| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ace.jpeg]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | ''Another Century's Episode'' or "[[FunWithAcronyms A.C.E.]]" is a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover MechaGame series made by a combination of Creator/{{Banpresto}} (most famous for the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games) and Creator/FromSoftware (makers of the ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' series and ''VideoGame/MetalWolfChaos''). Simply put, think of A.C.E. as ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', but played in the style of ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore''. |
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| 5 | Much like ''Super Robot Wars'', the story in each game in the series is a mashup of multiple HumongousMecha series (mostly of the RealRobot variety), and revolves around a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum which happens to fall into the hands of an OriginalGeneration character. |
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| 7 | The games are lauded for managing to keep (nearly) each and every playable mecha completely true to their counterparts without sacrificing gameplay or fun in the process. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | ---- |
| 10 | The five games in the series are: |
| 11 | |
| 12 | * '''Another Century's Episode''' - The one that started it all. However, it's not officially counted as part of the series' timeline. Notable for the fact the two playable OriginalGeneration units, the [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Gespenst]] and the Cloud Breaker (from the Xbox game ''Murakumo'', also by From Software), don't have pilots acknowledged by the storyline. |
| 13 | ** Series debuted - ''Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine'', ''[[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness]]'', ''Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner'', ''Anime/BrainPowerd'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing New Mobile Report Gundam Wing]]'', ''Anime/MetalArmorDragonar'', ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', ''Anime/HeavyMetalLGaim'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack''. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | * '''Another Century's Episode 2''' - A ContinuityReboot of the story and features the series' first true OriginalGeneration characters "Tak Kepford" and "Marina Carson". Storyline centers around the failing UCE government, which not only has to deal with uprisings from the Giganos Empire, [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Delaz Fleet]], the [[Anime/BrainPowerd Reclaimers]] and the [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Jovian Lizards]], but also has to contend with the otherworldly advances of the [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Drake Army]], [[Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner Grados]]/[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Glados]], Poseidal, and ultimately, the [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross Zentraedi fleet]]. |
| 16 | ** Returning series - ''Dunbine'', ''Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness'', ''Layzner'', ''Brain Powerd'', ''Dragonar'', ''L-Gaim'', ''Char's Counterattack'' |
| 17 | ** Series debuted - ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory'', ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'', ''Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove'', ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'', ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz]]'', ''Anime/TheWingsOfRean'' |
| 18 | * '''Another Century's Episode 3: The Final''' - Continues and finishes the continuity from the previous game. Storyline centers around the "Baldona Drive", a device allowing travel between an AlternateUniverse and threatens to destroy both "Earth A" (the one in A.C.E.2) and its counterpart "Earth B". Notable for the fact that while A.C.E.2 brought in [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]], The Final decided to be more blatant about letting {{super robot}}s in on the action. |
| 19 | ** Returning series - ''Dunbine'', ''Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness'', ''Brain Powerd'', ''Dragonar'', ''Char's Counterattack'', ''Macross'', ''Macross: Do You Remember Love?'', ''G Gundam'', ''Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz'', ''The Wings Of Rean'' |
| 20 | ** Series debuted - ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo Armageddon]]'', ''Anime/OvermanKingGainer'', ''[[Anime/EurekaSeven Psalm of Planets Eureka Seven]]'', ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'', ''Anime/MacrossPlus'', ''Anime/TurnAGundam'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' |
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| 22 | * '''Another Century's Episode: R''' - The [[TrilogyCreep fourth game]] in the series (and the first for the Platform/PlayStation3), R sees characters from a myriad of anime worlds get caught in a mysterious "black sphere" and dumped in a parallel universe on the distant, ruined Planet Eria. WordOfGod confirmed it's unfinished, since ''R'' will be used as a testbed for the new hardware, alongside revamping the franchise. To that end, each series is limited to its "essential core characters" as playables, with visuals and gameplay being the primary focus rather than the massive cast list of the previous game. |
| 23 | ** Returning series - ''Zeta Gundam'', ''Char's Counterattack'', ''Overman King Gainer'' |
| 24 | ** Series debuted - ''Anime/SuperDimensionCenturyOrguss'', ''Manga/MobileSuitCrossboneGundam'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'', ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', ''[[Anime/CodeGeass Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2]]'', ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'', ''Anime/MacrossZero'', ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'', ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'', [[spoiler:''[[VideoGame/ArmoredCore Armored Core: Master of Arena]]'']]. |
