Super Robot Wars Y — a ridiculous yet thrilling tactical RPG with beloved mechs

Super Robot Wars Y is a game that resembles a childhood fanfiction about giant robots. The author of this article, at the age of 16, wrote their first fanfic—a crossover with the show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, where participants helped the demon-dog Inuyasha. Although this work was imperfect and poorly written, the author recalls it fondly. This is how the storyline in Super Robot Wars Y can be described—extremely funny, absurd, and at the same time, captivating. It features characters that seemingly shouldn't interact, but everything is connected through tactical robot battles, making the game special. Super Robot Wars Y was released on Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam on August 29. I tried the demo version, which covers the first chapter of the game and allows you to transfer progress to the full version. This is the latest release in the strategic robot game series that has existed since the NES days, and one of the few released in English.

Super Robot Wars brings together all the beloved robots from series like Getter Robo, Mazinger Z, Gundam, and others, combining them into a grand tactical RPG. It's a fantastic choice for fans of the Universal Century and Knightmare Frames, although for studios that have to work with licenses, it's a real challenge. Thanks to fan translators, the game maintains its popularity among English-speaking fans. This popularity has grown so much that Bandai Namco has started releasing these games worldwide, starting with Super Robot Wars 30 in 2021 and now with Super Robot Wars Y.

The game, to put it bluntly, is very funny. You play as an original character—a mech pilot, a soldier tasked with protecting a young girl who controls a giant city-battleship. (If you're familiar with Mobile Suit Gundam, you can imagine this as White Base, but with a city on top.) As the story progresses, it becomes even more absurd. It's particularly charming that Super Robot Wars Y attempts to weave all series and their key moments into a single storyline. For instance, Domon Kasshu from Mobile Fighter G Gundam appears, reveling in his victory in the 13th Gundam Fight and a romantic confession. If you're not familiar with this, the game offers a detailed encyclopedia of characters, organizations, and events.

In a battle where I was attacked by mecha-kaiju, four teenagers piloted four different mechs that merged into one—a DynaZenon, a massive dragon that transforms from a giant mech. Who would worry about teenagers when there are giant mechanical dragons? Characters with similar goals unite and fight against opponents, creating legendary team alliances—in fanfiction style. The phrase "Lelouch vi Britannia launched a full-scale attack on Char Aznable" just blows the mind, but that's what made me fully immerse myself in the game.

Another reason I fell in love with Super Robot Wars Y is its tactical combat. I previously searched for RPGs with good combat, but games like Fire Emblem Engage and Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp failed to capture my interest. Here, everything is perfect—you send units on missions to destroy enemies on a grid-based field. Each pilot has a set of abilities that can be upgraded and modified, and mechs receive parts for enhancements. Although the demo only shows the first chapter and a simple combat system, the upgrade system promises depth. There are abilities for temporary bonuses, evading attacks, and supporting characters with additional bonuses. There's also the "Sacred Three-Dimensional Galactic Memory"—a skill tree that provides team bonuses depending on the chosen path.

I would like to say that the game is childish, but that would be unfair. Even in a short time, I derived genuine enjoyment from Super Robot Wars Y—not just because of the combat, but also due to the absurd yet captivating plot. It reminds me of the joy of writing fanfiction in childhood, and I hope this feeling continues.