CORRECTION: In an earlier draft of this piece, I had mentioned that LAN play could be utilized for local play. This is untrue, as you need all PS4 systems connected to the internet.

As a fan of the long-running Gundam franchise, I’ve played my fair share of video games based on the property. From Gundam Side Story 0079: Rise from the Ashes on the Dreamcast to the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam series, I’ve consumed some of the best and worst.

One of the better titles was Gundam Versus, which released in 2017 on the PlayStation 4. It was directed as a western-focused title that took cues from a series of fighting games in Japanese arcades. It was well-received, but many fans wished that they would someday get a faithful port of one of the arcade titles in the west. After playing Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On I definitely see what many were clamoring for.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On is fast-paced and mechanically sound

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On is a 2v2 team-based fighting game, so you have the opportunity to fight alongside a human player or an AI. This plays a lot into the strategy of the game that can be employed by communicating with your partner or giving out AI commands. Gundam Versus (2017) had 90 different units that were taken from 17 different shows, while this new title touts itself in having 183 playable mobile suits across 36 series. With such a broad range of units, experimenting with each of their strengths and how they can synergize with each other will be important if you want to become more skilled at the game.

Movement is fast-paced in the destructible 3D environments that Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On’s fights take place in. You can zip around with either the analog sticks or the d-pad, with movement being responsive and fluid thanks to a smoothly implemented lock-on system. There are standard melee and ranged attacks mapped to the face buttons with special moves tied to the triggers. It’s very easy to pick up and play, but has a high skill-ceiling thanks to various sub-mechanics.

Easy to pilot, difficult to master

One of these sub-mechanics comes within the resource meter. Each of the mobile suits has a cost via a points system. When destroyed, the points are taken off of a team’s resource meter. Once the resource meter is empty, that team loses. This introduces a risk/reward system where a team can choose to have weaker units that can die a few times or stronger units that can only afford to die once or twice.

When Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxiboost On releases, you’ll be able to play locally with players through splitscreen setup; while four users can utilize online play in order to do the 2v2 battle mode. Hopefully, Bandai Namco gives the game enough of a push so the online community remains active.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxiboost On is shaping up to be the ultimate fighting game based on the long-running mech anime. This is thanks to the sheer volume of content that is featured, but most importantly the solid mechanics which will take a great deal of time to properly master. Be sure to keep an eye on it when it releases in 2020.