Game Daze Tucson Mall Employee Recommendation, November 2010

Tim -

Have you ever seen that show that used to be on comedy central, where people made little robotic machinations, and had them battle to their circuit board’s content in a caged arena? The Show was called “Battle Bots”? And if you haven’t seen it then I’ve pretty much explained the show to you. Well I’ve always wondered what would happen if instead of just battling, the bots raced through checkpoints while bashing and shooting each other with lasers!! Or pushing each other into bottomless pits of doom! In Robo Rally you can do just that. By placing movement and directional cards in an order then revealing them, you move your little robot around in a race. The trick is everyone reveals them simultaneously and in order. So while you may want to move two spaces forward then turn right so you can blast your friend with lasers, others might have already shoved you off the board. Taken too much damage from lasers? You might want to power down for a turn and repair. Or keep going with your damage and draw fewer cards. Take your time in planning out your move. Remember the conveyor belts. And race to the finish!

Game Daze Park Place Mall Employee Review, August/September 2009

Dana-

RoboRally is a fun 2-8 player game that’s very simple and very silly. Players’ robots race around the board, and – depending on the scenario – are trying to either touch all of the numbered flags or kill the other robots with its lasers. Be careful not to get caught by the lasers, traps, and other things waiting for you!

After deciding which board setup to use, players start by picking a robot and placing it on the dock. Each robot works the same, but they all look different and have different personalities. Each turn, nine cards are dealt for each robot, which are then used to program that robot. The cards allow the robots to move forward, back, left, or right, or even u-turn. Between each movement phase, board elements activate.

Different board elements affect the robots. Some elements cause the robots to move: conveyor belts, pushers, and gears. Others harm the robots, like lasers and pitfalls. Be careful with risking your robot, because every time it gets damaged, you draw one less card for each token of damage it has. Other robots can also cause damage. Acquire too much damage, however, and your robot starts to malfunction, making you keep the “damaged” movement card where it is.

It’s one of my favorite games to play, because depending on how many players I play with, the game can take anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple hours. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes silly but strategic games.