, or simply, ''Alpha Gaiden'', is a video game for the

PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...

, first released in Japan in 2001. It is the first side-story in the ''Super Robot Wars Alpha'' series, continuing from ''

Super Robot Wars Alpha known as ''Super Robot Wars Alpha'' outside Japan, is a 2000 tactical role-playing video game developed and published by Banpresto for the PlayStation. A version for the Dreamcast, ''Super Robot Wars for Dreamcast'', was released a year later. ...

''. The characters of ''

After War Gundam X , is a 1996 Japanese anime television series and the seventh installment in the long running ''Gundam'' franchise that started in 1979, but takes place in an alternate timeline called . The series has 39 episodes, aired in Japan from April ...

'', ''

Turn A Gundam , also stylized as ''∀ Gundam'', is a 1999 Japanese mecha anime series produced by Sunrise, and aired between 1999 and 2000 on Japan's FNN networks. It was created for the ''Gundam Big Bang'' 20th Anniversary celebration, and is the ei ...

'', and ''

Combat Mecha Xabungle is a Japanese mecha anime television series created by Sunrise and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino. It was broadcast on the Nagoya TV and TV Asahi networks weekly from February 6, 1982, to January 29, 1983. Promotional toys were produced by Clo ...

'' make debut appearances in the game.

Summary

Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden includes what was the final appearance of the ''Masō Kishin'' "Banpresto Originals" in the Alpha series, and the last appearance of the characters, besides ''Masaki Andoh'' and the ''Cybuster'', ''Shu Shirakawa'' and the ''Granzon'', and ''Lune Zoldark'' and the ''Valsione'' until the ''Masō Kishin'' universe was revisited, first in the OG Saga update of "The Lord of Elemental" and then in the sequel "Revelation of Evil God." Although many fans suspect this is due to a copyright backlash with ''

Winkysoft was a Japanese video game developing company. They have made video games for console systems primarily for the Japanese video game market, as well as a handful of arcade games. On December 1, 2015, Winkysoft filed for bankruptcy. Notable game ...

'', it is stated in an interview with the creator of Super Robot Wars he merely wants to give more plot attention towards the other original characters, considering the previous titles have dealt with the Masō Kishin plots rather extensively. Additionally, the game features the first appearance of ''Sanger Zonvolt'', who later becomes one of the selectable protagonists of the '' 2nd Super Robot Wars Alpha''. Gameplay-wise, Alpha Gaiden is the first Super Robot Wars game where all the weapons of a unit are upgraded simultaneously, this would later go on to be used in almost every game made after Alpha Gaiden, save for the Original Generation games. Alpha Gaiden also introduces the Support ability for Attack and Defense, allowing units situated beside one another to attack after each other, or take an oncoming attacking. This ability would also go on to be used in almost every subsequent game. In 2009, Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden was also fan translated almost entirely to

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Story

Shortly after the events of Alpha, the

Earth Federation is a Japan, Japanese military fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name "Gundam". The franchise began on April 7, 1979, with ''M ...

has covered up many of the events in the climactic battle with the antagonist ''Aerogaters'', but the gravity shock wave from the detonation of the ''Excelion'' (from

Gunbuster ''Gunbuster'', known in Japan as , is a Japanese OVA anime series produced by Bandai, Victor, and Gainax and released from 1988 to 1989. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the creator and director of ''Neon Genesis ...

) in the Battle of the Solar System's Absolute Defense is rapidly approaching the

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

, and threatens to wipe out the space colonies and the planet. The Earth's only hope is the ''Aegis System'', which could shield the Earth Sphere from the shock wave. Unfortunately, the heroes are sent to an alternate future, where the Earth has been ravaged by the wave. Faced with a new threat in the form of the ''Ancestors'', the heroes must find a way to return to their time and prevent this alternate,

dystopic A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...

future from happening.

Series Included

The following were included in AG:. *Banpresto Originals (not a TV or movie series) *

Brave Raideen is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Bandai Namco Filmworks, Soeisha (later renamed as Sunrise), it aired on TV Asahi, Nihon Educational Television (now TV Asahi) from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, ...

