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This collection is basically just easy access to the first three Battle Network games. You get all the games without them being changed all that much. That means no new bugs, but also not really any improvements. There are smoother graphics and quality of life improvements for grinding, but that is really the biggest difference. This is just a collection, not a remaster. Here are reviews of the games included:
Battle Network 1 is the worst game in the series. This makes sense considering that it is the first game, but it is so bad that it seems like almost a miracle that the series continued. Its combat is noticeably slower, and its encounter rate is obscenely high. However, what makes it terrible is that it has the worst platforming puzzles in the entire series. One especially frustrating dungeon basically requires either using a guide or brute forcing for 10+ hours while getting a battle every 20 seconds. Most of this dungeon is invisible paths, and the puzzle itself is placing multiple batteries into the correct combination of slots to open the next area. The first set is simple with just 3 slots and 1 battery. However, the next is 6 slots and 2 batteries followed by 9 slots with 3 batteries. This is followed by 3 batteries with 12 slots (with an annoying gimmick of opening a secret 13th slot that opens another 9-slot puzzle that is connected to the 12-slot puzzle) and another 3 batteries with 12 slots puzzle. There are no hints and even with a guide this takes a long time. This one dungeon would probably be 80% of the game if one played this game blindly without a guide and that’s keeping in mind that other dungeons also have annoying time-wasting mechanics and the same obscene encounter rate.
Battle Network 2 is a good game. Encounter rates are reasonable, battles are faster, and most of the platforming puzzles are enjoyable. Only the final section is annoying (lots of backtracking through the net) and that is simply because the game occasionally fails to tell you where to go without any hints. The first game has a pretty bland net that was hard to remember, but this game’s net is easier to navigate with signs, memorable paths, and color-coded paths. Nearly every section has some backtracking, but its not that bad until the end. The game has more interesting chip combinations, very challenging bosses, and style combinations that buff a certain element or playstyle depending on how one battles.
Battle Network 3 is the reason why 90% of people are buying this collection. You get both the Blue and White versions of the game as separate games, and they are just as great as you probably remember them to be. The only annoying aspect of this game is dealing with a couple of esoteric word puzzles near the end of the story. Most of the backtracking is not annoying as the net world finally matches its real-world counterpart making navigation much easier and it helps that most backtracking is for optional stuff. This game finally perfects Battle Network's combat system and there are no objectionably bad dungeons in the game. Its a contender for the best game in the franchise.