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| 26 | * '''Another Century's Episode Portable''' - Released in early 2011, this Platform/PlaystationPortable installment is viewed as an AuthorsSavingThrow against the failed elements of ''R'', as seen by the return of the classic control scheme. However, the game does not have an overall plotline, instead simply being something like a MissionPackSequel. |
| 27 | ** Returning series - ''Layzner'', ''Brain Powerd'', ''Overman King Gainer'', ''Dunbine'', ''The Wings Of Rean'', ''Code Geass R2'', ''Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness'', ''L-Gaim'', ''Dragonar'', ''Zeta Gundam'', ''Char's Counterattack'', ''Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz'', ''Gundam X'', ''Turn A Gundam'', ''Gundam SEED Destiny'', ''Macross Plus'', ''Macross Frontier'' |
| 28 | ** Series debuted - ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'', ''[[Anime/NGKnightLamune40 VS Knight Lamune & 40 Fire]]'', ''[[Anime/EurekaSeven Eureka Seven: Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers]]'' |
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| 30 | ---- |
| 31 | !!Tropes found within the games which are '''separate from/contrary to''' the series the characters and mecha originated from include: |
| 32 | |
| 33 | * AceCustom: Belkt's black/red Gun Ark, the "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Blood Ark]]" |
| 34 | * AdaptationDistillation |
| 35 | * AIIsACrapshoot: According to the backstory of R, [[spoiler: humans colonized Eria, only to be randomly attacked by automated drones they dubbed "Aggressors". Eventually, they developed a planetary shield and defense system, maintained by the Season androids. Unfortunately, for some reason or another, their leader Winter One decided that humanity had to go]]. |
| 36 | ** [[spoiler: Until it's subverted at the last moment when Dr. Shiki, a human who secretly had his mind inserted into Winter One, takes control of the android's body and shows himself to be responsible for turning the Seasons against humanity. Winter One himself isn't above sending his "siblings" to carry out suicide attacks or outright shooting them in the back if doing so distracts the heroes from his works although this may or may not be an indirect result of Shiki's influence as well]]. |
| 37 | * AlphaStrike: The Ex-Blau Form-H in 3 can do this, firing all of its weapons at a single target. It's possible to severely damage if not outright kill bosses with this attack (which comprises micromissiles, rockets, shotguns, beam shots, a small wave motion gun, and artillery gun). |
| 38 | * AntiVillain: [[spoiler:Fidel Barkhorst from ''2'' is a Type IV (Villain InNameOnly); he doesn't want to hurt anybody, least of all the heroes, but he wants to use the Guardian System to fight off the [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross Zentraedi]] in order to prove to the UCE that they were wrong to [[IgnoredExpert ignore his father's warnings]]. Marina qualifies as a [[TheDragon Dragon]]-in-Name-Only, since she supports his plan fully but likewise goes out of her way not to harm the good guys, which is what ends up cluing them into her identity (if the bad guys have access to a KillSat, [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim why haven't they just wiped the Albion and Nadesico off the map with it]]?)]] |
| 39 | * AppliedPhlebotinum: The "E2" energy source in the first two games, specific types of DNA in the second two |
| 40 | * AttackDrone |
| 41 | ** In the first two games, [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam funnels]] are this, but they come with an immense caveat: once launched, they remain in play, firing at whatever you're locked on to at the moment for a set time, upon which they experience CriticalExistenceFailure. Unlike other weapons, they [[BottomlessMagazines cannot be reloaded]]. |
| 42 | ** 3 has funnels, as well, and the original mecha "Ixblau" has a MechaExpansionPack that gives it its own set of {{attack drone}}s. Here, said drones return to you and recharge once they've spent an amount of time in the field, but they can also be destroyed by enemy fire...and you ''still'' can't restock them. |
| 43 | * AwesomeButImpractical: [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Master Gundam]] in 3; on one hand, you get to control CoolOldGuy Master Asia and the machine can go into two successive {{super mode}}s...on the other hand, most of its attacks either require a bit of startup time, aren't exactly effective against moving targets (which is just about everything in the game), or both. |
| 44 | ** There's some TheComputerIsACheatingBastard with this one because, when the AI uses the Master Gundam, it's hell to fight. |
| 45 | * BackToBackBadasses: [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Kamille Bidan, Quattro Bajeena and Amuro Ray]] do this with [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Shinn Asuka, Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala]] in R. And it is [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]]. |
| 46 | * BattleshipRaid: The battle against Reinen's submarine in 2 |
| 47 | * BigDamnHeroes: All over the place. In fact, the sole purpose ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]'' characters seem to exist in the latter two games is pulling these off. On the other hand... |
| 48 | * {{Bookends}}: The series in of itself loves this. For example, the first and last games in the original ACE trilogy have their intros consisting of the playable robots dismantling a large military force in a somehow abandoned city. The latter kicks things up a notch by replacing the enemy's tanks and jets with [[{{Franchise/Gundam}} mobile suits]] that still get blown to smithereens by the heroes regardless. |
