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anthurak · 3 months ago

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Concept: Remake of Super Robot Wars Alpha (Part 1)

Alright! Let’s talk about a hypothetical Super Robot Wars Alpha Remake. Specifically in the ‘anything goes, unlimited time and money, everything we wish it could be and more’ vein. Because that’s more fun and also oh-my-god I have already spent way too much time and brainpower coming up with these ideas XD

To establish a few ground rules I am setting for myself:

I am trying to keep basically ALL of the roster of mecha-series’ across the entire run. Or at least anyone who sits out a game or two is back for Alpha 3 which is going to have absolutely EVERYONE.

That said, there are a few series’ I’d like to trim from the roster in the ones that originally only popped up in one game and didn’t really do much. Namely; Galaxy Cyclone Bragier in Alpha Gaiden, Brain Powered in Alpha 2 and of course Cyber Troopers in Alpha 3.

The one exception to this might be Giant Robo in Alpha 1, because I’m honestly kind of torn on it. On the one hand, Giant Robo was a pretty cool presence in Alpha 1 (I mean we had Alberto the Shockwave fighting the Third Angel XD), but on the other hand I’m not sure how well the series and characters could be further developed/upgraded across subsequent games. If anyone wants to comment on this one way or the other in the replies, feel free :D

Also, to touch on general gameplay changes; obviously we would be implementing all of the general ‘quality of life’ and similar upgrades that have come with the franchise over the last twenty+ years. But one specific gameplay mechanic I very much would want to add is introducing the Squad-System from Alpha’s 2 and 3 to all the games in this hypothetical remake. Because yeah, personally I love the squad system and I’ve always been seriously bummed that we haven’t seen it again after the first Z game. Really, I’d want to even further expand on the system with some of the ideas Z1 was playing around with like different squad formations.

Anyway, that’s enough preamble. Let’s get to the action, starting with Alpha 1.

To begin, let’s talk about the one big new series addition for this game;

King of Braves GaoGaiGar.

Because yeah, I think we can all agree that GGG should have made its debut in the first Alpha game rather than Alpha 2. Really, GaoGaiGar’s appearance here isn’t even all that complicated; namely just essentially backport it’s appearance in Alpha 2 into Alpha 1, with the adapted story covering the Zonder arc and concluding with the battle against EI-01/Pasdar. The character roster can be unchanged, aside from Mic Sounders actually being included/playable this time. The same goes for the Secret Units/Characters like the Star Gaogaigar upgrade being a secret late/endgame unlock, and Pizza (aka; Soldato J) being a secret guest character for the final stage, though this time maybe he also comes with Pinchernone (aka; Tomoro-0117) as a sub-pilot.

Other than the inclusion of Gaogaigar, I feel like the overall story and plot of Alpha 1 can be relatively unchanged. Yes, even with the absolute timeline-bending mashup of the Universal Century that can have such iconic what-the-fuckery as Puru 2 piloting the Alpha Aizeru to attack the Gryps 2 colony laser during the Battle of A Bou Que.

That said, I do have PLENTY of ideas to tweak various series’, pilots and mechs that are available.

Let’s start with Mobile Suit Gundam, for which I have some interesting ideas.

Rather than just an oddly time-displaced seeming Slegger Law, the MSG pilot-roster here is made up of the old White Base crew, aged up to their time in Zeta Gundam. Meaning that just like with Amuro, we have Zeta-era Hayato, Kai and Sayla as pilots (Sayla in particular I have BIG plans for going forward XD). Heck, Bright even has Mirai, Oscar and Marker as sub-pilots for the White Base and later the Argama.

To go along with this, they all get ‘upgraded’ versions of their old OYW suits. Kai gets a Guncannon Heavy Custom, Hayato pilots a Guntank II and Sayla gets her Custom GM as a nod to the Gundam The Origin, though Sayla in particular later upgrades to the Re-GZ. Amuro can likewise still start with the G-3 Gundam before later upgrading to the Nu Gundam.

As for the more ‘main’ Zeta cast, things are pretty much unchanged as far as the pilot roster goes. Same for the ZZ cast.

However, when it comes to the mobile suit complement, things get a little more interesting.

First off the Zeta II secret unit is quite a bit easier to unlock, as it’s meant to be a direct upgrade for Fa.

The Full-Armor Hyaku Shiki is in fact NOT available this time, as I’d actually like to space out the evolution of that suit over the course of later games. Instead, only the Hyaku Shiki Kai is available as a standard upgrade.

To jump ahead a bit, notably the Sazabi is also NOT available this time in Alpha 1.

