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Super Robot Wars UX |OT| Hot blooded yelling that you can actually hear!

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General Details


Title: Super Robot Wars UX / スーパーロボット大戦UX
Release date Japan: March 14, 2013
Release date for the rest of the world: Never
Developer: Banpresto
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games


Overview
Super Robot Wars UX is the first game in the series to come out for the Nintendo 3DS. As usual with nintendo SRW games, this one is a spin off and might not be as fully featured as you would expect from a mainline entry. Even considering all of that they can still be rather entertaining thanks to a unique series list or original story. With SRW W (NDS) being a huge fan favorite, as an example. While the leap in quality isn’t as huge from the DS games isn’t as huge as everyone would like, there are still some welcome additions like fully voiced animations.

Localizaion

This more than anything is the biggest problem with the game. There is absolutely no chance for a licensed SRW game to be localized. And with the 3DS being region locked, it means you need a Japanese 3DS to play this game even if you decide to import it. The barrier to entry for this title is significant and will probably prevent even the regular fans from enjoying this game.

DLC
There will be DLC for this game available via the eShop. Day 1 DLC containing additional maps for the game has already been announced. One being a campaign map and an additional puzzle map, akin to Puzzle Robo stuff from SRW J and other entries on the Nintendo platforms.

Systems
There are some new game mechanics being introduced in this title and some of the existing one have been changed up.

Partner System

Similar to the Twin system introduced in OGs series, you can form your units into pairs. The terrain type and the movement speed of the pair is only determined by the primary unit. So a slow super robot without flight can be attached to a valkyrie and still cruise around the map without any trouble. However there are benefits to using single units. Such is being able to activate the continuous action skill. To even the odds pilots can have a skill that lets them attack both units at the same time in an enemy pair with any weapon they have.

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Tactics

During the intermission screen you can assign one of your units to a Leader/Commander role. The leader will provide a buff to all your units on the field. What that bonus is depends on which unit you pick to be the leader.

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Special Command

Certain units will be able to affect large portions of the map with a special ability. Either by weakening the enemy, strengthening your units, or providing some other special effect.

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Skill Parts

Apparently this system was common in the previous DS SRW entries. Enemies will drop consumable parts that you can use to upgrade your pilot's skills and abilities.

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-----------------------Debuting Series-----------------------



Deus Machina Demonbane
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Take some Big O and mix in H.P. Lovecraft’s entire literary body of work and blend it together until you have a fine mix of: giant robot punching Cthulhu. That’s how you get Demonbane, originally a visual novel that later received an anime adaptation. Supposedly Midorikawa has been nagging Terrada about getting Demonbane into SRW so that he could reprise his role as one of the characters. So now we finally got voice overs in nintendo SRW games.

Daijuuji Kuro is a down on his luck private detective living in Arkham City. That doesn’t last long as fate places in his hands “Al Azif” the original manuscript of the Necronomicon, the most powerful magical tome known. With it’s power he can summon the mechanical god named Demonbane. It’s Kuro’s destiny to fight the Black Lodge and their giant robots that threaten Arkham City.

Wings of Rean
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Wings of Rean is a light novel written by Yoshiyuki Tomino set in the world of Byston Well. It doesn’t have any direct connection to other series other than the setting. In 2005 Bandai created a 6 episode OVA based on the series. One day a flying warship burst out of the water in front of Asap Suzuki. He runs into a princess from another world and is pulled into another conflict between Earth and the land of Byston Well.

Mazinkaizer SKL
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An OVA based on Go Nagai’s Mazinger. Three factions are trapped on an island behind a “Gravity Curtain”. And all three of them are trying to destroy each other with their endless armies of giant robots. However the gravity curtain has become unstable and in a few short hours will explode and destroy the world when it goes. The protagonist duo have to break into the island with Mazinkaiser SKL and disable the gravity curtain, wreaking havoc and creating bloody carnage in the process.

Heroman
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A collaborative work between Stan “The Man” Lee and Studio Bones. It’s a fairly standard story about a boy and his robot. A mysterious lightning strike turns Joey’s toy into Heroman. And now Joey and his Heroman are the only ones that can save America, and the world, from the coming alien invasion. Personally I am excited to see Stan Lee show up in an SRW game, even if that only amounts to him pestering the nearest person for more coffee.


SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors

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A fully CG series based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms with super deformed gundam mobile suits as protagonists.

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie
: A Wakening of the Trailblazer
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After covering seasons 1 and 2 in SRW Z2 installments Banpresto decided to feature the conclusion to it all in SRW UX. Yeah seems like an odd choice to me but here we are. The plot is ripped straight out of any SRW title you care to name. Aliens are attacking earth, earth needs giant robots to fight aliens. Good chance that all of the flaws of the movie will be fixed, by cutting out and ignoring everything that doesn’t involve giant robots punching things.

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On featuring Fei-Yen HD
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Miku. That’s all I got about this nonsense.




-----------------------Returning Series-----------------------




Dancouga Nova
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Dancouga Nova was intended to be a sequel to Super Beast Machine God - Dancouga from the 80s, however this show is considered to be more of a spiritual sequel to Gravion. A mysterious robot named Dancouga is intervening in conflicts all over the globe. A group of four people are kidnapped, by a mysterious organization, and are chosen to be it’s pilots.

Aura Battler Dunbine
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This is one of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s works, so you know exactly what to expect, which aired in 1983. It was featured in several much older SRW games, with SRW Alpha being the most recent one I believe. If any of the following sounds familiar to you then it’s probably because Banpresto ripped off most of it for their Masou Kishin characters and story. A young man named Show Zama is summoned to the world of Byston Well, which exists beneath the earth and the sea. Lord Drake Luft plans to conquer Byston Well by using the newly created Aura Battlers. They are mechs that look very similar to insects and only people from earth have enough aura power to pilot them effectively. After finding out Drake’s true intentions, Show decides to rebel and join a group of people that oppose his intentions of conquest.

Ninja Robots
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A robot show from the 80s with a somewhat unique ninja motif to it. It was broadcast on Cartoon Network under the title of “Ninja Robots” and the original Japanese title was "Ninja Senshi Tobikage". Humanity has colonized Mars by turning it into a penal colony. Joe is a kid that grew up on Mars and dreams of being able to return to Earth. One day Joe and his friends see an alien ship crash land. Onboard they encounter an alien princess from the planet Ladorio and several “Ninja” robots. Joe and his friends end up piloting those robots to save the princess from the pursuing Zaboom army. When joe is in trouble a mysterious Ninja Robot called Tobikage shows up to help him out.

Macross Frontier The Movie: The False Songstress
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Another SRW game and another shot at Macross Frontier. Movie plot this time and it doesn't even deviate from the series in any terribly interesting manner.

Macross Frontier The Movie: The Wings of Goodbye
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The 2nd of the two Macross Frontier movies. This one breaks off from the series in a rather crazy way. By bringing back Isamu, retirement age by now, and his faithful YF-19 and taking over the whole plot. This doesn’t actually happen, but I sure hope they sneak Isamu as a secret into the game, which also won’t happen. The plot finally starts to differ from the tv show in the 2nd movie with an original ending. Although most of it is still in spirit pretty much the same as the show.

-----------------------Hirai Face-----------------------



Linebarrels of Iron
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note: manga designs do not accurately represent the amount of Hirai Face that will be present

Linebarrels is originally a manga that received an anime adaptation in 2008. The anime adaptation is considered to be not nearly as good as the manga, but was featured in previous SRW games. Linebarrel’s appearance in SRW UX will be following the plot of the manga.

A high school student Kunoichi Hayase has a terrible accident on a class trip. He is left in a coma for half a year after a fall of a satellite. When he recovers he suddenly develops superhuman abilities. One day a giant robot appears named Linebarrel appears before him. In reality the accident was caused by the fall of this giant robot, which turned him into a “Factor” and gave him the ability to pilot Linebarrel.

Fafner in the Azure
Fafner in the Azure: Heaven and Earth
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Fafner has appeared in previous DS SRW entries but they haven’t covered the plot of the movie sequel. It’s going to debut in SRW UX, which will presumably cover the plot of the whole franchise.
In a world devastated by Festum a group of people live on a secluded island in japan, harboring advanced technology. One day Festum discover that island and the protagonist Kazuki Makabe is forced to pilot a robot named Fafner to fight them.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
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A sequel to the extremely popular Gundam SEED television series. Destiny wasn’t as well received by the fans due to schizophrenic plot, characters and even more blatant homages and references to previous Gundam shows. So much so that SRW Z changed large parts of the plots for the game, in order to “fiix it”. The series starts two years after the events of Gundam SEED and focuses on the ZAFT pilot Shin Asuka. The supposed main character of the show.

