The 10 Best Mech Games of All Time - Target Locked

Before we begin, let’s get something out of the way.

There’s literally no one on the planet who hasn’t dreamed of waking up one day, receiving a holographic phone call from a hot secretary who tells you “The world needs you.

Now!” as you smirk out of bed, put on your suit, head over to the bay and strap yourself into a 40-foot machine built for absolute destruction. I mean, words and diplomacy can solve a lot of problems, without a doubt.

But sometimes, you need to pilot a badass mech and just…

Blow. Enemies. Away.

Mech games are a lot of fun. When they’re done well, it’s almost too much fun.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best mech games of all time.

Note that these aren’t in any particular order, they’re all awesome games.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. Full Boost – PS3/Arcade

Extreme Vs. Full Boost kept all the fun elements of the Gundam series and made some notable improvements. Here, you have the Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs Full Boost PS3 ability to extend your mega-ultra-damage combos even longer by using Extreme Action.

You also have the ability to use Extreme Burst, which is like an ultimate or super mode. The basic idea is to pilot a mobile suit to hammer and blow away all the opposing team members.

Each time one of the suits on your side dies, your overall hit points reduce a little. Extreme Vs. Full Boost understands probably the most important aspect of playing a fun mech game – BALLS TO THE WALL MAYHEM. The action is incredibly frenetic and explosive, and the different abilities and attacks you can unleash upon those who dare face you will keep you coming back over and over.

Front Mission 4 – PS2

Front Mission begins with a spectacular cinematic that puts you in the mood for some rollicking mech action. And it only gets better from there. As a rare strategy game in the mech genre, Front Mission 4 offers some interesting challenges. You have to upgrade your mech and your pilot separately, and each skill tree changes the way you head into combat.

You have a massive number of upgrades, customizations and weapons to choose from. Bear in mind that you’ll have to ensure that your upgrades are synergistic with each other. The long campaign and strategic combat ensures a lot of replayability. Even though the graphics might be a bit dated, this game is still a lot of fun.

Armored Core 4 – PS3

Armored Core 4 was a much-needed shot in the arm for the AC franchise. With new maps, new missions, a brand-new story and online multiplayer for up to 8 players, this is an absolute treat for mech fans. The improved graphics and more intuitive interface makes this a more fun experience for those of you who like to tinker around with your mech setups. If you haven’t played the previous AC games, don’t go in expecting an arcade shoot-em-up.

The Armored Core series has always been more about customization and figuring things out on your own. If you’re the kind of person who is excited by the prospect of getting to build and customize your own badass mech fighter from the ground up, Armored Core 4 is the game for you. And when the action does begin, it is spectacular.

Titanfall – Xbox 360/XONE

Titanfall launched with an incredible amount of hype behind it. The fluid, parkour-esque movement combined with the potential of piloting some giant mechs around and blowing your opponents to Kingdom Come had players worldwide salivating. And the final product delivered, with a bang. Titanfall is a fantastic coming-together of old-school ideas and new game technology, creating a tense and rewarding experience.

Matches are always unpredictable, and the tide can turn with a few momentous kills one way or another. The maps are diverse and require the use of varied tactics, and the weapon loadout complements this diversity. You’ll have a lot of fun teaming up with your friends to beat up some folks online. Jumping off a few ledges right into the cockpit of a giant machine of destruction never gets old.

Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 – PS2

Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 The Super Robot Wars games have been around for a long time, and through their mech combat history, they’ve seen many good and bad entries. With Alpha 3 however, everything just works. Building a turn-based strategy game featuring a bunch of iconic mechs isn’t easy, but that’s just what Alpha 3 does well.

The animations are stellar and there’s enough variety to keep you entertained. More importantly perhaps, the developers worked hard to balance the game, which makes this a challenging and fun experience from start to finish.

If you cheered when Optimus Prime punched the living daylights out of those Decepticons in the jungle scene from Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen, you’ll be right at home. If you aren’t, there’s still very few things that are more gleeful than taking control of a hulking mech that can dish out obscene amounts of damage.

With that in mind, let’s dive back into the world of lead and metal and list out five more of our favorite mech games of all time. Best Mech Games

Hawken – PS4

Do you remember how fun it was to have endless frag sessions with your friends in the good old days of Quake III and Counter Strike? Now imagine a fantastic arena shooter with tight controls and fluid gameplay,

BUT YOU GET TO FIGHT WITH BADASS MECHS. The pace is frantic, the action is chaotic, and if you get a bunch of friends together, fun times are guaranteed. The game has a very beginner-friendly learning curve, but gets very skill-based quickly. It also doesn’t have any of the awkward control issues often associated with mech games.

Strike Suit Zero – PC

If the first thing that spontaneously comes out of your mouth when you first start playing Strike Suit Zero is “This is gorgeous!” you are not alone. Expect yourself to utter several phrases of astonishment and delight immediately thereafter.

Strike Suit Zero puts on screen some of the most cinematic combat ever seen in gaming, because it happens on literally the biggest scale imaginable – out there, in the deep darkness of space. Imagine yourself in your own Star Wars battle scene, except you’re piloting a transforming mech that has insane firepower. The outer space renderings are just drop-dead beautiful. Do yourself a favor and get this game.

SHOGO: Mobile Armor Division – PC

SHOGO is a love letter to all things mecha anime. Made by the then-titans at Monolith Productions, SHOGO was a joyride through your favorite childhood fantasies of being in the driver’s seat of giant robots. Everything – from the futuristic HUD to the various transformations your robot can undergo, is inspired by the best mecha anime. You have to break through walls, blow vehicles up and engage in full on firefights with other giant robots who have guns and lasers embedded in their arms.

Who doesn’t want that?

Zone of the Enders 2: The 2^nd Runner – PS2

The 2^nd Runner took the already insane premise of the original Zone of The Enders and just ramped everything up. You had more insane acrobatic aerial combat, a broader and more engaging story and several different mission types. The 2^nd Runner also features some of the most memorable boss fights in all the mech gaming history.

The battles you’ll have against enemy Orbital Frames are pure adrenalin rushes. You, of course, will be in control of Jehuty – a powerful mech called a Frame which does things that would make Prince of Persia proud. You’ll roll, dash, somersault and zip around your targets, shattering them with the different weapons in your arsenal. Highly recommended.

Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries – PC

Mechwarrior was one of the innovators in the mech genre back in the day. This sequel to Mechwarrior 2 refined the combat and introduced numerous new and exciting elements. You are a mercenary piloting a mech, and you have to make your way through the world, taking contracts and building your notoriety as you try to survive during the onslaught of the Clans.

This game features lots of different maps, improved graphics and countless new mechs and enemies to fight against. You’ll have to be careful with your resources, too, if you want to build the best and strongest mechs. The game features a strong combat system that requires you to balance heavy attacks and lighter but less damaging strikes.