‘Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered’ Switch Review: A Clear Upgrade
This remaster is a definite step up over the Vita original.
Way back in 2012, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny was released on the PlayStation Vita. It was a solid little game, and this Remastered version stays true to its heritage.
The Gundam Battle games were originally developed for the PlayStation Portable by Artdink, starting with Gundam Battle Tactics in 2005.
It was a good little mecha action game too, where you took down enemy mobile suits with a tethered orbit lock-on setup and various long and close-range weapons.
In the following years, Artdink improved on this setup with a multitude of follow-up games until they had to make the jump to the Vita.
Unlike the previous PlayStation Portable releases, a new Vita game meant all the visual assets needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.
With this additional expense, Artdink also took the time to re-evaluate the controls and took advantage of the Vita’s dual analogue setup.
The result was a decent entry in the Gundam Battle series, and I game I enjoyed playing through back when I reviewed it in 2012.
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Even on Switch, the game looks and runs great.
So, how does this new Remastered version stack up?
Well, first off, it has more comprehensive controller options. I normally play with inverted vertical controls, and in the original Vita version, there was no way to change that. However, in this new Remastered version, there is.
The frame rate, at least on the Switch version, is also more stable, and being able to play with a proper pad does make the whole experience more comfortable. On the Vita version, I’d end up with the patented claw rictus in one hand, or both, after an extended session. Here, I’ve had no issues at all.
As for the game itself, like almost all Gundam Battle games, you always start off with an underpowered grunt unit. Playing multiple missions earns you tuning points to make the mobile suit perform more fluidly.
This is a staple of these games, and it does mean you have to play a fair bit before the game gets into its groove.
This used to be more of an issue because each mobile suit would accrue its own upgrade points through playing the game. These points also weren’t often transferable, either, and it resulted in you replaying previous missions to gain enough points to actually make your mobile suit decent.
As the Gundam Battle games evolved, you got GP points. These were earned alongside the mobile suits’ own tuning points and could be spent on whatever mobile suit you wanted.
The back-end tuning setup is key for your progression through the game.
This was very handy because it meant that once you unlocked a nice beefy mobile suit later on in any given game, you already had some currency that could be used to upgrade your ride of choice from the moment you got it.
To feed into this, in addition to the Story missions, you also had EX Missions in this game. These were redone versions of the Story missions, but you got big GP rewards after each one.
So, apart from the visual upgrade, there is an improvement over the controls and general upgrade progression compared to the Vita version.
Personally, I also think the Gundam Battle games play far better than the Gundam Breaker games, but in this instance, if you’re not a fan of Gundam Seed, then your enjoyment of the game will likely be diminished.
Cuteness aside, the variety of series and mobile suits available in SD Gundam Battle Alliance made for a more complete and accessible game, in my opinion, which is also part of the Gundam Battle pantheon.
However, for a classic take on the original Gundam Battle setup, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is arguably one of the best entries thus far and a marked improvement over the Vita original.
Overall, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is not only a solid visual upgrade to the Vita original but also has some much-needed functional improvements, both in terms of the controls and the backend progression flow. The only real downside is if you’re not a fan of Gundam Seed, as otherwise, this is a very nicely made mecha action game. Now, if only Bandai Namco would remaster Gundam Battle Universe.
Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered
Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PC
Developer: B.B. STUDIO CO., LTD.
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Released: 22nd May 2025
Price: $39.99
Score: 8/10
Disclosure: I purchased this game with my own money.
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