Gundam: Battle Assault (Series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gundam: Battle Assault is a series of fighting games released for the PlayStation, Playstation 2 and Gameboy Advance. Developed and published by Bandai, it featured mobile suits from several eras of the Gundam metaverse and some non-traditional fighting game elements.
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[edit] Gundam: The Battle Master
| Gundam: The Battle Master | |
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| Developer(s) | Bandai |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) |  June 20, 1997 |
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Media | 1 CD-ROM |
[edit] Overview
Gundam: The Battle Master was the first game in the series, released for the Playstation in 1997. It featured large multi-jointed sprites and 2-screen high stages (This graphical style would be retained for the next two games). It included the following mobile suits from the Universal Century era:
Playable
FA-010S Full Armor Enhanced ZZ Gundam
MS-06F Zaku II
MSM-03C Hygogg
MSN-02 Zeong
MSN-04 Sazabi
NZ-000 Quin Mantha
PMX-003 The O
RX-78-2 Gundam
RX-78GP02A Gundam Physallis
RX-93 Nu Gundam
Bosses (Non-Playable)
MA-08 Big Zam
AMX-002 (AMA-X2) Neue Ziel
Psyco Gundam Mark III
[edit] Gameplay
The Battle Master featured gameplay unlike most fighting games (including its pseudo-prequel Gundam Wing: Endless Duel which was a more traditional fighting game):
- Mobile suit movement was realistically slow.
- Repeated damage to a specific body part on an enemy will result in that part's armor breaking.
- Perhaps the most distinguishing feature is the lack of a health bar. Instead, a mobile suit had a temperature bar that would fill up as it gets hit. When the bar is full, the mobile suit overheats and is knocked down. When a mobile suit overheats three times, it is knocked out and loses the fight.
- The standard punch and kick buttons were complemented by a shoot button (for firing beam rifles or machine guns), a weapon button (beam sabers, heat hawks, etc.) and a thrust button that allowed the mobile suit to fly indefinitely.
- Projectiles were unblockable.
- Special moves were limited. A mobile suit would have a rapid fire version of the shoot button and one or two unique moves. All special moves drained a bar below the temperature bar that could only be filled by connecting with melee attacks.
- A mobile suit could dodge into the background to avoid attacks. Some mobile suits, however, cannot dodge but instead can erect a beam barrier that can block projectiles. The barrier can be held indefinitely unless hit by a melee attack.
- Bosses were massive and filled up nearly half the screen. They could not be knocked back by any attack unless they overheat.
[edit] Gundam: The Battle Master 2 (a.k.a Gundam: Battle Assault)
| Gundam: Battle Assault | |
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| Developer(s) | Bandai |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) | March 12, 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Media | 1 CD-ROM |
[edit] Overview
In 1998 Bandai followed up with a sequel: The Battle Master 2. It added seven new mobile suits to the previous game's roster:
RB-79 Ball
MSM-04 Acguy
AMX-004 Qubeley
AMX-103 Hamma Hamma
MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam
MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type (Unlockable by cheat code only)
OZ-15AGX Hydra Gundam (New end boss and first non-UC mobile suit to be featured in the series)
[edit] Gameplay Changes
Bandai made drastic changes to the gameplay to resemble a more traditional fighting game:
- Gone were the temperature and special gauges, in their place a standard health bar (of which each mobile suit has three), a boost gauge and an ammo counter. When a health bar is drained, the mobile suit will overheat and be knocked down as usual. It is knocked out when all three bars are drained.
- The shoot and weapon functions were replaced with another punch and kick. The former two have become special moves, and while projectiles are no longer unblockable, certain melee weapons are.
- The main projectile special move cost ammo, an amount proportional to the projectile's power. If a mobile suit runs out it cannot reload for the rest of the fight. Alternate projectile specials, however, do not need ammunition.
- A mobile suit can no longer fly indefinitely. Instead, each press of the thrust button costs one boost bar. When the gauge is empty, the mobile suit must wait for it to recharge before boosting again. The mobile suit can also activate a free flight mode that allows it to fly in any direction and not get fazed by any attack as long as it doesn't overheat or the boost gauge runs out. The only exception was the mobile armor Neue Ziel, which was always in flight mode.
- Dodging or using beam barriers drains the health bar. Beam barriers, however, can now block melee weapons.
- Super moves were introduced. Every mobile suit (except some secret characters) now a had a super move that can be used up to three times.
- The new boss is the Hydra Gundam. It is fast, having two shoulder-mounted beam cannon that can track the opponent and fire twice without using ammo despite the suit being still during this attack. It can also guard against projectiles and without suffering block damage.
[edit] Changes for the US Version
The game came out in the US two years later under the title 'Gundam: Battle Assault'. In order to market the game to the American audience (just as the New Mobile Report Gundam Wing anime was recently aired on Cartoon Network and was gaining popularity), Bandai replaced the Hamma Hamma mobile suit with the Wing Gundam (also used on the cover art). The Wing Gundam, however, was just an exact duplicate of the Zeta Gundam.
[edit] Packaging artwork
 Gundam: The Battle Master 2 |
 Gundam: Battle Assault |
[edit] Gundam: Battle Assault 2
| Gundam: Battle Assault 2 | |
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| Developer(s) | Bandai |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) |  July 17, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Media | 1 CD-ROM |
In 2002 Bandai released an exclusive US sequel to Battle Assault. The four Z Gundam mobile suits (Zeta Gundam, The O, Hamma Hamma and Qubeley) and the Wing Gundam were taken out and replaced with fourteen new characters: The main cast of Mobile Fighter G Gundam (including the Devil Gundam as a new end boss), Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz as well as the Gundam Epyon from the Gundam Wing TV show.