Instead, for a rather spicier option, Quattro’s secret upgrade unlock is the Delta Gundam. Which I think is way more fun XD With that in mind, the Hyaku Shiki ends up attached more to Beecha by the end of the game, lining more up with ZZ.

And you know, maybe have the Psycho Gundam as a secret unlock to be used by Four or Rosamia? That might be fun.

Going ahead to Char’s Counterattack, this is admittedly where I feel like I have to trim down a few things in the form of characters and mechs. Simply because I feel like it would be better to hold off on introducing them until the plot of CCA actually STARTS in Alpha 2. So Quess Paraya does not make appearance and Kayra Su only appears briefly as a Guest Pilot in Alpha 1 and the mechs are limited to the Re-GZ and Nu Gundam, plus the Nu’s HWS pack as a secret unlock.

Jumping ahead to Gundam Wing, I would make a notable omission of any early-appearances of Endless Waltz mechs (as we will have no shortage of them in later games lol), meaning no Wing Zero Custom and Milliardo’s secret unlock guest joining for the final stage is done in the Gundam Epyon rather than the Tallgeese III. Though we also have new additions in the form of Lady Une being a secret unlockable pilot, and both her and Noin getting the Vayeate and Mercurius as secret unlocks to pilot, in reference to the Endless Duel game.

Going into the various Super Robot series’, outside of the aforementioned early inclusion of GaoGaiGar, most things are pretty much unchanged, aside from Getter Robo’s roster being steamlined a bit with Texas Mack and Jack King being dropped in favor of Michiru piloting the Lady Command, and Benkei Kurama being relegated to a guest appearance in favor of Musashi getting to be the full-time Shin Getter 3 pilot in this game like he did in the first SRW Z2.

Also, I feel like the Mass-Production Daitank, Daifighter and Daitarn 3 should be proper unlocks rather than just potentially appearing for a single mission? Daitarn 3 is pretty much always a one-man/mech show in SRW and I feel like it would be fun to change that up a bit.

Which finally brings us to what is certainly going to be the BIGGEST overhaul of the first Alpha game;

The Original Generation characters.

First there is the matter of how to handle the Protagonist and their Partner/Love Interest.

And honestly, I’m just streamlining the shit out of this via backporting from the OG-Series.

Ergo; Kusuha Mizuha gets to be the Super Robot Protagonist with the Grungust Type-2 and Ryukooh, Ryoto Hikawa gets to be the Real Robot Protagonist with the Huckebeins, and everyone else is supporting characters with mildly tweaked versions of their OG-Series characterizations/backgrounds.

Like at the start of a playthrough, you get the choice to start with the Earth/Super-Robot route where you play as Kusuha (with Bullet), or the Space/Real-Robot route where you play as Ryoto (with Rio), which goes on for a few stages until the routes merge and the game proper begins in earnest. Maybe with additional ‘Super’ and ‘Real’ route splits further down the line where you chose either Kusuha or Ryoto as the character to follow for that time.

For specifics, Kusuha’s story plays out as a mix of the original Alpha Super-route, with characterization and plot beefed up via backporting developments from later games, namely the OG-series. Like maybe she isn’t already in the military in this version but also isn’t a highschool student either, say she’s just started university when she gets roped into piloting the Grungust at the start of the game. Plus we’re obviously removing a few of OG’s more egregious plot points like her getting mind-controlled by Ingram. Clearly we can just have Bullet get mind-controlled instead like he always does XD

Likewise, Ryoto’s and Rio’s stories are also a mix of the Real Robot-route of Alpha and their OG-series stories. Like Ryoto and maybe even Rio herself are pilots in the Divine Crusaders, but since the DC don’t actually turn evil in Alpha, the whole ‘sent out to die as an unknowing kamikaze’ bit doesn’t happen and they can join up with the fledgling Alpha Numbers much more easily. We probably don’t even need to have Rio get kidnapped/brainwashed like the Real-route love-interest normally does either.

As for the other four Alpha 1 Protags, again they’re basically getting tweaked versions of their OG-Series backgrounds. Tasuku Shinguji is a seemingly random mechanic who ends up jumping into combat in the Giganscudo when his ship is threatened. I’m thinking he’s on the Excellion? Feels kind of appropriate that the Giganscudo would be an offshoot/prototype of the Buster Machines, you know? Meanwhile, Leona Garstein is still a relative of the Branstein clan and is part of an offshoot squadron of the Divine Crusaders, possibly also attached to the Excellion? Basically I’m feeling like Tasuku and Leona end up being part of, or at least join during, the Real Robot route.