| 49 | ** A more subtle example happens at the end of said introductions, where the heroes fly away into the distance at the end. In ACE 1, the mecha fly away at breakneck speed, with Akito Tenkawa of [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Nadesico]] infamy in his [[AceCustom Black Selena]] just managing to keep up with the pack. Flash forward two years for ACE 3, and now he leads the protagonist flight at the end of the game's intro as they fly off into the distance. |
| 50 | ** ACE 2 has bookends of its own in-story, as it begins and ends with OriginalGeneration characters Tak and Marina in a private conversation, during a fight. |
| 51 | ** The intro to ACE R begins and ends with the [[Anime/GenesisOfAquarion Aquarion]] falling from the sky into a desert. |
| 52 | * BoringButPractical: The fifth Gespenst unit in A.C.E Portable. All of its variation packs have little weapon variety and short melee combos, but it has above average power and high base stats. |
| 53 | * BossRush: Two {{secret level}}s in the latter two games are devoted to this |
| 54 | * BottomlessMagazines: The franchise moved in this direction over time. In the first two games, ammunition was pretty reasonable, but in the third, everyone's main weapon had a large amount of shots ''and'' reloaded very quickly (in the area of 5-8 seconds). ''R'' just says to hell with it and gives infinite ammo to everyone's primary gun, but everything else runs off of a "Tension" meter which builds by attacking, taking damage, and from some support abilities, such as [[Anime/CodeGeass Zero's Geass]]. This odd set-up means that weaker weapons like [[{{Franchise/Gundam}} Mobile Suits]]' [[PointDefenseless vulcan guns]] or [[Anime/CodeGeass Knightmare Frames]]' [[GrapplingHookGun slash harkens]] cost Tension while beam rifles, grenade launchers and the like can be used freely. |
| 55 | * BraggingRightsReward: Arguably one of the things making the games so much fun is [[HundredPercentCompletion doing everything, completing every hidden mission, saving up billions upon billions of points]], all for the sake of unlocking new mecha to play with, despite the fact you don't actually ''need'' them to finish the game, and in actuality, you probably won't obtain until your third or fourth playthrough |
| 56 | ** Unlocking [[spoiler: Nineball Seraph]] in R due to it being usable in only one mission, but hey, [[spoiler: playable Nineball!]] |
| 57 | * BreakThemByTalking: Before fighting the BigBad [[spoiler: Dr. Shiki]] in R, the heroes are treated to a long speech on the rationale behind everything that has transpired, [[spoiler: including the Seasons' extermination campaign against human colonists on Eria: 1.) Shiki began thinking of [[MetaphoricallyTrue "liberating the colonists from the misery of war"]] upon conclusion that breach of the A.C.E. system by the Aggressors might take a long time but is ultimately inevitable, 2.) defending billions of human beings is not as efficient as defending a boxed collection of sperms and eggs, and 3.) removing the human presence means no more man-made pollutions or catastrophes, thereby preserving Eria's Eco-system]]. He goes on to portray his actions as an act of mercy for the colonists of Eria, but the heroes being heroes naturally just don't at all buy into it. Finally he proceeds to announce his intention of harvesting the heroes for body parts, a move that most likely isn't helping his cause, either...... |
| 58 | * CallAHitPointASmeerp: Hit points in all three games is referred to as "AP" or "Armor Points", as a reflection of ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'''s system. |
| 59 | * CallingYourAttacks: [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Domon Kasshu and Master Asia]] do this the most (indeed, the first time per stage that they activate their LimitBreak attacks results in the action pausing while they do their famous battle chants); the [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Aestivalis pilots]] do this in 2 (only [[{{Fangirl}} Hikaru Amano]] retains the habit in 3); and the [[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Team]] makes great use of their HotBlooded-ness for it |
| 60 | ** Also of note (usually only calling one attack out of many) are [[Anime/MetalArmorDragonar Kaine Wakaba]] (DRAGONAR SANMAI OROSHI!), [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Gainer Sanga]] (OVERHEAT!), [[Anime/EurekaSeven Renton Thurston and Eureka]] (CUT-BACK DROP TURN!), [[Anime/TurnAGundam Gym Ghingnham]] (GEKKOU CHOU [[VerbalTic DE ARUUUU]]!); and [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Cham Fau]] (HISSATSU! HYPER AURAGIRI!) |
| 61 | * TheCameo: Near the end of R, the head of Season sics [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/ArmoredCore Nineball Seraph]]]] on you. |
| 62 | * TheCaptain: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Bright Noa]] in A.C.E., [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Eiphar Synapse]] in 2, [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Ruri Hoshino]] in 3, and both Autumn-Four and [[Anime/MacrossFrontier Jeffery Wilder]] in R. |
| 63 | * CastFromHitPoints: The "Guardian Attack" in 2. The most notable thing about it is you can cause yourself a CriticalExistenceFailure if you use it while low on AP. |
| 64 | ** R's support abilities are also this, whenever the player commands a unit to perform the action. This can get a little annoying, as it's the only way to perform a CombinationAttack. |
| 65 | * CharacterLevel: Subversion: mecha gain levels instead of the pilots. |
| 66 | * ChargedAttack |
| 67 | * ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Gai Daigoji]] in 3. Despite surviving to the very end of the second game, he's nowhere in sight in the third and no explanation of what happened to him is given. |
| 68 | ** Ditto to Tak, TheHero of 2. In The Final, LoveInterest Marina turns up as a playable character in Tak's mecha, and the dialog before the final stage has her implying that there's someone important to her to come back to, but it's never said where he is or why he's not here himself. |
| 69 | * {{Combos}} |
| 70 | * CombinationAttack: A large part of the gameplay in the latter two games revolves around filling up a "Friend Gauge" to facilitate having all three mechs in your squad unload on a single enemy, with any nearby {{mooks}} getting caught in the crossfire. There's even an entire strategy revolving around creating squads of specific mechs to unleash stronger combos |
