Line #71 VideoGame/Robotrek


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3	{{Mons}} are cool. We know this. But what about robot mons combined with humor that pokes fun at the {{R\|olePlayingGame}}PG genre? This is the basic premise of ''Robotrek'', known as ''Slapstick'' in Japan, released for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem.
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5	It tells the tale of the young son of Doctor Akihabara, whose family has just moved to the village of Rococo. All is not well in the world as the Hackers are trying to take over the world with robots, and it's up to this young lad to stop them with his robotic servants that he himself made, called "Robots".
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7	Though the "{{Save the World}}" plot didn't blow many minds, ''Robotrek'''s gameplay was a refreshing change of pace. The game includes a great deal of CharacterCustomization for a Super Nintendo [=RPG=], and the combat is an odd hybrid of real-time and turn-based gameplay. Unfortunately, the level of customization can be daunting; a poorly-specced robot makes the game much more difficult [[NintendoHard than it already is]]. Additionally, like most Japanese [=RPG=]s before ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' popularized them in the west, it suffers from a sloppy translation. The game is still a worthy addition to any retro gamer's library.
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10	!!''Robotrek'' contains examples of the following tropes:
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12	* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Rococo has one.
13	* AbsurdlyHighLevelCap: Level 99. Your robots reach 99 points in every category other than health (which isn't capped) by level 47, and the highest level "Inventor's Friend" book is level 80. If you do get all the way there, your robots will have maxed-out stats and 624 health.
14	* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: Possibly justified in that everyone thinks you're just a kid and not on a mission to save the world. Although you'll find when you can just make the consumables you've been buying off others, they're actually cheaper. Subverted in that there is one place in the game where you can get items cheaper than normal ([[spoiler:Past Rococo]]).
15	* AllThereInTheManual: Copies of the game included lists of ItemCrafting combinations, the possible attack {{Combos}} you can program into your robots, and the locations of the Inventor's Friend volumes. It didn't tell you every single one of any of those, but it made for a good start.
16	* AlwaysCheckBehindTheChair: Especially in the beginning. You can obtain a ton of items that will be of great benefit later on.
17	* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: The Japanese box art has the main character with a backpack full of scrap reading a book. The American box art is of a foreboding space station -- which spoils the last few hours of the game, though to be fair, you won't know that until the last few hours of the story, and it looks nothing like what you see in the game.
18	* ArtificialHuman: [[spoiler:The protagonist's mother]]. Surprisingly, this isn't treated as something of any significance.
19	* ArtificialStupidity: With the multi-layered battlefield, you can position your robot directly above or below enemies. In most cases they are utterly incapable of coping with this tactic and will attack at empty space idiotically.
20	* AwesomeButImpractical:
21	** Quite a few, see PowerUpLetDown and UselessItem.
22	** The Bomb/Shot or Shot/Bomb combo. Usefulness tends to drop drastically after the first boss due to either resistance to shot attacks or RUN programs. They also use all of the charge gauge, leaving you a sitting duck for a long time afterward if the program didn't end the fight.
23	* BackStab: Attacks from behind do more damage. Certain combos let you jump behind an enemy to exploit this, and some enemies have similar skills.
24	* BlindIdiotTranslation: The game's story is fairly interesting, but at times almost impenetrable due to all the Engrish, on top of a dozen examples of poor dialogue attribution.
25	** One in particular due to the awkward way it was translated was a book explaining the robots. It mentions that one is better at doing damage, but it was explained in a way that the robot had some mysterious buff. What it was trying to explain is the customization feature of the game, explaining you could have a robot who's sole role is, say, being a GlassCannon if you wanted.
26	** When you confront hacker leader Blackmore, his pre-fight spiel says that he will "help you get revenge on Blackmore". So...he's going to help you beat himself up? [[note]]Considering he's listed under ThatOneBoss on this game's YMMV page, you almost wish he would.[[/note]] Or maybe he's just mocking you over how he brainwashed your father, and he's telling you to [[BringIt take your best shot while you're good and angry]]; who can say?
