Custom Robo

International release

Since its inception in 1999, the Custom Robo series has largely been exclusive to Japan. In 2001, however, Nintendo released Super Smash Bros. Melee, a fighting game containing characters from throughout the company's history, worldwide. In the title's trophy room, three custom robos from Custom Robo V2 appeared as trophies: Ray Mk II, Bayonette, and Annie.

According to the upcoming release lists in several issues of Nintendo Power, Nintendo of America was planning to release Custom Robo GX, the third title in the series, but later canceled it for unknown reasons and decided to release Custom Robo: Battle Revolution, the fourth title in the series, which became the first to see an international release, in 2004. Released outside Japan simply as Custom Robo, the game was designed specifically with newcomers to the series in mind. The fifth title of the series, Custom Robo Arena, became the first and only Custom Robo title released globally.

Gameplay

Custom Robo takes place in a collect-customize-and-battle style role-playing video game genre similar to games such as Robotrek or Front Mission, but with frantic action battles in confined 3D arenas (2D arenas in Custom Robo GX), similar to Virtual On. In each game's story mode, players slip into the role of a nameable young boy who has just had a dream about Custom Robos. After waking up, he walks up to his parents while they talk, and proceed to give him his first Custom Robo and some parts for battling. A friend then comes by to take the protagonist to where Custom Robo events are held. In each game, the first Custom Robo players obtain is always a model of the Ray series. The goal for players is to improve their skills and collect different Custom Robos in order to defeat everyone, including champion Custom Robo users.

The main objective of the game is to finish the storyline by collecting every Custom Robo and battle part, while winning every battle that moves players along through the story arc. In Custom Robo battles, the object is to reduce the 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. The endurance bar is located above the player's hitbox; once it runs out, the Custom Robo gets "downed" which means that it stays fallen for a couple seconds. After the Robo gets up, it goes into "rebirth" mode, where it stays invincible for about 3 seconds. If players repeatedly lose the same battle, the game will offer the option of reducing the opponent's initial health, in order to make the battle easier. If players continue to lose several times, the degree of handicap offered increases up to 75%, giving the opponent a starting HP of 250, rather than 1000.

Games

The following is a list of games released in the series.

Custom Robo GX 2 was originally planned for release on the Game Boy Advance, but the project was discontinued. It was planned for release in late 2005 in Japan.