Custom Robo
Custom Robo is definitely one of the lesser known series published by Nintendo, but like you’d expect, it has its own unique charm. The series started back on the Nintendo 64, and its most recent release was Custom Robo Arena on the Nintendo DS. Each game has you following a storyline while collecting different pieces of robot figures, and then using those to build a robot to battle it out with others in a virtual arena. It’s a similar concept to the recent anime, Gundam Build Fighters, that allows for a ton of customization.
There’s definitely an anime vibe in Custom Robo games, and entries like the one on Game Cube, simply titled “Custom Robo,” always leaned into the anime style and tropes. There’s a lot of unrealized potential with the Custom Robo series as well, especially since the advent of online gaming. A new entry could see players battling it out in online arenas, and trading different figures and parts. This seems even more appealing when you consider the Switch’s portable capabilities, and how you might be able to experience co-op or interactivity between systems.
There’s definitely a niche to be filled with games that have a goofy tone mixed with elements of Japanese culture. We’ve seen the success of Yo-Kai Watch and to an extent Tokyo Mirage Sessions, and Custom Robo could be another piece of that. The 3DS even saw another title that had a similar concept to the series, with the video game adaption of the anime LBX (Little Battler’s Experience).
Many of Nintendo’s experiences now focus on cooperative play and social experiences, something that Custom Robo could fit to a tee, while also providing a fun anime style single player.
