Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection Preview

For a while now, CAPCOM has done a great job of bringing its legacy titles, spin-offs, and sub-series to modern platforms through polished collections that were once locked to specific hardware. Packed with bonus content and quality-of-life features, they remain the best way to revisit these games.

With several Mega Man collections already available, CAPCOM is finally giving its Nintendo DS series some love with the release of Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection later this month, and I had the chance to check out its opening hours.

More Than Just a Simple Port

This is my first time with this particular Mega Man series since I never owned a Nintendo DS. It is an RPG where you form bonds with different characters, collect cards to expand your combat abilities, and take part in random encounters. There is a lot of exposition at the start, which is not uncommon for older handheld RPGs, though the writing and plot are definitely aimed at a younger audience.

I like how involved the UI is in your moment-to-moment decisions, whether you are exploring or engaged in combat. I could pretend I fully understand the intricacies of its fairly active combat system, but I would rather focus on the collection itself.

The dual-screen presentation translates well to a single-screen setup, thanks to several layout options in the settings that let you choose a configuration you are comfortable with, adjust the transition speed, and reposition the screens. You can seamlessly swap between screens, and it never feels jarring. It won’t fully fill out of the screen but it’s an adequte compromise.

It is comfortable to play and feels like any other top-down RPG from that era. You can also switch between graphical styles in the settings, including the original pixel art presentation if you are not a fan of the modern, cleaner look. I think the character portraits look better in their original state. I do wish there were a way to toggle this with a button, but it is still a welcome feature.

You can skip cutscenes, move faster, and fine-tune the difficulty to your liking. In terms of accessibility and refinement, the collection gives you plenty of options. I especially appreciate the ability to lower the encounter rate, which is something I wish were more common in rereleases of older RPGs, particularly those designed for handheld consoles.

Much like Pokémon, there are multiple versions of each Mega Man Star Force game where the core experience remains the same, but each version offers a different Star Force form with its own element and combat style. The collection includes all seven releases across the trilogy, so there is no need to hunt them down individually. There is also a large gallery packed with promotional and concept art, and you can listen to the full soundtrack for each release.

Overall, based on my early hours with the collection, it’s safe to say that CAPCOM is still very invested in the Mega Man IP and its many sub-series. If you’ve never played these games before, this new collection is a pretty neat way to experience these older RPGs, previously stuck on the DS.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is coming to PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch on March 27, 2026.