Robotic Operating Buddy, best abbreviated to R.O.B. or in more simplistic terms, Robot, in Japan, is a peripheral and the mascot of the Nintendo Entertainment System.
R.O.B. makes his first appearance in Stack-Up and Gyromite in 1985 when he served as the mascot of the aforementioned titles. He also made his official appearances in the commercials for the Nintendo Entertainment System as the corporate mascot. However, this brief accessory did not prove to be popular, resulting in his cancellation from Nintendo.
However, R.O.B. would live up throughout NIntendo's history by being an unlockable playable character in Mario Kart DS and the Super Smash Bros. series, starting with Brawl, as well as making several cameo appearances in other titles, such as StarTropics, the WarioWare games, Pikmin 2 and more.
Physical appearance[]
As his full name implies, R.O.B. is a generic, silver-monochromatic and metallic robot, being a hybrid of artificial intelligence and an accessory for NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), containing most of the features from a quintessential robot, such as a mechanism-like model, robotic arms and eyes, and a red indicator at the top of his forehead. However, R.O.B. has major differences compared to a normal kind of robot: in particular, he has a more rectangular-like headshape; his arms are long and less cartesian-like; he has a rather short and bulkier frame; a pair of large black eyes with a blueish/violet hue, which are so shimmering to the point of having the reflection of a mirror; a curled cord connecting to his system; as well as a bodyshape of a trachea holding his rectangular torso; and is legless, instead having thrusters and a base underneath his body, which allows him to fly and levitate (though this limits his fuel), have great jumping prowess or perform fiery blasts out of it when activated. Alternatively, his thrusters afford him high mobility (as well as rolling a distance), using wheels to move him forward when activated.
R.O.B.'s appearance differed in Japan and North America, especially in terms of coloration. In each region, Nintendo designed R.O.B. to match the Nintendo Entertainment System or Famicom's coloration scheme. In Japan (Famicom), R.O.B.'s monochromatic coloration is replaced with dark red and light beige. In all other regions (including NES), his coloration is monochromatic, ranging from light gray to white.
As a video-game peripheralized and anthropomorphic robot, R.O.B. is capable of traversing or spinning his limbs (such as his head, arms and torso) in different positions and directions, as regarded in his taunts and victory poses in the Super Smash Bros. series.
In addition, R.O.B.'s eyes are typically black with a blueish hue; however, they are notable for switching colors upon R.O.B.'s expressions and actions. In certain events, the color of R.O.B.'s eyes can turn into the following:
- When attacking or hostile, R.O.B.'s eyes will glow a bright red.
- If using his laser vision (Super Robo Beam/Robo Beam), R.O.B.'s eyes will be a hybrid of red/purple.
- When dodging or defensive, R.O.B.'s eyes will flash white/light gray.
- When damaged/broken or KO'd, R.O.B.'s eyes will become a green/limeish hybrid.
- When sad/melancholic or put into "sleep" mode, R.O.B.'s eyes will become pure blue.
- When performing his final smash (Diffusion Beam/Super Diffusion Beam/Guided Robo Beam), R.O.B.'s eyes become golden/yellow.
- This also applies for when R.O.B. is under the effect of dominating powers (such as the Smash Ball).
Biography[]
Gyromite[]
Gyromite was the first game to feature R.O.B. The goal in the game is to guide Professor Hector through his lab so that he can pick up all the dynamite before they exploded. There are also dangerous lizards, titled Smicks, that Professor Hector must avoid. However, his path through the rooms is hindered by red and blue gates, and this is where R.O.B is required.
By pressing "Start" on the controller, the player can give commands to R.O.B. He has to move gyro-discs from their starting point to the right-colored pedestal, and then the same-colored gates will open. Occasionally, both gates must be unlocked simultaneously, and as R.O.B. can only press on one of the pedestals at a time, he must have one of the gyro-discs spin on their pedestal to remain in place. To make the disc spin, it will have to be moved to the Gyro Spinner, and it can then be dropped on the pedestal.
In Game B, Professor Hector is sleepwalking, and the player only controls R.O.B. This time, the goal is to guide Hector safely through the room by opening the gates at the right time.
