Robotic Operating Buddy: Yes, it's R.O.B.

[NintenRob]

R. O. B. ​

A piece of gaming History ​

And the dawn of Smash Switch return is nigh.

If you want to know more about R.O.B. and why he's so important. Watch this video

This topic if for discussing R.O.B. and his potential return to Smash on Switch.

For discussion purposes, a few questions

What colour do you want as default?

Do you think he'll finally get a stage of his own?

Do you think he'll finally have working eyes in Multi-player?​

 

[Pixel_]

Looking back on it, I'm still kinda surprised R.O.B. made it into Smash 4. He seemed like a random addition (and yes, I know about the whole "R.O.B. saved video games" thing, but you can't deny the fact that he's still really obscure, especially compared to the other characters), but to me, the fact that he made it from Brawl to Smash 4 means he should have a good chance.
If they decide to cut a lot of characters though (the cast is getting preeeetty big) I'm afraid R.O.B. might be one of them.

 

[NintenRob]

Looking back on it, I'm still kinda surprised R.O.B. made it into Smash 4. He seemed like a random addition (and yes, I know about the whole "R.O.B. saved video games" thing, but you can't deny the fact that he's still really obscure, especially compared to the other characters), but to me, the fact that he made it from Brawl to Smash 4 means he should have a good chance.
If they decide to cut a lot of characters though (the cast is getting preeeetty big) I'm afraid R.O.B. might be one of them.

Is he really that obscure though? Gyromite I'd agree with but R. O. B. himself has made cameos in a lot of games, not to mention Mario Kart DS

 

[Pixel_]

Is he really that obscure though? Gyromite I'd agree with but R. O. B. himself has made cameos in a lot of games, not to mention Mario Kart DS

Ah right, that's true.

 

[Ze Diglett]

I'm really hoping we get a Gyromite stage this time around. For too long have we robots been shafted and stuffed into whatever the token "retro" stage of the game happens to be. We must claim the motherland!
Another thing I'd like to see in this upcoming game is a new final smash, or at least a rework of the current one, seeing how the one we're stuck with right now is literally just a crappy version of Samus'. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I liked the old one better. At least we could move during it.
Also if our eyes still don't work in multiplayer I'm boycotting

 

[Pixel_]

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I liked the old one better

But the new one looks so coooooool

 

[DJ3DS]

I remember the first time I ever saw ROB, in Mario Kart DS. I had no idea who he was, but distinctly thought he was a cool character I used from time to time.

He wasn't my main in Brawl but I dabbled in him - he's always been incredible fun, though his Up Smash frustrated me a lot back then.

Come Smash 4, my main (ICs) was removed. I originally intended to take up Rosalina in the hope she'd be similar but ROB clicked immediately. He's so much fun to play and it would be criminal to not see him return.

Of course, there are some changes I'd love to see made. Bringing back his Brawl recovery would be nice, as would changing his Side B (I'd probably make it a single spin similar to Mario's cape). His grab range is absurdly small, and it would be nice to get some sort of Stack Up reference in - but just seeing him back would be enough.

 

[ROBnWatch]

Hello again, my fellow robots. It's good to be back.

 

[NintenRob]

Hello again, my fellow robots. It's good to be back.

Now there's name I recognize, how are things my good robot?

 

[Jubileus57]

I would be very saddened to see the brave robot get the axe. Like DJ3DS above I discovered it in Mario Kart DS and he intrigued be a lot. Besides he had a very huge role in the SSE, which gave him, somehow a real personality. He fully deserves his place in the roster.

 

[ROBnWatch]

Now there's name I recognize, how are things my good robot?

Could be better, honestly. Lots of stuff going on with my family and school. But the return of Smash means the return of all the speculation, so you can count me in on that boatload of fun. As always, here to support R.O.B.'s return. And after two games, I'm pretty sure he's got quite a good chance at coming back for this one too.

Now can we give him an actual home stage? (And make his eyes work in multiplayer?) Please and thank you, Nintendo!