Dodging and using beam barriers no longer drained health, it used up the boost gauge instead. The story mode was replaced with a 'Street Mode', in which the player can select from a total of eight mobile suits and very loosely follow the events of the One Year War, the 13th Gundam Fight, and the Endless Waltz OVA.
The original Gundam, a sub-par character in the first Battle Assault, received a major revamp in Battle Assault 2. It now has several new moves and combo options, as well as a devastating super (the Gundam Hammer) which can take an entire life bar off the opponent.
The game was eventually released in Japan as part of Bandai's Simple Series of budget-priced PlayStation games, split into two separate games: one focusing on G Gundam and the other on Gundam Wing.[citation needed]
[edit] Gundam Seed: Battle Assault
| Gundam Seed: Battle Assault | |
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| Developer(s) | Bandai |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) | August 10, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | Gameboy Advance |
| Media | Cartridge |
2004 saw the release of another Battle Assault game. This time it was released for the Gameboy Advance and featured units exclusively form the recent Mobile Suit Gundam Seed anime. The units included all the Gundams from the show sans the Providence, as well as Rau Le Creuset's CGUE and the Gundam Astray Red Frame.
The gameplay for this portable installment is similar to its three Playstation prequels, with the difference of being faster and more user friendly. The player had the option of choosing a manual method for executing special moves or an automatic one (similar to the easy mode of Capcom's Vs. series). The player could also adjust one of three parameters (HP, Phase Shift Armor or Thrust) at the cost of the other.
[edit] Battle Assault 3 featuring Gundam Seed
| Battle Assault 3 featuring Gundam Seed | |
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| Developer(s) | Natsume Co., Ltd |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) | December 7, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Media | 1 CD-ROM |
The fifth game in the series was released on the Playstation 2, four months after the GBA installment. Developed by Harvest Moon creator Natsume (who also made Gundam Wing: Endless Duel), it was the first to feature full 3D graphics and it also focused on units from the Gundam Seed anime, including grunt mobile suits like GINNs. However, Wing Gundam Zero Custom, Tallgeese III, God Gundam and Master Gundam appear as unlockable secret characters.
It was built off of the original Gundam Seed game for the Playstation 2, but modified from an action game into a 3D fighting game.[citation needed]
[edit] Trivia
- In the Japanese Battle Master games, the mobile suits were not operated by their respective pilots from the shows, but rather by a bunch of stock generic stereotypes that fit with the theme of the suits' design (e.g. A soldier for the Gundam, a samurai for Nu Gundam, etc.)[citation needed]. In the US version the mobile suits are piloted by their correct pilots with some exceptions.
- In the first Battle Assault, Valder Farkill (from the Gundam Wing: G-Unit manga) pilots the Psyco Gundma Mark III while Treize Khushrenada pilots Valder's Hydra Gundam. In the sequel, Valder pilots the Hydra, Treize the Epyon and Ulube Ishikawa pilots the Psyco.
- The Psyco Gundam Mark III is an original unit designed for the first three games. It has similar characteristics to the previous two Psyco Gundams, including their large size and Scattering Mega Particle Cannon. It does not, however, seem able to transform into a mobile armor form.
- Although the four Z Gundam mobile suits were removed from Battle Assault 2, their game data remains hidden and can be accessed using a cheating device.
- Battle Assault 2 features voice acting for several characters, most notably Amuro, Char, Dozle, and the primary casts of G Gundam and Gundam Wing. This also marks the first and only time that a side story manga character (Valder Farkill) has been voiced by an American actor.
[edit] See also
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Duel
Universal Century:
Anime: MS IGLOO · Mobile Suit Gundam · The 08th MS Team · 0080: War in the Pocket · 0083: Stardust Memory · Zeta Gundam · Gundam ZZ · Char's Counterattack · Gundam F91 · Victory Gundam · G-Saviour
Books: The Origin · The Blue Destiny · Gundam Sentinel · Double-Fake: Under the Gundam · Gundam Unicorn · Hathaway's Flash · Crossbone Gundam · Gaia Gear
Events: Pre-One Year War · One Year War · Post-One Year War · Operation Stardust · Gryps Conflict · Neo-Zeon Movements · Late U.C.
Topics: Characters · Episode Listing · Locations · Mobile Suits · MSV · MS-X · Nations and Factions · Newtypes · Superweapons · Technology · Warships & Spacecraft
Future Century:
G Gundam · Mobile Suits
After Colony:
Episode Zero · Gundam Wing · The Last Outpost · Endless Waltz
Characters · Episode Listing · Mobile Suits · Nations and Factions · Locations · Technology · Operation Meteor
After War:
Gundam X · Under the Moonlight · Characters · Mobile Suits · Technology
Cosmic Era:
Anime: Gundam SEED · Gundam SEED: Special Edition · Gundam SEED Destiny · Gundam SEED Destiny: Special Edition · Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer · Gundam SEED: The Movie
Books: Gundam SEED Astray · Gundam SEED Destiny Astray · Gundam SEED Destiny: The Edge · Gundam SEED C.E. 73 Δ Astray · Gundam SEED Club Yonkoma · Gundam SEED Novelization
Events: First Bloody Valentine War · Second Bloody Valentine War
Topics: Characters · Episode Listing · Human Enhancements · Locations · Mobile Suits · M.O.S. · Nations and Factions · Superweapons · Technology · Vehicles & Aircraft · Warships & Spacecraft
Miscellaneous:
∀ Gundam · Gundam Evolve · SD Gundam · SD Gundam Force · Manga and Novels · Video games · Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu
