rest of the Mega Man universe, this game features AI programs and networks over robotics. Thus, NetNavis were born to navigate the dangers of the internet and viruses, where the BattleChips would act in a similar function to Weapon Models, etc. found in games like Zero/ZX Legacy Collection.
In the series, Lan and Mega Man (a NetNavi now) get involved in various schemes such as the WWW as headed by Wily and would meet other Mega Man characters who were imported to the series as NetNavis such as Zero, Iris, and Colonel. It used a hybrid action RPG and card system where players found on 6x3 grids using battle chips. This typically happened when exploring the net as Mega Man, while there also exploration in the real world of Lan's town and surrounding areas with his friends.
The ideal remake would include all of the spin-offs, Mega Man Battle Network, Mega Man Battle Network 2, Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue and White, Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun and Blue Moon, Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel/Team Protoman/Double Team DS, and Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar and Cybeast Falzar. Notably, the third game branches into two different versions, not unlike a Pokemon game, and would be interesting if there were two collections with each one housing different versions of the latter Battle Network games.
Mega Man Star Force
Star Force would follow Mega Man Battle Network, hardly changing up the basic formula with a new subseries now moved up to the Nintendo DS. Although it was 3D this time, there was still a battle grid, and despite being set far off in the future, it basically used the same elements. That said, there's no fixing what isn't broken, and this method kept Star Force in line with Battle Network.
This subseries included Mega Man Star Force Leo/Pegasus/Dragon, Mega Man Star Force 2 Zerker x Ninja and Zerker x Saurian, and Mega Man Star Force 3 Black Ace and Red Joker. Despite just being three games, as the fourth was canceled, there's still more than enough content for a collection. Or, better yet, it'd be simple enough for there to be a behemoth titled Mega Man Battle Network x Star Force Collection to release given the two's similarities.
A Real Possibility: Mega Man Battle Network or Star Force Collection
Hoping for older nostalgic games to make their way back into the spotlight is one thing, but it's worth mentioning that this is a real possibility. Fans have been clamoring and vocal about this idea dated even to when the Zero/ZX Legacy collection was first announced, and Capcom has set a precedent for listening to fans via its remakes of Resident Evil.
Resident Evil 3 would happen, it said, if Resident Evil 2 Remake fans were vocal enough, and now RE3 is coming sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed the same can one day be said for Mega Man Battle Network and Mega Man Star Force.
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.