Robotron somehow simulates the stress and intensity of an actual robot apocalypse through the use of, like, 50 pixels on the screen. The responsiveness and precision of the controls make or break a game like this, and Robotron's are like silky tofu - smooth, compliant, and vegan.
The simple rules of play and intuitive controls lead to an addictive experience. When you die, instead of thinking "wtf, I dodged that, the computer cheats", you think "I saw that coming, I'll be ready for it next time" or "hmm, maybe I should kill these guys first". You strategize to avoid or prevent deadly scenarios. You experiment with different paths and priorities. You realize that your plan of attack matters just as much as twitch reaction and skill.
The graphics are just good enough to get the job done (does the main character have huge glasses or something?), but the sound design is bombastic and perfect for an arcade thriller.
It's not a terribly deep game - It's an arcade game after all, good for maybe five or ten plays per session - but it's remarkable how well this humble cabinet with the limitations of 1982 tech holds up.
The simple rules of play and intuitive controls lead to an addictive experience. When you die, instead of thinking "wtf, I dodged that, the computer cheats", you think "I saw that coming, I'll be ready for it next time" or "hmm, maybe I should kill these guys first". You strategize to avoid or prevent deadly scenarios. You experiment with different paths and priorities. You realize that your plan of attack matters just as much as twitch reaction and skill.
The graphics are just good enough to get the job done (does the main character have huge glasses or something?), but the sound design is bombastic and perfect for an arcade thriller.
It's not a terribly deep game - It's an arcade game after all, good for maybe five or ten plays per session - but it's remarkable how well this humble cabinet with the limitations of 1982 tech holds up.