Mega Man Battle Network is set in a future where Lan, a young net-battler, uses his 'personal information terminal'(PET) to hack into the network and battle net crime. His PET, Mega Man.EXE, infiltrates the crime-ridden network to defeat destructive computer viruses.
The gameplay involves real-time battles against computer viruses, with the objective of collecting Battle Chips program data containing valuable weapons data and critical system info. To win, players must strategically use their collected chips to defeat enemies and progress through the game.