Chibi-Robo!

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Chibi-Robo!
US Boxart
Developer(s) skip Ltd.
Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Kenichi Nishi
Platform(s) Nintendo GameCube
Release date JPN June 23, 2005
NA February 6, 2006
EU May 26, 2006
Genre(s) Platform game
Adventure game
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)
PEGI: 7+
Media 1 × GameCube Optical Disc
System requirements Memory card
Input methods GameCube controller
Nintendo GameCube Microphone

Chibi-Robo! Plug Into Adventure (ちびロボ！ lit. Little Robo!?) is a platform/adventure video game developed by skip Ltd. with collaboration from Nintendo, and published by Bandai in Japan, and by Nintendo in North America and Europe for the GameCube video game console. It was first released in Japan on June 23, 2005, and was later released in North America on February 6, 2006, and in Europe on May 26, 2006. It was directed by Kenichi Nishi, who also created several characters in the game.

A sequel was released for the Nintendo DS titled Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol on October 2, 2007 in North America and is exclusive to Wal-Mart.[1]

Contents

[edit] Plot

The plot follows a tiny robot named Chibi-Robo, who is given to a little girl named Jenny Sanderson for her birthday by her father. Chibi-Robo is given to her both as a toy and also to help maintain the house. While Jenny and her father are happy, her mother is upset with the father, because he spent so much money on Chibi-Robo and on many other toys, even after having quit his job.

[edit] Gameplay

Chibi-Robo! puts the player in control of a tiny battery-powered robot that does housework for humans, in this case the Sandersons. It takes place in a 1960s-style home. The objective of the game is to become the number one Chibi-Robo by accumulating Happy Points, a collectible that is gained by doing good deeds for the family and for various toys in the Sandersons' house. At the start of both day and night, Chibi-Robo always begins in the Chibi-House, the house which he and Telly Vision live in. In it, Chibi-Robo can charge his battery as well as save at an electrical outlet and connect to the Chibi-PC, which allows Chibi-Robo to purchase a variety of items and power-ups. While exploring the house, Chibi-Robo can find a wide variety of things to collect, such as Moolah (the currency of Chibi-Robo!). An important task of Chibi-Robo's is to clean up the mess around the house, such as balled up paper or dirty footprints. In cleaning, Chibi-Robo can gain Happy Points, which are used to increase in rank among the 1 million other Chibi-Robos. Chibi-Robo loses battery power with every step and action. If his battery is not charged before it is emptied, Chibi-Robo will collapse, and he will reemerge in the Chibi-House, having lost half of his Moolah. Throughout the house are electrical outlets, which Chibi-Robo can plug into to recharge his battery.

There are a variety of tools that Chibi-Robo can make use of to aid him in exploring the house and gaining Happy Points. The earliest of his tools is the Chibi-Copter, which can be used to reach far-off points or to fly down from a high place safely. Chibi-Robo has two other tools that he can equip, including the Chibi-Blaster, which is used to eliminate obstacles and attack offensive creatures, and the Chibi-Radar, which is used to help Chibi-Robo detect hidden objects. There are several other items of the Sandersons' that Chibi-Robo can use. These include the toothbrush, which is used to clean up stains; the mug, which Chibi-Robo uses to protect himself; the spoon, which is used to dig holes; and the squirter, which is used to hold fluids and squirt them.

Chibi-Robo can also find special costumes throughout the game, each of which has its own unique function. The Drake Redcrest costume, for instance, allows Chibi-Robo to receive Happy Points from Mr. Sanderson by posing and to participate in patrolling the living room with Drake Redcrest. Another costume is the Frog costume, which allows Chibi-Robo to speak to animals as well as Jenny.

