Battle Assault 3 mobilizes to retail

Bandai has announced that Battle Assault 3 featuring Gundam Seed for the PlayStation 2 is now available in stores. The franchise is based on the Japanese anime series Mobile Suit Gundam, which debuted in 1979. In the show, pilots commandeered giant robotic suits and battled one another in space. The show's drama and social commentary made it a hit with many fans, and the series has proliferated into feature films and various other media, particularly games.

Battle Assault 3 features 33 mobile suits to battle in and includes suits from spin-offs Gundam Wing and G Gundam. There are five game modes to play, including the single-player mission mode, versus mode, and the cooperative multiplayer time trial mode. The fighting all takes place in full 3D environments, complete with destructible buildings.

Battle Assault 3 is the latest in a very long line of Gundam games that has appeared on almost every platform, except the Xbox, since the early '90s. The series makes its Nintendo DS debut in March 2005 with Mobile Suit Gundam Seed.

Battle Assault 3 featuring Gundam Seed is rated "T" for Teen and has an MSRP of $39.99.