Examine individual changes

'{{use mdy dates|date=June 2018}} {{other uses|Rob (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox Information appliance | name = '''R'''obotic '''O'''perating '''B'''uddy | image = NES-ROB.png | caption = R.O.B. with the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] color scheme | manufacturer=[[Nintendo]] | type = [[Video game controller]] | aka = Robotic Operating Buddy | generation= [[History of video games#Third generation consoles (1983–1995)|Third generation]] | lifespan={{Vgrelease|JP|July 26, 1985}}{{Vgrelease|NA|October 18, 1985}}{{Vgrelease|EU|September 1, 1986}} }} '''R.O.B.''' ('''R'''obotic '''O'''perating '''B'''uddy), released as the {{nihongo foot|'''Family Computer Robot'''|ファミリーコンピュータ ロボット|Famirī Konpyūta Robotto|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} in Japan, is an accessory for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES). It was launched in July 1985 in Japan, and October 1985 in North America. It had a short lifespan, with support for only two games which comprise the "Robot Series": ''[[Gyromite]]'' and ''[[Stack-Up]]''. R.O.B. was released with the intention of portraying the Nintendo Entertainment System as a novel toy in order to alleviate retail fears following the [[North American video game crash of 1983]].<ref name="g4tv">{{Cite episode |title=NES |url=http://www.g4tv.com/gamemakers/episodes/4844/NES.html |accessdate=January 30, 2013 |series=Icons |publisher=G4 |date=December 1, 2005 |season=4 |number=10}}</ref><ref name="gamespy.com">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july03/25smartest/index22.shtml|title=25 Smartest Moments in Gaming|publisher=GameSpy.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612194348/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july03/25smartest/index22.shtml|archivedate=June 12, 2007}}</ref> R.O.B. was produced in the [[Nintendo Entertainment System#North American bundle packages|Deluxe Set]], a configuration for the console that includes, among other things, R.O.B. and ''Gyromite''. ''[[Stack-Up]]'' was packaged separately and includes its own physical game pieces. In addition to its status as a peripheral, R.O.B. has appeared in various video games, either in cameos or as a playable character. ==Operation== [[File:Nintendo "Photo-sensing video game control system".png|thumb|right|R.O.B. (right) is placed in front of the CRT screen in order to receive commands via optical flashes.]] R.O.B. receives commands via optical flashes in the screen. Once the screen lights up, R.O.B. is ready to receive six commands. Just like the [[NES Zapper]], R.O.B. only functions correctly when coupled with a [[cathode ray tube]] (CRT) type of television.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} Both ''[[Gyromite]]'' and ''[[Stack-Up]]'' include a test feature, sending an optical flash that should make R.O.B.'s LED light up. ===Hardware=== The R.O.B. unit's height is 24 cm (9.6 in). It has a head movement range of a 45° horizontally centered tilt. The arm movement range is 240° left and right with five stopping points, 7 cm (2.75 in) up and down with six stopping points, and 7 cm (2.75 in) between hands when open. The unit has five accessory slots around the hexagonal base, numbered clockwise, starting at the rear-left from the robot's point of view; and notches on the hands allow for specialized parts to be attached for each game. The optional tinted filter can be attached over the eyes to compensate for overly bright televisions. The unit is powered by four AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA batteries. ==Games== Nintendo's vintage issuance of R.O.B. functions only with the two games which comprise the ''Robot Series'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System: ''Gyromite'' and ''Stack-Up''. According to Computer Entertainer magazine, Nintendo had plans for four other R.O.B. compatible games, but they never got released. ===''Gyromite''=== {{Main|Gyromite}} The ''Gyromite'' retail package consists of the following items: two claws for R.O.B.'s hands; two gyros (heavy spinning [[top]]s); two red and blue trays upon which the gyros will rest, causing buttons to be pressed on the second NES controller; one spinner motor for accelerating the gyros; and two black trays upon which the gyros are placed when not in use. ''Direct'' game mode is a feature used to learn how to use R.O.B. or to play with R.O.B. without playing the game. ''Gyromite'' is a puzzle-platformer in which the character has to collect dynamite before the time runs out, with several red and blue pillars blocking his way. In Game A, the commands are made by pressing START and then pushing the direction in which to move R.O.B., and using the A and B buttons to open and close his arms. If R.O.B. places a gyro on the red or blue button, it pushes the A or B button on the second NES controller, moving the pillar of the corresponding color. If both buttons need to be pressed at the same time, the gyros are placed in a spinner so that they will stay balanced on the button without R.O.B. holding it. Game B has the same controls, except that START does not need to be pressed to make R.O.B. accept a command.{{fact|date=November 2013}} ===''Stack-Up''=== {{Main|Stack-Up}} ''Stack-Up'' comes with five trays, five different colored blocks, and two claws worn by R.O.B. for grabbing the blocks. In the ''Direct'' game mode, the player makes their block stack match with the one on screen by moving Professor Hector to the button that corresponds to the desired movement. In ''Memory'', the player has to make a list of commands to recreate the displayed block set up, and then R.O.B. follows the list afterward. In ''Bingo'', the player makes the shown block stack, where the color of the block does not matter. There are two enemies: one causes the player to lose a life, and the other makes R.O.B. perform undesired actions. ===Homebrew=== In 2014, independent homebrew game developer Retrozone produced a limited release NES cartridge titled ''8-Bit X-Mas 2014''. The title screen features R.O.B. character graphics, and interacts with the vintage R.O.B. toy by making it dance to Christmas music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrousb.com/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=132|title=8 BIT XMAS 2014 - retroUSB|publisher=RetroUSB |accessdate=July 16, 2015}}</ref> ==Reception== [[File:First NES.jpg|thumb|right|R.O.B. displayed at [[Nintendo New York]] alongside an NES.]] Following the [[North American video game crash of 1983]] many retailers had lost confidence in the video game market. Nintendo created and marketed R.O.B. with the intention of portraying the Nintendo Entertainment System as a novel and advanced toy, as opposed to a regular game console. The creation and marketing of R.O.B. as a "[[Trojan Horse]]" after the North American video game crash of 1983 was placed fifth in GameSpy's twenty-five smartest moves in gaming history.