| 71 | * ContinuityReboot: 2 completely rejects the canon of the first |
| 72 | * ContinuityNod: The Ark series from 2 is powered by E2 from the first game; R includes a reference to [[spoiler:the Baldona Drive]] from 3. |
| 73 | * CrapsackWorld / AfterTheEnd: "Earth B" in 3, thanks to it being the home of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]], Anime/OvermanKingGainer and [[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo Armageddon]] |
| 74 | * DebutQueue: In R, the player picks a series to start with and experiences a couple of missions purely from its source material before the "black sphere" teleports them to Eria. Shortly thereafter, they meet about half the cast; over the course of the next two or three stages, they meet the other half, which necessitates a lot of introductions and {{Exposition}} (so newcomers know what an [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Exodus]], [[Anime/CodeGeass Britannian]] and Anime/{{M|acrossFrontier}}iclone are) |
| 75 | * DefrostingIceQueen: Marina, as shown in flashbacks about her and Tak's past in 2 |
| 76 | * DemotedToExtra: Isn't it sad, [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Burning?]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Noin?]] [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Sara?]] [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Shiratori?]] [[Anime/CodeGeass Toudou?]] And those are just the characters who at least got ''speaking'' roles. |
| 77 | ** R has quite a bit of this, since the "black sphere" means that we see brief snippets of events in every series' home world before only the select few playables get pulled away. |
| 78 | ** In a larger sense, ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]''. In the original ''ACE'' it played a large role in the overall plot, complete with Romefeller Foundation HQ serving as the headquarters of the UCE. In 2, the characters are mainly there to play BigDamnHeroes, without even enacting ''Endless Waltz'''s plot (Wu Fei still rebels, but without the larger backstory of the Mariemaia Rebellion it looks more like he's throwing a temper tantrum). The Final takes it even further by only having Heero appear or even be mentioned out of the entire cast. |
| 79 | * {{Determinator}}: Tak's a pro at this |
| 80 | * DesperationAttack: Several mechs in 3 have this in the form of a SuperMode |
| 81 | * DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: 3's final boss is [[spoiler:Belkt piloting the Shin Dragon in its reality-shattering, Jovian-moon-destroying final form]] |
| 82 | ** And if you're playing as the [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam God Gundam, Master Gundam]] or [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Alstroemeia]], you ''literally'' get to punch him out |
| 83 | * DifficultyLevels: "Rookie", "Pilot", "Veteran", and "[[TitleDrop ACE]]" |
| 84 | ** 3 adds in [[HarderThanHard True A.C.E.]] |
| 85 | * DownerEnding: The first game: [[spoiler:due to a SadisticChoice, you're forced to massacre civilians in a "needs of the many" situation. After taking out [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Hokushin]], you chase [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Char Aznable]] to Mars and take care of him, too. Unfortunately, the [[TheFederation UCE Government]] has now labeled all of [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Londo Bell]] to be traitors and mass-murderers, forcing the heroes to go into hiding]]. The only remotely-good thing to come out of this debacle is a suggestion given by the narrator [[spoiler:that the disgraced heroes are protecting Earth from the shadows, because they're heroes and that's what they do]]. The answer as to whether this is supposed to be a hint at a new adventure or just a HopeSpot will never be known since the sequels then proceed to throw this storyline out the window. |
| 86 | ** Shin Kudo in R ends up no closer to finding Sara Nome by the conclusion of his story. That, and see YouCantGoHomeAgain entry below. |
| 87 | * DualBoss: Used quite often. Just to name a few: |
| 88 | ** [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Todd Guiness and Jeryl Coochibi]] are often paired with their {{spiritual successor}}s/{{exp|y}}ies [[Anime/BrainPowerd Johnathan Glenn and Quincy Issa]] respectively, to show how similar they are |
| 89 | ** After Todd's KilledOffForReal, Johnathan then hooks up with Dunbine's own BlackKnight, who himself swaps partners and teams with Jeryl after Johnathan and Quincy are absorbed by Orphan |
| 90 | ** [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Akito Tenkawa and Gai Daigouji]] attempt to keep you from preventing the Nadesico's departure to Mars in an amusing LetsYouAndHimFight situation |
| 91 | ** The members of [[Anime/MetalArmorDragonar Dragonar's]] QuirkyMinibossSquad love attacking you in pairs. In the final battle against them after two of their members are KilledOffForReal, the remaining ones become a rare example of a "Trio Boss" |
| 92 | ** Another Trio Boss shows up in the form of Layzner's Lu Cain, Gostello and Getey all teaming up to stomp you when you [[StormingTheCastle storm their tower]] |
| 93 | ** Depending on what path you take, you'll either wind up facing the combined might of the [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Frost Brothers]] once or twice |
| 94 | ** [[Anime/EurekaSeven Charles and Ray Beams]] also attack in a pair, and their speed and the tendency of one to hit you while you're locked on to the other makes them [[ThatOneBoss really frustrating to deal with]] |
| 95 | ** Dragonar's Meio Plato teams up with the BigBad of [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico The Prince of Darkness]] for one of these |
| 96 | ** [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Cynthia Lane and Artham Boone]] pop up twice for this kind of fight. Cynthia then gets a playmate in the form of ThatOneBoss and fellow {{yandere}} [[Anime/EurekaSeven Anemone]]... |
