Gundam Toys
Image: Tamashii Web

Back in 1996, Bandai released the first entry in the Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny series, a trilogy of Sega Saturn games that has remained exclusive to Japan.

Despite the lack of a Western localisation, the trilogy has gained a cult following among Gundam fans, thanks partly to the fact that they're half-decent games (the Gundam series has an unwelcome reputation for bad video game adaptations) and partly due to their more grounded gameplay experience.

Unlike other Gundam games, which place you in super-powerful Mobile Suits, The Blue Destiny trilogy has you piloting weaker mecha from a first-person perspective, giving the games a more methodical feel. This would be continued in Mobile Suit Gundam 0079: Rise from the Ashes on the Sega Dreamcast.

If you're a long-time fan of the games (which have since been adapted into manga), then you'll be pleased to learn that they're finally getting some quality merchandise.

As spotted by Forbes, several mecha from the games are being released as part of the 'Robot Spirits' line of figures, including the Efreet Kai, the Blue Destiny GM and the Blue Destiny Gundam.

The figures arrive early next year.

[source forbes.com]