Hardcore Gaming 101: Super Robot Taisen (Classic)

4th Super Robot Taisen, released in 1995, was originally the end of Classic timeline. However, Banpresto later replaced this game by F and F Final, officially retconning this game out of the timeline.

The story takes place "a few months" after the 3rd game. Jamitov Hymem creates the Titans to counter spacenoids committing terrorist attacks. The Titans rise to power after the disappearance of Londo Bell due to the La Gias incident (as told in SRT EX). To make matters worse, Haman Karn creates the New Divine Crusaders and have the support of the spacenoids. However, Don Zauser still commands the old DC. To fight all of these guys, Quattro Bajeena creates the Anti-Earth Union Group.

When starting the game, you can finally create your own protagonists and can even choose which route you'd like to take, teaming with super robots or with real robots. You can also change the birthday and personality of your protagonist, which affects some skills. Also new is the ability to counterattack manually, as well as choosing whether to parry when attacked or do absolutely nothing. The energy gauge has also changed a little. Now all non-bullet related attacks affect the energy gauge, offering more strategy to the game.

The battle animations have once again been given a boost, making the animations more fluid. The game even has some moments of full fledged animations such as the beginning of the game in the Super Robot route, with the launch of Mazinger Z. The music has been improved, sounding a bit better than the previous titles. The length of the game is shorter than EX, but 43 missions is nothing to sneeze at.

The game was ported over to the Playstation in 1996 as Super Robot Taisen S. It's mostly a direct port of the SNES game, with only two missions added in and voice-overs added in some attacks, but not all. Choosing which route also affects opening and beginning stages in this version.

Series Introduced

	Brave Leader Daimos The survivors of the planet Barm head to Earth to sign a peace treaty. Unfortonally, the Barmian leader, Leon, is killed. Leon's son Richter kills Dr. Ryuzaki from Earth and a war has now started. Dr. Ryuzaki's son Kazuya decides to defend Earth using the robot Daimos. However, he falls in love with Richter's sister...
	Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 An entity known as the Gaizok has wiped out the planet Beal. A few survivors and their families have escaped to Earth. The surivors now known as the "Jin Family" prepare for the Gaizok invasion of Earth. They build three vehicles combine to form Zambot 3.
	New Story of Aura Battler Dunbine Taking place 700 years after the original TV show, this short series revolves around the incarnation of Shion Zaba. Along with the new Aura Battler Silbine, he must stop Shot Weapon from launching an inter-continental ballistic missile.
	Heavy Metal L-Gaim In the Pentagona System, a boy named Daba Myroad leads a rebellion against its leader, Oldna Poseidal. He, along with his friends and a machine dubbed L-Gaim, volunteer to overthrow this evil leader.
	Super Beast Machine God Dancougar Emperor Muge Zarbados and his empire decide that Earth is the next planet they'll take over, with the help of a Earth traitor Shapiro Keats. The planet's fate rests with Shinobu and his friends, who pilot three crafts which can combine to form the mecha Dancougar.
	Gundam Sentinel (Novel) Set between the end of Zeta Gundam and the beginning of Gundam ZZ, the Earth Federation sends a squad called Task Force Alpha to deal with elite Federation officers who have formed their own faction, the New Desides. Sentinel takes a more realistic and technical feel than the other Gundam series. The mobile suits here are seen as fighter jet and/or military weapons. The attacks of these Gundams are more powerful than the previous Gundams.
	Shin Getter Robo (Manga) Taking place after Getter Robo G but before Getter Go, the Saotome Institute is attacked by a figure of a huge oni, (Japanese ogre). However, using Getter Robo takes a lot out of the pilots, so the Institute must look for new candidates to pilot it.

Banpresto Originals

	Gungrust The Gungrust is a star chest shaped mech capbable of changing into a flight mode and a tank mode. It's made more for melee combat rather than long range. In later games, it gets upgraded and has newer models.
	Hucklebein The Hucklebein has an almost mobile suit-type look. It's very quick and agile, and can even equip the Black Hole Cannon, which is where its power source some from. Various models have been shown in other games.
	Gespenst The Gespent is a very popular mech in the robot wars series and is seen in numberous variations. It's the first in the Personal Trooper mech lineup. It originally came in two different models, speed and strength.
	Teniquette Zezernan / Baran Schnail Commander of the Guests. He came to Earth during an incident at the South Pole. He gave the Guests the Black Hole Engine later used by Granzon.