| 97 | ** 3 plays this one to the very end, as in the second-to-last level, you're faced with [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Gyunei Guss and Quess Paraya]], piloting a EliteMook and LightningBruiser-class mecha. When you're done with them, you find out they're just part of a BossRush, and now '''Char Aznable''' is coming at you in his Sazabi... |
| 98 | ** The BossRush levels effectively live off this trope. It's at its very, ''very'' worst in 2 when the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Neue Ziel]] (already ThatOneBoss on its own) gains a dream-team partner in the Sazabi |
| 99 | * EarlyBirdCameo: The custom Gespensts used by Kai, Katina and Russel in The Second Super Robot Wars Original Generation made their debut in ACE Portable. |
| 100 | * EscortMission: Quite a few, but the most frustrating is the final ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' mission in 3, due to being surrounded on all sides by infinitely respawning Corallians who can literally start taking chunks out of the Gekko |
| 101 | ** Until you realize the large Coralians on the far sides of the map are {{Mook Maker}}s. And that Valkyries are the best units to use against large numbers of enemies, thanks to MacrossMissileMassacre and MoreDakka. (And in Roy's case, ''nukes''.) |
| 102 | * EvolvingAttack: Melee combos in 2 evolve as you pour points into upgrading them. {{Combination Attack}}s in 3 evolve based on the amount of experience each mech participating has. |
| 103 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Summer One in ''R'']] gets to die at his own accord by going down with his mecha following his second loss at the heroes' hands. His "siblings" aren't even so lucky. |
| 104 | * FacialMarkings: Hard to see when he has his helmet on, but Tak has a rather intricate pattern on the right side of his face |
| 105 | * FallingIntoTheCockpit: Subverted: Barrel's practically dragged into the Ixblau's cockpit and made to fight by co-pilot Fei. |
| 106 | * {{Fanservice}}: A tiny bit of the regular kind in the later ones (being an anime crossover, after all), even though you only see the characters a bit, but ''Anime/CodeGeass'' fans may get a kick out of [[spoiler: Lelouch Lamperouge squirming in terror at the fact his Geass does not work on Autumn, but in his usual fashion, he recovers quickly and [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots figures out exactly WHY it didn't work]], as well [[TheChessmaster as helping to reveal said conclusion in front of everyone, all within the span of one mission]]]]. |
| 107 | * FighterLaunchingSequence: Due to the heavy usage of Real Robots in the series, this was an incredibly common occurrence in the series' first three entries, which each installment handling them differently due to the presentation. Of note is ACE 2, which involves the catapult and flight deck of the protagonist's flagship folding out to make a runway that reveals the player's chosen mecha. This also shows off a genre shift by adding cut-ins of the pilot's eyeline shouting either a catchphrase or requesting permission to launch. A subtly comedic example of this is the [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Billbine]], where [[ManicPixieDreamGirl Cham Fau]] attempts to authorize it for launch, only for Show Zama, its pilot to brush her out of the way and say it himself. |
| 108 | * FixFic: The series goes about happily preventing the deaths of popular characters who die in their original series, a la [=SRW=]. |
| 109 | * ForcedTutorial: Every single time you play through 2's story mode. |
| 110 | * FreudianExcuse: In 3, Belkt wants to cause a double EarthShatteringKaboom because of daddy issues. [[spoiler:His "father", Gil Baldona, created the [[TeleportersAndTransporters Baldona Drive]] and found himself TrappedInAnotherWorld. He made Belkt as a ReplacementGoldfish for his son, Barrel, but was going to abandon him to try to get back to his original world and son, leaving Belkt to be hunted down by the [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX New Federation]] because of his ability to control the Baldona Drive. Unable to bear what a crapsack life he's leading compared to Barrel's, he decides [[OmnicidalManiac both worlds gotta go]]]] |
| 111 | * GenerationShips: [[spoiler:Ark Alpha houses the personal data of the humans stranded on Eria, and was designed with the intent to let them escape the planet and the control of Season]] |
| 112 | * GenreShift: By the way each game represents the story: the first seems to be realistic mecha simulation, similar to VideoGame/ArmoredCore, with an anime setting. The only face the player will see during a mission is [[MissionControl his operator]] and the avatar character is a [[FeaturelessProtagonist nondescript pilot]]. 2 shifts toward anime and less of realism, with the player actually seeing the protagonist during cutscenes. Tak's solid with personality and a background story. Still, aside from a few flashbacks and mission briefings, the player will never see Tak interact with other characters outside of battles (they use voicemail to contact him personally), and there are various reports which the player can read to learn about events beyond his scope. The Final slides even more towards an anime feeling, with Barrel actually talking to his fellow pilots before their sorties and everything is represented through dialogue |
| 113 | * HeroicSacrifice: Marina's whole reason for being in 2 seems to be to attempt these for the sake of Tak, but he insists it would NOT [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy make him happy]] |
| 114 | * HighAltitudeBattle: The fact there are so many of these is the reason units who, while unable to fly in their original series, have no problem doing so here |
