Gundam is a franchise that is no stranger to games, and especially the action genre and fighting game genre. While some great fighting games have been made recently for the franchise, one of the best made was Gundam Wing Endless Duel on the Super Famicom. An adaptation of Gundam Wing, the 90’s subseries of Gundam that became a phenomenon, Endless Duel has some of the most high profile characters from the anime facing each other in 1 v 1 fights, in what may be a true hidden gem for the system.
The game was made using the same engine as the also awesome Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition, and was a sight to behold. Having a good roster of iconic characters from Gundam Wing to choose from, Gundam Wing Endless Duel improved on its predecessor with tighter gameplay, faster action and good combos ability. To say this the best use of a licensed property for a fighting game at the time is an understatement as well, as this was not just a fast and intense game but each attack had weight behind it that felt authentic. You really got the feel of a fight between two giant Mechs and it did not have any clunkiness that plagues so many 16 bit fighters.
Endless Duel still has a competitive scene today, and this is because the game has aged very well and not just by today’s standards. The fact that there is such a devoted fanbase to the game, despite it never being officially released outside of Japan makes me wish Bandai Namco would find a way to re-release it and localize it for the first time. They could even add in online play and allow more gamers to experience the game and see just what a masterpiece and how well designed it is. It is rare for such a game to hold up so well but Gundam Wing Endless Duel accomplished this, and deserves a wider audience.
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