Stack-Up[]
Stack-Up was the second and last game to be compatible with R.O.B. In this game, R.O.B. is equipped with five blocks and a base where the blocks are positioned. There are various gamemodes, but all of have the same genuine idea; to move the blocks from their stating places to the goal's placement. This is done by moving Professor Hector on a 3x3 grid with instruction buttons, which gives different commands to R.O.B.
Mario Kart DS[]
R.O.B. is an unlockable character in the Nintendo DS video game, Mario Kart DS (unlocked by completing either all cups on the nitro category or the retro category in Mirror Mode). In the game, he is the only character outside of the Super Mario series to make a representative appearance in this game. He is classified as "heavy" and thus is placed in the same category as Bowser, Donkey Kong and Wario. One of his vehicles (which later in the game can be equipped by all characters) heavily resembles the accessories which were included alongside R.O.B. in Stack-Up. R.O.B.'s other vehicle (besides its standard one) is unique to the game, not being directly influenced by the previous games.
Mario Kart DS is so far the only Mario Kart game that R.O.B. makes his appearance in, being omitted in all future games. R.O.B. has the distinguishing factor as being the first character outside the Mario series to appear in a Mario Kart game.
Super Smash Bros. series[]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
R.O.B. is a newcomer in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. He was unveiled in a mass leak prior to the Japanese release of Brawl. R.O.B. was confirmed on the Smash Bros. DOJO!! website on March 6, 2008, 3 days before the US release. He initially debuted as the Ancient Minister of the Subspace Army before his identity was revealed after Ganondorf's betrayal against him.
R.O.B. is currently the first and only inorganic character playable in the entire Super Smash Bros. series. Although it appears as if R.O.B. is using wheels to move on the ground, he is revealed to be using small jet-bursts from his Robo Burner. These lack effect on the fuel for the special move of the same name, Robo Burner, however. Whenever R.O.B. moves, he leaves small air circles on the ground, reinforcing the idea that he doesn't even use wheels to move on the floor, Ivysaur and Pit also have this property. R.O.B. can be unlocked by collecting 250 different trophies or playing 160 matches.
R.O.B. also was represented by a trophy that can be obtained by clearing the classic mode with it and three stickers that only give a boost on it: R.O.B. from Mario Kart DS give a boost on indirect attacks by 15, Robot & Blocks gives a boost on indirect attacks by 27, and Robot from Mario Kart DS JP give a boost on energy attacks by 32.
Subspace Emissary[]
The Master Robot was once the leader of the R.O.B. Squad, living a once traditional life on the Isle of Ancients, a floating island of advanced technology that is inhabited by a society of peaceful R.O.B.s. In this sense, neither the Master Robot himself or the R.O.B. Squad have ever interacted with other races/species. One day, Tabuu intervened and ordered the robots to be his servants, requiring the floating island's technology for the access to productive weapons capable of cutting the world apart, threatening to dwell into violence and unleash mass genocide should the R.O.B. Squad and the Master Robot refuse. The Master Robot is forced to reluctantly surrender to accept Tabuu's offer. Using the technology of their island, the robots made Subspace Bombs to bring parts of the World of Trophies into Subspace. In shame of being forced to follow Tabuu's bidding, the Master Robot took the disguise of the Ancient Minister to conceal his own identity for his actions, and reluctantly allows Tabuu to take the technological island hostage.
As the Ancient Minister, R.O.B. makes his first appearance in the Midair Stadium after Kirby, Mario, Princess Peach, and Zelda defeated an onslaught of up to 30 members of the Subspace Army. He drops a Subspace Bomb and a pair of R.O.B.s detonate it, engulfing the stadium into Subspace before flying away. He is later seen at the Plain where Mario and Pit persuade and attempt to stop him, but he escapes the duo effortlessly.
He appears in the Battlefield Fortress, where he is chased by Marth and Meta Knight. Both also attempt to stop the Ancient Minister, but the duo also fail to catch him; Meta Knight's wing, in particular, is ignited by a laser shot from the fleeing Ancient Minister. Moments before the Ancient Minister could retreat, however, he gets ambushed by Ike's sudden Aether and is forced to retreat, disarming and destroying the Subspace Bomb that the Ancient Minister had held on in the process. He later detonates a Subspace Bomb near King Dedede's Castle, engulfing it into Subspace, along with the trophies of King Dedede, Ness, and Luigi.