| 115 | ** Subverted somewhat in R: Variable Fighters from Macross franchise are no longer capable of sustained flight in Battroid mode; also, when the heroes proceed to ascend towards space, [[Literature/FullMetalPanic Arm Slaves]], Mobile Suits from [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Universal]] [[Manga/MobileSuitCrossboneGundam Century]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Cosmic Era]] universes, Anime/{{Overm|anKingGainer}}en, and the [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Earth Federation Army robots]] break off from the party to storm an orbital elevator rather than sitting out on actions (as most of them cannot leave planetary atmospheres under their own power, much less defend their capital ships along the way). In addition to being a diversionary attack, this move also serves to utilize the elevator, which can catapult them into space to link up with the rest of the party if they do slip past local enemy defenses. |
| 116 | * IdleAnimation: Certain mechs in 3, but only on the ground. The Anime/TurnAGundam will rotate its head 180 degrees for a few seconds, then sit down and somehow pull out a clothesline which it will hang between its hands. The Overman "Dominator" is the only mech in the game with aerial idle animations; doing gymnastic stretches that cycle between three different forms every time you hang in the air long enough. |
| 117 | ** Units from ''Anime/OvermanKingGainer'' will break into the infamous "Monkey Dance" performed during the series' DancingTheme. |
| 118 | * IgnoredExpert: Albert Reinen, who predicted an alien invasion and tried to sell the Federation on his defense system. They dismissed him, but several years later the Zentraedi come calling... |
| 119 | * IntercontinuityCrossover: R is considered a Side Story to VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration, explaining why Ryusei and his friends were here in the first place. Which results to... |
| 120 | ** Resolved PlotHole / ContinuityCameo: The storyline of R is mentioned in first stage of the Masaki Route of 2nd Original Generation. |
| 121 | * ItsUpToYou |
| 122 | * JackOfAllStats: Several mobile suits from Universal Century, especially the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory GP01]]. |
| 123 | * JokeCharacter: Marina's Feather Ark in 2, the RX-78-2 Gundam and the [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Gatchko]] in 3 |
| 124 | ** The [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Gespenst MK II M]] in the original game isn't quite a joke character, but is hands-down the weakest machine in the game, thus treated as such by the fan community; beating the game with an stock Gespenst is considered the "ironman" challenge |
| 125 | ** The RX-78-2 is more a LethalJokeCharacter, considering it's ''hideously'' overpowered to the point of GameBreaker: while it shoots slow for most weapons and has insanely long reload times, the damage is absolutely insane to the point where even bosses go down in a few well-placed shots |
| 126 | ** Bonta-kun in R. |
| 127 | *** Bonta-kun is a ''god'' compared to Luca Angeloni's [[Anime/MacrossFrontier RVF-25]]. Absolutely pitiful damage from its primary ranged weapon, an almost nonexistent melee combo string, and its only Tension ability being to futz with enemy missiles make for a difficult time fighting just about ''anything''. It gains some useful skills in its "Super" configuration, but said configuration is only available for ''five levels'' at the tail end of the game, one of which is ThatOneLevel. |
| 128 | * KillSat: The Guardian System for the Gun Ark and Buster Ark in 2 |
| 129 | * LatexSpaceSuit |
| 130 | * LoadingScreen: R runs a unique tutorial during the hard drive installation to keep the player busy |
| 131 | * TheManBehindTheMan |
| 132 | ** [[spoiler: Fidel Barkholz in 2. He acts as TheProfessor while in front of the Albion's crew and regularly sends Tak information via e-mail, but turns out to be a TreacherousAdvisor and the one responsible for giving Marina the Buster Ark and sending her and platoons of MechaMooks off to get in the way of the Albion's forces]]. |
| 133 | ** [[spoiler: Dr. Shiki in R. Although both the Doctor and the Seasons want all humans on Eria dead, the Seasons simply sees it as a conquest whereas Dr. Shiki sees it as an expression of his twisted vision of saving the world, and Winter One himself wasn't very happy to find out that Shiki isn't quite dead as everyone was led to believe]]. |
| 134 | %% Zero context example, please replace with either CoolMask or MaskOfPower * MaskPower: Belkt, during the first half of The Final |
| 135 | * MeaningfulName: Autumn-Four's mecha is named [[SpellMyNameWithAnS "Alpheart"]] because it's the heart of the [[CoolShip Ark-Alpha]] |
| 136 | * MechaExpansionPack: Subverted in 2, wherein the Gun-Ark receives various weapon upgrades that don't alter its appearance in any way |
| 137 | ** Played totally straight in 3, with the Ixblau given four expansion packs: '''[[CoolSword B]]'''lade, '''[[FragileSpeedster G]]'''-force, '''[[MoreDakka H]]'''eavy, and '''[[AttackDrone T]]'''elekinesis. |
| 138 | * MetaphoricallyTrue: Recall AuthorsSavingThrow: it turns out Terada was just referring to '''characters''', resulting in a large number of [[SecretCharacter secret units]] being downgrades (for example, Crossbone X-1, [[Literature/FullMetalPanic Sousuke Sagara's M9 Gernsback]], and the original Lancelot and Guren MK II), apparently because they weren't willing to expand beyond the "core characters", ''despite'' the surprising number of peripheral characters who get full voice acting AND their mecha worked into the game. |
| 139 | * MookMaker: Every enemy ship and/or base |
| 140 | * MoreDakka: Several mechs shoot A LOT of stuff, but the Heavyarms in 1 and 2, and the Alteisen Reise in R take the cake. |
| 141 | * MundaneMadeAwesome: In R: [[Literature/FullMetalPanic Arm Slave]] Units cannot fly (And thus, cannot use the boost gauge), but Arbalest can go to any enemy you want it to using only its knife, and it has a handy dodge roll which can be abused to gain speed. |
| 142 | ** Then when you get to the space stages the Arm Slaves gain flight (Presumably due to the lack of gravity), they also gain the ability to boost without using any sort of visible booster. |
