Super Robot Wars 30 is not the most universally praised tactical RPG of 2021. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. The aggregate reviews for the game have settled around the 70s which makes it good. There are, however, many improvements Bandai Namco could make to the game through patches and new DLC events. There is one giant thing the company could do to please Switch and PS4 fans especially: release those versions in the West.
The only official version of Super Robot Wars 30 gamers can buy right now is on PC. There are fully translated English versions to import though via sites like Play-Asia. They are expensive though. That’s not an issue that can be fixed as easily as some of these other suggestions but it is still worth bringing up.
6 Remove The Online Intro
Whenever players log into the Switch version of Super Robot Wars 30, it will ask them to connect online. If there is no connection an error message will pop up, asking players to further resolve the issue. The game is not required to be online and it also doesn’t feature many benefits for being online.
It might be there to collect data. There is an option in the menu where players can decide whether or not they want their data to be shared. The obvious answer is no. Even with that box checked off to no, the game will still ask to go online. This prompt should be eliminated in a patch to alleviate stress.
5 Rewind A Bad Move
When players select a character on a map, they can choose to attack or move. They are free to place that character around in as many spots as they wish as long as the character is highlighted. However, if the player mistakenly lets go of a character then that move is final.
The buttons and menus in Super Robot Wars 30 are kind of complex. Because of that, this mistake can happen quite often and there is no way to rewind time to cancel a move. Another tactical RPG on the Switch from 2021, Disgaea 6, allowed users to cancel a move in case something like this happens. It would be nice if Super Robot Wars 30 added in this feature as well.
4 Tweak Saves Just A Bit
There are pros and cons to the save system in Super Robot Wars 30. Players can have up to 120 different files saved in the game which is overkill but still nice to see in an RPG. They also can save in the middle of a battle with the Suspend feature and this option won’t automatically shut Super Robot Wars 30 off like other games. The manual saves all look the same.
Many modern RPGs tend to use pictures with saves to make things clearer for the player. Another recent RPG from Bandai Namco, Tales of Arise, does this exact thing. Not having the corresponding picture is not a dealbreaker but it would be a nice addition to have. It would also be great if players could save more than one file in the Suspend menu. It might be better to turn the Suspend option into a full-on manual save.
3 Add More Detailed Models
One of the best things Super Robot Wars 30, and the overall series, does best is fan service. For the dozen-plus anime represented in the game, fans of each will get a kick out of seeing their favorite characters and mechs in action. There is an extra feature in the options called The Glossary. This appendix can be used to brush up on the characters to better understand the context surrounding their anime.
Players can also admire character artwork and mechs. The problem is the models for both characters and mechs are flat. There is no way to zoom in and out or twist things around to get a better view. Models are stoic. The Kingdom Hearts series has a similar compendium element that allows players to look at models with better precision. It would be great to see Super Robot Wars 30 receive this courtesy as well.
2 Minimize The Controller Shortcuts
Learning the controls in Super Robot Wars 30 can be like remembering the best button combos in a fighting game. If players can’t recall a button shortcut then they can always go to the help menu. Most menus in the game are a bit untidy so going into help could cause more unwanted stress which seems contradictory to the point.
Why do players have to hold multiple buttons to skip cutscenes or fast-forward battles anyway? These button combos could be simplified by adding a pause menu. From there, players can decide whether they want to skip a scene as one example. That’s how most games are structured.
1 Add More Mecha Series
2021 is the 30th anniversary of this series in Japan. Fans expected to see this game pull all the stops to celebrate. While it is a good strategy RPG, it is lacking in terms of classic anime represented from the past iterations. There is the Sakura Wars DLC players can download now which is a great addition for Super Robot Wars 30.
It would also be great to see Neon Genesis Evangelion pop up to celebrate the recent movie. Cowboy Bebop is getting a live-action show so adding DLC for that could be cool. That’s not really a mech show at all but it did appear in this series before. Gurren Lagann, Eureka Seven, and The Big O are some more fan-favorite mech anime that have appeared in this series as well. Those are only a few DLC ideas to make Super Robot Wars 30 the most robust game in the franchise.
Super Robot Wars 30 was released on October 27, 2021, and is available officially on PC in North America. However, players can buy import PS4 and Switch physical copies with full English subtitles as well.