Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Complete Box pulls you in with a simple but potent promise: three foundational Super Robot Wars campaigns, rebuilt instead of merely bundled together. You are not getting untouched old games here. Dai-2-ji Super Robot Wars, Dai-3-ji Super Robot Wars, and Super Robot Wars EX have all been updated around the style used by Super Robot Wars F and Super Robot Wars F Final, so the collection feels aimed at players who want to revisit the material in a more modernized PlayStation form.

The tougher balance is the key thing to know before you start. These versions can be harder than the originals, which gives victories more weight but can also turn a relaxed nostalgia run into a demanding tactical commitment. If you enjoy working through turn-based battles where every decision needs a little more care, that extra pressure is welcome. If your main goal is to breeze through vintage series history, it may grate.

The three games do not carry equal historical novelty. Dai-2-ji is the standout remake because it differs the most from its original version, while EX is closer to the game it once was. That makes the box more interesting than a uniform compilation: you can feel it shifting between restoration and reinterpretation. The drawback is equally clear—this is a lot of old-school strategy material, and its rewards are for patience rather than instant variety.

Graphics

The remakes use the graphical style of Super Robot Wars F and Super Robot Wars F Final rather than the look of the original Famicom and Super Famicom releases. For a PlayStation collection built around older campaigns, that update gives the three games a more consistent visual home.

Story

There is a special pleasure in playing through early Super Robot Wars material as a connected body of work instead of treating each game as an isolated relic. Complete Box puts Dai-2-ji, Dai-3-ji, and EX side by side, letting you spend time with three major chapters from the series’ past in their remade forms.

That historical angle is strengthened by the second disc, History Of Super Robot Wars. Its collection of cutscenes and voice data from the early games is more than filler for fans who care about how the franchise developed. It gives the package an archival dimension that the campaign disc alone would not have.

Still, the narrative payoff depends on your affection for the broader Super Robot Wars lineage. This is a collection for someone who wants to immerse themselves in its early material, not a compact, self-contained story designed to win over a newcomer in a weekend.

Overall Experience

Super Robot Wars Complete Box is a strong archival release with enough actual play value to justify its size. Three fully remade tactical RPGs are already substantial, and the History disc adds a useful companion piece rather than feeling like a token extra. The two-player versus mode is a nice bonus, though the campaigns remain the reason to own it.

Its biggest strength is also its barrier: Complete Box asks you to be interested in the series’ past and willing to meet it on demanding tactical terms. The harder gameplay will satisfy veterans looking for more bite, but it makes this a less inviting entry point for anyone unfamiliar with how much time older strategy RPG campaigns can demand.

For committed Super Robot Wars fans, this is easy to recommend. The updated F-era treatment, the meaningful differences among the remakes, and the historical material make it a more thoughtful package than a simple reissue. Everyone else should only take the plunge if three lengthy, tougher old-school campaigns sound energizing rather than exhausting.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10