Custom Robo^[a] is a series of science fictionaction role-playingvideo games developed by NOISE and published by Nintendo Co., Ltd. in 1999.

The series currently spans five games, and has titles on the Nintendo 64, NintendoGame Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube and Nintendo DS. Only the two most recent have seen a release outside of Japan. The most recent title in the series was first released in Japan on October 19, 2006, later seeing international release in 2007.

May 17, 2009  i love custom robo arena. It was one of the few ds games i played all the way through. If you want a good i suggest the megaman starforce series. There is the first game megaman starforce leo, dragon or Pegasus. Or the newer ones megaman starforce 2 zerker x saurian or zerker x ninja. I personaly have megaman starforce dragon and megaman starforce 2 zerker x ninja. I sugest you get megaman.

International release[edit]

Beginning in 1999, the Custom Robo series has largely been exclusive to Japan. In 2001, however, Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. Melee, a fighting game containing characters from throughout the company's history, worldwide. In the title's trophy room, three custom robos from Custom Robo V2 appeared as trophies: Ray Mk II, Bayonette, and Annie.

Stated by several issues of Nintendo Power, an international release of Custom Robo GX, the third title in the series, was planned but later canceled. The fourth title in the series, Custom Robo: Battle Revolution, would later be released in 2004,the first title in the series to receive and release outside of Japan. The fifth title of the series, Custom Robo Arena, would became the first and only Custom Robo title released globally.

Gameplay[edit]

Custom Robo takes place in a collect-customize-and-battle style role-playing video game genre similar to games such as Robotrek or Front Mission, but with frantic action battles in confined 3D arenas (2D arenas in Custom Robo GX), similar to Virtual On. In each game's story mode, players slip into the role of a nameable protagonist just beginning to learn about Custom Robo. In each game, the first Robo players obtain is always the latest model of the Ray series. The goal for players is to improve their skills and collect different Custom Robos in order to defeat everyone, including champion Custom Robo users.

The main objective of the game is to finish the storyline by collecting every Custom Robo and battle part, while winning every battle that moves players along through the story arc. In Custom Robo battles, the object is to reduce the opponent's hit points from 1000 to 0 by using different Robos, guns, bombs, pods, and dash attacks. Custom Robos are arranged in groups that are similar to their abilities. The endurance bar is located above the player's hitbox; once it runs out, the Custom Robo gets 'downed' which means that it stays fallen for a couple seconds. After the Robo gets up, it goes into 'rebirth' mode, a temporary state of invincibility lasting 3 seconds. Should the player repeatedly lose the same battle, the game will offer the option of reducing the opponent's initial health, in order to make the battle easier. If players continue to lose several times, the degree of handicap offered increases up to 75%, giving the opponent a starting HP of 250, rather than 1000.

Games[edit]

The following is a list of games released in the series.

Games predating Battle Revolution were released only in Japan (except the first one, which was also released in China for the iQue Player). Due to this, there are no official titles for North American or European releases of these games. Such a title may be given if Nintendo divisions outside Japan elects to localize any of these games to their regions.

A sequel to Custom Robo GX was originally planned for release on the Game Boy Advance,^[1] but the project was discontinued. It was planned for release in late 2005 in Japan.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

1. ^Japanese: カスタムロボHepburn: Kasutamu Robo
2. ^Japanese: カスタムロボ
3. ^Japanese: カスタムロボV２
4. ^Japanese: カスタムロボGX
5. ^Known in Japan as カスタムロボ　バトルレボリューション (lit. Custom Robo: Battle Revolution)
6. ^Known in Japan as 激闘!カスタムロボ (Gekitō! Custom Robo, lit. Rumble! Custom Robo)

References[edit]

1. ^'開発者に訊く カスタムロボの歴史'. Nintendo Online Magazine. Retrieved 2009-01-23.

