I first saw these starter box sets – SD Gundam Gashapon Duel Starter Set Side A & Side B in an anime store back in 1999. They were a duel boardgame which has collection elements as well as map strategic elements. At that same time, there were also these Gashapon (vending) machines selling playable units for this boardgame. I was thrilled with the idea of collecting playable units from these Gashapon machines, and that I can build my own team from these units and duel with other players with the starter box sets.

But when I look at these units, the engraving on them provided too much information and I didn’t know intuitively, how the game works. I need to study the Japanese instructions yet at that time it was harder to do for me (Our world only get more of these handy online/ mobile translation tools over the last decade).

Now as I look at this product and what was laid out in front of me, SD Gundam Gashapon Duel likely started it – The collectible duel boardgame with terrain elements. Also, it was an adaptation of a legendary videogame into a boardgame as well, which only now happens all the time.

SD Gundam Gashapon Duel combined SD Gundam Gashapon with duel boardgame rules – It resembled and was a great attempt at adapting a legendary strategy videogame series into a boardgame. Although it was not intuitive and hardly a finalized product.

It was a great idea and it felt fun. At that time I was quite young and didn’t have any spare money or time to buy more than the starter sets. So I could only look at them and ponders over the what-ifs? And when I grew up a bit more, I managed to get a few of the Gashapon sets in complete packs yet I still failed to understand what they were. Finally, not until these days I did my research thoroughly and wrote this post I started to appreciate how they tried to put it together. And that’s like 20+ years later. Well, it’s never too late right?

Name	SD Gundam Gashapon Duel
Type	Collectible Duel Boardgame
Versions	SD Gundam Gashapon Duel Starter Set – Side A SD Gundam Gashapon Duel Starter Set – Side B
Add-on Modules	SD Gundam Gashapon Duel 1 – 5
Years	1998-1999
Manufacturer/ Distributors	Bandai
Platform	N/A
No. of Players	2
Batteries	N/A

What is SD Gundam Gashapon Duel?

SD Gundam Gashapon Duel is a collectible duel boardgame like Heroscape. The biggest difference is, it was build with already established intellectual property in Gundam and SD Gundam & Gashapon. Also, it is largely based off the video games of the same genre by it’s manufacturer Bandai.

The following was the Japanese description of SD Gundam Gashapon Duel:

“Gashapon Duel is a full-scale simulation game in which you can create a team (unit) with many mobile suit pilots and mobile suit (MS) that appear in Mobile Suit Gundam and battle against your friends! Place a pilot in the MS according to the map, consider the settings, and devise a strategy for the defence or unit to win the battle! You can also get units (pieces) from Gashapon vending machines (100 yen each). Collect lots and create the strongest team!”

The description was spot on. SD Gundam Gashapon Duel has elements of collect & build, duel with others, and is also a strategy game.

You can start with either set to play the game. You do need 2 players (so thus, I never played them lol). What you do, is you place the game board(s) anyway you want, each player put their headquarter (HQ) token and units there and it’s game on. You either eliminate all your opponent units, or reach their HQ to win.

And of course there were more to that because it is both Gundam & Japanese (known to be overly detailed at times but not a bad thing!). There were more to the game with it’s relationship to the Gundam lore.

The Gundam lore

For many of us, Gundam defined our childhood to adulthood. Just like Transformers who stood similarly. Their stories and everything embedded into books, anime and also their products like Gunpla model kits, Gashapon, toys & video games.

For SD Gundam Gashapon Duel, the “Side A” & “Side B” text made reference to the original Gundam anime. That is, the main character Amuro Ray lived in the space colony “Side 7” at L3, and activated the first ever Gundam RX-78. Thus, the “Side” mentioned on SD Gundam Gashapon Duel had a double meaning. And content wise, each “Side A” & “Side B” box contained similar pieces, yet different in style such as units & game board.

As I made reference to Gundam, SD Gundam and Gashapon loosely here, it is worth it to note that Gundam refers to the initial animation of the Gundam universe. Then, SD Gundam refers to “Super Deform Gundam” which was developed based on the Gundam universe and presented in a different “deformed” scale. And Gashapon refers to the vending machines which sell small toys. All of them were developed by Bandai.

SD Gundam Gashapon Duel was largely based on the successor of the first famous original game “SD Gundam World Capsule Warriors – Scramble Wars” and it’s succeeding series of games. Let’s look at what it is.

“SD Gundam Gashapon Duel” was the boardgame version of “SD Gundam World Capsule Warriors – Scramble Wars” series

When I was young, I played this Famicom with Disk System (Yes Famicom not Super NES) game called “SD Gundam World Capsule Warriors – Scramble Wars”. It was the first time when I experienced the fun of a strategy game, that I need to play a map with landscapes and resource points, build units and pursue on a final objective which is taking down the enemy HQ (Unlike the boardgame, the HQ in the video game has a boss).

