History VideoGame / SuperRobotWarsAlpha

* UselessUsefulSpell: ''Alpha'' and ''Alpha Gaiden'' features a lot of units using their more obscure attacks where some even have a few ''pages'' worth of attacks compared to more recent games where units are lucky to have more than three attacks. These moves count as this trope as there are some that are so underwhelming along with costing EN and ammo that players will likely never use them unless they want to for the sake of using them. This trope is more prevalent in ''Alpha'' where moves were upgraded separately rather than all at the same time.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: The[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Hi-Nu Gundam]] debuts in this game as a secret found in a stage. Unlike other secrets which at least get mentioned, the Hi-Nu Gundam (and all other hidden units found in this method of going on a specific tile) does not even get acknowledged by the characters. InUniverse, it is strange that an upgraded version of the legendary Nu Gundam is not brought up at all. Out of universe, it is surprising that for a unit with some of the best animation quality in the game and being its debut, the Hi-Nu has no story relevance whatsoever.

* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover

* '''''[[Anime/GaoGaiGar King of Braves GaoGaiGar FINAL]]'''''

!Series Introduced In ''Alpha'' (Bold indicates debuting series)

* ''[[Manga/GiantRobo Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still]]''

!Series Introduced In ''Alpha Gaiden'' (Bold indicates debuting series)

!Series Introduced In ''Alpha 2'' (Bold indicates debuting series)

!Series Introduced In ''Alpha 3'' (Bold indicates debuting series)

Making the series' debut on the Sony UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation}}, ''Alpha'' was released in May 2000. It's the first ''Super Robot Wars'' installment where players can customize allied characters' pilot skills, stats, and terrain ratings. Furthermore, selecting the protagonist is based on the similar process previously used in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars4''. The game also introduces a "Skill Point" system, optional decisions and objectives made in and out of scenarios where game difficulty will increase if more Skill Points are acquired, but gives players better chances of unlocking [[SecretCharacter secret characters, parts and units]]. This system would be used again in future ''Super Robot Wars'' titles, such as the "Battle Mastery" for the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' localization.

A VideoGameRemake was released on the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast in 2001, featuring 3D visuals, increased difficulty, secret boss characters and a cameo of the "G-Breaker", a robot from a Bandai-developed video game called ''Sunrise Eiyuutan''.

Heading to the Sony UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation 2}} on March 2003, ''Alpha 2'' is the first ''Super Robot Wars'' to introduce squad-based mechanics, where players can group up to four allied units together into a single panel: while squadmates attack with a damage penalty, the squad leader can deal damage normally onto a single enemy unit or use an "ALL Attack" to strike all enemies in a squad, without their squadmates' assistance. The game also confirms the canon heroes of the ''Alpha'' saga from the eight character templates in the first game are Kusuha Mizuha and Brooklyn Luckfield. Similar squad systems would be reintegrated into installments post-''Alpha'' saga in the form of the "Twin Battle System" in ''Original Generation'' and the "TRI-Battle System" of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ''.

* CloningBlues: [[spoiler:Euzeth's plan to conquer the Earth in ''Alpha'']].
** This sums up a chunk of the route for [[Characters/SuperRobotWarsAlpha3 Cobray Gordon]] in ''Alpha 3'', specifically, [[spoiler:[[Characters/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Calico [=McCready=]]], who serves as TheRival for Cobray and hates him for being chosen by the "Originator" (Ingram) to succeed him. Cobray's biggest stigma is he thinks he can't escape Ingram's shadow]].

* AdaptationAmalgamation: The ''Macross'' plot in ''Alpha'' is a combination of the [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross TV series]] and the [[Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove movie]]:
** Character designs take after the movie, excluding Kamjin due to him getting hit hard with DemotedToExtra in said movie.
** The plot begins just like in the TV series, with many episodes that weren't adapted in the movie being adapted here. However, movie-exclusive plot points – such as Zentradi and Meltrandi being at war with each other, and the existence of the titular "Do you Remember Love" song – are introduced halfway through. This leads to a finale based entirely on the movie, save for Kamjin's presence.
** The kidnapping incident serves as a combination of the events of both versions of the story, and marks the point where the plot switched from following the series to following the movie. In the series, Hikaru, Misa, Max and Kakizaki are taken prisioner. In the movie, it's Hikaru, Misa, Focker, Minmay and Kaifun. In ''Alpha'', it's all of them.
** The relationship between Hikaru and Minmay changes depending on a route split. In one of the routes, they meet before entering the Macross and quickly become friends, like in the TV series. In the other route, they don't meet until Minmay is already a famous idol and Hikaru is her fan, like in the movie.
** Depending on the actions of the player in certain scenarios, the romance between Max and Milia will either end in Milia getting miclonized to pilot a Valkyrie like in the series, or in Max getting macronized to pilot a Queadluun-Rau like in the movie.