 

[Arthreeteseven]

I am confident he will return. I know he may not be the most popular 'retro' character but he is iconic and unique enough to guarantee a spot.

 

[Crap-Zapper]

I don't think R.O.B will go anywhere, and I certantly do not hope so. He is so underrated.
I think he is cute.

 

[ROBnWatch]

To answer the questions from the OP...

1. Famicom as default. It's easily the better of the two between the Famicom and NES palettes.

2. That's pretty tough to call. I would think that after two games, Sakurai could give him a proper home stage. But I could just as easily see them giving him another retro themed stage. I'd love to see a Gyromite stage though, but who knows.

3. Multiplayer eye emotes or riot.

 

[Arthur97]

I hope they do make his eyes work, and I like that they made the NES his default outside of Japne (or at least in the States, I don't know what the other international releases got) so I hope they do it again. Just, uh, this time maybe make his trophies and stuff match up with that.

 

[AnonymousMoon]

To cut this character would certainly ROB people of a beloved companion.

I don’t think he’s going anywhere

 

[DJ3DS]

I hope they do make his eyes work, and I like that they made the NES his default outside of Japne (or at least in the States, I don't know what the other international releases got) so I hope they do it again. Just, uh, this time maybe make his trophies and stuff match up with that.

In Europe his primary colour is NES as well. I personally prefer the Famicom colour though.

 

[NintenRob]

Updated the op to include a video on R.O.B.s history

 

[ROBnWatch]

Updated the op to include a video on R.O.B.s history

That video makes me happy.

 

[Smashoperatingbuddy123]

the fans were skeptical last time but i was never i was almost centain R.O.B would be back in smash 4.

but this time he's aboslutely unstoppable if a character makes 2 games in a row that's it the character is forever in the game


so since we don't need to speculate if hes in a or not this time we need to hope we see a gyromite stage this time.

 

[chemo]

I would be extremely sad if R.O.B. doesn't come back. I liked to play as him in Smash 4 and I'm a big fan of robots in general (especially cute ones).

Also I pretty much agree with everyone else in this thread in that there needs to be a Gyromite stage. There's so much potential for such a thing.

 

[Ura]

Hopefully the poor guy can get a stage in this Smash.

 

[DNeon]

I never quite got the hang of his mechanics, but ROB was always a blast to play, and moreso to watch. I think he's a lock to return, and boy do I look forward to it.

 

[ROBnWatch]

Hopefully the poor guy can get a stage in this Smash.

Ya, hopefully. Most of us who have been here (on the R.O.B. threads) have been wanting a proper home stage for him for a while now.

 

[Caravan of Noobs]

I had an idea that a good stage for R.O.B. would be a stage based off of Nintendo hardware and accessories. I imagine a TV and a R.O.B. in the background with the TV screen switching between different games and the R.O.B. be interacting with the NES Zapper and other stuff. Maybe the giant R.O.B. can even shoot at the stage like he does in that one boss game in Warioware. Maybe some Labo stuff could make an appearance.

 

[DNeon]

https://youtu.be/NqL7m9CuGD0

D-Throw buries now?

 

[ROBnWatch]

https://youtu.be/NqL7m9CuGD0

D-Throw buries now?

Yup. I noticed that too. R.I.P. Beep-Boop.

 

[DJ3DS]

Yup. I noticed that too. R.I.P. Beep-Boop.

Isn't this substantially better? You get a free smash attack at higher percents, and you can probably follow their DI as they pop out to beep boop anyway.

 

[ROBnWatch]

Isn't this substantially better? You get a free smash attack at higher percents, and you can probably follow their DI as they pop out to beep boop anyway.

I'm not saying it's not better. I'm just saying R.I.P. to that particular combo. We can, of course, now get other combos from down throw with this new mechanic.

 

[DJ3DS]

I'm not saying it's not better. I'm just saying R.I.P. to that particular combo. We can, of course, now get other combos from down throw with this new mechanic.

As a shower thought, doesn't Up Tilt link into Up Air?

