15 Must-Play Gundam Games For Mecha Fans, Ranked

These games are sure to thrill Mecha fans of all kinds and keep them entertained for hours!

Mecha fans think Gundam whenever they have to imagine giant robots, and this literal giant of a franchise continues to amaze viewers with stunning stories of war, friendship, and intense robot-on-robot action. Thankfully, Gundam isn’t content with having their shows and Gunpla figures entertain their fans. In fact, there are enough Gundam video games out there for fans to feel like they’re in the driver’s seat of their own Mobile Suit!

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However, given more than 20 video games in the hit robot franchise, just which games should mecha fans get first? Interestingly, their top choices may be all about nostalgia, personalization, or sheer over-the-top robot action.

Updated on February 22, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: Fans of the Gundam games series can rejoice as more games now allow them to pilot some of their favorite Mobile Suits. With 2022 getting Gundam Evolution as a team shooter and Iron-Blooded Orphans G as tactical RPG side story, series fans have a lot more content to sink their teeth into while enjoying Sutella Mercury’s adventures in the current Witch From Mercury series. However, considering how the Gundam franchise has spawned quite a multitude of games throughout its 44-year history, fans might be confused as to just which games seem best fits for their preferences. With that in mind, Gundam fans might want to understand just what made some of the best Gundam games stand out among the rest.

15

Gundam Evolution

Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Unlike other games, Gundam Evolution gives players a taste of what it’s like for a Gundam game to become a hero shooter. Set in gigantic battlefields, Gundam Evolution will have players become some of the most iconic Gundams in the franchise and conduct team battles across various modes. Perhaps what’s truly awesome about Gundam Evolution is its foray into FPS Gundam gameplay – something unseen in the franchise so far.

The game itself is a team shooter, much like Overwatch. Each Gundam is now a unique unit with abilities and toolkits exclusive to them, transforming them into archetypal characters in hero shooters. Moreover, the Gundams themselves take the best traits of the source material and apply them in the game, allowing things such as Gundam Exia entering Trans-Am, without hurting the overall balance of gameplay.

Gundam Evolution: The Main Appeal

The best appeal of Gundam Evolution lies in the fact that this is the first time a Gundam game could encapsulate the feeling of a team shooter without heavily relying on the customization element usually needed in the franchise’s games. Each Mobile Suit is like its own “character,” boasting its own playstyle that is the equivalent of a shooter role. For instance, Gundams Barbatos and Exia are close-range specialists, whereas the Unicorn Gundam is made into the ideal support.

14

Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr-Hunt

Platforms: Android, iOS

Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr-Hunt is a welcome addition to the Iron-Blooded Orphans anime series released back in 2015. Bandai Namco will be releasing the game in the Iron-Blooded Orphans G app they created for the franchise’s 40th Anniversary. Moreover, Urdr-Hunt apparently takes place in between the two seasons of Iron-Blooded Orphans. Story-wise, the synopsis so far sets the game after Tekkadan’s interference in the armed conflict between Gjallarhorn and Arbrau. However, their adventures catch the attention of Wistaro Afam, a young man who wants to change the status quo of his homeland. Not much is known about the game so far, except new Gundams such as Gundam Marchosias and Gundam Hajiroboshi.

At its core, Iron-Blooded Orphans G is a turn-based title with multiple scenarios, featuring a collection element where players have to pair up pilots with unique abilities into Mobile Suits that have their own playstyles. Moreover, games’ battles take place in 3D environments, giving players a feeling of seeing Gundam fights unfold.

Iron-Blooded Orphans G: The Main Appeal

Perhaps the main appeal of the recently-released title is how it latches onto a new story on top of a unique take on the strategic nature of Gundam games. The mix-and-match nature of pilots and Gundams in Orphan G gives players the feeling of being a “commander” of their own team, with units having separate attributes, strengths, and weaknesses adding a lot of dynamism and flexibility to combat.