[edit] Development

Chibi-Robo! was announced in early 2003 as being under the development by GiFTPiA creators skip Ltd. and with publishing rights held by Bandai.[2] Its original projected release date was June 2003 in Japan and spring 2004 in North America. Unlike the released version of Chibi-Robo!, the beta version of it was about the player having to train Chibi-Robo to get him home and avoid the burglars who are pursuing him.[3] The gameplay was different as well. Instead of playing like a platform/adventure game, it played like a point-and-click adventure title, where the player was not in direct control of Chibi-Robo, but was rather conveying commands to him by pointing and clicking around the area.

The developer skip eventually abandoned the project. Nintendo producer Kensuke Tanabe showed it to fellow producer Shigeru Miyamoto and recommended it to him. Miyamoto liked the character of Chibi-Robo, and assisted in the game's development.[4] According to Tanabe, the game took around 8 months to develop with "little more than a dozen people" working on the game.[5] According to Kenichi Nishi, the game's director, the reason he chose to make the majority of the cast toys is because humans are "too big for to interact with him and create all the drama." He added that using toys added a sense of fantasy to the game, and also stated that he simply wanted to create toys. He and the rest of the developers picked 50 toy character ideas and narrowed it down to the final list. He also added that he made the game about helping people because he was taught by his 'hippie master' that "love and peace are extremely important".[citation needed]

[edit] Reception and legacy

As of the second quarter of 2008, Chibi-Robo! has an aggregate score of 75 on Metacritic, a score which indicates it received "generally favorable reviews".[6] Sites such as IGN said that even though it can be too cute or weird to some people, it's a very enjoyable, and rewarding puzzle-platformer, giving it an 8.2/10.[7] Edge awarded Chibi-Robo! an 8/10, noting it as a swan song for the GameCube, with subtle dance and rhythm components.[8] GameSpot gave it a 7.1/10, saying that it can be chore-like but that its characters, levels, and sound make the game unique.[9]

In 2006, Chibi-Robo! won Best GameCube Action Game of the Year from IGN.[10] It was also nominated for Best Artistic Design for a GameCube game[11], Best Use of Sound[12], and Most Innovative Design by IGN.[13] In addition, it was nominated for the Best Story/Writing award from Nintendo Power magazine.[citation needed]

Chibi-Robo! received a sequel for the Nintendo DS called Chibi-Robo!: Park Patrol, which follows a different Chibi-Robo, as it attempts to revitalize a park, but does not feature anyone else from Chibi-Robo!. Nintendo established a deal with Wal-Mart for the exclusive rights to sell it.[1]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl also features content from Chibi-Robo! and its sequel in the form of several trophies and stickers, collectible items in the game.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Patrick Klepek (October 4, 2007). Why is Chibi-Robo DS Only at Wal-Mart?. 1Up.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  2. ^ IGN Staff (April 17, 2003). Chibi Robo. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  3. ^ IGN Staff (February 19, 2004). Chibi Robo in Limbo. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  4. ^ Eric Schwarzott (May 13, 2005). Nintendo recharges the Chibi Robo.. N-Philes.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  5. ^ Adam Riley (July 22, 2006). C3 Exclusive Interview - Skip, Ltd Talks Nintendo, Chibi-Robo DS, GiFTPiA & More!. Cubed3.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  6. ^ Chibi-Robo!. Metacritic.com (2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  7. ^ Matt Casamassina (February 3, 2006). IGN: Chibi-Robo! Review. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  8. ^ "Chibi-Robo! (review)", Edge issue 153, Future Publishing, 2006. Retrieved on 2008-05-26. 
  9. ^ Greg Mueller (February 6, 2006). Chibi-Robo! (review). GameSpot.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  10. ^ IGN staff (2006). GameCube: Best Action Game. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  11. ^ IGN staff (2006). GameCube: Best Artistic Design. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  12. ^ IGN staff (2006). GameCube: Best Use of Sound. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  13. ^ IGN staff (2006). GameCube: Most Innovative Design. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
  14. ^ Nintendo staff (2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl Trophy List. Smash-Bros.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.

[edit] External links