It's all out action in Gundam vs Gundam for Sony's PlayStation Portable system. This new title, from publisher Namco Bandai Games, features many mechas (robots) from the popular Japanese anime Mobile Suit Gundam and all the fun of the original arcade game. Gundam, for the non-otaku (nerd), is a long-running anime series in Japan that started in 1979 and has spawned numerous television series, mini-series and movies that are still being made today. Gundam vs Gundam, however, is in essence a plain 3D fighting game. This latest instalment from Bandai's Gundam VS franchise includes mechas from the animated series, except SD Gundam, Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz and Gundam SEED CE73: Stargazer. Gameplay is simple, you must fight and beat enemy robots. Both players have a gauge that goes from 6,000 points to zero; to win you have to totally deplete your opponent's points. To do this, gamers have to defeat a succession of enemy units. Each mecha has a certain point value and, once the robot is defeated, the cost of the unit is subtracted. As in most fighting games, there are several stages to fight through before you reach the Big Boss level and Gundam Vs Gundam is no exception. After defeating the Big Boss, players are rewarded with the obligatory end credits and, finally, a new mecha is unlocked for you. A new feature in this game is the G-Gauge which, when full, enables you to summon two giant mechas or support weapons. Each one will fly the length of the battlefield and mow down everything in its way, causing major damage to any robots in its path. Using the Wi-fi link, players can take on friends either as team members or against one another, allowing gamers to enjoy the intensity of arcade-game play. There are plenty of Gundam mechas to choose from and many extra hidden ones to unlock. Unfortunately there is a limited number of battlegrounds - the game only seems to have a little over half a dozen maps - and you'll constantly find yourself fighting in the same area. What's more, it's hard to defend yourself and once an enemy starts a combo attack you'll have no option but to watch the circuits get beaten out of you. The most annoying factor is that when you lose a game the program doesn't restart from the play screen but from the information section, which entails a 20-second reload before you can get back to the action. Pros: Plenty of Gundam robots for you to choose from Cons: Long load times between stages and some bad camera angles
