Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Nintendo DS)

The Nintendo DS isn’t exactly the handheld of choice if you want games based on the Gundam franchise, so Mobile Suit Gundam 00 should at least get points for bringing the franchise to Nintendo’s dual screen handheld. To wit, it’s the best action Gundam game on the DS, but that isn’t saying much considering that it’s the only one on the system (the Gundam Seed-based one was cancelled for who knows what reason.)

The game is Japanese-only, and can be text-heavy. Thankfully, the game itself is an air-combat-based shooter, so it doesn’t require an understanding of the story. And the menus and dialogue scenes can be navigated easily. Personally, I just pressed A like spastic madman until the giant-robot-shooting action starts.

Gameplay-wise, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Kidou Senshi Gundam 00) uses an engine similar to the one on the PS2, where you’re basically piloting an airplane shaped like a Gundam. There’s no ground combat, and while you do have a melee attack, it’s not as useful as simply shooting down everything that crosses your path. The fact that you’ll end up destroying enemies before they get close enough to recognize makes the game kind of lonely – you’re a lone Gundam shooting down various dark-colored shapes.

You get a choice between four different Gundams, and it’s a good thing that there is a marked difference in the playstyles that they require. Some Gundams are faster, some have more health, some have higher damage. So you can at least swap Gundams from time to time just to inject a little bit of variety into an otherwise monotonous game.

The best thing about Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is the graphics. It’s easily one of the best looking games on the DS, showing off the handheld’s 3D capabilities. Even with the jaggies, the visuals still come off good and the Gundam models themselves are surprisingly detailed. The same can’t be said of the attack effects, though. Somehow, the DS doesn’t seem to have the capability to do transparencies, beams and lasers correctly (or at least, very few devs know how to it on the handheld) – the explosions, lasers and beam swords are all opaque, pixilated and angular.

As for whether Mobile Suit Gundam 00 is worth buying – I honestly don’t know. If you can get it cheap (or for free), it’s a nice addition to your collection and will help you show off what the DS is capable of in terms of graphics. But if you want a game to play, you’d best stay away unless you’re a big fan of the series and must collect all the tie-ins. The game has its moments but it’s not fleshed out or polished enough to be considered as anything other than a tech demo.