-----------------------Original Characters-----------------------

The Soldier

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The main character, a soldier in the earth federation army. He gets to pilot a prototype mecha intended for mass production so on and so forth. Fairly straightforward and dull, nothing really interesting.

The Mercenary

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The leader of a mercenary group. He is the reluctant, brooding, dark hero type. Pilots a super robot looking close combat mech.

The other Mercenary?

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A member of the mercenary band and the leader’s daughter. “Professional” and “emotionally detached” and whatever other cliche that fits that you can think off. Again nothing particularly interesting, pilots a fighter. Presumably will combine with dadie’s robot at some point in time.





The game is out in Japan already, so hopefully if anyone here is picking it up your copies have shipped. Some stores in Asia have already started selling it a week ago. So most of the interesting details are already out there and all of my speculation was pointless. Anywho please mark any spoilers if you are going to post them here.
 

Jubern

Member
I have a Japanese 3DS so I'll definitely be grabbing this some time soon. I'm not nearly as hyped for this as I was for the Z2's or OG2nd though...
 

lupin23rd

Member
Going to I pick up my bundle preorder after lunch. Just so happens this comes out on my birthday which is cool.

Anyone know if there are grind-able missions in the game?
 
Anyone know if there are grind-able missions in the game?
Might depend on the way DLC is handled by probably not. SRW doesn't really have grinding per say, with the exception of some stages where enemies will span infinitely. But money and some XP or something else tends to carry over onto the following playthrough. So it usually lets you start the game with overpowered units when you are playing it for the 2nd or 3rd time.
 

lupin23rd

Member
Might depend on the way DLC is handled by probably not. SRW doesn't really have grinding per say, with the exception of some stages where enemies will span infinitely. But money and some XP or something else tends to carry over onto the following playthrough. So it usually lets you start the game with overpowered units when you are playing it for the 2nd or 3rd time.

Yeah not expecting any, although one of the few games in the series that I beat (GC) did have a few at certain points. One day I will find time to play through one of these multiple times and max everyone out.
 

Bebpo

Banned
Nice OT

I'm about 5 stages in now. Demonbane is cool and I really like the originals! Seems like a good start so far.
 
Boooooo, the place that I ordered from seems to be some kind of a reseller possibly. So they are really slow about shipping it out and I won't be getting it this week. On the other hand, it is at least $150 cheaper than ordering from Play-Asia. So I can't complain too much.
 

hteng

Banned
Don't have a 3DS to play it :( but I laughed when someone beat the game before it even came out (was leaked 2 days before its release)

I think there are 52 stages
 

Bebpo

Banned
Yeah and since there are no SP/Challenge points it doesn't matter if you game over and retry.

Not that you probably need to. All the licensed SRW games have been ridiculously easy for a while :p
 

Bebpo

Banned
Don't have a 3DS to play it :( but I laughed when someone beat the game before it even came out (was leaked 2 days before its release)

I think there are 52 stages

52 episodes in one playthrough? Or 52 counting all branches for a total of 35-40 in one play?


If it's 52 in one playthrough + branches, depending on the quality of the game overall, it could definitely be considered more of a mainline SRW like MX than the GBA/DS games.
 

StayDead

Member
This is being shipped to me as we speak.

I've never played a Robot Wars game before, but looks like it'll be fun <3
 
I must be one of the very few people who likes that the Nintendo-handheld line of SRWs keep getting esoteric and 'weird' series.
 
That line-up is 100% terrible outside of Miku. I probably won't touch this one.

Dunbine is great and I will fight you on that! Now the only problem is that it will probably be second fiddle to Wings of Rean.

I must be one of the very few people who likes that the Nintendo-handheld line of SRWs keep getting esoteric and 'weird' series.
All of them had great series that never made it into the mainline SRW games: Godannar, GunXSword, Full Metal Panic, Layzner. A lot of those series need more exposure.
 
Manga Linebarrel is serious in this game, i hear they go all the way up to Pretender. Shinn x Luna Love Love combo at long last too.

if i get a japanese 3ds i'm going straight to eShop for this.
 

