Highlights

  • Gundam Evolution offers a unique FPS experience in the Gundam franchise, with each Mobile Suit having its own playstyle and abilities.
  • Battle Operation 2 provides a tactical team-based experience, requiring players to strategize and follow objectives instead of focusing solely on combat.
  • New Gundam Breaker offers a customization-focused gameplay experience, allowing players to customize their Gunplas in real-time and switch parts mid-combat.

Mecha fans think of 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 there are way more than twenty video games in the hit robot franchise, just which games should mecha fans get first? Which projects have aged the best? Which ones are worth playing today? What are the best Gundam games?

Updated February 3, 2024: The specifications have been added for every mentioned Gundam game, including their developers and platforms.

Mobile releases that have shut down their servers are not included.

12 Gundam Evolution

Metascore: 72

Gundam Evolution
Gundam Evolution

Released
September 21, 2021
Developer(s)
Bandai Namco Studios
Genre(s)
FPS
PROS CONS
  • FPS format simulates Gundam action from the POV of a pilot
  • The game’s version of special Gundam modes diversifies gameplay without hurting balance
  • Limited Gundam roster means there aren’t many units to fight with
  • Gameplay loop is repetitive and doesn’t offer incentives to stay for the long haul

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.

11 Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Gamefaqs: 3.56/5

Battle Operation 2 - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

Platform(s)
PS4 , PS5 , Microsoft Windows
Released
January 1, 2018
Developer(s)
BNE Entertainment , B.B. Studio
Genre(s)
Fighting , Shooter
PROS CONS
  • Realistic Mobile Suits demand more careful play from players
  • Point-based system emphasizes following objectives instead of pure combat
  • Extreme realist approach can ruin gameplay for fast-paced enjoyers
  • Peer-to-Peer networking can cause lag to make matches unplayable

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.

10 New Gundam Breaker

Gamefaqs: 2.29/5

New Gundam Breaker - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
New Gundam Breaker

Platform(s)
PS4 , Microsoft Windows
Developer(s)
BNE Entertainment , Namco Bandai
Genre(s)
Fighting , Shooter
PROS CONS
  • Straightforward parts collection system can help players make custom Gunplas quickly
  • Being able to switch parts mid-combat encourages adjusting combat styles on the fly
  • Mediocre gameplay loop leaves much to be desired in terms of combat
  • Visual novel approach is a jarring take compared to the more streamlined mission-based approach
  • Missions inside matches don’t always encourage fighting the rival team, removing any sense of combat excitement

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.

9 Mobile Suit Gundam Side Stories

Good Selection Of Stories

Gundam Side Stories
Mobile Suit Gundam Side Stories

Platform(s)
PS3
Released
March 30, 2014
Developer(s)
B.B. Studio
Genre(s)
Action
PROS CONS
  • Takes stories from most other One-Year War spinoffs from other consoles and puts them in a single compilation
  • Third-person shooter format for all stories makes them flow more consistently
  • Using a 3-unit team lets players switch things up with other Mobile Suits mid-combat
  • Abridged One-Year War stories leave much to be desired in terms of narrative
  • Lack of complex mechanics makes combat segments unimpressive
  • Lack of customization can make certain Mobile Suits the priority

Mobile Suit Gundam Side Stories offers a robust experience in terms of story, containing seven individual arcs. 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 been 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.

8 Super Robot Wars

Metascore: 79 (Super Robot Wars 30)

Super Robot Wars - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Super Robot Wars 30

Platform(s)
Microsoft Windows , Android , Nintendo Switch , PS4 , Xbox One
Released
October 27, 2021
Developer(s)
B.B. Studio , Banpresto
Genre(s)
Tactical , Simulation , Adventure , Strategy
PROS CONS
  • Other robots featured can simulate theorycrafting across different franchises
  • Turn-based RPG focus can help players appreciate the war aspect of the series
  • Limited selection of Gundams can make the game unideal for hardcore fans
  • Strategy focus can turn off fans looking for mecha action

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 theory-crafting 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.

