Custom Robo Arena
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| Custom Robo Arena | |
|---|---|
 North American boxart |
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| Developer(s) | Noise |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Series | Custom Robo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date | JP October 19, 2006 NA March 19, 2007 EU May 25, 2007 AU September 20, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Action RPG |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10+) CERO: A (All ages) |
| Media | Nintendo DS Game Card |
| Input methods | D-Pad, buttons, touch screen, built-in microphone, Rumble Pak |
Custom Robo Arena, known in Japan as as Gekitō! Custom Robo (激闘!カスタムロボ Gekitō! Kasutamu Robo?, lit. "Rumble! Custom Robo"), is a science fiction action role playing game for the Nintendo DS. It is the fifth and newest title of the Custom Robo series. There has been no word as to whether or not that this would be the last title of 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 Custom Robo title released in Europe, and on September 20, 2007, it also became the first and only 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, and new robo parts. The game is the first of the Custom Robo series that features 2-player multiplayer with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection including voice chat, Multi-Card play, and DS Download Play. Custom Robo Arena also sees the return of the "Rivals" list, a feature first seen in Metroid Prime Hunters. The DS' unique touch screen is also used to choose parts for the robo as well as clean it up when the robo gets dirty.
One of the new features of the game is the ability to pose your robo in a diorama, which can be bought in a diorama shop. Dioramas allow posing of your robo in front of a setting; this pose is shown to your opponent prior to a Wi-Fi battle. A DS-exclusive feature is the ability to perform a SoulBoost, which makes custom robos more powerful and become gold-colored, but only for a short time after which the robo becomes very dirty for a short period of time, causing performance to drop.
Contents |
[edit] Story
The game starts out with an unnamed character (the player names him) whose father moved in Midheart to work. Upon arrival you meet up with Liv and Dennis of Team Numero Uno. After class on the first day, Team Numero Üno is fighting against the Grapple Gang, led by Bull, your first major enemy. A teammate from Team Numero Uno switches to Bull's Team because they are undefeated in the school. You decide to join the Numero Unos. Later you fight Bull and his team and win.
Then, you spend 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 your team to Mt. Zephyr, where Stark will turn you away at the top.
Then, you go on police duty with seemingly bumbling police cadet Duncan. After an ambush with a rogue commander and a criminal, the latter of which you will illegally fight outside of a holosseum (Arena), Dennis and Duncan become too weak to fight, and you are their last hope. Later, after you have defeated the illegal criminal, your team will return to Mt. Zephyr, having been given a note from Kris. Because of this, Stark will teach you the Soulboost.
Kris will also give you a special license and allow you to compete in a tournament (the Robo Cup) shortly after. Your 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, you find yourself 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. You take 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 (your 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.
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.
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 its master's energy, 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 your 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 your 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 learn that Lambda Inc. has offered to host the Robo Cup again, but this time with "no strings attached." You become the next Robo Cup champion, and then set your sights on joining the Police Force, and beating the Great Robo Cup. To do this, you must clear 20 grudge battles and 6 underground battles as part of an entrance exam to the Great Robo Cup, and winning the Great Robo Cup is your entrance into the Police force.
[edit] Gameplay
The battle system in Custom Robo Arena is very similar to the one for Nintendo GameCube, as well as previous 3D Custom Robo titles. Battles begin with your robo being launched out of a Robocannon which is controlled with the D-pad. There are six ways your robo can land once shot out of the Robocannon.
The object of the battle is to reduce your opponent's hit points from 1000 to 0 by using different Custom Robos, guns, bombs, pods, and dash attacks. Custom Robos are arranged in groups that are similar to their abilities.
There are two views in battle. Normal view is the view that the camera allows the player to see both the Custom Robos (4th Person). Back view is the view with the back of the player's Custom Robo facing you (3rd Person). You can change views by pressing the Select Button during a battle.
The endurance bar is located above your hit points. Once it runs out your robo gets "downed" which means that it stays fallen for a couple seconds. After it gets up, it goes into "rebirth", where it stays invincible for about 3 seconds.
If the player repeatedly loses the same battle, the game offers the option of reducing the opponent's initial health, to make it easier. If the player continues to lose several times, the degree of handicap offered increases up to 75%, giving the opponent a starting 250 HP. Each Victory increases your Soulboost meter and when it's full, you can touch the Touch Screen to use Soulboost. Soulboost will make the player stronger for as long as the meter holds out and after that makes the Robo dirty for a short time (making it slower).
The main object of the whole game is to finish its plot by collecting every Custom Robo, battle part, and other stuff that the player wants, while winning every battle that moves you from one part of the storyline to the next.
[edit] Reception
Custom Robo Arena has received the following ratings.
EGM: Milkman - 7.5/10 (Good), A.Fitch - 8.0/10 (Good), Brooks - 8.0/10 (Good)
X-Play: 4/5
Gamespot: 7.9
Gametrailers: 7.7
Nintendo Power 7.5
Over all Custom Robo Arena received positive scores.
[edit] Other appearances in media
- 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. When summoned, he'll jump up and move back and forth while frequently using the Flare Gun. Strangely, it functions the same way as the Gatling Gun instead of the Flare Gun. He'll also use the Standard Bomb against the opponents of whoever summoned him. Also, his size appears to be smaller than the combatants, which is a reference to his canonical size in Custom Robo Arena.
[edit] References
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