Bebpo

Banned
That line-up is 100% terrible outside of Miku. I probably won't touch this one.

Saddest lineup since SRW K.


So much fail in this thread. This lineup is pretty interesting storywise with DEMONBANE (c'mon Nitroplus storyline in a SRW??), Linebarrels manga, the opportunity to improve the OO movie (I would say fix, but I don't think that's possible; unlike Destiny, OO movie is junk from start to finish), Mazinkaiser SKL (not much story, but it's a fun OAV to play with), Wings of Rean (crazy ass Tomino writing), Fafner movie (Fafner might be bad, but at least it's interesting and full of death), and the OG story seems great. Plus there's other stuff that gets plot like Tobikage Ninja and others.

It's actually one of the more interesting lineups from a story perspective I think.


And I'll keep standing by K as a good lineup. GunXSword & Zoids & Godanner & new JEEG!! (we need new JEEG story in a voice SRW) & new Gaiking made it a cool lineup.


I must be one of the very few people who likes that the Nintendo-handheld line of SRWs keep getting esoteric and 'weird' series.

Well, my main complaint about this in the past was them getting entries but with lower quality due to non-voice, weak animation/sprites. UX sort of fixes that (though the sprites/animations could still be a good deal better). So I approve of it now and want to see more oddball stuff w/voice in the next 3DS one.

Manga Linebarrel is serious in this game, i hear they go all the way up to Pretender.

I haven't seen the anime or read the manga, so it's pretty exciting going through the Linebarrel story in UX. Wonder if they'll continue the Linebarrels manga storyline in the next 3DS game. I'll probably read the manga from wherever UX leaves off. Wish they did (VN version) with Demonsbane as well since I hear the VN's better than the anime.

My only disappointment really is that 3 Kingdoms Gundam takes place after the storyline so don't get to play through a 3 kingdoms storyline in a SRW (would have been rad) and don't get to play through Dunbine's story (would be nice to play through some more old classic series in modern SRW games).
 

Bebpo

Banned
I'm still bummed that Escaflowne's only SRW appearance was in a Wonderswan game. WONDERSWAN WTF.

Yeah, Escaflowne is my #1 most wanted classic series in a modern SRW. I'd even settle for the Escaflowne movie. But TV show preferred. Good story, good mecha, good characters, good music. WHY IS THIS NOT IN SRW!?!?! :(


#2 is the ZoE universe tale (Idolo -> Dolores -> ZoE1 -> Fist of Mars -> ZoE2)
 

Jubern

Member
Quick question about the 00 mechs, but does Lockon uses the Dynames Repair or does he start with Zabanya off the bat?
 

RX79V

Neo Member
Nice OT.

My copy is now stuck with Canada Post over the weekends. :(

Stan Lee will be a playable unit and plays just like Master Asia. :p
 

Hitsukara

Neo Member
From what I have read/watch online, the game seems really nice. I would have liked to have a JP 3DS for this but it's a little too expensive for just one game...

And the game is really 52 stages long without route split. And it seems there are a lot of secrets.
 

Bebpo

Banned
From what I have read/watch online, the game seems really nice. I would have liked to have a JP 3DS for this but it's a little too expensive for just one game...

And the game is really 52 stages long without route split. And it seems there are a lot of secrets.

Awesome! That's one thing that's really been missing in SRW lately. Z2 didn't have many secrets and 2nd OGs has almost none. I miss the days of a half dozen hidden units, characters, attacks.
 

squall23

Member
You know what I'm actually disappointed about? The fact that there's no Iwata Asks for this. I absolutely wanted to see what kind of conversation could have been had between Iwata and Terada.
 

RX79V

Neo Member
Just finished stage 10, and Deceive is really broken.
Miku Fei Yen will most likely to be broken as well.
Too bad some boss is immune to all debuff (which they should have had made it partial).

SD Gundam is surprisingly good.
Ryuubi's combine attack has really good base number and uses his own EN (though only he can use it).
 
Just finished stage 13 and the last couple of stages have been a bit of a slump for me. Linebarrel and Fafner are just not all that interesting so it's been a bit of a slow going so far. Wings of Rean plot also popped up but not all of the Dunbine characters have returned for it this early on. So it's also been somewhat dull as well. But at least more entertaining with the traditional Tomino flavor of stupid warmongering .
 

