Steel Battalion is a 2002 Xbox exclusive game renowned for its immersive mech simulation gameplay. The game requires players to pilot a 'Vertical Tank'—a bipedal, heavily armed mecha—through various combat missions. Notorious for its complex control scheme, it was sold with a massive 40-button controller complete with joysticks and pedals, elevating the realism of the mech piloting experience. As a real-time warfare simulator set in a futuristic world, players must manage all aspects of the mech's operation to succeed in battle. Its genre spans action, simulation, and the mecha combat niche.