Mech/Mecha game recommendations

[Jacko the Lantern]

As a kid I played Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Hawken, and later Titanfall.
Then during covid I discovered Armored Core, Lancer, and the Battletech universe. Which solidified my love for the “depressed people fighting each other with big ass robots” genre.
I like both the speedy humanoid Japanese mechas, and the big chonky stompy walker kinds, so any recommendations in any genre are appreciated!

 

[brawlerdiary]

armored warriors, cyberbots full metal madness, tech romancer. none are particularly depressing, 2 are fighters and one is a regular beat em up, capcom quality

 

[Jacko the Lantern]

armored warriors, cyberbots full metal madness, tech romancer. none are particularly depressing, 2 are fighters and one is a regular beat em up, capcom quality

Yeah I played Cyberbots with a friend of mine a couple times. The stages in that game are gorgeous.
Haven’t heard of the other two tho, might check them out.

 

[Deleted member 77791]

Now, Mech and Mecha are very different things. I do love Mech games but they are few, however Mecha games are not my cup of tea but whole Japanese video game library is filled with them (so it seems lol), however I somewhat enjoyed these games I played: Silent Line: Armored Core and Zone of the Enders series.

Silent Line: Armored Core offers high customisation, the only appealing factor of the Zone of the Enders series is "high speed mecha action" aspect.

I don't know much Mecha games but I heard about Daemon X Machina. It seems cool but I never even wanted to try it. Check it if you want.

As for Mech games, pretty much your only option is the MechWarrior series and S.L.A.I. on PS2 that's very similar to Hawken but then there are also Steambot Chronicles and Dark Cloud 2 with tiny mechs you can pilot akin to Hawken.

If you care to play mech turn-based games, check the Front Mission series.

Bonus: If you really want something retro you may wanna check CRW: Metal Jacket. It's translated into English recently as this is how I learned about the existence of the game. It's in my "games to play" list.

 

[Deleted member 525181]

Gundam Extreme Vs on the PS3.
Works really good on RPCS3 as well.

 

[merzbun]

gotta shoutout custom robo. doesnt fit the depressed people part but i remember playing some of the ds version as a kid and absolutely fucking loving it

 

[Zerohour2k12]

The SRW Series
Front Mission Series
Metal Wolf Chaos
DaemonXMachina
Strike Suit Zero
Gundam Musou and Breaker 4
Are just some I played.

 

[GundamJehutyKai]

if you're looking for Speedy Japanese mecha games then aside from the Armoured core series, Daemon x machina is a good shout.

For the more anime aesthetic there's the Zone of the enders games, the gundam breaker series, Various gundam Vs games (I'm particularly fond of Alliance vs ZAFT), The Another Century Episode trilogy (there is no game after ACE 3!!!), Macross on PS2. Macross Ace frontier on PSP as well as Gundam battle Chronicles...

It may also be worth checking out Robotic Alchemic Drive on PS2 as well. That's an interesting one where you play a child who controls a hulking mecha remotely like in Giant Robo or Tetsujin 28. so you need to find a place where you can see the mecha from where you are so you can control it properly.

 

[Vesthal]

The second Damascus game, it's a pocket size Diablo clone with mecha costumization. It's good but a little ripetitive (the first it's just unfair and bad). If you haven't play Transformers War of Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron, they are two really good fps

 

[AncientBehemoth]

Armored Warriors for MAMe/arcade

 

[NotReallyHere]

One of my favorite games to rent way back when was Krazy Ivan for the PS1. Pretty fun for a launch-era title! Also has some way over-the-top live-action cutscenes with bad accents and stereotypes all around.

Plus, it gave us this gem of a print ad, which I literally have framed on my living room wall:

Though I put a few choice "censor bars" over the diaper guy, because even I have my limits

The controls kinda suck, but they work fine once you get used to them. And the game is so short, you can beat it in a single sitting, so there's not much a time investment involved if you want to check it out! Pretty much the perfect weekend rental

 

[BigNerdSam]

So I got a few:

On PS1 I can recommend Polyphony's Omega Boost, where the same people that make Gran Turismo made a Starfox-Like where you're controlling a giant flying robot.

