Robox (Wii) Review

Robox is a Metroid-style side-scrolling platformer; you explore three different lands, each with their own unique enemies and features. Each land has six to seven levels in which you have to shoot your ways through enemies while finding amber and gears in order to gain new abilities. The game uses the Wii Remote on its side, with the 2 button being jump, and the 1 button eventually being shoot. The D-pad is used to move left and right as well as to duck underneath some areas and enemies. Other abilities earned are attributed to the Wii Remote’s other buttons and motion controls, and true to the Metroid model these new moves open up new, previously inaccessible sections of the game.

Unlocking your powers is not quite as easy as just collecting them, however. In a neat twist, you must venture inside your little robot and complete puzzles to gain access to your helpful new tricks. The 60 amber pieces that you can find contain bugs that live inside your robot’s body, and each different bug’s special ability must be exploited through unique platform/puzzle sections to regain your forgotten moves. These bugs are controlled by pointing your Wii Remote at the screen, selecting your bug with the A button, and using their special ability with the B button. You can also call other bugs towards you with the 1 button, and organise them with the 2 button. It’s a clever little section that offers a nice break from the platforming, and can be accessed at any time by pressing the ‘-’ button. Getting the amber and gears isn’t an easy task, however, and some will have you backtracking to previous levels with your new found abilities to reach them.

One of Robox’s major appeals is the way it looks: gorgeous. The hand drawn visuals bring a uniqueness to Robox, with the character doing his own little dances when you stand in one spot after putting down the controller, and plenty of detail in the backgrounds. The enemy designs are a mixed bag though, with some generally just being giant insects that don’t really jump out at you.

The levels are filled with said enemy bugs and beasts and, the basic slugs aside, each is difficult to defeat, although it doesn’t necessarily seem because they are meant to be tough, unfortunately. You can only shoot the way you’re facing, meaning flying enemies can be a pain, especially since jumping out of the way can result in the same trauma as merely standing there waiting to be hit. Another annoyance is the need for pixel perfect jumping on certain platforms; it can appear that you’ve completely landed on them, but then you may fall off all the same.

Occasionally, Robox will break from the platforming action; the inside-your-robot sections mentioned earlier, but also in more combat-based ways. In some sections your robot will jump on the back of a giant bug, allowing you to point your Wii Remote at the screen for some on-rails shoot ’em up action. These parts are a welcome break from the norm, and can be challenging in their own right. You’ll also have to take the time to take on tricky boss fights, each of which requiring some thinking and use of the different abilities to reach their hit points.