As part of the Gundam Game 30th Anniversary Special Event, the SD Gundam G Generation series returns with SD Gundam G Generation Genesis, a celebration of the first half of the Universal Century Timeline.
Scenarios in GGG range from the first days of the One Year War to the final events of Unicorn, and are organized by their original source material. After selecting a level the events of the original media play out as cutscenes, followed by an introductory stage, another cutscene, and then the primary stage. Introductory stages are played with only the units of the original media, while those units are joined by the player’s custom units for the primary stage. In both introductory stages and primary stages optional Historic Moment objectives are provided which will reward bonus War Capital and in-game achievements if accomplished.
Combat happens in turns, with the player taking actions for all of their units and then allowing the enemy forces to take actions for their units. Attacks have different power levels, energy cost, ranges, and attack properties. If possible other allied units can join in an attack, and the opponent being attacked can attack, evade, or defend. Destroying an enemy rewards a Chance Step to the attacking unit, allowing them up to 3 additional full actions per turn. Destroying units and successfully evading also boosts Vigor, which, if maxed, makes all attacks guaranteed criticals. This critical status is lost if the unit is hit by any attack.
The player’s customer forces are organized into Warships, Masters, Team Leaders, Team Members, and SFS. Warships have a Captain who provides the majority of the unit’s stats, and then five additional crew members who provide stat bonuses and additional usable skills. A Master can use any MS/MA including XL and XXL sized units like Byg-Zam or the Psyco Gundam, have access to the skills of all Team Leaders and Team Members in their group, and restore 20% energy each turn. Up to 2 Team Leaders can be assigned to each Warship, and up to 3 Team Members can be assigned to each Team Leader. Team Leaders and Members can only use up to L sized MS/MA units.
In combat a Warship can dock units assigned to it to restore their HP and energy, can combo-attack with other Warships, Masters, and any Team Leaders or Team Members assigned to it. Warships also have a unique attack that grows in power depending on how many of its assigned units are within its Group Area aura, and can target as many enemies as there are allies that are in range. Masters can combo with any Warship, other Masters, and with Team Leaders in their group. Team Leaders can combo with their Team Members, and Team Members can combo with each other as long as their are within their Team Leader’s Leader Area aura. SFS are autonomous non-combat aircraft that can quickly transport units across a battlefield without using the unit’s turn, but they have no defenses of their own.
Each unit is comprised of a MS/MA, and a pilot. Both level up by defeating opponents, adding to their stats. When a MS/MA levels up the player can assign a small number of bonus stats to customize it, while pilot level ups are entirely automatic. Because all pilots have unique stats some are more suited to melee or ranged combat, and non-Newtype units will never be as skilled with Psycommu-style attacks as Newtypes. Pilots learn both Skills and Abilities by leveling up, and can equip 1 Skill and up to 3 Abilities. Skills confer a once-per-battle boost, while Abilities passively boost specific skills. Using Ace Points gained from enemy kills pilot Abilities and stats can be boosted. The player starts with a large collection of pilots from previous G Generation games, and can unlock pilots from the Universal Century by completing stages and achievements. Once a pilot is purchased for the player’s force with War Capital they no longer honor their previous affiliations, and can be used on any stage regardless of if the player is assisting the Federation, the Principality, or any other faction.
Warships, MS/MA, SFS, and Modifications can be purchased with War Capital. Enemy MS/MA can also be captured in stages if their assigned Warship or Team Leader is destroyed before they are. As MS/MA are leveled up they can be Developed into 2-4 more powerful forms based on their current form. For example the GM can be developed into GM Ground Type at level 3, or GM II at level 4. Using Develop also adds the unit to the production list, allowing it to be directly purchased with War Capital in the future. Occasionally MS/MA will change based on their pilot, such as Char’s Custom Zaku II. Up to 3 Modifications can be added to each MS/MA, boosting its stats, and more are unlocked from achievements.
In addition to the existing pilots players can create up to 20 custom characters, assigning their name, gender, avatar, birthday and bloodtype, theme song, and voice. The Skills and Abilities of a customer character are decided by their birthday and bloodtype. Unlike previous games custom characters have flat stats in all categories, making them equally skilled in all positions and average Newtypes.
Scenarios come from the following UC Gundam media:
- TV Series: Mobile Suit Gundam, Double Zeta
- OVA Series: MS IGLOO, The 08th MS Team, Unicorn
- Movies: 0080 War in the Pocket, 0083 Stardust Memory, Zeta Gundam: A New Translation, Char’s Counterattack
- Comic: Battlefield Record U.C. 0081
- Video Games: Cross Dimension 0079, Side Story: The Blue Destiny, Side Story: Rise from the Ashes, Zeonic Front,Lost War Chronicles, Side Story: Space Beyond the Blaze, Side Story: Missing Link