Bebpo

Banned
Just finished stage 13 and the last couple of stages have been a bit of a slump for me. Linebarrel and Fafner are just not all that interesting so it's been a bit of a slow going so far. Wings of Rean plot also popped up but not all of the Dunbine characters have returned for it this early on. So it's also been somewhat dull as well. But at least more entertaining with the traditional Tomino flavor of stupid warmongering .


Rean reminds me how batshit crazy it was just like everything else Tomino.

It also has the only good BGM in the game so far. Seriously this game has the worst bgms in a srw, like 75% of the battle songs are boring instrumentals instead of midi versions of good OP songs :(
 

Jubern

Member
Finally gave in and ordered *sigh*

Should get it tomorrow or something, just in time since I'm rushing through Re:Chain of Memories HD and will probably finish it tomorrow or the day after!
 
It also has the only good BGM in the game so far. Seriously this game has the worst bgms in a srw, like 75% of the battle songs are boring instrumentals instead of midi versions of good OP songs :(
Demonbane's theme is kind of enjoyable, but the rendition in the game isn't as good as the original. I still like it and let it play when given the chance. Mazinkaiser's opening is what it is, the problem is that kind of ridiculous rock music might not translate that well to midi.
 

StayDead

Member
Sooo this is my first SRW game and as someone who loved Heroman when it aired, I've loved the first stage (got it today <3).

It's a bit confusing at first since I've never played an SRW game before it's kind of a new battle system for me. I'm used to SRPGs where everyone seems weak as hell, but in this Heroman took down like 5 enemies without getting hit just on counter attacks <3
 
It's a bit confusing at first since I've never played an SRW game before it's kind of a new battle system for me. I'm used to SRPGs where everyone seems weak as hell, but in this Heroman took down like 5 enemies without getting hit just on counter attacks <3

SRW games are kind of like that. Regular enemies are just cannon fodder more or less for your troops. The key is to be able to manage your resources in terms of Ammo/Energy/SP so that you have enough of them left to take down the boss units. Those are usually where the real challenge is as some of your units can be taken out in a single hit by them.
 

StayDead

Member
SRW games are kind of like that. Regular enemies are just cannon fodder more or less for your troops. The key is to be able to manage your resources in terms of Ammo/Energy/SP so that you have enough of them left to take down the boss units. Those are usually where the real challenge is as some of your units can be taken out in a single hit by them.

I'm glad you said this as last night it made me look more into all the bars as they'd not been mentioned in the game to me and I think I understand it a hell of a lot more. I didn't even realise you could change the attack you use for a counter attack, I felt like a right clown when I actually saw that there were different energy costs/affects on everything.

It just goes to show unless it's shown to me how little I explore initially into all the menus X_X
 
It just goes to show unless it's shown to me how little I explore initially into all the menus X_X

None of the mechanics are explained in the game unless they are introduced later on. Usually you won't find any explanation outside of the manual. Most of the time the game is easy enough that you don't need to know everything that's going on in the background, but there are a lot of different things to keep track of.
 

StayDead

Member
8th chapter, down to the final boss enemy and attack with Mazinkaizer, forget to check the HP beforehand and after seeing 30% hit chance for the enemy I go for the attack. 2 attacks away from killing the boss guy Mazinkaizer dies. Back to the start I go! x_x

I've never really watched/been into any mecha anime other than Heroman (yes I know, but outside of Stardriver it's the only one I've tried watching), but damn this game is making me want to watch more, especially Macross. <3
 
8th chapter, down to the final boss enemy and attack with Mazinkaizer, forget to check the HP beforehand and after seeing 30% hit chance for the enemy I go for the attack. 2 attacks away from killing the boss guy Mazinkaizer dies. Back to the start I go! x_x

I made it to the first fight with Gaioh in Z2 before I found out how SRW games work, but you can save mid stage. Every SRW game lets you save mid stage, use soft reset and load up that save as many times as you want without penalties. So you don't have to restart the whole stage if you fail the stage due to some objective or one of your units dies due to RNG. Although I would also suggest to not get carried away with save scumming that RNG.

I am on stage 22 right now and so far it's been rather unpleasant. Too many Fafner and Linebarrel plot stages. The Heroman/Demobane diversion in America was far too short lived. Need more cool shows to drive the plot instead of this Hirai face nonsense.
 
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