Robo Warrior

US Box Art

Note: This game is listed by its US title even though it has a Bomberman-esque one in Japan.

Robo Warrior is a game released for the NES and is considered a spin-off of the Bomberman series. It goes by the name Bomber King in Japan. It features elements of the Bomberman universe as well as some from the Blaster Master series. This game features a sequel on the Game Boy known as Blaster Master Boy or Bomber King Scenario 2 in Japan.

Story

As taken from the text on the back of the US box:

"You're Zed, half man, half cyborg. The one-man battalion with a human heart and a computer's brain. Can you blast your way alone through 27 battle zones to liberate the desperate people of the planet Altile from the evil invader Xur? Xur has seized the weather control station; it's bitter cold, and the people have fled underground. He knows you've landed. No turning back. You must recover an arsenal of 12 different weapons and 6 powers hidden on Altile. Megaton bombs, life vests, hyper missiles, super boots, cross-fires, super bombs, energy capsules, life pods, power balls... Master each to save yourself from a continuing barrage of 20 deadly enemies. Wisps, Wanes, Tracers, Strinkers, Skraugs, the Globula, Gholem, Viripides... They're mean, they're ugly, and they're after you. Flying. Dive-bombing. Writhing. Grabbing. Find the keys, or you're blocked in a battle zone forever. Find the hidden chalice and be saved from eternal doom. Hit the switch. This is war!"

In the future, the planet Earth has become overpopulated and overpolluted. The people were forced to build an artificial planet called Altile and move there to begin a new life. However the evil Xantho empire, lead by the Emperor Xur, have taken over the planet and deactivated the weather control system. The planet is forced into ruin and the people take refuge in the underground of Altile. They send a distress signal to Earth who hears it and in turn, revives one of the cyborg's from the past. His name is ZED (Z-Type Defender of Earth) and he is sent to Altile to defeat Xur and rescue its people.

Gameplay

The player is a cyborg with a machine gun and bombs. Pressing the A button fires regular shots and pressing the B button plants bombs which will made ZED take a step back to avoid the blast. In each Period the player must navigate through a maze of soft blocks and destroy them with bombs. Hidden somewhere in the maze is a key that will make the exit appear in the top right corner at the very end of the stage.

Looping

The screen will continue to wrap itself around and around in some Periods. To clear this type of level, the player must destroy the soft block that holds a Chalice item and it will prevent the screen from wrapping any further. Then the player must locate the key as normal to open the exit. This isn't explained in the game so it can lead to confusion for the player.

Underground Rooms

Either hidden beneath a soft block or out in the open will be a stairway that leads into the ground. The player can enter this room to find an area that if filled with items, enemies, and no soft blocks. The only stipulation is that it is completely dark aside from the sprites of ZED and the enemies. By using the Candle or Lantern item the player can light up the area to see where they are going. The only way to exit the underground room is to find the stairway that leads back up.

Limitations

There are several limitations that make the game more challenging. Items in this game are needed continuously but are often limited. The number of bombs the player can hold is limited to 99 and since they are continuously needed to move throughout the level, can make it very difficult. Enemies that are defeated almost always drop bombs making combat a necessity.

Another limitation is ZED's health bar. Not only does he take damage from projectiles or touching enemies, it also decreases with time. The bar is said to be his battery life for his body and drains with time. Four batteries can be held at once, each ticking down with their own health bar. The only way it can be replenished is by collecting a battery item or using an energy tank item in your inventory.

Other items are necessary to complete the levels. Candles and Lanterns are needed to see in dark levels and underground areas. The Life Saver item is needed so ZED can walk across areas filled with water. ZED can walk across one square of water but will drown if he tries to walk over anything longer than that.

Other Helpful Things

In almost every Period is a hidden room called the Room of Idols. Usually along the top part of the screen there will be a block that appears to be "out of place." By bombing this it will open the Room of Idols. Inside are several lion-like statues that hold items. Usually they have to be bombed in the correct order to obtain the items while other times you only need to bomb the correct ones. Bombing the incorrect ones will make all the remaining statues leave no items.

Some areas contain a square of water called the Well of Hope. By stepping on this it will double the number of items in your inventory, making it highly valuable. After an entire Period is completed, the player will enter the Item Shop. Throughout the level are Award Medals that are mixed in with the items. These are used as currency in the shop to purchase items the player may need.

Similarities to Bomberman

• ZED resembles Bomberman from his early artwork
• The gameplay has several identical mechanics like having to use bombs to destroy soft blocks
• The game is called Bomber King in Japan