Super Robot Wars 30 is a series most Western gamers probably don’t know about. The Super Robot Wars series started in Japan in 1991 on the Game Boy. In its 30 years of existence, barely a handful of the numerous mainline and spinoff games have officially been released in North America. That’s probably why it has remained hidden to most.
Was the wait worth the hype for Super Robot Wars 30 as North America’s first big release in some time? It’s sitting around the 70s with most aggregate sites which is a fair number for this RPG. For fans of mech-based anime, Super Robot Wars 30 has a lot to offer. Some things hold it back both as a game made for fans and as a tactical RPG in 2021.
10 Best: The Glossary
The thing that this series does best is fan service. There are so many nods to the anime shows represented. It’s like a dream come true. One of the best ways fans can enjoy this content is through The Glossary.
This is an extra feature in the menu where players can brush up on anime they have and haven’t seen. It’s always nice to get some context as it is seemingly impossible to have watched every anime in Super Robot Wars 30.
9 Worst: Too Much Gundam
Without a doubt the most popular mech series of all time is Gundam. The franchise started with Gundam and it has been represented in every mainline and spinoff entry since. That’s a great thing except when considering there are so many other mech anime missing in Super Robot Wars 30.
This game has five Gundam anime represented which is a bit too much when other choices could have been made.
8 Best: Battle Animations
There are no simple attacks in the game. From seemingly simple head-mounted guns to beam sabers to giant rail guns, every mech’s attack animation is a swell of colors and explosions.
It can really feel like players are watching an anime instead of playing a game. It may not be as immersive as other mech games with action combat instead, but Super Robot Wars 30 is still cool. The graphics and art style are the only things holding Super Robot Wars 30 back from being 100% an anime.
7 Worst: Most Maps Are Drawn Out
The maps in the game are fairly simple. There is no nuanced to them. One battlefield in space will ultimately look like the other and the same goes for most land-based maps. That’s fine considering most of the budget seemingly went into making attacks look as flashy as possible.
It still would have been nice to see Super Robot Wars 30 have more distinct details on each map. Also, stages tend to drag on for a bit too long on each map with the AI throwing enemies at the player like candy on the 4th of July.
6 Best: Auto-Battle And Fast-Forwarding
Battles may make players feel fatigued after a while but there is a solution. Super Robot Wars 30 allows players to speed up battles, literally, with a fast-forward button. Attack animations can be skipped altogether if their flashiness starts to get stale. Players can also set up an auto-battle.
The game is as streamlined as possible and makes for one great portable RPG, if gamers import the Switch copy, whether players wish to pay attention fully or not.
5 Worst: The Story
The anime fan service in the game is great but unless players know every anime, the story may seem nonsensical. There’s not much to the overarching story. The original characters created for Super Robot Wars 30 keep running into mechs and characters from other anime as they are pursued by villains.
The dialogue is written for fans and that creates a double-edged sword. The Glossary can help fill in context for anime, but it can’t do all the heavy lifting. Overall Super Robot Wars 30’s story could be called longwinded.
4 Best: Near Infinite Saves
This feature may not get everyone excited but it should please a few RPG fans out there. Super Robot Wars 30 allows players a nearly infinite number of saves. On the Switch version, they can have 120 files. That is way more than enough but the sentiment is appreciated. More slots allow players to save their favorite spots in the game so that they may replay them whenever they want.
3 Worst: The Watermarks
Watermarks are never fun to find in a video game. Companies that still use them at least tuck them away in corners and are usually relatively small. Lost Judgment, for example, used watermarks but they weren’t egregiously placed on screenshots and videos captured.
Super Robot Wars 30 might have the most ridiculous watermarks in the games industry. They are smack dab in the upper left corner and are huge. There is no reason to have watermarks that big.
2 Best: The Music
There isn’t as much music in Super Robot Wars 30 as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. As the name suggests, that really is like the ultimate fan experience for the games represented. Super Robot Wars 30 should still be applauded for covering as much music as possible for the anime shows in the game.
One of the most fun themes is from a lesser-known series in the West, GaoGaiGar. Do yourself a favor and look up the opening credits for the 1997 original. Get ready to be pumped up.
1 Worst: Cheap Game Over Rules
One of the things that can make RPGs difficult is how healing works. Players can use support abilities to heal units in the field or have them dock into the command ship to recover for a few turns. It takes a long time for players to get a real sense of power when it comes to healing options though.
That’s why the defeat conditions listed in some matches can feel a little unfair. Being defeated if even a single unit is shot down, like the main character, is a step too far when the enemies outnumber the player 2:1 sometimes. This is true even on the easiest difficulty setting.
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.