27	** If you try and use the Blimp in [[spoiler:Past Rococo]], the game informs you "The Blim'''b''' can't be used here." Considering B is nowhere near P on a QWERTY keyboard...
28	* BluffTheImposter: [[spoiler: To expose the fake Mayor, the player needs to exploit the real Mayor's well-known [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes fear of dogs.]]]]
29	* BossInMooksClothing[=/=]EliteMooks: Berets and Maskers. On the field they're invisible without a special item, which you won't have when you encounter them for the first time. They also do a ridiculous amount of damage, as in 'the final boss cannot match these jerks' ridiculous. But, if you ''can'' defeat them, you'll be generously awarded a lot of data.
30	* BoringButPractical: Some enemies, including a boss or two, have resistance to RUN programs. And quite a few enemies will start having resistance to shot or bomb type damage. This makes single strike melee weapon hits the most reliable method of doing good damage.
31	* CharacterCustomization: You choose the distribution of each robot's stats, as well as its equipment and attack combos.
32	* {{Combos}}: You can configure your robots with up to eight at a time, many of which have unique effects.
33	%%* ConspicuouslySelectivePerception
34	* CreepyDoll: The doll in Count Prinky's mansion.
35	%%* CutsceneIncompetence
36	* DevelopersForesight: In one area, you're turned into a mouse and tasked with emptying the Hackers' coffers (5000 GP) in order to be turned back. As a condition of your new form, you're too short to use the Invention Machine and can't use items in battle, which nominally prevents you from making repairs or buying new equipment. However, each time you gain a level you can use the Portable Invention Machine, with which you can spend money to your heart's content. If you manage to reduce your total GP to less than 5000, the intended recipient comments on the lack of funds -- then takes everything you have left. If you manage to reach zero GP (which is a lot harder but still doable), he'll assume you're holding out and you'll have to find at least a little money to give him. While you can't use this to make another robot (as the only way to do so is through a normal Invention Machine, which again, you can't use as a mouse), you can still abuse this to load up on weapons and consumables - either for direct use, item combination, or just banking a bunch of junk items to sell at half price once you've flim-flammed the recipient, using THAT as seed money for your next robot.
37	* DiscOneFinalDungeon: The Hacker Fortress.
38	* DiscOneNuke: Three weapons can count
39	** Sword 4. While you get it a few hours into the game, it effectively obsoletes all shot-type and bomb weapons because it hits every enemy per swing, does decent damage out of the gate, few enemies resist it, consumes little on the charge meter, and is easily upgradable by combining it with the relatively cheap Sword 1. To top it off, Sword 4 is considered its own attack type and few enemies have resistance against it.
40	** Punches. Their gimmick is having a high critical hit chance and critical hits override defenses. With a maxed out Punch 3 (obtainable a few hours into the game) which has a high critical hit rate and a focus on the robot's Power stat, you can easily dish out enough damage to two-shot every boss until the DiscOneFinalDungeon should you score critical hits. Or, if you crit with particular programs, ''one-shot''.
41	** Axes. While they don't have the insane critical rate that Punches have, they are the most consistently powerful melee weapon bar none, and trivially easy to make. If you have some money and know what you're doing, you can make a Lvl 9 Axe 1 fairly early in the game. With a little more know how, you can get Axe 3 before the third boss. You can also level any of the Axes up by combining it with Sword 1.
42	* DismantledMacGuffin: The Tetron stones are the fragments of the Tetron; a {{Time Master}}y device created by the hero's ancestor, Rask.
43	* DoppelgangerAttack: Done by Mamurana, the second boss. Some enemies also have the ability to summon more of themselves, though unlike Mamurana, the summoned enemies aren't low-stat clones, and worth extra experience if you take 'em out.
44	* EekAMouse: Mint is afraid of mice, which comes up in two separate dungeons.
45	* EinsteinHair: Dr. Einst, natch.
