SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a 2022 entry in the long-running SD Gundam subfranchise of the even longer running Gundam franchise. It's described as an action-RPG, though gameplay is more on the Hack and Slash or Run-and-Gun side with a dash of RPG Elements. The moment-to-moment combat is quite reminiscent of a slower version of the Gundam Vs Series or Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, and has bosses and co-op in the style of God Eater.
The player takes control of an unnamed commander of an experimental unit during the One-Year War who is pulled into the digital G:Universe for the purpose of going to various Gundam timelines and fixing errors in their histories, called "Breaks." Most levels are played twice: once as a "break" where units and plotlines from different times or even universes intrude on the events, and once as "True" versions that play out akin to canon.
SD Gundam Battle Alliance contains examples of:
- Ace Custom: Aside from the fact that the game has dozens of mobile suits that are Ace Customs in their own works, the player begins the game in his own unique Ace Custom from the One Year War: a black and white GM with a backpack more resembling the RX-78 Gundam rather than the RGM-79 GMs. It's appearance in Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2 as the GM [Gatheroad Type] would explain that it pre-dates the mass-production phase of the GM and was used to gather data to optimize the Educational Computers used by the mass produced GMs that would see use during the later stages of the One Year War.
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: The main antagonist of the story is the administrative artificial intelligence that’s hell bent on rewriting history to suit its own needs with a massive robot armed to the teeth and with combat data from across the system. Though we are yet to know of why, it takes the destruction of the aforementioned mobile armour and its Gundam pilot that finally ends it for good.
- Art Shift: Notably, the game begins with the player's unit (an Ace Custom GM with two beam sabers) with regular proportions. Then, when the player is teleported/recruited into the main plot of the game, all mechs from that point onward have the familiar Super-Deformed proportions.
- Competitive Balance: Units are divided into three types: Jack of All Stats All-Rounders, Close-Range Combatant Infighters, and Long-Range Fighter Sharpshooters.
- Dramatic Irony: Mission Control AI Sakura Slash knows how the canon is supposed to go, but the player character and Juno do not, leading to situations where Juno wishes the best for allies she's formed bonds with despite being Doomed by Canon. Notably when she begins to theorize what they can do to save Tekkadan after the break mission set around the climax of Iron-Blooded Orphans. Sakura doesn't have the heart to tell her that Orga is dead and that Tekkadan will be wiped out by the Dainsleif attack until the team abruptly breaks out at the end of the true mission the instant before they hit.
- Mythology Gag: About on par with previous SD Gundam games, especially the G Generation entries. Most of them through the intro interactions:
- CCA Amuro will give certain advice to younger pilots. To Uso, he warns him about not letting the dead consume you. With Hathaway, Athrun or Bellri, he will give his advice about how the grim reaper won't come when you're ready for him.
- When BB Senshi Musha Gundam mentions his friend Musha Nu/Nyu and the merger with Koryu and Hiryu, CCA Amuro is confused and asks whether he means the Heavy Weapons System upgrade plan from the CCA-MSV documents.
- Sensitive Newtypes such as 0079 Amuro, Jona Basta and Kamille will note a strange feeling coming from inside the Aerial Gundam... In other words, Ericht Samaya within its GUND-System.
- Scirocco gives his usual "Women will rule the next generation" speech to some pilots. Mikazuki's response is to promptly consider it by complimenting Kudelia the same way he did when he saw her stop Gjallarhorn's fleet through speech alone in episode 17 of Iron-Blooded Orphans.
- SEED Astray Rondo Mina Sahaku will ask Suletta to show her how she dances (read: fights). Suletta proceeds to chant and perform the GUND-Arm commercial's dance much like when she won against Shadiqq.
- Post-Final Boss: Code; Maxwells, defeated and malfunctioning but not destroyed, attacks the protagonist and their standard GM using the heavily damaged Gundam Latreia just as they're about to repair the data of Odessa and return to real-space in a last ditch effort to kill them. They're saved when it's revealed that Hermes left behind combat data from Gundam Latreia himself, powering up the GM immensely. What ensues is a battle with minimal combat HUD that you cannot lose in which you hold Maxwells at bay while Juno and Sakura work out a way to erase Maxwells for good.
- Playful Hacker: More professional than most given she's an enlisted soldier, but Juno Astarte is a cutie whose hacking abilities surprise even an AI who recruited her for said hacking abilities.
- Recycled Soundtrack: Interestingly, several tracks in the BGM list are brought from other Gundam-licensed games' soundtracks, particularly from the G Generation and Extreme Vs releases over the last decade.
- Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Essentially what the player character and Juno were recruited for: to go into scenarios from Gundam history and ensure that they play out how they should, for better or for worse.
- Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny: The opening cinematic shows off several team-ups of various Gundam protagonists and antagonists facing off. All of the team-ups have a noticeable theme. These fights include;
- Amuro, Kamille and Judau note VS Char, Scirocco and Haman.
- Heero and Banagher note VS Zechs and Full Frontal.
- Setsuna, Loran and Bellri note VS Ribbons and Gym.
- Domon and Shinn note VS Master Asia and LOGOS.
- Kira, Uso and Garrod note VS Rau and Rey.
- Finishing off with Mikazuki, Amuro and Kira VS Julieta and Gjallarhorn. If following the promotional art, Char and Rau are there as well. note
