Line #76 VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsCompact2


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/compact2impactboxart.jpg]]
2
3	The second entry of the Wonderswan series of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', the ''Super Robot Wars Compact 2'' story was ''so big'' it had to be separated into three parts: ''Earth Crisis'', ''Cosmoquake'' and ''Galaxy Showdown''. The story deals with the battle between Earth's forces and the extraterrestrial Einst, who seek to restart the world they deem too corrupted. The key to Einst's success or defeat lies within two cadets in the Earth Federation's forces, serving as the game's OriginalGeneration.
4
5	Arguably one of the more famous [=SRW=] entries, despite the obscure handheld system it started out on. It was later [[VideoGameRemake remade]] using the ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden]]'' engine as '''''Super Robot Wars Impact''''', the series' first entry on the Sony Platform/PlayStation2, with all three games compiled onto one disc. In addition to introducing a new original character named Einst Alfimi, ''Impact'' adds two new series to the game: ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' and ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico''. Like the preceding ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsCompact'', ''Compact 2'' and ''Impact'' features the "Free Route System": rather than following a linear plot, the games allow the player to choose the order to play certain scenarios in. This may affect the storyline or give the player an opportunity to unlock [[SecretCharacter hidden units and/or characters]].
6
7	!Series included in the ''Super Robot Wars Compact 2'' trilogy[=/=][[VideoGameRemake Impact]] (debuts are in '''bold''')
8	* ''Anime/{{Mobile Suit Gundam}} ''
9	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam ''
10	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket''
11	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory ''
12	** ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam''
13	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ''
14	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack''
15	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91''
16	* ''Anime/MazingerZ''
17	** ''Anime/GreatMazinger''
18	** ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer''
19	* ''Manga/GetterRobo''
20	** ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo G]]''
21	** ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Shin Getter Robo]]'' (Manga version)
22	* ''[[Anime/{{Raideen}} Brave Raideen]]''
23	* ''[[Anime/{{Combattler V}} Super Electromagnetic Machine Combattler V]]''
24	* ''[[Anime/{{Zambot 3}} Invincible Super Man Zambot 3]]''
25	* ''[[Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3]]''
26	* ''Anime/{{Aura Battler Dunbine}}''
27	** ''New Story of Aura Battler Dunbine'' (''Compact 2'' exclusive)
28	* ''Anime/{{Dancougar}}''
29	** '''[[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Dancougar: Blazing Epilogue]]''' (Debuts in ''Earth Crisis'')
30	* '''Anime/{{Dangaioh}}''' (Debuts in ''Earth Crisis'')
31	* '''Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage''' (Debuts in ''Earth Crisis'')
32	* '''[[Toys/MachineRobo Machine Robo: Revenge of Chronos]]''' (Debuts in ''Cosmoquake'')
33	* ''Anime/{{Martian Successor Nadesico}}'' (''Impact'' exclusive)
34	* ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' (''Impact'' exclusive)
35
36	!Associated tropes for the trilogy and remake:
37	* AdaptationExpansion: ''Impact'' makes several additions to ''Compact 2'':
38	** ''Mobile Fighter G Gundam'' and ''Martian Successor Nadesico'', along with scenarios based on both series, are added to the game.
39	** The OriginalGeneration plot is expanded by adding a new character, Einst Alfimi, to the antagonist side.
40	** The ''Galaxy Showdown'' portion of the game is reworked, implementing a massive three-way route split that the player tackles in an order of their choosing. This is to alleviate the LateCharacterSyndrome that plagues the Wonderswan original.
41	* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: ''Impact'' has the ''Machine Robo'' cast make an appearance in the "Earth Crisis" arc, despite debuting in the second game of the [=WonderSwan=] trilogy.
42	* AdaptedOut:
43	** The characters Grathan and Karen are completely omitted from the ''Tobikage'' plot.
44	** In a rare instance of ''Super Robot Wars'' applying this trope to itself, ''Impact'' replaces the two units and fairy from ''New Story of Aura Battler Dunbine'' that can be obtained in ''Compact 2'' with the Camouflage Billbine from the original ''Dunbine'' series, completely removing ''New Story'' from the game.
45	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: ''Galaxy Showdown'' gives the player all of their items, money, and unlockables from the previous games if it can find clear data. If the player starts ''Galaxy Showdown'' without having any clear data, the game instead gives 1,000,000 credits and a small number of items.