External links[edit]

• Official Nintendo of America website (redirects to Nintendo.com)
• Custom Robo Series at NinDB

Custom Robo Arena, known in Japan as Gekitō! Custom Robo (激闘!カスタムロボ, Gekitō! Kasutamu Robo, 'Custom Robo Rumble!'), is a science fictionaction role playing game for the Nintendo DS. It is the fifth title in the Custom Robo series. The name was announced on May 9, 2006 at the E3 convention,^[1] and released in Japan on October 19, 2006, then later in the United States on March 19, 2007. Later, on May 25, 2007, it became the first (and only, so far) Custom Robo title released in Europe, and on September 20, 2007, it also became the first (and only, so far) title of the series released in Australia.

In the game, the player participates in Custom Robo tournaments and tries to earn money to buy parts to use to improve their robo. The game is the first in the series that features two-player mode with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection including voice chat, Multi-Card play, and DS Download Play. Custom Robo Arena also uses a 'Rivals' list.

Plot[edit]

The game starts with a player-named male character whose father has just moved into the town of Midheart to work at NeoBrain, a robo research company. Upon arrival, the player met with Liv and Dennis of Team Numero Uno, a robo-battling club. After class on the first day, Team Numero Uno is forced to battle the Grapple Gang, led by Bull, the first major enemy. A teammate from Team Numero Uno switches to Bull's Team because they are undefeated in the school. The player decides to join the Numero Uno team. Later, the player fought Bull and the player's team may win or lose..

But anyway the player spends the next few days preparing for the Forester prep tournament. Their champion is Serene, who has the power-enhancing Soulboost. Liv's interest in the soulboost will take the player's team to Mt. Zephyr, where Stark will turn the player away at the top.

Then, the player goes on police duty with seemingly bumbling police cadet Duncan. After an ambush with a rogue commander and a criminal, the latter of which the player will illegally fight outside of a holosseum (Arena), Dennis and Duncan become too weak to fight, and the player is their last hope. Later, after the player has defeated the criminal, the player's team will return to Mt. Zephyr, having been given a note from Kris. Because of this, Stark will teach the player the Soulboost.

Kris will also give the player a special license. Later, a tournament at the robocenter will allow the player to compete in a tournament (the Robo Cup) shortly after. The player's team boards a ship, headed for Encephalon Isle, where the Robo Cup is to take place. The President of NeoBrain makes a statement, that the preliminaries will take place on the way. This raises questions to various contestants about what happens to the losers.

Soon, the player finds himself at Encephalon Isle, where the Robo Cup takes place. The night before the tournament, however, Liv exhibits strange behavior, seen walking to the nearby laboratory by herself. It doesn't take long for her to snap out of it, but she is entirely confused as to how she got out there on her own. The player takes her back to the hotel, and the next day starts after sleeping.

The tournament starts well, various battles taking place according to the plan. The security Robos placed around the forest, however, start to go haywire. Liv and Mr. Geary (the player's father) go missing half-way in as the security Robos go haywire and take out commanders in the tournament. There is only one possible perpetrator to this twisted turn of events: NeoBrain itself. An employee at NeoBrain, Dr. Mars, reveals himself as Scythe, leader of the Greybaum Syndicate, an international terrorist organization that intents on using Robo technology to control the world.

Upon infiltrating the nearby Research Facility, it's learned that the President ultimately regrets his decision, and helps the player out. The player also recovers his dad. Combined with Dennis the two attempt to find Liv in the underground fortress. The protagonist must defeat four 'Gatekeepers', and defeat two identical illegal robos, 'Jameson'. The Jameson robo is incredibly strong and huge yet the slowest robo in the game.

The character defeats Kindjal, who has masqueraded as a professor at NeoBrain and a teacher at Midheart High. The player then reunites with Liv's brother Eddy, though Eddy is soon injured by Scythe's Katana after gloating over his victory with an autonomous decoy.

They find Liv, but it's assumed too late, as she is already 'diving' into Hadron, the most powerful Illegal Robo ever created. The player attacks Hadron, taking it down once. But however, Hadron revitalizes itself with Scythe's energy, gaining his personality and dreams, then takes on the player again. This specific battle is impossible to win, as shots fired by the player do not deal damage. The only choice is to lose. However, this does not result in a Game Over.