The game was fun and players took turns to move their units. After all the units were moved you pass to the next player (or the COM which is the AI). The COM has 4 difficulties and was to me, impossible to beat when you pick the most difficult (Yes, a well made AI in 1987!). Also, there were quite many things memorable to me:

• Each unit had different stats, movement, health and weaponries etc.;
• The terrain had actual effect on the units’ movements. Like 1 movement point to move on plains and 2 in forest;
• You could pick from a selection of preset maps to play;
• Taking over a city allows you to gain capital points so you can manufacture units from HQ;
• When you step on an opponent unit you engage in an action duel fighting game;
• You could place unit into a transport unit and move. I think they also recovers HP while so.

That was like loads of fun for a game made in 1987. There were many various versions after including the more known G-Generation series. My other most memorable one was “SD Gundam: GX” on Super Famicom.

SD Gundam: GX

SD Gundam: GX was published in 1994. The game was the first which featured Hex system (at least in this Gundam strategy game series), landing system (A typical game map was on space showing Moon & Earth. And you could “land” on them and it opens another map – Thus making it a huge map with multiple ones attached), and flexible duel of your Gundam units (I think you can do 1v1, 2v2, 2v5 etc.). It was the most exciting thing I ever experienced at that time. And it showed enhancement and evolution from the original.

I do believe the SD Gundam Gashapon Duel was based on this game. Because it featured also the hex system, alongside multiple landscape types and duelling of multiple Gundam units at once.

As I did my research I found there were so many games that came right after the original, first Famicom game “SD Gundam World Capsule Warriors – Scramble Wars”. So I think it is best to go into that later.

Next, let’s look at the gameplay.

SD Gundam Gashapon Duel gameplay

As I know there are quite limited resources on this boardgame, I will try to give a bit more on this part so that more perspective can be provided.

Game objectives – Achieve one of these to win:

• Reach the other sides HQ
• Eliminate all enemy units from the map

Setting up SD Gundam Gashapon Duel:

• Put the map together (any size is valid);
• Each player place their own HQ on the map;
• Each player pick 5 units to a maximum of 15 levels*;
• Each player combine together their unit specific dice with a pilot dice;
• Put the units on the HQ, launch pads and adjacent space;
• Decide on the unit’s facing direction (where there is a small triangle) and you can’t change the direction once the game starts.

Turn Sequence:

• Move one of your units (you can’t skip this action);
• Attack with all available units (you decide how many);
• Next player’s turn.

The Units:

Although at times they were too small and due to the transparent nature of the unit pieces, the engraving on them were hard to read. These engravings meant everything to the gameplay (You don’t need to reference any stat-sheets as they were literally on the collectable game units). But the good thing was, they were handy and easy once you get to know them.

• Unit name at the back of the unit;
• HP – Health Point when it reach 0 the unit is destroyed;
• SR – Shooting Range is how far away it can attack;
• Text in front denotes the “terrain” type the unit can move on;
  • 宇 – Space
  • 陸 – Land
  • 海 – Ocean
• The triangle arrow indicates the direction of the unit is facing. You can’t change direction after game start;
• The dot indicates the movement steps it can move in that direction;
• You can move “pass” your own units by jumping over them, but not your opponent;
• You cannot step on other units.

Other Rules:

• The colour of the unit matters. When you roll the “Hexa” dice, you follow the attack number on the dice corresponding to your unit’s colour;
• All “Pilot-Hexa” are unique (There can only be one in an entire game) unless otherwise say so on it;
• You may adjust the “MS-Hexa” & the attached “Pilot-Hexa” anytime. But you may not change their attachment within a game;
• Damage are resolved together unless otherwise say so on the dice;
• You have to declare an attack, and no matter if your opponent is in range or not, they will also need to roll the corresponding “Hexa” dice;
• All damage will restore by the end of turn, and all units start fresh again in the next round.

Releases/ Collector’s Guide

There were a total of 2 starter sets, and 5 Gashapon series over a 2 year span. I am unsure why they discontinued it but likely there are too many interesting projects that Bandai wished to engage. But I thought that was a good run for a Japanese boardgame.

As I do my research, I found because many of the units were made from transparent plastic – That if they weren’t kept well, the colour faded to a transparent white or pale blue. Be aware of that and there isn’t any “clear” versions but just red, green or blue for these units.