46	* EnergyWeapon: One of them shoots dragons.
47	* ForcedTransformation: Mice. Later, you can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting become a mouse at will]] with the right invention.
48	* {{Futureshadowing}}: The encounter with Napoleon in the volcano shrine.
49	* GadgeteerGenius: You are on your way to be one.
50	* GlobalAirship: Two -- the first lets you travel all around the world, while the second lets you explore ''space'' as well.
51	* GoingForTheBigScoop: Mint the newspaper reporter.
52	* GoodMorningCrono: Dr. Akihabara has a rather interesting way of waking you up at the beginning of the game ([[spoiler:A musical horn that sounds like an explosion]]).
53	* GuideDangIt: Upgrading and making equipment from combinations follows a fairly predictable pattern. But some equipment you may be scratching your head about how to obtain unless you have the supplemental materials (see AllThereInTheManual).
54	** A lot of the equipment have special traits that are not communicated clearly in the game, if they're communicated at all.
55	* HauntedHouse: Count Prinky's mansion.
56	%%* HelloInsertNameHere
57	* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Blackmore]] gets a bit lost in the shuffle of villains once he's defeated and the base he's in explodes... and ends up under the forced employ of [[spoiler:Gateau]], who usurps his position. At that point, he's given up on villainy and helps you out a few times throughout the final area by giving you vital information and [[spoiler:getting several of your friends to safety before the fortress is set to explode]], telling you outright that he's fine with just helping to screw over the new leader's plans and going wherever life takes him afterward.
58	* HeroicMime: Your hero doesn't say a word from start to finish, unless you count responses to other peoples' questions. And who does?
59	* HumongousMecha: Gateau's robot, the PreFinalBoss of the game. It would not look out of place in a MechaShow.
60	* ImprobableWeaponUser: The hero doesn't usually fight, but the Weather item used in-battle does allow him to damage enemies by summoning lightning or hail.
61	* InvisibleMonsters: As noted in PreexistingEncounters below, some set encounters only have the enemies show up when you approach, and some are outright invisible without the Chameleon Glasses. [[ItsQuietTooQuiet You would be wise to be wary of seemingly uninhabited areas in otherwise obviously-dangerous locations,]] [[DemonicSpiders unless getting your ass kicked in a surprise attack by some of the game's most dangerous opponents sounds fun.]]
62	* ItemCrafting: The major premise of the game. You can either combine items together or use essentially buy them by learning how to make them from Inventor's Friend books, each of which requires a particular experience level.
63	* JustAKid: Several of the Hackers, [[spoiler:Rose]] in particular, certainly think of you as such and don't treat you with a lot of respect. [[KidWithTheRemoteControl Your robots will be teaching them all otherwise.]]
64	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:The Mayor has the police steal the Tetron from the hero to give to his secretary, a Hacker boss. He never apologizes, or even thanks the hero for rescuing him from her]].
65	%%* KidHero
66	%%* KidWithTheRemoteControl
67	* TheLopsidedArmOfTheLaw: The Rococco police are ''completely and utterly incapable'' of dealing with the roving Hacker gangs or even rescuing kids trapped in a cave-in, while the Hero and his robots duck in and out of danger zones like hopscotch, smacking them around with impunity. However, once the Hero tracks down all four pieces of the Dismantled [=MacGuffin=] and returns to Rococco, the cops grab him, [[spoiler:accuse him of stealing them from the Mayor, and confiscate them, whereupon the Mayor hands them over to the woman he's seeing, who's actually a Hacker boss]].
68	* MetalSlime: The Shells in the Rococo sewer. They can randomly block attacks, have very high defenses even if they don't, and tend to run away. Pretty much the only way to kill one is to hope you land a critical hit. But it's worth it to take a shot at them, since should you actually beat one, you get 30 EXP/Megs of data - more than you get from ''the first boss'' (and somewhat amusingly, ''exactly'' what you get from the upcoming boss).
69	* {{Mons}}: An interesting take, since you ''make'' them.
