SUPER ROBOT WARS Y

My spreadsheet instincts kicked in about three missions deep into Super Robot Wars Y, when I realized I was cross-referencing Spirit Command loadouts across Macross Delta pilots and Code Geass knights to maximize Assist Link triggers per turn. That is exactly the kind of problem this series wants to give you, and Y delivers it with a roster so wide it borders on irresponsible. The base game pulls together more than 20 anime series, running from classics like Combattler V and Aura Battler Dunbine through contemporary picks like Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and SSSS.Dynazenon. Whether that list reads as a highlight reel or an obscure backlog depends entirely on your mecha history, and that calculus determines most of your enjoyment upfront. The tactical layer is turn-based grid combat in the series' long-established mold. You position units, burn Action Points, fire off attacks, and spend Spirit Commands (pilot-specific buff skills tied to SP pools) to swing high-stakes exchanges in your favor. What Y adds on top is the Assist Link system: non-combat support characters from the featured anime join a separate Assist Crew pool, provide passive buffs and activated effects during battle, and grow stronger the more you deploy them. It is a clean, satisfying progression loop sitting alongside the main unit-upgrade economy of credits and power parts earned each stage. The depth is not Fire Emblem Engage-tier on the mechanical complexity scale, but there is enough layering between terrain interaction, Spirit Command timing, and Assist Crew rank management to keep a min-maxer occupied for the full 40-plus-hour campaign without running dry. The story follows original protagonists Cross and Forte Tsukinowa and their mech, the Lunedrache. You pick one at the start, which slightly reshapes the narrative and gives a second-playthrough reason. The crossover writing weaves the various anime universes together into a new original conflict rather than just replaying their TV plots back at you, which is the correct instinct. The execution, though, is where things get uneven. The visual novel adventure segments between battles carry a lot of exposition, and patience for dialogue-heavy stretches that prioritize lore scaffolding over emotional momentum will vary widely. Expect some mid-game sag when the plot cycles through roster introductions before tightening back toward its finale. For series newcomers worried this requires 300 hours of mecha anime homework: it does not. Each franchise gets a clean contextual introduction, and the tactical systems are presented with enough onboarding that a player fresh to the series can orient without bouncing off. The STG Memory system and Assist Crew rank progression both have clear feedback loops, and difficulty settings give room to adjust if combat becomes a friction point. Veterans coming from Super Robot Wars 30 will find the Assist Link system is the most meaningful new structural addition, moving non-pilot characters from narrative passengers to active tactical levers. Post-launch support has been consistent, with two paid DLC packs adding units from Kotetsu Jeeg, Da-Garn, and a Getter Robot original, plus a free update adding a Master difficulty mode. The 35th anniversary Expansion Pack layers in six more series including EUREKA: EUREKA SEVEN HI-EVOLUTION and Space Runaway Ideon for those who want to go deep.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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