SD Gundam G Generation

is a series of strategy-RPG video games that focus on the ''Gundam'' anime franchise.

History

The ''G Generation'' series is a follow-up series to six games released by Bandai for their Nintendo Super Famicom Sufami Turbo add-on. ''A Generation'' focused on the One Year War, ''B Generation'' focused on the Gryps Conflict, and so forth up to ''F Generation'', which covered the plot of '' G Gundam''. Instead of making a ''G Generation'' game themed about ''Gundam Wing'', Bandai optioned the title for its new series of games, using the same gameplay. Since "G" was often used as an abbreviation for "Gundam", it was decided that ''G Generation'' would represent the series as a whole. When it was finally released in 1998 for the PlayStation, ''G Generation'' covered the plot for ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' through '' Char's Counterattack'' and featured characters from the remaining Universal Century series, as well as '' G Gundam'', ''Gundam Wing'' and ''Gundam X''. Starting with PORTABLE, released on August 3, 2006, the series was released by Bandai Namco Games (now Bandai Namco Entertainment), which inherited Bandai's computer game business. While the Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren's Ambition series, which is also a war simulation game based on the Gundam series, is a realism-oriented strategy simulation game that deals with the entire war, this series, while using SD Gundam as a medium, is different from the traditional comical route and is a tactical simulation game that recreates individual battles in the Gundam series. The controls are relatively easy, so even beginners to simulation games can enjoy it. Another feature is that each work features an original unit.

Series features

The series typically has two kinds of plots: some games faithfully adapt the plot of a series that game is based on, while others feature an original, crossover storyline, focusing on the new relationships between characters of different series. In addition to the familiar cast of Gundam characters, ''G Generation'' games often feature brand-new characters. Most of the time, the original characters have no plot impact on the game. However, the game ''Monoeye Gundams'' features a new group of characters with their own storyline, supported by the events of the One Year War and the Gryps Conflict.

Most of the ''G Generation'' games feature brand-new mobile suits and armors designed exclusively for the game. All of the machines are given a backstory that ties them into the canon Gundam storyline, with most being incomplete or rejected prototypes. A vast majority of the original machines represent the Universal Century, but every universe except Cosmic Era has received at least one original machine.

Unlike the popular ''Super Robot Wars'' series, ''G Generation'' does not limit characters to only piloting machines from their own universe. For example, Amuro Ray could pilot XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero. However, some restrictions still exist, and some machines can only be piloted by characters who belong to certain categories. Other restrictions are plot-based.

Like ''Super Robot Wars'', ''G Generation'' lets the player recruit certain enemy characters. Most of the time, you are able to save sympathetic characters who were on the losing side of the conflict, such as Gundam 0080's Bernard Wiseman and Zeta Gundam's Four Murasame. Other times, the player can convince characters who would never join the heroes.

Most ''G Generation'' games allow capturing enemy machines, adding them to their own roster. Some games allow the player to capture enemy machines after their Mothership is destroyed, while some handheld games allow capture of damaged machines if they are surrounded by three or more player units.

Featured only in the handheld ''G Generation'' games, ID Commands act in a similar fashion to spells in traditional role-playing games, but are based around a character's memorable lines from the ''Gundam'' series.

Usually linked to ID Commands, the handheld ''G Generation'' games often feature Hyper Modes for characters from all series. Earned through unique circumstances and activated by special ID Commands, Hyper Modes typically represent the peak of a character's power while piloting the mobile suit their most famous mobile suit. Universal Century characters' Hyper Modes are typically a representation of their Newtype power reaching its peak, while the Alternate Universe series characters' Hyper Modes are usually linked to their Gundams' special systems. In console, and some PSP ''G Generation'' games like ''G Generation Overworld'', a few units, like Gundam F91, will activate Hyper Mode when pilot has max morale, while pocket games, such as ''G Generation DS'', will let a pilot activate the Mobile Suit's Hyper Mode when a certain SP is reached.

These games also feature Databases, containing information about every character featured in that game.

SD Gundam G Generation console games

WS = WonderSwan, WSC = WonderSwan Color

SD Gundam G Generation mobile games

The following titles have very little official English information, and chart data is completely based on the JP Wikipedia page using google translate.

Notes

References

External links

Official site
(in Japanese)
GGOverWorld
(in Japanese)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sd Gundam G Generation
1998 video games
Bandai games
PlayStation (console) games
PlayStation (console)-only games
SD Gundam
Tactical role-playing video games
Gundam video games
Japan-exclusive video games
Video games developed in Japan