Product	Styles	Price	Release Date	Pictures#
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダムスターターセット SD Gundam Gashapon Duel Starter Sets	2 (Side A & Side B)	680 Yen	1998	See above
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダム SD Gundam Gashapon Duel	10 styles in 3 colours (Same styles as starter sets A+B)	100 Yen each	1998	Cover
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダム2 SD Gundam Gashapon Duel 2	10 styles in 3 colours	100 Yen each	1999	Cover Product1
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダム3 SD Gundam Gashapon Duel 3	10 styles in 3 colours	100 Yen each	1999	Cover
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダム4 SD Gundam Gashapon Duel 4	10 styles in 3 colours	100 Yen each	1999	Cover
ガシャポンデュエルＳＤガンダム5 SD Gundam Gashapon Duel 5	10 styles in 3 colours	100 Yen each	1999	Cover

What’s in the Box? Product contents of SD Gundam Gashapon Duel

• 2 hex game boards (one sided)
• 2 HQ tokens
• 5 units (transparent blue)
  • Side A set has:
    • RX78-2 Gundam (Lv4)
    • RGM-79 GM (Lv2)
    • MS-06J Zaku (Lv2)
    • MS-07B Gouf (Lv3)
    • MSM-07 Z’Gok (Lv3)
  • Side B set has:
    • MS-06S Char’s Zaku (Lv4)
    • RX-77 Guncannon (Lv3)
    • RX-75 Guntank (Lv3)
    • MSM-03 Gogg (Lv2)
    • MSM-04 Acguy (Lv3)
• 10 “Hexa” dices
• 10 stickers for the dices (5 for “MS-Hexa” & 5 for “Pilot-Hexa”)
• 1 instruction booklet

Final thoughts

SD Gundam Gashapon Duel was definitely the first, if not a part contributing to the beginning of the collectible duel boardgame genre. Just like the video game “SD Gundam World Capsule Warriors – Scramble Wars” that likely started the video game genre of strategy games. The boardgame was something interesting, yet not as impactful as the videogame that originated it. It had a 2 years run and I thought if it packaged well and were not using plastic eraser material but Warhammer plastic resin, it might be more successful and can be playing till today? We never know and there are so many interesting things that kept coming from the Japanese anime market. Like, I also found interesting products such as FW Gundam Converge Core, which is not a game but really delicate collectible Gundam pieces.

I feel SD Gundam Gashapon Duel didn’t made pass 2 years mainly of two reasons. One was it wasn’t a really finalized product but one that is used to test the market. And two it was not intuitive and confusing on how everything works. Like you need the unit’s specific dice and if that sticker is gone, broken or missing you can’t use that unit at all. I had a wrong sticker with one from the Gashapon purchase and that’s all there is to it – I can’t use the unit.

However to me, there still isn’t a game that defined this boardgame genre – This genre of collectible duel boardgame has a long way to go.

In conclusion, I think SD Gundam Gashapon Duel was something you own as a collection, and less of a game to play. If they managed to make more interesting map boards, simplified intuitive rules and perhaps improve on the “Hexa” dice, it might go longer and shall be more fun as well!

Pros (Why It is Awesome)

• Small box, affordable product that inspired what came next;
• I love the Gundam sculptures and the transparent plastic are nice looking;
• Nice application of the “Hexa” dice, where you use the unit’s corresponding dice and can attach a “pilot” dice where you can pick and choose.

Cons (What could be done better)

• Besides the 2 starter sets, there isn’t anything that comes after. The map gets repetitive really soon;
• It is a Japanese game, meaning unless you know Japanese or have someone to translate them for you, you really can’t and know how everything works;
• The “Hexa” dice needed stickers and if you lose or break them, you can’t play the unit anymore;
• It seems like it is more of a collectible rather than a game. You spend more time collecting and pick and choose your unit and pilots.

Further readings & resources:

• The Gundam Wiki – To learn more on the Gundam lore
• SD Gundam – Wikipedia link on SD Gundam so you can start on the topic
• List of Gundam Video Games – All of them are here I am unsure if they missed any because there are way too many…

Should you have further questions or comments, please let me know in the comments below I will try best to answer them! I gone pretty deep in Barcode Battler so I am confident I can answer most of your questions! 🙂

Written by NKBDL for Strategy Games Evolution, Sep 27, 2024

Disclaimer: All pictures shown on the article were taken by me from my own collections. For pictures that are linked out, and are very specific like those really rare items, I downloaded them from online auction websites and will reference them as best as possible. As these websites listings are quite dynamic it is very hard to keep a permanent link to them. If you found yourself to be the owner of such photos and I didn’t do my reference right, please contact me right away. Thank you!

I started this site so that anyone (including me) can come and learn about/ reference on interesting strategy game products, so being able to show and reference the right pictures meant a lot to me and my audiences. Of course I did put up some referral links so that I can continue to support this site and buy more products to review. So I shall let everyone know about this point too. Thanks again.