(Debut) *

Dancouga – Super Beast Machine God is a Super Robot anime television series produced by Ashi Productions, directed by Seiji Okuda and written by Keisuke Fujikawa. It ran on TBS for 38 episodes from 5 April 1985 to 27 December 1985. The TV anime was licensed by Central ...

Galaxy Cyclone Braiger is a mecha anime series aired from 1981 to 1982 in Japan. There were 39 episodes aired. Other loosely translated names include "''Braiger''", "''Bryger''", "''Brygar''", "''Galactic Whirlwind Bryger''", "''Galactic Cyclone Braiger''", and "''C ...

(Debut) *

Getter Robo is a Japanese mecha media franchise created by Ken Ishikawa and Go Nagai. An anime television series produced by Toei Animation was broadcast on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974, to May 8, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes. The manga was seriali ...

Getter Robo G , known as '' Starvengers'' in the United States, is a super robot anime series by Toei Animation based on ''Hundred Demons Empire'' arc of ''Getter Robo'' manga by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa. This direct sequel to ''Getter Robo'' was broadca ...

** Shin Getter Robo *

Gundam is a Japanese military fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name "Gundam". The franchise began on April 7, 1979, with ''Mobile ...

** Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory **

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is a 1985 Japanese television anime series, the second installment in the ''Gundam'' franchise, and a sequel to the original ''Mobile Suit Gundam''. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu ...

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ is the third installment in Sunrise's long running ''Gundam'' franchise and the last TV series in the franchise released in Japan's Shōwa period. A direct follow up to ''Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam'', it is directed and written by Yoshiyuki Tom ...

** Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack **

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam , is a 1993 Japanese science fiction anime television series. It consists of 51 episodes, and was directed by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino. The series was first broadcast on TV Asahi (and its ANN (Japanese TV), ANN stations). It is the ...

** Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz **

(Debut) **

(Debut) *

Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 , also known as ''The Unchallengeable Daitarn 3'', is a Japanese anime television series created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate, and animated by Sunrise. It was first broadcast on Japanese TV in 1978. The series lasted for 40 episodes. T ...

Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mecha designer, writer and producer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the ...

** Macross: Do You Remember Love? **

Macross Plus is a four-episode anime OVA and theatrical movie in the ''Macross'' series. It was the first sequel to the original ''Macross'' television series that took place in the official timeline (''Macross II'' was quickly retconned by series creator ...

Mazinger is a long-running series of manga and anime featuring giant robots or mecha. Series The series in order: ''God Mazinger'' is related by name only and ''Mazinkaiser'' is an OVA retelling of earlier ''Mazinger'' stories, based partly on desi ...

Mazinger Z is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later was reissued in Kodansha ''TV Magazine ...

Great Mazinger is a Japanese manga comic book and anime television series by manga artist Go Nagai. The story is a sequel and direct continuation of ''Mazinger Z'' series after its initial success. The series was aired on Japanese television in 1974, im ...

Mazinkaiser is a Japanese anime OVA produced by Brain's Base and Dynamic Productions, based on the Mazinkaiser design that debuted in ''Super Robot Wars'' games and the original ''Mazinger Z'' manga by Go Nagai. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsu ...

* Robot Romance Trilogy: **

Chōdenji Robo Combattler V ''Combattler V'', full name , is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by Toei Dōga and animated by Soeisha (later renamed as Nippon Sunrise) that aired from 1976 to 1977. It is the first part of the '' Robot Romance Trilogy'' o ...

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V , popularly known as simply ''Voltes V '' (pronounced as "Voltes Five") is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Dōga and animated by Nippon Sunrise (formerly known as Soeisha). It is the second installment of the ''Robot Ro ...

Promotion

To promote the game, a limited edition version was released on March 29, 2001 with an AG illustration board, binder, clear case, memory card sticker and 16 illustrations of various mecha series. A limited plastic Cybuster model was also released at various Softmap stores when gamers were able to pre-order at Akihabara, Shinjuku, Osaka, Omiya and Yokohama.

Reception

On release, ''

Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...

'' magazine scored the game a 32 out of 40.''プレイステーション - スーパーロボット大戦α外伝''. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.18. 30 June 2006.

References

{{Super Robot Wars 2001 video games Banpresto games Japan-exclusive video games PlayStation (console) games PlayStation Network games Super Robot Wars Video games developed in Japan