* " This explanation is used in regards to the sudden appearance of ''Gundam SEED'' in ''Alpha 3''; it essentially amounts to "Oh, [[{{Transhuman}} Coordinators]] and the [=PLANT=]s have always been there: they just didn't get involved in any of the stuff that happened in the last three wars."

** For all of the aesthetic improvements and the change to isometric maps, the first ''Alpha'' is very similar to the ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars4 Super Robot Wars F]]'' duology mechanics-wise with all of the quirks that would imply: individually-upgraded weapons alongside ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars64''-esque weapon upgrade bonuses (such as Funnels and Breast Fire gaining MAP versions once fully upgraded), natural double-movement, and "reaction" and "limit" stats.

** The first ''Alpha'' also has a mechanic exclusive to it where, when countering an attack, players can elect to reduce the effectiveness of their counterattack in exchange for enhanced defense.

* AdaptationAmalgamation:
** The ''Macross'' plot in ''Alpha'' is a combination of the [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross TV series]] and the [[Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove movie]]:

** The ''UC Gundam'' plot of the first game is a combination of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory 0083]]'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta]]'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ ZZ]]'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91 F91]]'' and ''[[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Victory]]''. In canon, the time gap between the earliest of those titles (''0083'') and the latest (''Victory'') is 70 years. Not to mention the presence of many characters from the original series that were long dead by the time of these events. ''Alpha 2'' continues using this trope by combining the plots of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack Char's Counterattack]]'' and ''[[Manga/MobileSuitCrossboneGundam Crossbone]]'', and having them take place two years after the events of ''Victory''. ''CCA'' and ''Crossbone'' originally happened 60 and 20 years before ''Victory'' respectively and thus have a 40 years gap between them.
** Also happens to ''Macross''. In the canon of the franchise, ''Anime/MacrossPlus'' takes place 30 years after [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross the original series]]. In the Alpha series, characters from ''Plus'' are present for the events of the original series in the first game. Parts of the events of the OVA are then adapted in ''Alpha Gaiden'' (six months after the first game that adapted the plot of the original) and ''Alpha 3'' (two years after). Averted in regards to ''Anime/Macross7'', as its presence in ''Alpha 3'' relies on time travel.

* FixFic: Amongst other things, the ''Alpha'' series fixes the many tragedies of the various Universal Century ''Gundam'' series and averts the KillEmAll endings of ''Ideon'' and ''The End of Evangelion''. [[spoiler:However, the Ideon "Be Invoked" KillEmAll can still be triggered by accessing the bad ending route in ''Alpha 3'']].

* {{Gainaxing}}: Starting in ''Alpha 2'' (one of the first [=SRWs=] to include "[[SuperMovePortraitAttack pilot cut-ins]]"), virtually every major female pilot... except Ibis.

* DifficultySpike: From battling the [[spoiler:Turn-X]] onwards in ''Alpha Gaiden''.

* SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity: Scenario 36 of ''Alpha Gaiden'' is noted by players to be one of the best points in the game. [[spoiler:The Mazinkaiser, Shin Getter Robo, R-1 Custom, Gundam X and Gundam Double X (alongside the G-Bits, if the requirements are met), the "HPHGCP" part and two free units that give tons of "Blue Stones" for the Bazaar are acquired]]. The game's DifficultySpike starts to go wild from that point on.

* AdaptationAmalgamation: The ''Macross'' plot in ''Alpha'' is a combination of the [[Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross TV series]] and the [[Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove movie]]:

* ArtEvolution: In the first game of the series, Shin Getter and Mazinkaiser were based on their manga and ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars4 Super Robot Wars F]]'' designs, respectively. By ''The 2nd Super Robot Wars Alpha'', the designs for both mechs shifted to the designs from their two OVA series.

* BadassCrew: All the heroic factions, seperately
* BehindTheBlack: This explanation is used in regards to the sudden appearance of ''Gundam SEED'' in ''Alpha 3''; it essentially amounts to "Oh, [[{{Transhuman}} Coordinators]] and the [=PLANT=]s have always been there: they just didn't get involved in any of the stuff that happened in the last three wars."

** ''Alpha 3'' has [[Characters/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Ephesus Judecca Gozzo and Ace Gozzo]] in their Hemrodr and Devariim, respectively, in Scenario 14. The Devariim has several MAP Attacks (all post-movement) at its disposal and while it's hardly difficult to destroy, the problem is Ace's Will skyrocketing too high and letting him take action during the enemy turn. The Hemrodr has a MAP Attack of its own with a long, wide firing range that limits the number of units that can attack it safely, along with "HP Regeneration" to take the edge off the damage players do inflict to it. Worth mentioning is the Hemrodr is a battleship, and players will be seeing more of these down the line when fighting groups of Balmar enemies.