Battroborg review – Giant fighting robots have made their ways to the Hollywood. Fighting robot games are everywhere on your consoles and mobile gadgets.
However, motion controlled fighting robots in physical forms as real toys are rare.
Especially those that are this fun.
Back in my childhood days, we had to manually use our imagination to create awesome fighting scenes with our own toys. Every jabs and kicks would have to be guided by our creative minds & physical hands. We alone decided who would win the battle. Not like this.
Battroborg takes the concept of a motion controlled system (like the Nintendo Wii), fun, and competitiveness into great battling robots at the comfort of a real, physical arena.
Battroborg Review – Design & How it works
The Battroborg Battle Arena pack includes:
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2 Robots of different colors (for example: Blue + Yellow or Red and Green)
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2 Nunchaku controllers
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Arena
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4 Training Drones (for practicing or playing by yourself)
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2 Sticker Sheets
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2 Face Sheets
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Instruction Sheet
Each robot is about 10cm tall and has a built-in battery that can be charged via the controller. The wireless controller itself is powered by 4 AA batteries (which are not included in the packaging). There is no other way to charge a robot except by draining the battery power from a controller. It’s a quick, easy, and smart way to charge the robots though I wish there is a power adapter option. In my whole week of testing the Battroborg in the office, however, the batteries are still going even after we’ve played for about 10 rounds.
Each round of playtime lasts for 20 minutes where you need to stop and recharge the robots again for an equal of 20 minutes recharging time. I was actually quite amazed by the longevity of the battery and this should make budget-conscience parents happy chappies (though I’d recommend grabbing rechargeable batteries.
The charging indicator will turn green during the charging process and go off when the robot is fully charged. I’m unsure whether the battery is being drained continuously until you turn it off, or whether the charging stops automatically.
The arena can be set-up in different ways although due to my excitement, I placed the “permanently-attached” pole wrongly (it’s good to always read the instruction first, right?). Thankfully, it doesn’t deter you from having a blast with Battroborg except for a little rope- twisted-look-arena. You can also setup the arena in different ways.
You can personalise your robots with the included stickers but I find that the robots themselves are already well-made. The details on the robots are pretty amazing and one of them has these “scratches marks” that makes it look like metal (despite the fact that it’s a plastic material). It also gives a nice imaginary touch that the robot has gone through countless of bloody battles.
Each robot has 5 lives which is indicated by different LED light: Green (No damage) -> Blue -> White -> Yellow -> Red -> Flashing Red + immovable robot (knock out).
The life of a robot will be reduced when a punch hits its visor (face) at the right spot, with the right force. You control a robot using the controllers (small controller in your left hand and the big one in your right) by punching forward (or swinging it down). Swing your left hand and the robot will throw a left punch and move forward with its left foot. The right hand will do the opposite.
It took us a couple of rounds to realise that we weren’t supposed to swing both of our hands erratically to charge ahead and throw punches like there is no tomorrow. This made our robots go into a corner too quickly, too often, which detracted the fun factor.
Unfortunately, this is what you or your kids will probably do at first (out of excitement) but if you want to enjoy Battroborg to the fullest, you need to take a step back or explain it slowly to your kids. Once you got the hang of it, however, you’ll find there are more strategy involved such as raising your hand/punch to protect your robot’s visor, punching at the right moment to register the hit, using the right hand for a longer reach, and so on.
Battroborg Review – Experience
Battroborg is fun. In fact, it delivers tons of fun in a short burst period of time. When the package arrived in our office, it excited everyone. Every time we play it, it still excites everyone. The more we play, the better we become. And the better we become, the more fun Battroborg is. Note that Battroborg is made for 6+ year olds but that does not deter adults like us from having fun with this. The sync process between a controller and a robot is also simple and seamless.
It felt as if 20 minutes game time was too short at first but in reality, I think it’s good enough. It gives us time to take a break and continue on with our social life. In fact, I probably wouldn’t want my kids (if I have one) to keep playing Battroborg for hours non-stop. In a way, it also gives a small calorie burning exercise as I had a bit of sweat coming out while playing Battroborg. Battroborg is also perfect in an office environment where you can take a short break from work, have really good fun with your colleagues, and continue to work after!
There are more to Battroborg than this. You can change to 3 different modes:
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Combat Mode (the usual one to one battle that I’ve explained to you so far)
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Autodrone Mode (the robot will punch automatically by itself for 2 minutes – great for practice). Works for more than 2 robots.
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Tag Mode for 2 or more players: “During set-up, one Battroborg will be chosen to be the chaser, signified by their red flashing light. All other Battroborgs will have green lights and be chased. The chaser will battle at a normal speed, while all others will react at a slower speed.”
You can add more robots (by buying the Battroborg Single Pack) and control up to 10 robots with just 1 controller! There can also be 20 players controlling 1 robot each and have a massive great fight (Battle Royal) in the arena. Sick!
Christmas is coming so this is a truly great gift for your kids (or for yourself). Battroborg is fun to play and it provides a different excitement compared to playing competitive fighting robots on a screen. The Battroborg Battle Arena RRP $99.95 and Single Pack RRP $49.95 – already available at Toys R’ Us (coming in October to Big W, Target, Myer, Toyworld, and other toy retailers).
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Disclosure: Battroborg Battle Arena review sample was sponsored by Battroborg for the review
