Mechwarrior 3050 – Retro Robots

Throughout the history of video games, one rule has always held true: giant robots are awesome! Mechwarrior 2 was one of the first 3D games that I ever played, and it hooked me. I watched the cartoon, had some of the toys, bought the tabletop game, and every time I found more Battletech stuff I had to get it. Imagine my surprise when I found out there was a Battletech game on the Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo!

Classic Era

What was known as Battletech for the Sega Genesis came to Super Nintendo as Mechwarrior 3050: an isometric romp through the Inner Sphere in the iconic Timber Wolf Omnimech (aka the Mad Cat). A lot of the Battletech lore that I am most familiar with takes place around that time frame. This is the time that clans of the periphery return to the Inner Sphere in a deadly invasion. You play as a lone clanner, taking the fight to the Inner Sphere in a series of difficult missions. There is also a co-op mode where one player controls the mech’s legs and the other controls the torso and guns, but I most often played solo.

Attack!

At the beginning of each mission, you get a briefing and you can set your loadout. Customization is easy, you have 3 slots with 3 options each. All the weapon choices are variations of classic Battletech weaponry, from the mighty Particle Projection Cannon (PPC) to quick and light machine gun and a variety of missiles. Each weapon functions a bit differently, so you may find yourself swapping loadouts from mission to mission.

Clan mechs are technologically advanced compared to their Inner Sphere counterparts. To represent this, you don’t have a traditional health point bar, you only have a heat gauge. Every time you take damage or walk through a fire, your heat builds. To manage it you must destroy enemies and find coolant drops. A coolant tank instantly flushes all your damage, so these things are priceless in-game.

Some Modifications Necessary

Just because you have played one Mechwarrior game doesn’t mean you’re prepared for this one. As I mentioned before, the weapons are all variations of classic Battletech weaponry. The PPC is usually a high-damage energy weapon, but in this game you have to manage ammo for it. You also have to charge it when firing. The gauss rifle functions like a catapult, arching over structures and making huge impacts on the ground. This is very much a fast-paced arcade-style take on the Battletech universe.

A Lasting Legacy

Mechwarrior 3050 isn’t the only console adaptation that Battletech would see over the years. Hints of its DNA can be found in Mech Assault for the original Xbox. Released in 2002, this was another fast-paced romp with great graphics meant for a controller. This time though, you’re in a full 3D world and you can hijack enemy mechs!

Giant robots are a timeless staple in video games, and games like these help bring the awesome experience of a complex tabletop wargame to the comfort of your couch. What do you think? What are your favorite table-to-console games? Until next time, pilots…