A fan of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter R.O.B. has succeeded in getting a real-life R.O.B. toy to control its in-game likeness. It’s an impressive display that speaks to the missed potential of how Nintendo utilized R.O.B. when he debuted over 30 years ago.
R.O.B. is the only fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to be based on a real-life toy, and it has a long history tied to the success of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which debuted in the 1980s. The American video game market at the time had recently crashed, with high-profile failures like Atari’s E.T. game damaging the reputation of gaming as a whole. Nintendo found a workaround by bundling the NES with R.O.B., selling the bundle as a toy, and presenting the NES as an accessory. While many were ultimately disappointed by R.O.B.’s limited capabilities, this strategy allowed the NES to enter the American market without the stigma of past gaming failures.
Twitter user @Akfamilyhome shared a video of a R.O.B. unit with an NES controller Joy-Con inserted into its controller slot. By using the NES game Gyromite, @Akfamilyhome sends commands to R.O.B. This eventually allows R.O.B. to trigger the Switch controller, resulting in a game-winning attack. While R.O.B.’s opponent is the fearsome new DLC fighter Sephiroth, the toy is not quite ready for competitive play as the match was set in training mode with Sephiroth motionless and R.O.B. only needed to execute one move.
Anyone looking to replicate this for themselves may run into a steep financial barrier. Obtaining a functioning R.O.B. unit can be expensive. Those interested also need an NES and a copy of the game Gyromite, which has to be displayed on a CRT TV in order to work with R.O.B.’s technology. Add onto this the cost of a Switch, plus NES Joy-Cons sold through Nintendo Switch Online, and the costs will likely make this prohibitive for all but the most hardcore enthusiasts.
Thus, this Twitter video may be the only chance fans will ever have to see anything R.O.B.-related interact with the Switch. Gamers had two possible NES games to use with R.O.B., which included the platformer Gyromite and the puzzle game Stack-Up. Though many can look at these titles as boring, this was likely by design, as players’ attention would shift to better NES launch titles like Super Mario Bros. and view the NES as a game console.
This is not to say that R.O.B. is completely irrelevant outside of Super Smash Bros. and his own NES games. R.O.B. appeared as a secret unlockable racer in Mario Kart DS, a critical and commercial success, so many Mario Kart enthusiasts likely recognize him too. Even when he is not playable, R.O.B. has made a mark on gaming history, with cameo appearances in games like Pikmin 2, Kirby’s Dream Land 3, and F-Zero GX.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is now available for Nintendo Switch.
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