If so then that potentially gives ROB a better Beep Boop with:

D-Throw -> U-Tilt -> U-Air

Genuinely I'm super stoked by the possibilities this opens up off of a grab. Even something as simple as an immediate Gyro Shoot so you do some damage and have a Gyro to immediately pick up seems like a cool thing.

Couple this with it looking like ROB has a slightly less dire grab range and I'm really excited to pick him up again.

 

[Demon-oni]

Also noticed in the video that forward throw sends people as a significantly higher angle now, so there's possibility of that being a beep boop option as well. Though to be honest, why would you? D throw bury is beyond silly in terms of application. 1 hit knocks them out? Free charged u-smash or nair into combo. Multi hit knocks them out? Dsmash or gyro shot -> timed gyro drop -> shenanigans. There's no way this can't be good.

 

[MBRedboy31]

Another great thing about the new D-throw effect is that the bury animation isn't the regular bury animation, it's the comical "opponent is stuck in the ground head first with their legs sticking out" animation that Smash 4 Lucas' D-throw uses, so it's great to see that animation used in more than one character's attack now.

 

[Caravan of Noobs]

I enjoy all the visual changes to R.O.B. Especially his new render. He's so dynamic this time around.

The fuel meter on his chassis is cool new detail but I think they might have nerfed his flying time though.
Other small animation changes I've seen has him overextend his joints to make him even more expressive and that's nice.
Also the giant R.O.B. in Port Town Aero Drive has been changed to smash bros model.

Edit: Just noticed his eyes still don't emote in his trailer. Please let this be a bug. I would hate seeing all the revamped animation be brought down with missing eye emotes.

 

[NintenRob]

I'm pretty sure I saw his glitchy green eyes at one point. So I'm pretty sure they're still there.


His Famicom render can also be seen on the Japanese site

 

[Ze Diglett]

I'm pretty sure I saw his glitchy green eyes at one point. So I'm pretty sure they're still there.

Thank God. Here's hoping they actually work outside of singleplayer this time.

 

[DJ3DS]

Another great thing about the new D-throw effect is that the bury animation isn't the regular bury animation, it's the comical "opponent is stuck in the ground head first with their legs sticking out" animation that Smash 4 Lucas' D-throw uses, so it's great to see that animation used in more than one character's attack now.

Lucas' D-Throw burial is only cosmetic though (source: SmashWiki) whereas this at least appears to actually bury them. I hope the shared animation doesn't indicate otherwise!

I enjoy all the visual changes to R.O.B. Especially his new render. He's so dynamic this time around.
The fuel meter on his chassis is cool new detail but I think they might have nerfed his flying time though.
Other small animation changes I've seen has him overextend his joints to make him even more expressive and that's nice.

I'm not sure fuel has been nerfed; they got a decent time out of it in the trailer and they were holding the recovery rather than tapping.

Hopefully the overextending joints applies to some of his attacks and gives him a little more range. I miss the Brawl Forward Tilt!

I'm pretty sure I saw his glitchy green eyes at one point. So I'm pretty sure they're still there.


His Famicom render can also be seen on the Japanese site

Pretty sure it's used on the EU site as well. There also appears to be a new shiny metallic ROB colour in one of his site pictures:

 

[NintenRob]

There also appears to be a new shiny metallic ROB colour in one of his site pictures:

View attachment 148294

Should someone else tell him or should I

 

[DJ3DS]

Should someone else tell him or should I

You can't say that and then NOT tell me... :O

Is this him in a metal box?

 

[NintenRob]

You can't say that and then NOT tell me... :O

Is this him in a metal box?

95% sure that's just him using the Metal box

 

[MBRedboy31]

Lucas' D-Throw burial is only cosmetic though (source: SmashWiki) whereas this at least appears to actually bury them. I hope the shared animation doesn't indicate otherwise!

Looking at ROB’s trailer again, DK seems to remain buried during the first few hits of Dsmash, so it looks like it is a real bury effect and not a cosmetic.