Bandai Returns to Gundam’s ’90s Super Nintendo Era for 2 Exclusive Gunpla Re-Releases
Image by Charlotte DavisBandai has officially reopened pre-orders for two exclusive Gunpla kits based on a classic Gundam game from the Super Nintendo era, giving collectors another opportunity to build a pair of rival mobile suits from the One Year War.
The returning “HGUC 1/144 Gundam Pixy” and “HGUC 1/144 Efreet” recreate two machines introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam: Cross Dimension 0079, a tactical RPG originally released for Nintendo’s Super Famicom in Japan in 1995.
Cross Dimension 0079 combines scenarios inspired by the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime with a new storyline set during the One Year War, following a conflict between Earth Federation and Zeon forces in the Gobi Desert.
The original story centers around Borkh Crai, a Federation officer assigned to transport the experimental Gundam Pixy, who becomes involved in a series of battles against Zeon forces led by Henry Boone.
Boone pilots the powerful Efreet, a heavily armed mobile suit designed for close-range combat, setting up a rivalry between the two machines that becomes central to the game’s final chapters.
Although Cross Dimension 0079 was released exclusively in Japan, its original mobile suit designs have since appeared in other Gundam games and merchandise, introducing the Pixy and Efreet to a wider audience.
The Efreet has also inspired several later variants, including the heavily modified Efreet Schneid from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, which received another exclusive Gunpla re-release earlier in 2026.
Bandai originally introduced the Gundam Pixy and Efreet as Premium Bandai exclusive HGUC kits, recreating their appearances from Cross Dimension 0079 with specialized armor, weapons, and accessories.
The latest production run brings back those existing designs, allowing builders to recreate the rivalry between the two mobile suits more than three decades after their video game debut.
Let’s take a look at both returning kits!
- “HGUC 1/144 Gundam Pixy”
Based on the experimental Earth Federation mobile suit from Cross Dimension 0079, the kit recreates the Gundam Pixy’s lightweight armor, specialized head, shoulder components, and chest detailing, reflecting its emphasis on speed and close-range combat.
Its weapons include two 90mm Sub-Machine Guns and a pair of Beam Daggers, with effect parts allowing builders to recreate slashing attacks during battle.
The Beam Daggers can be stored on the waist armor, while both Sub-Machine Guns attach to the rear skirt, with an additional mechanism allowing the weapons to be combined into a special bayonet configuration.
- “HGUC 1/144 Efreet”
The rival Zeon mobile suit from Cross Dimension 0079 returns with its heavily armored appearance, including the large spiked shoulders, specialized head, waist armor, and backpack that distinguish it from later Efreet variants.
The kit includes a dedicated Shotgun with interchangeable stock components, allowing builders to recreate its longer configuration or mount the weapon on the waist when not in use.
Two Heat Sabers are also included, with interchangeable blade parts that reproduce their activated and stored appearances, allowing the Efreet to be displayed wielding both weapons against the Gundam Pixy.
Pre-orders for the “HGUC 1/144 Gundam Pixy” and “HGUC 1/144 Efreet,” which are both priced at ¥2,530 (approximately $16 / £12), are now open through Premium Bandai Japan, with both kits scheduled to ship in February 2027.
Bandai is yet to confirm a re-release through Premium Bandai US at the time of writing, though corresponding US listings tend to take several days or weeks after the initial Japanese re-release announcement to appear, so American builders looking to pick up either kit should check back regularly to see if pre-orders have opened.
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