<ref name="g4tv"/><ref name="gamespy.com"/> [[Yahoo!]] ranked R.O.B. as one of the craziest video game controllers and noted the unfortunate fact that the peripheral only worked with two games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hard to Handle: Craziest Game Controllers - R.O.B.|url=http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/hard-to-handle-craziest-game-controllers/hard-to-handle-craziest-game-controllers/1399729/8|date=May 26, 2010|publisher=[[Yahoo]]|accessdate=January 30, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602031258/http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/hard-to-handle-craziest-game-controllers/hard-to-handle-craziest-game-controllers/1399729/8|archivedate=June 2, 2010}}</ref> In January and February of 1986, an independent research firm asked 200 NES owners some questions. 19% of the kids surveyed said they asked for an NES because it came with a robot. {{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} ===Legacy=== <!-- Please do not add spoiler alerts as Wikipedia does not use disclaimers. --> <!-- Please do not add cameo appearances to the article without discussing it on the talk page first. --> R.O.B. has appeared as a cameo character in various video games, such as ''[[StarTropics]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://startropics.com/cameos.php|title=StarTropics.com :: Cameos|website=startropics.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> ''[[F-Zero GX]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kk4WghEbmc|title=F-Zero GX - Port Town Aero Dive (SSBB Stage Setting)|first=|last=CrappyCaptureDevice|date=January 29, 2008|website=Youtube.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> the [[WarioWare (series)|''WarioWare'' series]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5HK_g4Kng8|title=WarioWare: Starfox/starwing|first=|last=Junahu|date=May 31, 2007|website=Youtube.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> and the [[Star Fox (series)|''Star Fox'' series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/everything-we-know-about-nintendos-experimental-new-sta-1711733204|title=Everything We Know About Nintendo's Experimental New&nbsp;Star Fox|first=Stephen|last=Totilo|website=Kotaku.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/04/guide_knowing_your_enemy_in_star_fox_guard|title=Guide: Knowing Your Enemy In Star Fox Guard|first=Nintendo|last=Life|date=April 24, 2016|website=Nintendolife.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> R.O.B. is featured as an [[Player character#Secret character|unlockable character]] in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/ds/920788-mario-kart-ds/cheats|title=Mario Kart DS Cheats, Codes, and Secrets for DS - GameFAQs|website=www.gamefaqs.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/characters/hidden07.html |title=R.O.B. |work=Smash Bros. DOJO!! |publisher=Nintendo |date=March 6, 2008 |accessdate=January 30, 2013}}</ref> [[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'']],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smashbros.com/wiiu-3ds/us/characters/secret06.html|title=Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U|website=www.smashbros.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smashbros.com/en_US/fighter/42.html|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch system|publisher=Nintendo | accessdate=June 16, 2018}}</ref> each of which refers to R.O.B. as male within their respective universes. In ''Brawl''{{'}}s adventure mode, [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl#Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary|The Subspace Emissary]], R.O.B. plays a major role in [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl#Plot|the story's plot]]. He first appears as the Ancient Minister, a cloaked figure who initially leads the Subspace Army in an attempt to transport the ''Super Smash Bros.'' world into Subspace, an alternate dimension ruled by a mysterious force. Upon being betrayed by [[Ganon]]dorf, one of the Army's chief commanders, who forces his fellow R.O.B.s to self-destruct against their wills, R.O.B. joins the allied protagonists in their bid to stop the Subspace Army.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/gamemode/modea/modea03.html |title=The Subspace Army |work=Smash Bros. DOJO!! |publisher=Nintendo |date=August 21, 2007 |accessdate=January 30, 2013}}</ref> As part of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'', R.O.B. is among the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series of [[Amiibo]], with his figure being unique in that it is available in both his gray and white [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] color scheme and his red and white Famicom color scheme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/amiibo/detail/rob-amiibo-super-smash-bros-series|title=amiibo by Nintendo - R.O.B.|website=www.nintendo.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/12/15/ryu-roy-famicom-rob-amiibo-us-release-date-announced|title=Ryu, Roy, Famicom ROB Amiibo US Release Date Announced|first=Andrew|last=Goldfarb|date=December 15, 2015|website=Ign.com|accessdate=September 2, 2017}}</ref> == Notes == {{notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Nintendo Entertainment System}} {{Nintendo hardware|NES}} {{Game controllers}} {{Super Smash Bros.}} [[Category:1985 robots]] [[Category:Japanese inventions]] [[Category:Nintendo antagonists]] [[Category:Nintendo characters]] [[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System accessories]] [[Category:Nintendo protagonists]] [[Category:Nintendo toys]] [[Category:Robot characters in video games]] [[Category:Robots of Japan]] [[Category:Super Smash Bros. fighters]] [[Category:Toy robots]]'