13

Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Missing Link

Platforms: PS3

Despite its history as a PS3 game, Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Missing Link remains a delight to play for Gundam fans, especially those fond of the Universal Century. In Side Story: Missing Link, players get to see that both the Federation and Zeon created regimens of pilot washouts (Slave Wraiths for the former, the Marchosias for the latter) to conduct deadly missions using advanced mobile suits. However, a conspiracy will force both sides to work together and stop a sinister plot involving MS development.

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In terms of gameplay, Side Story: Missing Link has the best offerings of a Gundam game at a time. Missions will have players deploy squads of three Mobile Suits at a time, equipped with unique weapons they can switch to at any given moment. The game also boasts both ground and space battles, paving the way for intense zero-gravity and 3D-maneuvering battles in space whenever necessary.

Missing Link: The Main Appeal

Despite complaints regarding reused environments and a rather lackluster method of elaborating on the plot of each story, Missing Link remains a strong contender for an introductory Gundam game for newcomers to the franchise. Each tale in Missing Link takes players on a “live” experience of what may have transpired in these moments of the anime, potentially establishing a personal attachment to an anime or event the players may like.

12

Mobile Suit Gundam Side Stories

Platforms: PS3

Albeit boasting the same mechanics and gameplay system as Missing Link, Mobile Suit Gundam Side Stories offers a more robust experience in terms of story. The game not only contains the base Missing Link story but also six other side stories that happened during the One Year War of the Universal Century. Not only that, but these stories have already got featured in much older games, meaning Side Stories essentially offers a remake of these classic tales.

Stories included in Side Stories are The Blue Destiny, Space, To The End Of A Flash, Rise From The Ash, Zeonic Front, Lost War Chronicles, and the latter part of Cross Dimension 0079. Thanks to these stories, players and fans can have a more concrete view of what’s happened to the Universal Century timeline during the One Year War without having to grab much older games.

Side Stories: The Main Appeal

While there were complaints regarding the game’s graphics and rather bland cutscenes, there’s just appeal in the idea of taking part in missions as “unsung heroes” in Gundam stories. Compared to other Gundam titles where fans are simply reenacting events in the series, being able to make-believe that one is an actual “pilot” for either of the Federation and Zeon factions, gives players more reasons to feel “related” to the story.

11

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

Platforms: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch

Acting as a true crossover title, SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays offers a wide selection of SD Gundams to fight with across 13 Gundam series. However, instead of boasting its own storyline, the game instead abridges the stories of these series into a game that tries to highlight the best elements of Gundam Wing all the way to Iron-Blooded Orphans.

Unlike other action-packed Gundam titles, Cross Rays is a strategy RPG. In turn, units have various stats, and even pilots offer unique buffs to their assigned Gundams. With gameplay more alike to a turn-based RPG, fans who appreciate the strategy aspect of a Gundam series’ combat will love playing through Cross Rays.

Cross Rays: The Main Appeal

Considering how predecessor Genesis focused on summarizing much of the Universal Century timeline, it makes sense for the sequel Cross Rays to focus on pretty much everything else. Where a lot of improvement comes in has to do with condensing the 13 entries that provided the main focus of the game, ranging from Gundam Wing to Iron-Blooded Orphans. With the game spanning 82 stages, Cross Rays does a better job portraying much of the stories without the unnecessary cutting.

Not only that, the battle and strategic systems received a lot more streamlining, making this recent entry a more convenient entry point for neophyte Gundam fans interested in non-Universal Century titles.

10

Super Robot Wars

Platforms: PC, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo Switch, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, iOS, Android

Any mecha fan who loves Gundam will inevitably stumble upon the massive Super Robot Wars franchise. This tactical RPG from Bandai Namco is perhaps the biggest crossover of machines yet. Entries from the series will almost always feature a crossover story that features popular mecha franchises across manga, anime, and video games. Each installment will almost always have the player pilot a game-exclusive machine as they become involved in the affairs of not just Gundam characters but other robot franchises as well.

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Moreover, its straightforward nature as a turn-based RPG makes it quite attractive to players. Essentially, players control a platoon of robots from various franchises on a grid-based map. To add to the awesome, some machines carry over unique properties from their franchises, such as transformation!