On the other hand, Yuuki Jaggar and Ricarla Borgnine are full-time Divine Crusaders pilots and are involved with any number of their Earth-based operations. Meaning that these two pretty easily end up becoming supporting characters in Kusuha’s Super-route.

Incidentally, three out of the four of these characters being part of or otherwise affiliated with the Divine Crusaders is actually rather convenient in this instance. What with the DC pointedly NOT becoming bad guys in the Alpha-timeline. Meaning that they can all join the heroes with much less fuss.

Though I will say, figuring out what Yuuki and Carla in particular are supposed to actually… do apart from being two of the main representatives of this version of the Divine Crusaders is rather headscratching. It certainly doesn’t help that the OG-Series clearly ran out of ideas for those two pretty early. Like at least Tasuku and Leona have the Octo Squad (more on that later XD).

I mean, with the Shadow Mirror obviously not being a thing in Alpha, I can’t even give those two their Razangriff and Randriz machines. Meaning that they’re kinda stuck with at best custom Guarlions. Which might work for just their Alpha 1 appearances, but it going to start feeling pretty conspicuous in future games.

Honestly, I’m kinda stumped on what to do with Yuuki and Carla for this little (Hah!) idea. If anyone has ideas, feel free to chime in :D

Moving on to something I have much more ideas for, let’s talk about the unofficial fifth main character(s) of Alpha 1 and really the Alpha series as a whole:

Ryusei Date and the SRX Team.

Because yeah, I feel like the SRX Team could have their own pseudo-route in Alpha 1? Like the initial choice at the start of the game is between Kusuha and Ryoto, but the second route-split ends up being a three-way choice of whether to follow Kusuha, Ryoto or Ryusei. All in all, considering how Ryusei really wound up being basically the Deuteragonist of the Alpha series, it does feel appropriate to give the SRX Team some proper focus here. Plus, I’ve got IDEAS for them :D

For example; unlike originally, the SRX Team doesn’t initially start with the R-machines. Instead, similar to in Original Generations, Ryusei starts with the Wildraubitier, Rai starts with a Shutzwald, Aya starts with a Gespenst and Ingram starts with the Wildschwein. With the team upgrading to the R-machines proper about midway through the game not long before Ingram does his whole ‘I’m a traitor suckers!’ thing and fucks off, with the ‘Powered’ parts becoming available later on. Just like in the original Alpha, the SRX itself is a pretty late/endgame unlock, so I figure we can space out the team’s upgrades across the game. Plus we have the Wildschwein so Viletta has something to pilot if/when you unlock Levi/Mai to pilot the R-GUN.

Moving on to the ‘supporting cast’ of the Original Generation pilots in Alpha 1, let’s talk about Irmgard Kazahara. He’s still kind of a rival and kind of a dick for a good chunk of the game similar to how he was originally in Alpha 1. Specifically he’s tied to Kusuha’s story as a sorta-rival, a decision I am making mostly because I think it’s funny to imagine Irm kidnapping Bullet and trying to turn him against Kusuha and creating a weirdly homoerotic/bisexual love-triangle. Also, just like in the OG-Series, Irm mainlines the Grungust Type-1 as his mech, rather than getting the Huckebein, as that makes him feel more like a rival to Kusuha, being a fellow Grungust pilot. Though I don’t really feel like giving him the Grungust Kai at this point? Like he’s got to have SOMETHING to upgrade into in later games.

Ring Mao is also actually a fair bit more prominent in this version of Alpha, essentially being a semi-antagonistic pseudo-rival for Ryoto and Rio to parallel Irm in Kusuha's route. Particularly given how one or both of them is either working for or otherwise affiliated with Mao Industries, given that they’re the ones who built the Huckebein MK-II that Ryoto and Rio will be transporting at the start of the game. Likewise, she ends up potentially joining with the Huckebein EX by the end of the game.

Finally, we have the Masou Kishin characters that appeared in Alpha 1 with Masaki Andoh, Lune Zoldark and Shu Shirakawa. Honestly there’s not too much I would want to change, outside of maybe doing some more playing around with and exploring just what an awkward and WEIRD position Masaki is put into thanks to Alpha’s whole ‘Bian Zoldark and the Divine Crusaders DON’T become bad guys’ twist.

Because remember, in Alpha 1 just like in the ‘Classic’, and ‘Original Generation’ series’, Masaki returns to the surface from La Gias chasing Shu who had just recently killed Masaki’s mentor and adopted father. Now in both the Classic and OG timelines, Shu being one of the founders and leaders of the Divine Crusaders, who by this point had started their big World-Domination plan, just created a nice convenient ‘shared enemy’ reason for Masaki to joins the other heroes. But then in Alpha, the Divine Crusaders DON’T become bad guys, along with Shu.