46	* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: ''Galaxy Showdown'' is notable in that the number of units can be deployed per map is very low relative to series standards, including being much lower than the other ''Compact 2'' games on average. For reference, the final stage of ''Earth Crisis'' has [[spoiler:[[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Gandor]] + 15]], while Stage 30 of ''Galaxy Showdown'', [[spoiler:the Neue Regisseur stage]], has [[spoiler:[[Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage Elshank]], Kyosuke, Excellen + 8]].
47	* AscendedExtra: [[Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} Meganoid Generals Benmel, Cross, Mileena and Neros]] (who only appears in the Impact remake) only show up for one episode each, yet are more prominent in this game/series than other SRW Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} appearances.
48	* AwesomeButImpractical: ''Compact 2'' does have a "Full Upgrade Bonus" for upgrading all of a unit's stats to the max, but getting this bonus is much easier said than done thanks to each game's shorter-than-series-average length (no more than 31 stages) and general difficulty.
49	* BackFromTheDead: [[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Emperor Muge Zorbados and Shapiro Keats]], [[Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} the Meganoids]], [[Anime/MazingerZ Dr. Hell]] (as the [[Anime/GreatMazinger Grand Marshall of Hell]]), [[Anime/MazingerZ Baron Ashura and Count Brocken]] all return from the previous war.
50	* BigBad: Neue Regisseur
51	* BigDamnHeroes: [[Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage Tobikage]] and [[Toys/MachineRobo Rom Stoll]]
52	* BlindIdiotTranslation: A stage in ''Galaxy Showdown'' based on ''God Bless Dancougar'' has the title "God's Breath" because the developers confused the English word "bless" with "breath" (both words are rendered ブレス in katakana) and then translated "breath" into its kanji equivalent. This error is fixed in ''Impact''.
53	* BossRush: Scenario 99 in IMPACT.
54	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Excellen in Part 3
55	* CharClone: Taken to logical conclusion when Anavel Gato is [[spoiler: convinced into your group in IMPACT]], he joins Char in his ColonyDrop of Axis
56	* ChestBlaster: Anime/MazingerZ's Breast Fire, Great Mazinger's Breast Burn, Grendizer's Hanjuuryoku/Anti-Gravity Storm
57	* TheCollector: [[Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} Benmel]]
58	* CombinationAttack: While not present in ''Compact 2'', ''Impact'' features several multi-unit attacks.
59	** Impact marks the Rampage Ghost's first appearance.
60	** Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine: Double Hyper Aura Giri (performed by Dunbine and Bilbine)
61	** Anime/MobileFighterGGundam: Double God Finger (performed by God Gundam and Nobel Gundam), Double Sekiha Tenkyoken (performed by God Gundam and Master Gundam) and Love Love Finger (performed by God Gundam and Shining Gundam)
62	** Toys/MachineRobo: Double Kamaitachi (performed by Vaikungfu and Blue Jet) and Inazuma Cyclone Ganban Wari (performed by Vaikungfu and Road Drill)
63	** Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico: Buttercup Formation (performed by Aestivalis-Ryoko, Aestivalis-Hikaru, and Aestivalis-Izumi) and Double Gekigan Flare (performed by Aestivalis-Akito and Aestivalis-Gai)
64	** Mazinger Series: [[ChestBlaster Double Burning Fire]] (performed by Anime/MazingerZ and Anime/GreatMazinger), [[RocketPunch Triple Mazinger Punch]] (performed by Anime/MazingerZ, Anime/GreatMazinger and [[Anime/UFORoboGrendizer Grendizer]]) and Triple Mazinger Blade (also performed by Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger and Grendizer)
65	** Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage: Beast Machine Combination (performed by Black Lion, Burst Dragon, and Thunder Eagle), and Zanzou Sappou (performed by Tobikage and Zerokage).
66	* ADayInTheLimelight: ''Compact 2'' is neither [[VideoGame/ShinSuperRobotWars the first]] nor [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsGC the latest]] game in the series to make the [[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Gandor]] a fully-playable unit, but its appearance in ''Earth Crisis'' is particularly notable as it serves as the flagship of the Earth-based forces. Likewise, Professor Hazuki serves as the Earth counterpart to Bright Noa.
67	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu?: [[Anime/{{Daitarn 3}} Don Zauser]], [[{{Anime/Raideen}} Demon Emperor Barao]], [[Toys/MachineRobo Gadess]], [[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Emperor Muge Zorbados]], [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam the Devil Gundam]], Neue Regisseur
68	** A very rare occasion in SRW where the TrueFinalBoss is NOT this trope.