Super Robot Wars: The Main Appeal

Perhaps the main appeal of Super Robot Wars lies in how it revolutionized the Super Robot genre, especially in the context of gaming. Aside from being the first title in a franchise, Super Robot Wars is the first instance the most “giant robots” were squished into one self-contained story, where Gundams of the Universal Century timeline can interact with Getter Robo and Mazinger series mechs. Fans of mecha who love theorycrafting can recreate their favorite fights from their respective series, and even see how their favorite machines from other franchises would fare when pitted against each other.

9

Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds Of The Battlefield

Platform: Arcade

Any Gundam fan would like to wonder just how skilled pilots like Amuro Ray handle their machines in fast-paced combat. Thankfully, fans who make their way to Japan can get into an arcade machine and experience this for themselves. With a special Panoramic Optical Display system, players can get a first-person view of the battlefield as though they’re actually piloting their MS. In turn, the machines come with headset jacks, foot pedals, and hand control sticks that simulate the environment inside an MS cockpit.

To make players feel more special, the game features pilot cards that store their data. This means players can resume play at any time or even interplay with nearby machines or friends playing in other places at the same time. Additionally, players can rank up as pilots and use in-game points to collect popular machines and Mobile Suits.

Bonds Of The Battlefield: The Main Appeal

The game has been the first time fans of the franchise can play a Gundam title in the arcade in a pod stylized to be a cockpit, giving them the most “true-to-life” experience piloting a mecha from the series. For mecha fans who’ve had their fair share of pilot sim games and other realistic mecha games like MechWarrior, seeing a Gundam game with a “realistic” GUI is a fresh change of pace, and was definitely a must-try game for players who were able to access it at the time.

8

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Battle Destiny

Platform: PS Vita

Players can experience the full breadth of the massive Gundam SEED sub-franchise courtesy of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Battle Destiny for the PS Vita. This handheld game retells events spanning the entire Cosmic Era (CE) timeline, from the original SEED and SEED Destiny series to spinoffs. In turn, players can take CE-exclusive pilots and MS into a full-length Story Mode, expansive Free Mission modes, and the multiplayer VS Missions mode.

Unlike watching the series, Battle Destiny will have players create their own character. Moreover, their pilots will eventually become a part of the Alliance or ZAFT, or even the Three Ships Alliance. Given how certain MS and missions become exclusive to one faction, the game easily has replay value.

Battle Destiny: The Main Appeal

Perhaps the perfect game for Gundam SEED fans, SEED: Battle Destiny is definitely a must-try for its approach to depth in both combat and customization despite being a handheld title. Save for the space battles where controls are a bit iffy, combat on the ground is just as action-packed as the anime made them out to be. Fans will be thrilled with the idea of dodging attacks up close and afar, getting some shots, and then zooming in for the killing blow. Newcomers to the franchise will appreciate the sheer number of Gundams available for use, as well as dialogue interspersed with combat for fast-paced storytelling.

7

Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn

Platforms: PS3, PS Vita

Unlike other Gundam titles, Dynasty Warriors GundamReborn adds a Musou twist to the acclaimed mecha franchise. As popularized by Koei’s Warriors series, Gundam Reborn is a vast improvement over the Gundam-ized hack-and-slash formula of the Dynasty Warriors Gundam series. Essentially, nothing feels better than taking control of a favorite Gundam and annihilating a swath of Mobile Suits in combat.

Rebornalso lets players relive scenarios in Official Mode or have unique crossovers in Ultimate Mode. Moreover, the Burst System gives access to special “modes” for MS and Pilots in various series, such as SEED Mode (SEED) or Trans-Am (Gundam 00). The game’s advanced customization options also let players tinker with specific MS and weapon settings, like having their own machine. In turn, players can relive their dreams of defeating enemies as a heroic MS or become a villainous machine that seeks their rival’s destruction.

Gundam Reborn: The Main Appeal

Fans of Dynasty Warriors would enjoy Gundam Reborn not just for the intense all-out action of mashing different Gundam teams in Ultimate Mode, but rather for the deep storytelling of its Official Mode which is 20 hours’ worth of abridged Gundam stories. While the short-form stage battles more or less get reduced to flashy, wide-area destruction musou delight, it’s the broader aspect of the gameplay that will continue to challenge players.