I mean, Masaki shows up back on Earth, chasing the man who killed his mentor and father-figure, only to find that man is one of the leading figures working and fighting to defend Earth and humanity from like four different alien invasions and counting. Like that’s GOT to be weird. I mean it’s not like Masaki is going to join the bad guys who want to conquer/destroy humanity just so he can kill Shu.

In fact, I think this could actually create a fun little dynamic between the three MK characters in Alpha: What if Lune ends up being the first person Masaki meets and join up with after returning to Earth? Similar to other versions of her character, Lune is greatly motivated by the loss of her father, Bian Zoldark. Except rather than wanting to avenge her father, here Lune is driven to SAVE her father as he’s been kidnapped by the Zanscare/Jupiter Empire. And I think it’s easy to imagine Masaki, having just recently lost his own father, feeling compelled to tag along to help his new friend, as well as learning what’s going on.

Aaaanndd that just makes things as the more awkward when Masaki and Lune end up joining up with the Alpha Numbers, and discovers that the guy who killed his father happens to not only be one of the major allies working to defend humanity, but is also a close associate of the FATHER of his new friend and partner Lune, and is even likewise working to save said father as well!

Just feels like there is some fun potential there XD

Also, this is a gameplay bit but both Masaki’s and Shu’s familiars would be treated as subpilots for them. I dunno it always just bugs me that they aren’t.

Also-also, I feel like there should be a secret Bad Ending for the final stage where you lose/screw-up the fight against Euzeth in just such a way that Shu ends up breaking out the Neo Granzon and proceeds to utterly WASTE Euzeth and the Arrogaters. Only to then of course turn right around and wipe out YOUR team as well.

I feel like that could be fun XD

Alright, now that we’ve covered the Original Generation characters who were originally in Alpha 1, we can talk about the ones that WEREN’T in Alpha 1, but whom I’m backporting from the OG-Series anyway. Either because it feels appropriate to include them or just because I think it would be fun XD

First off, Katina Tarask and Russel Bergman. Because yeah, if we’re giving Tasuku and Leona their OG-Series characterizations, it only feels appropriate that we should include the full Octo Squad. Not to mention them being present gives a good reason to include some decent Gespenst representation in this version of Alpha. In this version of events, Katina and Russel were assigned as test-pilots for the Gespenst program, or rather Katina was the test-pilot and Russel is there to be her proverbial punching bag, and when the development facility comes under attack from the Aerrogaters, Katina and Russel deploy in the production-model Type-S and Type-R Gespensts to defend it. This actually references an off-hand line in the original Alpha that the Gespenst development facility got destroyed by an Aerrogater attack, which is the in-universe reason why the Gespents aren’t really a thing in the Alpha series. So Katina and Russel being around in this version of Alpha leads to said facility being at least somewhat defended/salvaged and the Gespensts still seeing some, if limited, development/production in the following games. Though Katina and Russel are still the two main Gespenst pilots once they join the Alpha Numbers.

Next, let’s talk about what might be a controversial inclusion:

One Latooni Subota.

For one, I feel like Latooni actually makes a lot of sense to include. As while she’s not technically an Alpha character, she’s very closely tied to multiple characters and plotlines that originated in the Alpha series. She’s a former member of the ‘Boosted Children’ super-solider program and was/is close friends with Alpha 2 Protags Arado and Seolla, and she also has ties to the SRX Team via her use of the Wildraubtier and her, er… friendship with Ryusei. So again, while she may not have originated in the Alpha series, I think Latooni can still be considered ‘part’ of the Alpha cast and plotlines. I do feel like her parents Giado and Garnet can be relegated to minor guest appearances, considering how they didn’t end up doing much in the OG-series either before they both retired.

However! While this Alpha-version of Latooni is close with the SRX Team and even good friends with Ryusei, she does NOT develop a crush on him that leads to a bullshit love triangle with Mai. Instead, Latooni gets focused on what I think we can all agree is the FAR more preferable direction/character for her, in the form of our next backported OG-series character:

Princess Shine Hausen.