69	* DiscOneFinalBoss: Einst Regisseur in Part 1. Part 2 has the player near-simultaneously fending off ''Dancougar'', ''Machine Robo'', and Einst enemies while under a time limit.
70	* DoomedHometown: Mars for the Tobikage characters, Nadesico characters and Banjou Haran.
71	* TheDragon: The resurrected [[Anime/{{Dancougar}} Emperor Muge Zorbados]] serves this role to the Einst Collective.
72	* EarlyGameHell: The Wonderswan version of ''Earth Crisis'' has a number of nasty early-game surprises for new and experienced players alike. To start, the very first map of the trilogy is a water stage with units that are absolutely ''not'' equipped for aquatic combat. The game quickly expands the player's army, only to have them lose Zambot 3, Dancouga, and one Mazinger team for good at the end of the first chapter; for extra insult to injury, Dancouga has an unlockable weapon in ''Cosmoquake'' that requires the player to waste money on it before it heads to space. Finally, this game is one of the very first to make the player wait for powerful Newtype protagonists like Amuro and Kamille, leaving the ''Gundam'' roster as [[HealerSignsOnEarly dedicated healer]] Fa and {{Crutch Character}}s Chris, Bernie, and Shiro until the final mission of the second chapter.
73	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
74	** Though in many ways a "transitional" game, with the trilogy starting to peel away ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars4 Super Robot Wars F]]''-era mechanics like natural double movement, ''Compact 2'' still has several traits typical of early [=SRWs=]. In addition, Support Attack and Support Defense run off of one stat and the player isn't given a choice to opt out of Supporting if a Support-capable unit is adjacent to an attacking or defending unit.
75	** As the Wonderswan ''Earth Crisis'' released before ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha'' made AlphaStrike finishing moves popular within the series, the Alteisen doesn't have its signature Trump Card. Likewise, since combination attacks weren't a permanent part of the series until ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance'', Kyosuke's and Excellen's Rampage Ghost isn't present either. Both were introduced in ''Impact''.
76	* EldritchAbomination: The Einst
77	* EvilKnockoff: Fake Anime/{{Daitarn 3}}s, Gildeens, Mass Production Anime/{{Great Mazinger}}s, Einst Eisen
78	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Char]]]] and [[spoiler: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Gato]]]] in the true ending.
79	* {{Gorn}}: Surprisingly, given the [[HumongousMecha genre.]] Alfimi's LimitBreak, ''Mabuiguri''[[note]]Soul Gouger?[[/note]] had her send her familiars to hold the target in place. And she makes her way, draw her katana, and [[https://youtu.be/P3wjEvrv5mU?t=73 repeatedly impale, gouge and make a bloody mess of her target.]]
80	* GratuitousGerman: The names of Kyosuke and Excellen's mecha; similarly, all the names and attacks of Einst units and characters.
81	* GuideDangIt:
82	** In case randomized Spirit Command lists based on the player's Wonderswan data wasn't complicated enough, this game boosts Kyosuke's and Excellen's stats based on the Wonderswan's nickname and gender settings. The nickname alone creates a whopping ''126'' stat point difference[[note]]21 points per pilot stat, with there being six stats total[[/note]] between the least advantageous name (leaving the Wonderswan blank) and the most advantageous (inputting the nickname as eight 0's).
83	** [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory Anavel Gato]] requires highly specific actions in all three games to acquire him. [[spoiler:And he [[GuestStarPartyMember ends up joining Char on the enemy side]] if the bonus chapter is unlocked.]]
84	* [[HiveQueen Hive King]]: Neue Regisseur
85	* HumanAliens: [[Anime/UFORoboGrendizer Duke and Maria Fleed]], [[Anime/{{Zambot 3}} The Zambot Team members]], 3/4s of the Dangaioh team, and [[Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage the Zaboom and Rodarians]].
86	* HumanityOnTrial: The Einst are disturbed by how warlike the Earthlings are and seek to KillAllHumans and replace them with a new species in an AdamAndEvePlot, [[spoiler:using Kyosuke and Alfimi as its Adam and Eve]]
87	* InterfaceSpoiler: In ''Compact 2'', you are given the option to view Kyosuke's and/or Excellen's stats before starting the game. In ''Galaxy Showdown'', Kyosuke's stats are shown at Level 15; Excellen, on the other hand, is at Level 36. Guess who's unavailable for most of the game?