If you can tolerate tank controls then Brahma Force is a pretty speedy first-person mech game on PS1 I can also recommend. I played it for an hour two years ago, but it felt pretty solid for a tank controlled PS1 game.

Check out the Jumping Flash games, they're that wacky PS1 Aesthetic, but it's still a fun game featuring a giant robot rabbit. Also check out the developer's licensed Ghost in the Shell game, where you play as a Fuchikoma (it was licensing the manga), so I'd also call that a mecha.

Virtual On is a cool arcade mecha fighter, it's one of those Sega Arcade titles that gets forgotten until that one guy at RGG Studio goes down the list of Sega Arcade games to put in the game.

In 2D games I can recommend Cybernator/Assault Suits Valken and Metal Warriors: they're side scrollers but there are some cool mech control things I enjoy like how you have to boost to soften your landing.

Finally: just look at Fromsoft's catalog. They got old Armored Cores, they worked on Another Century's Episode (A crossover mecha game), Metal Wolf Chaos (A game Fromsoft was afraid would offend the USA somehow), and Murakumo Renegade Mech Pursuit (an arcadey chase shooter).

Two other titles that sort of fit but I hesitate to seriously recommend:

Earth Defense Force 4.1 and onwards feature mechs as a deployable unit for the Air Raider, assuming you can get RNG to drop them. Also arachnophobia warning: two of the enemy types in EDF are kaiju-sized spiders.

Robot Alchemic Drive is a really silly game with delightfully below-par voice acting and mecha controls I would compare to QWOP. I've been seeing it a lot lately because one of the main characters is just having the worst day of her life because of the giant robot fights destroying her town.

 

[Zerohour2k12]

Oh and there's also this one that came out recently.

 

[MrChester]

Sorry if this has already been said but if you've got friends to play with then 1v1 on Metal Warriors is really awesome and goofy. Scramble mode makes for a good drinking game

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

The Gundam Battle series on PSP nuff said

 

[LastValsion]

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG (English Patched) DS ROM – RGT Repository

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG (English Patched) DS ROM Download. Languages: English Patched. For the NDS.

retrogametalk.com

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

You could still play Hawken today it's been resurrected from the dead live service graveyard by amazing fans.

Hawakening

hawakening.com

 

[Xewmath]

Ring of Red. A Ps2 game that follows an alternate history of ww2. Gameplay is grid based strategy RPG with cinematic realtime action battles. Much like tanks required a squad to operate so does the mech your squad controls in this unique srpg.

 

[zakupunk]

2D Games:
Ranger-X (Mega Drive)
Bangai-O (Dreamcast)
Assualt Suit Leynos (the second one on the Saturn is better IMO)
Sakura Taisen (kinda more about the VN side of things but still has mecha TRPG stages)
Power Quest (Gameboy)
Gundam Battle Assualt 2 (PS1)
The Great Battle V (SNES)
Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime (Technically about tanks but I just wanted an excuse to mention it lol)
Blaster Master Zero series (Again more about tanks)
Xenogears (PS1)
Baldr Sky (PC)

3D Games:
Phantom Crash (Xbox, seriously don't sleep on this game, at least check out the OST)
Gundam Federation VS Zeon (Dreamcast/PS2)
Gundam VS Zeta Gundam (PS2)
Gundam: Zeonic Front (PS2)
Tech Romancer (Dreamcast)
Bulk Slash (Saturn)
Any of the Armored Core games (I personally prefer the PSP versions, faster load times)
Solatorobo (Does this count?)
Chōsōjū Mecha MG (DS)
Zone of the Enders 1/2 (PS2)
Synduality: Echo of Ada (Very divisive game, I enjoyed the beta)
SD Gundam Capsule Fighter (Real ones know, the game shutdown but private servers exist)

Upcoming Games:
The Scramble Vice (PC)
Break Arts (PC)

 

[evs kan]

Armored core titles on the ps2 were the best if you want to pilot. gungriffon blaze was ok on ps2 for a light arcade style jaunt. Front Mission 3 on ps1 is by far the best mech tactics game. Some russian dudes have made/continue to make a hacked hardmode version which i will play to death at some point. some gundam games are ok but theyve never hit the sweet spot

 

[tryrushdeppy3]

Mad Stalker for the X68000 is fun (it has ports but that is the only one I have played so far). I have heard the PS1 version has significant differences, looks interesting, but I have not tried that one yet.

