Edge Rewrite
pun Source code View original
Jump to content

// Workers AI · dad joke modeDoes RoboWarrior have a screw loose?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Robowarrior)
RoboWarrior
Cover art
DevelopersHudson Soft
Aicom (co-developed)
PublishersJaleco (NA, EU)
Hudson Soft (JP)
ComposersTakeaki Kunimoto
Daisuke Inoue
SeriesBomberman
PlatformsNintendo Entertainment System, MSX
ReleaseNintendo Entertainment System
  • JP: August 7, 1987
  • NA: December 1988
  • EU: September 27, 1989
MSX
  • JP: March 18, 1988
GenreAction
ModeSingle-player

RoboWarrior[a] is an action video game developed by Hudson Soft, and co-developed by Aicom, and published by Jaleco for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the MSX.

Plot

[edit]

RoboWarrior takes place on an alien planet called Altile that was created by scientists as a solution to the overpopulation problem of Earth.[1] During a peaceful period on Altile, Robowarriors are decommissioned from Earth and the Xantho empire invades Altile and try to transform it for personal gain.[1]

The player operates a cyborg named ZED (Z-type Earth Defence).[2] In the game, ZED raids Altile to fight the Xantho empire and destroy its leader, Xur. ZED deploys bombs to clear a path through rocks, walls, and forests, while killing enemies and collecting items. Some gameplay elements resemble those of Bomberman (1983).

The original Japanese plot of Bomber King is similar, but with some distinct differences. In the year 2036 on the planet Altile, the weather and climate suddenly drastically change due to some mysterious reason. The combat android Knight is sent to the planet to try and track down whatever force is causing the changes and defeat it.

Gameplay

[edit]

RoboWarrior is an action game where the player controls a cyborg named Z-Type Earth Defense (ZED).[3][4] It takes place in the year 2395 on an artificial planet Altile, a colony constructed to help ease Earth's overpopulation. Altile is invaded by an alien race, the Xantho Empire, which takes over its weather-control stations and turns it into a barren wasteland. Sent by Earth in response to a distress call, ZED's mission is to fight the Xanthos and defeat its leader, Xur.[5] In the Japanese version, the protagonist is known as Knight.[6]

It consists of five level formats and there are 27 levels in the game.[3] In one, the player must obtain a key before the time limit expires. In another, the key is unavailable until the player acquires a crystal or chalice. Some levels are cast in darkness, rendering obstructions invisible unless the player has a lit lamp. Other levels are mazes where the player must find and blast through weak points in walls to proceed. Periodically, the player engages a boss level. Multiple bombs are required to blow up certain unconventional areas.[7] Robowarrior also features water stages.[7][unreliable source?]

Similarly to The Legend of Zelda (1986), the player can collect numerous items and weapons throughout levels.[8] They can be selected through the sub-screen menu that displays all the collected items. Each item serves to help ZED in certain ways. For example, in the underground levels, ZED can use either candles or lamps as a light source to reveal the level layout. The candles are more common than the lamps, but they don't last as long and don't provide ZED as much light.[5]

Enemies respawn in each stage allowing the player to stock up on bombs.[7] ZED is controlled via an overhead viewpoint and the player can move him in four directions.[1][unreliable source?]

Development and release

[edit]

RoboWarrior was co-developed by EXA Planning, Aicom's predecessor, and Hudson Soft.[9] It is a sequel to Hudson's Bomberman (1985), and was developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[10] It also draws elements from Starship Hector (1987), which had a similar main theme and ZED as a secret playable character.[9]

RoboWarrior was first released in Japan on August 7, 1987 under the title Bomber King.[10][11] Jaleco published the international versions, releasing it in North America in December 1988.[12] The North American and European versions were made easier than the Japanese version: in Bomber King, the bombs kill ZED in one hit, while in RoboWarrior, they reduce a significant amount of ZED's health but do not kill him instantly. The Japanese version has an exclusive Theme Song mode that displays lyrics for the game's main theme song. Tying to this feature, Hudson Soft hosted a karaoke contest that encouraged players to record their performances of singing the song, with the winners getting their enactments aired on television.[9] An MSX port was released in Japan on March 18, 1988.[13][14]

Reception and legacy

[edit]

The Games Machine gave the NES version a negative review, finding it tedious due to the repetitive gameplay and level layout.[15]

A sequel, Bomber King: Scenario 2, was released in Japan in 1991. It was localized for overseas release as part of the Blaster Master series, being published as Blaster Master Boy in North America and Blaster Master Jr. in Europe.[16]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Bomber King (Japanese: ボンバーキング, Hepburn: Bonbā Kingu)

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Robowarrior for NES". Moby Games. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "Video Game den | ファミコン | Famicom NES reviews".
  3. 1 2 "Nintendo Software". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7, no. 12. March 1989. p. 11. ISSN 0890-2143. Retrieved October 1, 2026 – via Video Game History Foundation.
  4. ↑ "Video Shorts". Nintendo Power. No. 4. Nintendo of America. January 1989. p. 82.
  5. 1 2 "Special Christmas Treat". Club Nintendo. No. 5. Nintendo of Europe. 1989. pp. 6–7. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ "New Soft Slub". MSX Oendan. Vol. 2, no. 5. Micro Design. May 1, 1988. p. 117. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "Robowarrior (Game)". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "Sneak Peeks". Club Nintendo. No. 3. Nintendo of Europe. 1989. p. 19. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Barbato, Stephen (March 18, 2022). "RoboWarrior". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Bomber King". Famicom Tsūshin. No. 28. ASCII Corporation. July 24, 1987. pp. 30–31.
  11. ↑ "ボンバーキング" [Bomber King]. Hudson Game Navi. Hudson Soft. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Official Game Pak Directory". Nintendo Power. Nintendo of America. May 1993. p. 14. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Coming Soon". MSX Fan. Tokuma Shoten. March 10, 1988. p. 114.
  14. ↑ "Bomber King". MSX Magazine. ASCII Corporation. April 1988. p. 249. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ Caswell, Mark (March 1990). "Reviews". The Games Machine. No. 28. Newsfield. p. 51. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  16. ↑ McFerran, Damien (December 4, 2023). "Review: Sunsoft Collection 1 (Evercade) - It's Always Sunny With Blaster Master". Time Extension. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RoboWarrior_(video_game)&oldid=1378125176"