88	* KarmaHoudiniWarranty:
89	** After being {{Karma Houdini}}s in the series proper, [[Anime/{{Dangaioh}} Gil Berg and Garimos]] finally gets their warranties torn off
90	** ''Impact'' marks the first time that rather than letting [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Haruki Kusakabe]] live but drain his resources completely that he couldn't do the movie's darker plot anymore in this continuity, you go straight to the jugulars and kill him on spot. Henceforth, games that feature the TV version frequently feature scenarios of 'Kusakabe being ''so'' dead'.
91	* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: Impact is kinda infamous for how poorly optimized the coding in the game is, leading to everything taking forever to happen. The argument of the game being slow has less to do with the game actually being slow-paced and more that all of the loading makes everything take longer than it should.
92	* LuckBasedMission: Like its predecessor, ''Compact 2'' randomizes every character's Spirit Command list based on the player's [=WonderSwan=] bios information. One infamous casualty of this system is Dangaioh, who receives exactly one (very expensive) accuracy-raising command across ''all four pilots'' if the bios information is left blank.
93	%%* MacGuffin: The Star of La Mu.
94	* MagikarpPower: The infamous V-Up item, known for turning weak units with three or four items slots into walking death machines, shows up in ''Compact 2''. One noteworthy candidate is [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket NT-1 Alex]], which is arguably a DiscOneNuke in the hands of Amuro or Kamille.
95	* MakeMeWannaShout: [[{{Anime/Raideen}} God Voice, which is unlocked after performing a sequence of events.]]
96	* MetaMecha: Vikungfu and GP-03
97	* MidSeasonUpgrade: Alt Eisen Reise, [[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo G]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory GP-03]], [[Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine Billbine]], [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam God Gundam]], Shin Manga/GetterRobo and [[spoiler:Rein Weiss Ritter]]. [[MutuallyExclusivePowerups Unfortunately, you can't have the latter and Shin Getter at the same time]]
98	* MultipleEndings: In ''IMPACT'', the Axis Shock cutscene has three different versions, depending on two units: [[spoiler:either you completely pass up the event to get the Rein Weissritter and Shin Getter Robo, got Shin Getter over Rein or got Rein over Shin Getter.]] ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars30'' suggests that [[spoiler:getting Rein over Shin Getter is the canon path]].
99	* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: The games have several of these, sometimes with MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers being thrown in as well.
100	** The most infamous case is [[spoiler:Shin Getter Robo vs Rein Weissritter]], determined by a scenario in ''Galaxy Showdown''.
101	** Early into ''Earth Crisis'', you are asked to send one Mazinger team into space; whoever you choose will not reappear in that game and will likewise be the only Mazinger characters in ''Cosmoquake''. However, it's downplayed in this case as they eventually meet back up in ''Galaxy Showdown''.
102	** ''Cosmoquake'' has the Spiral Knuckle attack for Dangaioh vs the opportunity to recruit Shazara from the same series. Spiral Knuckle is another great tool for Dangaioh, but the Wonderswan version has Shazara's Aizam the Third carry a 6-range, post movement-capable attack that costs a mere 20 EN.
103	** Exclusive to the Wonderswan version is Sirbine vs Zwauth, given out in ''Galaxy Showdown'' based on which path in the trilogy's only route split the player took way back in ''Earth Crisis''.
104	* {{Nerf}}: Compared to the first ''Compact'':
105	** ''Compact 2'' removed natural double-movement from the player's units.
106	** The game no longer gives out EXP for having unused Spirit Points at the end of a map.
107	** Spirit Command progression is tweaked, so that pilots typically start with fewer Spirit Commands and learn them at a slower pace.
108	** Additionally, ''Impact'' is known for finally nerfing Aura Battlers into oblivion.
109	* NewWorkRecycledGraphics: ''Impact''[='=]s battle animation engine is an enhanced version of the one used in ''Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden'' and thus it reuses ''Alpha Gaiden'' assets whenever it can get away with it. On the other hand, this lets ''Impact'' have a lot of mobile suits that ''Compact 2'' doesn't have (such as the ZII and Nu Gundam HWS) since there were already sprites available for them, albeit with a very notable disparity in animation quality due to ArtEvolution.