Dennis and Mr. Geary manage to free Liv. However, Hadron still functions. Every character on the player's team is too weak to fight Hadron, and all seems hopeless. However, all of the competitors in the Robo Cup that survived the security Robos walk in from behind, wanting to help. Liv, being drained of mental energy, cannot help. So instead, all of the competitors lend their mental energy to Liv, who then transfers it to the player's character.

The final battle takes place with both Robos locked in a permanent Soulboost the entire match. Upon defeat, Hadron explodes. The haywire security Robos disengage, and the organization behind the entire mess is shut down. However, NeoBrain is left in pieces due to this event.

After the game is beaten, the player learns that Lambda Inc., teaming up with NeoBrain, has offered to host the Robo Cup again, but this time with 'no strings attached.' The player becomes the next Robo Cup champion, and then set his sights on joining the Police Force, and beating the Great Robo Cup, the player's character never actually enters the International Police Corps in the game, but it is assumed that he does once he has cleared all Grudge battles, and all Underground battles.

Gameplay[edit]

Fights start with the opponent's robo customization being shown. The player then may make adjustments to his or her robo—such as changing parts, polishing, and altering the diorama. This can also be done outside of a battle, in the portable garage.

Battles begin with the player's custom robo cube being launched out of a Robocannon (controlled with the D-pad). There are six sides of the cube on which the robo can land.

The objective of the battle is to reduce the opponent's energy points from 1000 to 0 by using the player's guns, bombs, pods, and dash attacks. There are two third-person views in battle and five different control schemes. Dead or school walkthrough.

If the player repeatedly loses the same battle, the game offers the option of a health handicap, which goes up to 75%. Each victory increases the player's Soulboost meter and when it is full, Soulboost can be used. Soulboost makes the robo stronger and tougher for about 21 seconds, afterward making the robo weaker for a short time.

Reception[edit]

The game received 'average' reviews according to video game review aggregatorMetacritic.^[2] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of three eights and one seven, for a total of 31 out of 40.^[6]

Other appearances in media[edit]

• Ray Mk III, the newest Ray model of the Ray series, appeared as an Assist Trophy in the Wii video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In the game, his weapon appears to be the Flare Gun as seen on the cover of Custom Robo Arena; however, it functions like the Gatling Gun, instead of the Flare Gun in Custom Robo Arena.
• Jameson and A.I.R.S., two special robos, appear as trophies in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

References[edit]

1. ^Cocker, Guy (May 9, 2006). 'E3 06: Nintendo tips handheld hand'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
2. ^ ^ab'Custom Robo Arena for DS Reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
3. ^Mielke, James (March 20, 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena Review'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
4. ^EGM staff (May 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena'. Electronic Gaming Monthly: 88.
5. ^Kumar, Mathew (May 29, 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena'. Eurogamer. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
6. ^ ^ab'Famitsu #932 scans - Page 2'. NeoGAF. October 11, 2006. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
7. ^Papa Frog (April 26, 2007). 'Review: Custom Robo Arena'. GamePro. Archived from the original on April 14, 2008. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
8. ^Mueller, Greg (March 19, 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena Review'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
9. ^Graziani, Gabe (March 20, 2007). 'GameSpy: Custom Robo Arena'. GameSpy. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
10. ^'Custom Robo Arena Review'. GameTrailers. April 10, 2007. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
11. ^Harris, Craig (March 19, 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena Review'. IGN. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
12. ^'Custom Robo Arena'. Nintendo Power. 215: 88. May 2007.
13. ^Sarcuni, Damian (March 27, 2007). 'Custom Robo Arena (DS) Review'. 411Mania. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.

External links[edit]

• Custom Robo Arena at MobyGames
• Official Website (English) (Japanese)
• Custom Robo Arena at N-sider