Robotrek

The Good
Robotrek is a unique and rather whimsical game. There are some good RPG's on the Super Nintendo that this game might not measure up to but Robotrek did manage to break the mold in a few ways. The in-battle game-play is original. During combat instead of selecting action then target, players actually move the robot around the battlefield and attack with weapons in the left and right hand by pressing L and R respectively. This gives the game more of an action/adventure feel while still retaining a precise turn-based system. The Run/Program option allows for interesting combos and special attacks which sort of fill the void where spells would normally be in a fantasy RPG. The item combining and creation system may seem a little odd at first but it adds a bit of depth to the game-play.

The graphics are bright and colorful. Many of the bosses look silly but this fit in with the game's sense of humor. Character animations are simple but good enough for the game's purposes. Attacking a monster and seeing their eyes bug out as they are hit is a welcome change from the static sprites of some other RPG's.

The music and sounds of Robotrek are pleasant if a bit repetitive. Most of the music is goofy and this keeps the light-hearted feel of the game. The sound effects could also be silly at times, but they are all up to the standard of most SNES games.

The Bad
The low point of Robotrek is probably the bad translation. Most of the time the dialog is as clear as any other game from that time but the occasional nugget of nonsense during an important plot-point could easily leave you scratching your head. If the game was meant to be serious this would detract much more from the fun but Robotrek is a comical game to start with. Viewed in the proper light the game's nonsensical dialog might actually add to the fun. Another possible downside to Robotrek would be lack of replay value. While the game provides good challenge and lasts as long as you could expect it to there isn't that much to keep you coming back after beating it once.

The Bottom Line
Robotrek is different from many RPG's both in game-play and it's light-hearted nature. It's worth trying out for those reasons alone. Don't expect it to be better than Final Fantasy III or Dragon Warrior IV but do expect interesting game-play with plenty of Engrish and other zaniness.