On top of customizing various aspects of one’s mecha, pilot, and even partners for optimal builds, players also need to be careful which nodes to prioritize as they affect which parts of the story they unlock, what people and units they get to recruit, and other smaller intricacies that may affect a part of the grander story.

6

SD Gundam G Generation Genesis

Platforms: PS Vita, PS4, Nintendo Switch

Fans of Gundam will appreciate SD Gundam G Generation Genesis for its tactical RPG feel. Moreover, mecha fans who played a Super Robot Wars game will feel right at home with Genesis. This time around, Genesis takes players across 17 shows, films, games, and spinoffs from within the Universal Century timeline of the franchise. In turn, players have a whopping 68 stages, each split into memorable scenarios from the media, that potentially tour them throughout the Universal Century.

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Granted, fans can easily complain that the two scenarios are too short to explain the nuanced plot points of other titles. However, Genesis makes up for its fast-paced story with strategy and tactical prowess. Given its RPG nature, players can assign pilots to various MS and level them up individually. Moreover, players can acquire MS through tier-based leveling, fusion, exchanges, and point collection.

G Generation Genesis: The Main Appeal

On top of being the first G Generation title slated for an English release, fans may find Genesis a worthwhile game to play as it’s the best introduction to the “OG” Universal Century timeline of the series – arguably the largest shared universe in the franchise. As a strategy title, players mix and match Mobile Suits and their pilots, improve their skills, and strategically maneuver them around the map to fight foes. Turn-based strategy fans will appreciate Genesis for its depth in customization and strategy, as players will definitely meet a challenge in optimizing their units. However, what’s perhaps more appreciated in the game is how it condenses the Universal Century timeline in a more bearable format without having to watch hours’ worth of episodes.

5

Gundam Versus

Platforms: PS4

Serving as the fifth generation to the fast-paced Gundam VS series, Gundam Versus for the PS4 and PlayStation Network boasts better graphics and more destructible environments for its team-based format. As with other VS games, Versus relies on a point-based system where each team’s MS has a point value depending on their strength and potency. In turn, the team that gets to deplete the enemy’s points the fastest will win the match.

Thankfully, Versus has all the mechanisms to provide a fast-paced combat experience for Gundam lovers. It has Boost Step, Boost Dash, and Boost Dive techniques that enable the game’s 180+ MS units to zig-zag across the battlefield. Anyone who wants a new take on Gundam battles will appreciate the spontaneity of Gundam Versus.

Gundam Versus: The Main Appeal

Players who love arena fighting games such as Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot or even Dragon Ball Xenoverse will appreciate Gundam Versus for its action-packed combat. Instead of the usual strategic approach in Gundam titles, Versus instead has players participate in super fast high-octane battles either solo or in pairs, pitting the game’s 94 playable Mobile Suits against each other. Fans more interested in zig-zagging around the battlefield like the epic Newtype pilots of the series will likely spend hours in Gundam Versus.

4

Gundam Breaker Mobile

Platforms: Android, iOS

What better way for Gundam fans to personalize their MS experience than by having a Gunpla to truly call theirs? Thanks to Gundam Breaker Mobile, fans don’t need to spend on a Gunpla to assemble at home. In fact, with the mobile game, players can collect parts to build their dream Gunpla and use it in battle.

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Being the mobile iteration of the Gundam Breaker franchise, Breaker Mobile has the staple elements of the franchise. These include a Story Mode that increases in difficulty, as well as Gunpla exclusive to the series. Thanks to a versatile gacha element and extensive customization, Breaker Mobile has an extensive way of helping players personalize their arsenal of Gunpla.

Gundam Breaker Mobile: The Main Appeal

It’s every Gundam fan’s dream to have their own customized Mobile Suit. And while Gundam Breaker Mobile only allows players to pretty much source their parts from preexisting Gundam units, the game skillfully combines the thrill of acquiring parts via gacha, the depth of parts customization close to Armored Core, and even automatic combat into a game that is a visual and tactical treat for fans. Combined with its rather interesting take on a Gundam Build Fighters-esque story centered around the player, Gundam Breaker Mobile is definitely a personalized mobile experience.

