Review
Robox
By Jorge Figueiredo - November 30th, 2010
I find that buying WiiWare involves a lot of research if you want to ensure that you end up with something you actually like. I have found some fantastic titles to play from that service; I have also found some not-so-fantastic games, too. Robox, I’m happy to say, is definitely in the first category. Developed by Spain’s DreamBox Games, Robox is a very ambitious little title that everyone should play. An action-platformer (with some puzzle elements), Robox works on a number of levels to deliver a fun gaming experience.
Robox is the story of a probe that has been sent to a lush world; this world has seen the loss of a number of probes, and so the current mission is to find out what happened, as well as collect information about the mysterious planet. Of course, it’s not as simple as that; you crash land on the planet, and your small probe has lost all of its abilities (other than mobility). This does not bode well, as the planet you have landed on doesn’t have the friendliest welcome wagon; and there are three major areas full of baddies!
It’s hip to be square.
But not all hope is lost! Strange creatures seem to be making a new home in your shell; and unlike shiftless squatters, they are actually useful! Each little creature (there are four types) has a special ability; these abilities aid the tiny helpers in their quest to help you repair your damaged circuits. One thing to note, though, is that once these little guys perform their task, they are done; you will have to find more somewhere on the planet encased in amber and put them to work repairing your insides.
Graphically, the game is not cutting edge; that being said, I don’t know if side-scrolling platformers really need to push your hardware to the limit. The visuals are pretty awesome, albeit challenging: sometimes the screen can be pretty busy, so you’ll have to be on your guard for hazards. Sound-wise, the game is cute, and hearkens back to the older days of gaming before large orchestras were commissioned to play the scores for games; charming and simple, the tracks fit well with the action on the screen, whether in one of the three main areas of the planet, or inside your body.
Smallest…Pit Crew…Ever…
From a gameplay perspective, Robox is deliciously unforgiving; old-school difficulty returns in this charming little WiiWare purchase. You seem to have infinite lives (you will need them), and will respawn at the last beacon that you activated (they are all over the place). There are also teleport pads for you to get around fairly easily. The interesting thing about this game is that you can go practically anywhere; there is no locked forward progression, and you can always travel back to the beginning. This is almost necessary because of the fact that your goal is to explore the entire planet: this is definitely for the completionists out there.
Moving about the planet as Robox involves holding your Wii-Mote on its side. Your typical side-scrolling action controls are available to you: left/right, up/down, fire laser (only sideways), and jump. When you feel the urge to fix your insides, just press the ‘-’ button and point the Wii-Mote at the screen. Choose which creature you wish to move with the pointer, and away you go; the D-pad moves your creatures and the ‘b’ button activates your special power. You can even have all of the small creatures follow the one you have selected, or they can stay put.
While I enjoyed this game, I did find some things that could be improved. I think a bit more of a tutorial would help; I understand the concept of making you feel like you know whatever your probe knows, but it just makes sense to have an actual learning curve instead of a very steep wall. Also, the movement within Robox is very, very slow; it doesn’t help that the insides of your intrepid explorer are relatively massive compared to your tiny guests. These things aside, though, I enjoyed the time I spent playing; they are easy to overlook in the face of the whole game’s production.
Robox is a fun venture for anyone that wants a challenging platformer-type game to play; there is plenty of action, and the puzzling is mild; you will definitely enjoy this game if you are a fan of similar-type games. The controls are easy to pick up, and the game definitely will last a while, so you can count on good bang for your buck. This would definitely be one of those games that you can easily sit down with a friend to take turns and play.