 

[Jacko the Lantern]

You could still play Hawken today it's been resurrected from the dead live service graveyard by amazing fans.

Hawakening

hawakening.com

Oh my god...
I legit tought I will never see this game again. Played it a ton as a kid, and I played the fan revival back when it was just the tutorial.
Now I know what I'll spend my next weekend with.
Thanks!

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

Oh my god...
I legit tought I will never see this game again. Played it a ton as a kid, and I played the fan revival back when it was just the tutorial.
Now I know what I'll spend my next weekend with.
Thanks!

Yeah same here, they managed to get the servers code back. Also tempted to check with their Discord and play some few siege games.

 

[Jacko the Lantern]

Now, Mech and Mecha are very different things. I do love Mech games but they are few, however Mecha games are not my cup of tea but whole Japanese video game library is filled with them (so it seems lol), however I somewhat enjoyed these games I played: Silent Line: Armored Core and Zone of the Enders series.

Silent Line: Armored Core offers high customisation, the only appealing factor of the Zone of the Enders series is "high speed mecha action" aspect.

I don't know much Mecha games but I heard about Daemon X Machina. It seems cool but I never even wanted to try it. Check it if you want.

As for Mech games, pretty much your only option is the MechWarrior series and S.L.A.I. on PS2 that's very similar to Hawken but then there are also Steambot Chronicles and Dark Cloud 2 with tiny mechs you can pilot akin to Hawken.

If you care to play mech turn-based games, check the Front Mission series.

Bonus: If you really want something retro you may wanna check CRW: Metal Jacket. It's translated into English recently as this is how I learned about the existence of the game. It's in my "games to play" list.

I have been planning to dip my toes in the older Armored Core games.
I played For Answer during the covid lockdown, and it became maybe one of my favorite games ever.
Aside from that I only played through Verdict Day and 6, but I have been eyeing the older ones. Especially Last Raven. Mostly because the ost is my type of shit, and one of the main character is also called Jack-0.

Also I might check out that CRW: Metal Jacket game. Absolutely love how old PC-98 games look, and especially this one. Don't know why but the hand drawn anime art style made with pixel art techniques and shading is just pure eyecandy for me.

Post automatically merged: May 26, 2025

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG (English Patched) DS ROM – RGT Repository

Chou Soujuu Mecha MG (English Patched) DS ROM Download. Languages: English Patched. For the NDS.

retrogametalk.com

Oh hell yeah!
I have recently been playing this on my Iphone through Delta Emu. DS emulation works so damn well with smartphones, I'm honestly surprised game companies haven't made official ports for them.

Also this game is the closest I'll get to experience Seel Batallion

 

[BigNerdSam]

Hey posting again because I finally played Robot Alchemic Drive and I'd like to amend what I said about it below:

Two other titles that sort of fit but I hesitate to seriously recommend:

[...]

Robot Alchemic Drive is a really silly game with delightfully below-par voice acting and mecha controls I would compare to QWOP. I've been seeing it a lot lately because one of the main characters is just having the worst day of her life because of the giant robot fights destroying her town.

Robot Alchemic Drive is now a serious, sincere recommendation. I thought the game was just too silly when I only ever saw it under "games with wacky controls" and "games with hilariously bad voice acting"

You need to understand: the manual controls don't just make you feel like you're controlling a super robot, the manual controls make you feel like a stunt actor in a Megazord costume. Every step must be deliberate and planned, unless you stand on rooftops you won't have a clear view of what you're doing and even then depth perception betrays you. The physics of how the giant robots react to impacts and movement is intuitive, the fact that the game seems to have been discarded by Sandlot and Enix is tragic.