Iron Saga VS review: Super Robot Wars, but make it for the FGC

While I love Iron Saga VS, I have to admit I’ve never really played the mobile game! I don’t really do a lot of mobile gaming, so it’s nothing against the gacha. Somehow, it just slipped under the radar for me, though I don’t know how. I am, after all, a long-time fan of mecha, both classic and modern. The combination of the Getter Robo/Mazinger-type mecha with Iron Saga’s original designs makes for a really fun clash of styles.

While Iron Saga VS looks like your typical anime fighter, it feels perhaps more like a Street Fighter-type game? Its pacing isn’t quite what I’d get from BlazBlue or Dragon Ball FighterZ, though skilled players have shown me that some of the combos definitely trend towards that direction — and I love it. Whether you’re a fan of mecha manga or fighting games, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Iron Saga VS brings a popular mobile game to life in a sleek fighting game form

Iron Saga VS is a four-button fighting game that’s been in the works for some time from Gameduchy, and it’s finally launched globally. I’ve been seeing videos about it from several notable fighting game players over the past few months, and every time I saw it, I got a little more excited. While I’m no expert, I do love playing a good ol’ fashioned button basher, and this one’s right up my alley.

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"Make three hearts as one, believe in Getter" (Image via Gameduchy)

Featuring popular characters from classic anime and manga such as Dancouga, Mazinger, Getter Robo, and even Boss Borot, they clash with original creations with designs that wouldn’t be out of place in a Super Robot Wars game. That’s what this game really reminds me of: Super Robot Wars, but in a fighting game format. It’s like the original Dynasty Warriors game in that way.

The game launched at a very reasonable $25, with plenty of game modes, a solid tutorial, and 12 characters, each with their unique moves, special attacks, and combos. In addition, each character’s mecha has an alternate form, offering plenty of variation. You even have Getter Robo, which can swap forms mid-combat — heck, mid combo! Iron Saga VS brings so much flavor and spice to the world of fighting games.

Use of Limit Break can really set your combos apart from other players (Image via Gameduchy)

I love each character — even goofy dorks like Boss Borot have some truly incredible sauce to them. In fact, Dancouga might be my favorite grappler of all time, next to, of course, the mighty King. There are some wild possibilities in this game, and I’m really excited to see what players can cook up.

Iron Saga VS does have some awesome mechanics, though, like Limit Break. It feels like perhaps a Roman Cancel (cancel the ending lag of your attack to extend combos) or even an FADC (Focus Attack Dash Cancel). It allows you to cancel any of your attacks and dash in to extend your combo. It puts you in an Overheat state, so you can't burn the meter, but it really allows for some ridiculous combos if you do the work.

Iron Saga VS has autocombos but lacks some other useful features

It's worth noting that these autocombos aren't guaranteed game-winners. You still should practice your own combos (Image via Gameduchy)

As a part of the tutorial, Iron Saga VS teaches the various forms of autocombo it has. You can mash directions after pressing a normal (standard attack button), for example, or you can mash buttons to get additional strikes or specials. I like having that kind of option, it’s not one I’ve ever seen before. The normals are solid for all characters. There is something about them I don't care for. Not many of the normals link into one another.

There’s a term in fighting games: “Magic Series”. This is when you can link normals into one another, like A->B->C->D, to create a solid combo. Combos felt harder to pull off in Iron Saga VS, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing, not at all.

I suppose that when I see a fighting game that looks like an anime fighter, I expect to see that kind of thing. It could always be changed in the future. If it doesn’t? Well, it’s certainly not the end of the world. Combos are still flashy, hard-hitting, and require reasonable execution.

I think the only character that I really found to be frustrating was Getter Robo. The inputs for changing form mid-combo just broke my brain. I think newcomers to fighting games might also be frustrated at some of the combo trials, but that’s the nature of the beast! Learning is always going to be hard. It’s important to remember that the first step to being “good” at something is being “bad” at something.

The most important question: How is the online gameplay?

There were a few really laggy fights, but they were far and few between (Image via Gameduchy)

A fighting game needs to have good online gameplay; that’s the most important requirement, I think. Other than a few blips, Iron Saga VS played incredibly online. I had a five- or six-match set with someone around 4 or 5 am, and it was flawless. No matter what time I played, I had smooth, clean online matches — with just one or two exceptions.

I had way more clean matches than laggy ones. I’ve heard of people having disconnects and lag, but I’ve only seen that in one or two matches, and it was with the same person over and over. That leads me to think it was that person’s internet and not the game itself.

You can queue for matches and hop into other modes or use the lobbies — both are solid ways to play the game. I’ve played with people in a few regions, and it all felt pretty smooth. Iron Saga VS has solid rollback netcode, and I couldn’t be happier. Some other bigger fighting games should take note.

The design of the mecha in Iron Saga VS is impeccable

The original mecha designs are sharp without being too busy, in my opinion (Image via Gameduchy)

I’ve heard some people say that the Getter/Mazinger mecha just look like they were pulled out of Super Robot Wars, and quite frankly, I don’t see how that’s a bad thing. I don’t think they really do, but there’s a similar art style, at the very least. Each mecha looked amazing and had cool attack animations and supers.

The voice acting and music are solid as well, with the backgrounds for stages also having smart designs, with some familiar locations to long-time fans of anime like Getter Robo. The original mechas definitely have better, flashier designs, but the classic ones also look exactly how they should, so I think the artistic clash of styles is a nice choice for a game like this.

Just because Boss Borot looks silly doesn’t mean you should disrespect it. Doing so is gonna get you tumbled up in his shenanigans.

Final thoughts

All of Iron Saga VS's characters, without exception, have the sauce (Image via Gameduchy)

I adore Iron Saga VS. It has more than enough sauce to be a fighting game favorite everywhere. The combos can be absolutely brutal — as a Platinum-ranked player proved in a set earlier today. I was absolutely demolished, but I would get closer and closer. I never felt terrible leaving a match, and that’s important for fighting games.

For $25, you get plenty of game modes, a decent roster, and reliable online connectivity. I feel like there’s still room for growth and improvement, but what’s on offer is really satisfying. More characters are coming in the season pass, and hopefully, we’ll see something like Psycho Gundam or The O from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Even if it’s just all Getter/Mazinger, I’m totally onboard for that.