110	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage and Anime/MobileFighterGGundam units (Impact only)
111	* NintendoHard:
112	** The [=WonderSwan=] trilogy, especially from the back half of ''Cosmoquake'' onward, are incredibly difficult by traditional ''Super Robot Wars'' standards. The removal of [[ExtraTurn double-movement]] from the first ''Compact'' means that Mobile Suits deal far less damage overall. The games also love messing with the player's roster, with units joining only to leave a few missions later [[SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear and taking your money investment with them]], adding an extra element of GuideDangIt to the game. The requirement for the TrueFinalBoss (clear the trilogy [[spoiler:in less than 777 turns]]) results in yet another extra layer of difficulty, all but eliminating the "EXP after Game Over" and "Repair grinding" AntiFrustrationFeatures and forcing an aggressive style of play.
113	** ''Impact'' is less difficult overall but still achieves this status with its own TrueFinalBoss requirement, requiring the player to amass [[spoiler:50]] of the most difficult Skill Points in the entire franchise. Most of said Skill Points involve shooting down enemies who will retreat if their HP falls below a certain amount, forcing players to find creative ways to deal enough damage to bypass their retreat threshhold and defeat them outright.
114	* OldSaveBonus: The ''Compact 2'' games are mostly self-contained; players use the Platform/WonderSwan's internal memory to carry event flags and other data between the games in the trilogy. This is not the case for ''Impact'', which is one continuous game.
115	* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo: The first two games are basically branches of one giant route split, while the third game brings all of the characters together.
116	* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Subverted: [[spoiler:Excellen ''didn't'' survive the shuttle accident; the meddling Einsts brought her BackFromTheDead]]
117	* OfficialCouple: Kyosuke x Excellen, of course
118	* OverlyLongFightingAnimation
119	* OverratedAndUnderleveled:
120	** In the Wonderswan games, Alt Eisen plays up the AwesomeButImpractical angle a bit ''too'' well; bad mobility, unimpressive armor, and its strongest weapon "Square Claymore" is an awkward range 1-2 non-post-movement attack (and the Spirit Command to make every weapon post-movement-capable hadn't been invented yet). Forget to tinker with your Wonderswan's nickname, and you'll also be greeted with a Kyosuke bearing ''abysmal'' attack stats and accuracy/evasion on the level of third-rate Mobile Suit pilots.
121	** This trope is another reason why ''Galaxy Showdown'' is NintendoHard. Think having to regain your units is bad? Try regaining them at anywhere from 5-10 levels below your top aces.
122	* ThePowerOfLove: Which grants Kyosuke and Excellen their CombinationAttack, complete with witty banter
123	** Also slightly played at the same time: Excellen only ever calls it the "[[ShoutOut Love Love Attack]]"
124	** The original attack even shows up. The only difference is that Rain pilots the Shining Gundam for Impact.
125	* PutOnABus: The only characters from ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' brought over for Impact are Allenby Beardsley, Domon Kasshu, Dr. Kasshu, Dr. Mikamura, Kyoji Kasshu, Rain Mikamura, Schwarz Bruder, Master Asia and Ulube Ishikawa.
126	* SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear: In the [=WonderSwan=] games, at least. Hope you know who ends up on Earth and who ends up in space!
127	** One cross-game secret in ''Earth Crisis'' even forces the player to upgrade [[Anime/{{Dancougar}} a unit]] that leaves for space almost immediately and isn't seen again until ''Cosmoquake''.
128	* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler:[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket Bernie Wiseman]] (as a result of {{retcon}}ning his death in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket Gundam 0080]]''), [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam Norris Packard]], [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Master Asia]], [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Schwarz Bruder]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Puru and Puru 2]]]] get to live
129	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Is it Alfimi or Alchemie?
130	* SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: ''Galaxy Showdown'' starts the player off at the intermission screen with a massive wad of cash and units whose levels are in the teens instead of the single digits, warning the player to expect the difficulty curve to be short and sharp.
131	* TakingTheBullet: ''Compact 2's'' claim to fame, aside from its originals and sheer length, is the fact that it introduced the Support system.
132	* ATasteOfPower: ''Galaxy Showdown'' lets the player use both the Earth and Space teams for a few missions before pulling a LetsSplitUpGang.
133	* TookALevelInBadass: The [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory GP01-Fb]], compared to the first ''Compact''. Enabling its Beam Rifle to be used after moving changes it from a generic Gundam unit to one of the most mobile attackers in the game. Especially notable as the other Mobile Suits were hit hard by the double-movement nerf.
134	* TrueFinalBoss: [[spoiler:[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Char Aznable]]]]
135	* VideoGameRemake: Impact combines the three Compact 2 games together and mixes fan favorites Anime/MobileFighterGGundam and Anime/{{Martian Successor Nadesico}} in.

Context VideoGame / SuperRobotWarsCompact2