| 143 | * OhCrap: While there are many times, being a cross-over series, in ACE:R, any VideoGame/ArmoredCore player will be terrified to see [[ThatOneBoss Nineball Seraph]] [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere appear as a cameo boss battle]] [[spoiler:(and if anyone might be thinking that at least the fight would be three-on-one, it ''isn't'')]]. Can also diverge into ThisIsGonnaSuck when the fight actually begins. |
| 144 | * OnlySixFaces: Meta-example: Barrel and Fei strongly resemble the male protagonist and Elizabeth from VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}. |
| 145 | ** That's because they share the same character designer, Shigenori Soejima |
| 146 | * OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Barrel. |
| 147 | * OriginalGeneration: Tak Kepford, Marina Carson and the Ark series from ''2''; Barrel Orland, Fei Roshande, Belkt and the Ixblau from ''''3; Autumn-Four, Ark-Alpha, Alpheart and Season from ''R''. |
| 148 | * OverlyLongFightingAnimation: Strange for the type of game, but Cybuster's specials are completely overdone in R to insane levels, especialy Cosmo Nova. |
| 149 | * PersonalityChip: [[spoiler:Autumn Four has the "Sentimental Circuit", which was damaged in the prologue, leading her to being an EmotionlessGirl with occasional moments of "noise" from the Circuit (like her finding Bonta-kun adorable). As it turns out, all Season androids have the same Circuits in order to let them work better with humanity; obviously, it didn't work]] |
| 150 | * PowerCreepPowerSeep: All over the place, with the most glaring example being the [[Manga/GetterRobo Shin Getter Robo]] in The Final. The SuperRobot capable of cutting ''stars'' in half in its home series is FAR outclassed by the likes of Kira Yamato and Heero |
| 151 | ** {{Justified|Trope}} since the Shin Dragon isn't there to pump up its energy and the machine got trashed a few times, anyways. |
| 152 | * PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Deathscythe Hell and Sandrock]] are the original perpetrators, since whenever they {{throw|ingYourSwordAlwaysWorks}} their weapons, they come right back, then 3 went and made weapons of that sort, able to ''lock-on to and destroy tens of enemies all at once'' |
| 153 | * PreOrderBonus: R has Amuro's custom Zeta Gundam, originally seen in the IMAX film ''Green Divers'' and later in ''Gundam Evolve'' |
| 154 | ** To be more specific, everyone can unlock it. The pre-order code just let you get it earlier than normal. |
| 155 | * RammingAlwaysWorks: How the [[Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner Layzner]]'s V-MAX System works in ACE, as well as what the Black Selena and Nirvash's melee attacks look like. |
| 156 | * RedemptionEqualsDeath: Part of the reason Marina's so eager to go the whole HeroicSacrifice route in 2, but [[spoiler: Belkt does this [[KilledOffForReal for real]] at the end of The Final]] |
| 157 | * TheRemnant: Meio Plato's Ex-Giganos group in 3, brought about due to prodding from [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Neo-Zeon]] and [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico the Martian Successors]] |
| 158 | * RidiculouslyHumanRobots: [[spoiler:All of the OriginalGeneration characters appearing in R, Autumn Four included. This doesn't include the ACTUAL [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration OG characters]] of course...]] |
| 159 | * TheRival: When [[Anime/MacrossFrontier Mikael Blanc]] introduces himself as a sniper, [[Literature/FullMetalPanic Kurz Weber]] cheerfully remarks "I guess that makes you my rival," which Mikael cheerfully confirms. |
| 160 | * SavingTheWorld: The first two games. |
| 161 | ** SaveBothWorlds: 3. |
| 162 | * SceneryPorn: In R, a number of levels feature stunning vistas as backdrops. |
| 163 | * ScoringPoints: To wit the points can be used in exchange for upgrades and new mecha. |
| 164 | * ScrollingText: Done in order to get the exposition out in The Final. |
| 165 | * SecretCharacter: Half the fun is collecting them all. |
| 166 | * SelfMadeOrphan: [[spoiler:Belkt killed his "father" Gil before the latter could attempt to return to his home world.]] |
| 167 | * SetSwordsToStun: Mostly only on bosses. |
| 168 | * SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: In R, Zero's attempt to convince [[Anime/CodeGeass Suzaku Kururugi]] to join up with the "Irregulars" rather than Season includes a thinly-veiled reference to their mutual past (saying they mustn't repeat their past mistake of ignoring the situation to focus on each other), which confirms to Suzaku this Zero is indeed Lelouch. |
| 169 | * SortingAlgorithmOfEvil |
| 170 | * SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness |
| 171 | * SuperPrototype: The Gun Arks and Buster Ark in 2 and the Ixblau in The Final |
| 172 | * SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Tak obtaining access to the Guardian System in 2 and Barrel learning [[spoiler:he's the biological son of the creator of the Baldona Drive, thus able to bypass its security measures and activate it himself]] in 3 |
| 173 | * TeethClenchedTeamwork: Suzaku with the other Geass characters in R as it's at the point in the series where he hates Zero completely, but doesn't yet know his story. Subverted with everyone else. Suzaku gets along with them just fine, and in fact the only reason he agreed to help in the first place was because there were other characters that he decided were trustworthy. |
| 174 | * ThemeNaming: The villainous organization in R is named "Season" and its members include Spring One, Summer One, Autumn One and Winter One. Our protagonist, however, is Autumn ''Four'' |
| 175 | ** Each Season member also have huge bases called Plants: Spring has the Sea Plant, Summer has the Geo Plant, and Autumn the Sky Plant. Winter, however, uses the [[spoiler:[[OddNameOut A.C.E. Core]]]]. |
| 176 | * ThereCanBeOnlyOne: The planned route of development for Tak's Gun-Ark and Marina's Buster-Ark is they become more powerful by fighting each other and will reach their full potential when one destroys the other, which will give the survivor enough power to blow away the Zentraedi fleet. Tak [[HonorBeforeReason chooses to eschew this reasoning]], opting instead to bring Marina around to his side and [[ThePowerOfFriendship working together with everyone to bring down the Zentraedi]]. It works |
