Lost Games: Custom Robo

One thing I’m grateful for in this era of gaming is that it’s much easier to stumble upon a dope game or series of games. Indie games are everywhere, and most are priced in a way that keeps them accessible. This was not the case in the mid-2000s, though. Hidden gems cost some money, too. And no game in that era was more of a gem than the GameCube’s Custom Robo.

I remember playing this at a friend’s house for the first time and immediately falling in love with it. The art style, the gameplay, and the customization all came together in a perfect package. I wasted absolutely no time in asking for it for my birthday afterward. 

‘CUSTOM ROBO’ MADE ME THINK

I was around 14 when I first played Custom Robo. What sticks out now looking back? I had to be way more strategic playing a game one-on-one. Normally, my natural inclination is to just be aggressive. But this game made me think about certain moves I was making before making them. 

Certain weapons had an area of effect or homing capabilities, and I had to account for the speed of my Robo as well. This made me take a look at the arena and be smart about my moves knowing my friends could bait me into certain actions. 

The customization was a huge part of what made the game great. I could make my Robo do exactly what I needed it to do based on the parts I attached to it. Custom Robo was a great example of how to tie customization to gameplay in a way that felt meaningful.

OH YEAH, THERE’S A STORY, TOO

I remember playing the game’s story mode, but I could not tell you what it was about. I know I enjoyed the hell out of playing the game. Kind of a “means to an end” type of thing. I don’t know, I might have been more invested in it if the gameplay wasn’t as good. As weird as that sounds, I just wanted to fight robots. 

Custom Robo wasn’t even the first game in the series, it was the fourth. But it was the first one to come to the Americas, followed by the DS version, Custom Robo Arena, in 2007. If it wasn’t for Arms, I’d say Nintendo needs to revisit this franchise. But I feel like that was Nintendo doing so in their own way. I wish this was a game I still owned. But I’ll definitely find a way to grab a copy again and relive an incredibly underrated game.