3

Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Platforms: PS4, PS5

Players who want to feel like full-fledged MS Pilots will appreciate the tactical feel of Battle Operation 2. Similar to its predecessor, Battle Operation 2 takes place in the more realistic sci-fi timeline of the series, also known as the Universal Century (UC). However, players this time are employed by the Private Military Union instead of Battle Operation 1’s EFF and Zeon.

Unlike other Gundam titles, Battle Operation 2 doesn’t have a story. Instead, it will have a pair of 1-to-6-man teams engage in battles across various scenarios on the ground and in space. As an added twist, players can use their customized pilots and get out of their MS. In turn, these pilots can engage in tasks such as capturing points, using vehicles, interacting with bombs, or even stealing enemy MS.

Given its setting, only UC-set MS can be used in the game, and they’re split into rock-paper-scissors classifications. Moreover, damage to an MS will affect certain aspects of its gameplay, such as radar and mobility.

Battle Operation 2: The Main Appeal

Compared to the likes of Gundam Evolution which is a high-octane team shooter, Battle Operation 2 feels as though it’s deliberately “wonky” to simulate a more accurate team-based experience. This is especially the case when multiplayer teams need to compensate for their Mobile Suits’ sluggish movement with tactical prowess, timing their advances and assaults to eliminate the enemy team. This gives the game a feeling much closer to playing Rainbow Six Siege than a usual Gundam game, which makes Battle Operation 2 all the more interesting.

2

New Gundam Breaker

Platforms: PS4, PC

Players who love the sheer level of customization in Gundam Breaker Mobile might want to take their adventures to the PC. And thankfully, New Gundam Breaker for the PS4 and the PC adds another layer of strategy into the mix. This time around, the 3-versus-3 team battle system incorporates multiple objectives to spice up the multiplayer aspect of the game.

Moreover, where New Gundam Breaker impresses is with its revamped customization system. Now, Inner Frames exist that come with the expected roles and abilities of the Gunpla to be built into them. Moreover, players can now grab parts from fallen enemies to replace their Gunpla’s broken parts. This system gives a form of “real-time customization battle” that adds a new dimension to combat.

Gundam Breaker: The Main Appeal

Being the inspiration for Gundam Breaker Mobile, it makes sense for New Gundam Breaker to resemble the mobile title in style and approach. Again, players take the role of students who get introduced to the world of model building and Gunpla Battles, but this time around accompanied by combat that is more stylized and nuanced courtesy of console controls. While the game arguably lacks finesse in terms of flair as an action title, the thrill of customizing one’s mecha in HD is definitely something players shouldn’t miss.

1

Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON

Platforms: PS3, PS4, Arcade

Players who just want to get in an MS and get into some good ol’ Gundam busting should try Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON. As the recent entry in the Gundam VS series, Maxiboost ON relies on a point-based battle system. Essentially, players form teams that have point values. In turn, the first team to deplete the rival team’s points wins the match.

What’s interesting here is that all MS have a simple series of controls – jumping, searching, and a dedicated button for melee and ranged attacks. In turn, players need to choose their battles tactically to make the most out of their Mobile Suits. Thanks to its integrated multiplayer component, Maxiboos ON is easily a blast to play with its easy-to-understand mechanics and accessible fast-paced gameplay.

Maxiboost ON: The Main Appeal

Similar to the original Versus, this title is a tag-team fighting game where players choose a Gundam to fight in both setpieces and custom-tailored areas. Thing is, Maxiboost ON now boasts a whopping 180 characters across 36 entries throughout the Gundam franchise. While there are arguably some Gundam “copies” of other Mobile Suits, they play differently and are meant to represent other pivotal characters, giving players a sense of familiarity when playing as or against these Mobile Suits especially in thematic match-ups. Aside from the varied cast, the rather high-octane approach to combat and versatility in controls makes this game a must-have for players.

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