7 Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds Of The Battlefield

Gamefaqs: 3.53/5

Bonds of the Battlefield - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Mobile Suit Gundam: Bonds Of The Battlefield

Platform(s)
PSP , Arcade
Released
November 7, 2008
Developer(s)
BNE Entertainment
Genre(s)
FPS
PROS CONS
  • Having a separate physical arcade unit as a makeshift cockpit can simulate a Gundam piloting experience
  • Straightforward controls can help newcomers get into the game quickly
  • The game is hard to access as a Japan-only arcade title
  • Limited Mobile Suits leave much to be desired in terms of customization

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.

6 Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Battle Destiny

Gamefaqs: 4.25/5

SEED Battle Destiny - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Battle Destiny

Platform(s)
PS Vita
Released
June 7, 2012
Developer(s)
Artdink
Genre(s)
Action
PROS CONS
  • Slow and precise Mobile Suit movements can simulate the feeling of tactical gameplay
  • Land and space missions give a variety of environments for players to enjoy
  • Multiple paths for missions encourage different playthroughs
  • Sluggish Mobile Suit gameplay can ruin the fun for mech battle enthusiasts
  • Environments often seem dull and boring to play in

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, 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.

5 Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn

Metascore: 64

Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn

Platform(s)
PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360 , PlayStation 2
Released
March 1, 2007
Developer(s)
Omega Force , Koei Tecmo
Genre(s)
Fighting , Hack and Slash , Action
PROS CONS
  • Musou format can encourage hardcore action without worrying about technique
  • Beat-em-up format simulates the war aspect of the franchise instead of focusing on rivalries
  • Musou format is too simple to offer any challenge for fans
  • Uncomplicated combat doesn’t offer any technical incentive to play as other Gundams
  • Difficulty levels can spike in certain levels

Unlike other Gundam titles, Dynasty Warriors Gundam Reborn 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.

Reborn also 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.

4 SD Gundam G Generation Genesis

Gamefaqs: 4.27/5

SD Gundam G Generation Genesis - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
SD Gundam G Generation Genesis

Platform(s)
Nintendo Switch , PS Vita , PS4
Released
November 22, 2016
Developer
tom Create
Genre(s)
RPG , Strategy
PROS CONS
  • A fast-paced approach to each series can give a quick recap on major Gundam storylines without being a cutscene slog
  • Resource management take on the turn-based tactics concept adds a new layer of gameplay for players
  • Few stages per series can make stories feel extremely condensed
  • Mobile Suit and Pilot customization options can feel overwhelming

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.

3 Gundam Versus

Metascore: 68

Gundam Versus - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Gundam Versus

Platform(s)
PS4
Released
July 6, 2017
Developer(s)
BNE Entertainment , Bandai Namco Studios
Genre(s)
Fighting , Shooter
PROS CONS
  • More playful approach to fast-paced Gundam fights encourages experimentation
  • Unit cost system offers variability to Gundam choices in the match
  • Co-op experience can become an exciting round of mix and match for suit compatibility
  • Gameplay difficulty can spike due to skill ceilings of mechanics
  • Matchmaking issues can match high-skilled players to casual enjoyers

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.

2 SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

Metascore: 71

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays
SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays

Platform(s)
Microsoft Windows , Nintendo Switch , PS4
Released
November 22, 2019
Developer
Tom Create, BNE Entertainment
Genre(s)
Simulation , RPG , Strategy , Adventure
PROS CONS
  • More stages per series meant a more accurate retelling of the game
  • Reworked balance can make both Mobile Suits and Pilots easier to mix and match
  • QOL changes such as special effects and features make the experience more cohesive
  • Some cutscenes and animations fail to deliver the impact of certain scenes
  • Generic backgrounds fail the presentation department, especially when the series source material could be used

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 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 like 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 the 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. 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.

1 Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON

Metascore: 78

Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost On - Best Gundam Games For Mecha Fans
Gundam Extreme Versus Maxiboost ON

Platform(s)
PS4
Released
July 30, 2020
Developer
VSTG Project, BANDAI NAMCO Studios
Genre(s)
Shooter , Fighting , Action
PROS CONS
  • Accessible gameplay and smooth controls make combat much more seamless and enjoyable
  • Resource management aspect adds a tactical layer to each match
  • Boardgame-style Maxi Boost Missions are a breath of fresh air from arcade Branch Battle Mode
  • Balancing changes from the previous game can affect the overall gameplay of certain returning Mobile Suits
  • Difficulty spikes can make certain stages a slog

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. The 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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