70	* NonActionGuy: Your robots are the ones who do all the fighting.
71	* NoticeThis: If text is highlighted in any way, chances are it's of some importance. Shelves with readable books have one book sticking out to indicate that it can be read.
72	* OurTimeTravelIsDifferent: It's not easy to pin down what type of time travel is used when the player ends up in past Rococo.
73	* PamphletShelf: You learn to make new items from scratch by reading books, so you'll be checking out every bookshelf you find. There's even a hidden library that contains one of each volume in the game.
74	* PartyInMyPocket: Literally, since the player's robots are contained in capsules.
75	* PermanentlyMissableContent: Several dungeons and past Rococo become inaccessible after you go through them, so any items you miss are gone for good.
76	* PowerUpLetDown: Blade 4, like Sword 4, can launch an attack that can hit all on-screen enemies once sufficiently leveled up and is the most powerful weapon in the game. Unfortunately, it can't be leveled up unless the player seeks out the equipment leveling capsules in battle (which is more tedious than anything). Worse still, it is useless against a large portion of the mooks you'll be fighting from then on, though the three-swing combo will kill some things one shot won't.
77	* PreexistingEncounters: Random encounters are of this variety. Though in more than a few cases, the enemies don't appear until you get close to their hiding places, at which point they'll suddenly pop into existence. Worse, a few are invisible, and [[DemonicSpiders they tend to be enemies you really, REALLY don't want to be caught off-guard by]].
78	* ProductPlacement: Your computer at the beginning has an advertisement for ''VideoGame/ActRaiser 2'' and ''VideoGame/IllusionOfGaia''.
79	* RareRandomDrop: Present and absolutely ludicrous in some instances - of particular note, those gel enemies and robots in the first areas of the game? They sometimes drop enough GP to build your second AND third robots, with a few hundred GP to spare.
80	* ReplacementGoldfish: [[spoiler:Nagisa, to the player's mother. Dr. Akihabara even mentions she was modeled after his late wife when she was young.]]
81	* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: When the hero ends up in Past Rococo, he can change a few things -- reconcile a feuding family, donate money to build the town hall, plant flowers -- and the results will persist in the present; a pair of StarCrossedLovers are instead embraced by both their families, the hero is in a group photo in the town hall, and there are flowers everywhere.
82	* ShockAndAwe: Sword 4 calls down lightning to hit all enemies. So does Weather.
83	* ShoutOut: Oh, one of the endgame weapon is a blade that shoot fire birds? Now, where did we [[VideoGame/ActRaiser see]] [[VideoGame/SoulBlazer that]] [[VideoGame/IllusionOfGaia before]]? As all these games are developed by Quintet, it's somewhere between an author allusion and a RunningGag.
84	** One character is a vampire named Count John Paul [[{{Franchise/Castlevania}} Belmont]] Prinky.
85	* StableTimeLoop: You have the option of closing a rather inconsequential one when you wind up in past Rococo. Give Count Prinky a Small Robot, and that explains why there's one at the mansion when you visited the house at the beginning of the game. There's another one when the player encounters Napoleon in the past, explaining how he knows of you in the Volcano Shrine.
86	* TranslatorMicrobes: At one point you must craft an item that allows you to speak with animals. And when you get turned into a mouse (see ForcedTransformation above), you can automatically communicate with other mice (while still understanding humans as well).
87	* UselessItem: Most weapon types have a gimmick, but some of those gimmicks either aren't particularly useful, and some borderline make the weapon useless. For example, Hammers, a melee weapon, has the trait of ''knocking enemies back.'' Another is that Shot type weapons have damage fall off the farther you're away from the enemy, making them more useful as a close range weapon than a long range one.
88	* WakeUpCallBoss: Big Eye cements what's necessary in boss fights from there on out. If you are ill-equipped for Big Eye, aside from grinding, the average player stands little chance. Even if you are properly equipped, Big Eye is still quite a challenging boss.

Context VideoGame / Robotrek