| 177 | * ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The Cybuster's Ranbu No Tachi, Akaskic Buster and ESPECIALLY Cosmo Nova attacks are INSANE in R, to the point where you wonder if these animations are instead for some new ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' game. Cosmo Nova is pretty much guaranteed to hit For Massive Damage. |
| 178 | * ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks |
| 179 | * TimedMission: Quite a few in the series. |
| 180 | * TitleDrop: R's plot heavily involves "System A.C.E.". In fact, it's [[spoiler: the second-last boss]]. In the epilogue, Autumn [[spoiler: prepares to seed life on mankind's new home, saying that it's the beginning of "Another Century's Episode", while speaking in GratuitousEnglish]]. However, this could be what System A.C.E. was intended for, in the first place... |
| 181 | * TookALevelInBadass: In the first game, the Gespenst MK II M is almost useless. Say hello to its MidSeasonUpgrade in ''Portable'', ''all three'' of them. |
| 182 | * TurnsRed: Done in the latter two, primarily by antagonists from Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine / The Wings of Rean, who grow to [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever gigantic proportions]]. Belkt's Grave Ark does this by [[IAmNotLeftHanded purging its extra armor]] |
| 183 | ** A literal example in ''R'', as, for whatever reason, every mech turns red when using a LimitBreak (and yes, they do call it that). |
| 184 | * UnexpectedGameplayChange: The "Swift Chase" segments introduced in R, which turn the game into a RailShooter with fairly bad targeting. |
| 185 | * UpdatedRerelease: The "Special Vocal Version" of 2 includes versions of each series' AnimeThemeSong with lyrics intact (the original was strictly instrumental) |
| 186 | * VillainTeamUp: Usually ends with both sides double-crossing each other |
| 187 | ** 2: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Delaz Fleet]] teams up with [[Anime/MetalArmorDragonar Giganos]] to rebel against the UCE's supposed tyranny, [[Anime/BrainPowerd The Reclaimers]] ally with the [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Drake Army]], who are interested in Orphan's power and [[Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner Grados]] ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS or Glados]]) and [[Anime/HeavyMetalLGaim Poseidal]] partner up in order to chase the goals of their respective leaders: Lu Cain wants to TakeOverTheWorld, while Giwaza seeks to gather superweapons like the [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Devil Gundam]] and Buster Ark. |
| 188 | ** 3: Neo-Zeon convinces the Martian Successors and [[Anime/MetalArmorDragonar Ex-Giganos]] groups to rise up in a mass rebellion against TheFederation of Earth A. In Earth B, the [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer Siberian Railroad]] and [[Anime/EurekaSeven Tower State Militia]] are established as groups working under the [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX United New Earth Federation]]. In ''both'' worlds, we have [[Anime/EurekaSeven Antibody Coralians]] causing widespread destruction in conjunction with the [[Manga/GetterRobo Invaders]]. [[spoiler:This is eventually revealed to be because the Invaders are in fact, Antibody Coralians mutated by Getter Rays]]. |
| 189 | ** R: Several villains, including [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Yazan and his wingmen]], [[Manga/MobileSuitCrossboneGundam the Death Gale Team]], [[Anime/CodeGeass the Knights of the Round]], [[Anime/MacrossZero Nora and Ivanov]], [[Anime/MacrossFrontier the 33rd Marine Squadron]], and members of [[Anime/SuperDimensionCenturyOrguss Chiram]] and [[Anime/OvermanKingGainer the Siberian Railroad]] get pulled into the "black sphere" along with the heroes and end up siding with Season. |
| 190 | * WalkingArmory: The Ex-Blau Form-H in 3. Loaded with over a hundred micromissiles, a small WaveMotionGun, a large-caliber artillery gun, rocket launcher, beam rifle, and a shotgun. And it can [[AlphaStrike fire everything]]. |
| 191 | * TheWarSequence: Done at least once every game, especially in the intro cinematics. |
| 192 | * TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed |
| 193 | * YouCantGoHomeAgain: The fate of [[Anime/MacrossZero Shin Kudo]] at the end of R. While he is able to go back to his own universe, the fact that he returns with the ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'' crew means that he's also stuck 50 years in the future. |
| 194 | ** It's implied this is because the Frontier characters filled him in on the events he missed out on, specifically Roy Focker's death and the devastation of earth in the original series. Since he'd no doubt try to prevent this the timeline kept him from doing so by sending him back with the Frontier characters to their time. Contrast Amuro and Char who are sent back to the time they left, because the Kincaid explicitly tells Tobia that they need to keep their fates from Char's Counterattack to themselves to prevent causing timeline problems. |
| 195 | * YouDontLookLikeYou: The Nadesico's crew in ACE 2 upon seeing [[Main/ButtMonkey Akito Tenkawa]] as the [[Main/NamesToRunAwayFrom Prince of Darkness]], especially considering the crew still has [[Main/SacrificialLamb Gai Daigouji]] with them. |
| 196 | * YouKilledMyFather: The major reason why [[spoiler: Barkholz]] is so pissed off at the UCE in 2 is that they were responsible for killing off his father, [[IgnoredExpert Albert Reinen]]. So he decides that not only will he throw a monkey wrench in the UCE's plans by aiding their enemies via [[BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork timely interruptions]], but he'll also be the one to wipe out the Zentraedi through the Ark Project's ThereCanBeOnlyOne development cycle |
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