Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Hot Scramble

Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Hot Scramble is the second game based on the Kidou Senshi Z Gundam anime, and the first for home consoles. Numerous units from both the TITANS and Neo-Zeon forces appear as opponents, and the player takes control of the iconic Zeta Gundam.

Each stage in the game is a sequence of three parts. First the player starts in a 1-person flying segment on land where they can shoot aerial and land-based targets for points. How many times the Waverider’s laser can be fired is limited by a recharging energy bar. For the second phase the Waverider will launch into space, but gameplay is functionally similar to the land phase. For the third phase the Gundam infiltrates a space station or battleship, and gameplay shifts to a side view similar to the previous Z Gundam game. Here the player can freely shift between Waverider and MS modes, both of which can fire its laser at enemy mobile suits, as they navigate a maze to locate and destroy the core.

Aside from the much later Famicom Mini release, there were two versions of the game: the original release; and a special release of the central location test version, sometimes dubbed Final Version. Only 1000 copies of this second version were ever released, making it among the rarest video games in history.