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Honestly, did you really expect me to NOT go with the yuri option? XD

Shine’s story in Alpha is a largely broad strokes version of how it played out in OG1, with most of the Original Generation-specific players/factions swapped out for more relevant Alpha-related ones (I think it’s VERY fun to imagine her being a classmate of Relena Peacecraft XD), with her being saved by and put under the protection of the Alpha Numbers and bodyguarded by Latooni, who she pretty quickly starts crushing one XD

Notably, rather than Divine Crusader Remnants (who again, aren’t evil in Alpha), Shine ends up later being kidnapped by the Zanscare/Jovian Empire of Victory Gundam. This ends up being relevant because those guys also captured Bian Zoldark in Alpha 1, meaning that have a reason to have access to the Valsion, therefore leading to Shine being brainwashed and plugged into a custom Valsion and thrown into battle against the heroes, only to be saved by Latooni. And Shine is also of course a potential secret guest unlock to appear in the final stage, piloting the Valsion Custom.

And you know, since we’re doing this remake with the benefit of hindsight, why don’t we just throw in one stage where the Alpha Numbers answer a distress signal to defend the still-under-construction Earth Cradle facility from an Arrogater attack? A stage which just so happens to include a guest pilot appearance from a mysterious silver-haired swordsman piloting a Grungust wielding a positively… Colossal Blade who deploys to absolutely SLAUGHTER the attackers. I think that could be fun XD

(Though to clarify, Sanger would be piloting the Grungust Type Zero rather than the Type-3. As that just makes a bit more sense, wouldn’t you say?)

And while we’re at it, why not have a different stage or two where you get guest appearances by a certain mysterious sunglasses-wearing pilot in a custom Red-and-Black Guarlion with a rather… overriding theme song? XD

Alright, now that we’ve covered the requisite Alpha Gaiden foreshadowing/fanservice, let’s talk about the last of the new playable Original Generation characters in this version of Alpha. Specifically, a character I think we can all agree we frankly SHOULD have gotten to see at some point in the Alpha series:

A playable Bian Zoldark in the Valsion.

I mean seriously, WHY did we not get this in the Alpha series originally? The Alpha games set up an alternate timeline where basically the original Fallen Hero Big Bad of both the first ‘Classic Timeline’ and the later retooled Original Generation series DIDN’T become a bad guy and remained one of the heroic forces for good in the setting… but we NEVER get him as a playable pilot or even SEE him in-mission?

Yeah, that’s bullshit and I would absolutely rectify that in this remake.

In this version of Alpha 1, Bian can absolutely show up during the final battle as a guest pilot in the Valsion. He also has Boss Stats and is one of, if not the most OP unit at your disposal.

Finally, going into any specific gameplay overhauls to Alpha 1, I would definitely want to make the secret unlocks a LOT less ‘mutually exclusive’. Like sure, it can be interesting to have to choose between two important unlocks, say; since there is probably only one Valsion at this point, maybe you have to choose between getting Princess Shine in the Valsion Custom or Bian Zoldark in the original Valsion as part of your guest reinforcements in the final stage.

But like, maybe don’t lock something like half the secrets in the game behind mutually exclusive route splits, you know?

By contrast, something that I think would be really fun to keep in some form in contrast to more recent SRW entries is how Alpha and other games of that time let you play around a bit with the ‘component units’ of the various combiner super robots, while still letting you deploy those robots in their combined forms so pre-mission unit selection wouldn’t be a nightmare. I just think it’s really cool when SRW does stuff like let you sortie Getter Robo or Dancougar and select the option that has them split into their component machines and fight a bit with those. Or letting any Gundams with Core-Block systems eject their core fighter if they’re destroyed. Heck, sense we’re including GaoGaiGar in this version of Alpha, why not have Cyborg Gai fighting on foot be playable? I’d kinda want to make him fight Alberto the Shockwave… XD

And sure, using the Squad System does make that mechanic a bit more complicated, especially with the four-mech squads we saw in Alpha 2 and 3. Obviously trying to rearrange squads of four in the field is going to be a LOT more complicated than the ‘Twin Battle’ system the OG-series used, but I think there are ways around it.

Say, maybe squads can’t be modified on the field, but can be on a battleship/carrier? Like any units that are currently loaded into the same ship can be rearranged into different squads before being redeployed? Which incidentally, would also be useful for consolidating squads that have lost units.

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Also, speaking of the Squad System; I would DEFINITELY want to add the Maximum Break mechanic. Just sort of a mashup of how it worked in both Z3 and OG 2nd XD

So, that covers everything I wanted to discuss for Alpha 1. And we are currently at almost nine pages…

Well, I guess I’ll see you on the next post where I’ll be discussing remake ideas for Alpha Gaiden.

Yep, this is going to be a BIG one… XD

(Feel free to make any comments or add your own ideas. Or just question what the hell am I thinking putting multiple days of work (and counting) into this weird little project :D)

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