As he witnesses the continuous explosion of Subspace Bombs and loss of his fellow R.O.B. companions, the Ancient Minister slowly starts to feel guilt and looks down in melancholia. He is soon encountered by Mario, Kirby, Pit (who attempts to disarm the Subspace Bomb from his hands by shooting an arrow towards him, but swiftly dodges it), Link, and Yoshi, and tries to stop them by shooting at them. He eventually watches the Wilds get engulfed in Subspace via a pair of R.O.B.s detonating a Subspace Bomb, planning to engulf Mario, Kirby, Pit, Link and Yoshi into it as well, much to the Ancient Minister's depression as it also costs the fellow R.O.B.s too, while the aforementioned five fighters escape the explosion.
The Ancient Minister is later encountered by Samus Aran and Pikachu at the Subspace Bomb Factory, but he does not desire to fight much to the former two's confusion. Soon, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Olimar, and Captain Falcon arrive at the Subspace Bomb Factory, but the dejected Ancient Minister still does not intend to fight. As a result, a hologram of Ganondorf rings in, and commands the R.O.B. Squad to activate the Subspace Bombs. However, having had enough of the sacrifices of his family, the Ancient Minister betrays the Subspace Army and preventing the R.O.B.s from activating further Subspace Bombs. Angered by the Ancient Minister's betrayal, Gannondorf brainwashes the R.O.B. Squad and forces them to activate the Subspace Bombs. The Ancient Minister continues his desperate attempts to prevent them, but this causes Ganondorf to lose his patience over his disobedience. In response, the R.O.B. Squad, under Ganondorf's orders, undergo an override that causes them open fire towards the Ancient Minister, causing his cloak to burst into flames. The heroes also attempt to stop the R.O.B.s, but no avail. Ganondorf's hologram disappears, but not before he sends an onslaught of Auroros to defeat the heroes. The Ancient Minister, still alive, annihilates them using his Robo Beam, as his cloak burns off into an ash, revealing his true identity, R.O.B. (The Master Robot). Redeemed, R.O.B. fights against the Subspace Army.
After the battle, R.O.B. attempts to communicate to them and command them to detach themselves from the Subspace Bombs, but the response is a pair of R.O.B.s turning toward the direction of the leading R.O.B. in motionlessness (with the blue eyes representing sleep mode), unable to detach themselves from the Subspace Bombs. Believing his race's annihilation is inevitable, R.O.B. becomes nihilistic and decides to get engulfed with them, even refusing Diddy Kong's offer to escape. However, he is forcefully dragged away from the R.O.B. Squad by Donkey Kong. Captain Falcon calls for his Falcon Flyer, and the heroes evacuate from the Subspace Bomb Factory. The heroes encounter Meta Ridley in the process, but the heroes were able to defeat him and escape in a nick of time before the Isle of the Ancients is engulfed into Subspace, annihilating the R.O.B. Squad in the process. R.O.B. later joins the rest of the heroes on their quest to defeat Tabuu.
Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[]
R.O.B. returns as a playable character in both editions as unlockable. In the 3DS edition, he can be unlocked by playing 20 VS matches or collection 200 different trophies. In the Wii U edition, playing 60 VS. matches or playing through 10 rounds of Crazy Orders and defeating Crazy Hand.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]
R.O.B. returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an unlockable character. It also appears as three spirits: R.O.B. itself is a fighter spirit that can be unlocked by clearing Classic Mode using him. Stack-Up appears as an Advanced-ranked support spirit that grants an immunity on tripping who can be purchased at Timmy and Tommy's. Gyromite appears as another Advanced-ranked support spirit that offers the player a back-shield. Its spirit battle is against a giant R.O.B. who favors neutral specials on the living room.
In World of Light, R.O.B. is one of the several fighters who are vaporized by Galeem's beams before falling under Dharkon's control after the former's defeat. R.O.B.'s puppet fighter can be found on the Mysterious Dimension, and can be awakened to join the player's party.
Gallery[]
Images[]
_SSBU.png "R.O.B. (JPN) SSBU.png (1.52 MB)")
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- R.O.B. is the only character in the Super Smash Bros. series not to be an actual video game character.
- R.O.B. is the only character in the Super Smash Bros. series whose costumes are all based on Transformers characters.
- R.O.B. is one of the two characters to have alternate costumes based on non-gaming references, the other being Duck Hunt.
External Link[]
- Ancient Minister on the Villains Wiki
