In an era where AI and robotics are rapidly evolving, it's no surprise that the gaming world has embraced these themes with open arms. From educational simulations to action-packed adventures, these games fascinate players with futuristic ideas, delicate design, and deep thinking. In this post, we’re going to show you some robot-themed video games we think worth playing. Time to rock on!
LogicBots
Platforms: PC
Genre: Educational Puzzle
Developer: Incandescent Games
Release Date: Feburary 9, 2017
LogicBots is an educational game that puts you into the role of a robotics engineer. This innovative title is designed to teach players the fundamentals of robotics and electronics in an engaging environment. As you progress through increasingly complex challenges, you'll build and program robots to solve puzzles and complete tasks.
The game provides you with a set of tools to build a robot vehicle from scratch, like sensors, actuators, and processing units. In each task, it provides a virtual circuit board for you to program the robot. You can connect different components like sensors, logic gates, and motor controls using lines (wires) to control the robot's behavior. By the end of this game, you’ll be much more familiar with what a robot is like and how it works.
RoboVR
Platforms: PC (Currently Windows only)
Genre: Education
Developer: WhalesBot
Release Date: September 5, 2024
RoboVR is a game that lets you design, build, and program your own robotic vehicles in lifelike environment. It's a bit like LogicBots, but instead of indoor labs, RoboVR puts your creations in outdoor settings that look like real places. You can test your robots in areas that feel like amusement parks, tunnels, seaside, and city centers. It's a little bit like being in a racing game like Forza Horizon or Need for Speed, but with robotic building and coding!
The game has different maps with varying levels of difficulty. If you're just starting out, you might want to try the "City Tour" or "Whalesville Park" maps. These are easier and great for beginners. For those looking for a real challenge, there are tougher maps like "Interplanetary Mission", "Oceanic Odyssey", and "Elysium".
When it comes to programming your robots, RoboVR uses Scratch. You can code simply by dragging and dropping blocks onto a canvas. Each type of block has a different color based on what it does. For example, dark blue blocks control movement, while green blocks are for logical operations. If you're curious about how this looks in real programming languages, there's a panel on the right side of the screen that shows you the same program in C language.
RoboVR also has a cool feature for people who are part of the ENJOY AI contests. When you open the main menu, you'll see a list of recent contests on the left side. If you're registered for ENJOY AI, you can go to the signup system to sign up for these contests. Just jump into this world of robotics and show talent in STEM and coding!
TerraTech
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Genre: Open World, Sandbox, Survival
Developer: Payload Studios
Release Date: August 10, 2018
TerraTech is a fun game where you build your own robotic vehicles and explore alien planets. In this game, Earth is running out of space and resources. Big companies are sending people to find new planets to live on. Here's what you can do in TerraTech:
◎ Build cool vehicles: You can make cars, trucks, or even flying machines using different parts. You can find new parts by beating other vehicles or digging for resources.
◎ Explore a new world: The game takes place on an alien planet. You can drive around and find new places and things.
◎ Gather resources: You need to collect materials from the planet to build more stuff and send back to Earth.
◎ Fight other vehicles: Sometimes you'll meet other explorers. You can fight them to get their parts or protect your area.
TerraTech is a great game for people who like to build things, explore new places, and have exciting battles with vehicles they create.
Kerbal Space Program
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Genre: Space Flight Simulation
Developer: Squad
Release Date: April 27, 2015
Kerbal Space Program is a fun game where you run a space program for cute green aliens called Kerbals. You get to build spaceships using lots of different parts. Your ships will fly (or crash) based on real-life physics. Your job is to send Kerbals into space, keep them alive, and explore planets and moons in their solar system.
The game has three ways to play. In Science Mode, you do space experiments to learn new things and get better technology. In Career Mode, you're the boss of everything - building, planning, money, and making the space program better. Sandbox Mode lets you build any crazy spaceship you can think of, using all the game's parts and tech.
You can make all sorts of spaceships, rockets, and vehicles by mixing and matching parts. Each part does something special that changes how your ship works. You get to control your ship completely, even doing tricky space moves. You'll also need to take care of your Kerbal crew—hire them, train them, and make them space heroes.
There's a whole star system to explore with different moons and planets. You can land on them and look around the detailed landscapes. Your Kerbals can even go on space walks outside their ships. As you play, you'll build bigger things like space stations and bases on new planets by connecting ships together. Try these out and have fun!
Astro Bot Rescue Mission
Platform: PlayStation
Genre: VR Platform
Developer: SIE Japan Studio
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a fun and exciting game that you can play on PlayStation VR. In this game, you'll wear a special VR headset and help a little robot named Astro to save his friends in five worlds. As you play, you'll jump, climb, and explore lots of different places. You can look around to find hidden secrets and figure out where to go next. Sometimes, you might even need to lean your body to see around corners or help Astro find a way to climb up.
Your controller becomes different tools in the game, like a hook to grab things or a water cannon to spray. While you play, you can collect coins to win prizes in a crane game. These prizes help you build a cool collection room where you can see all the adventures you've been on. If you finish the main story and want more, there are 26 extra hard levels you can try. Why not put on your VR headset and join Astro on this exciting space adventure? Your robot friends need your help!
Armored Core
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Genre: Action
Developer: FromSoftware
Release Date: August 25, 2023
Armored Core is a video game series about big fighting robots. The games let you build and control your own giant robot called "Armored Core". You can change different parts of your robot to make it better for different types of fights. You can pick things like the body, head, arms, legs, and weapons. Each part does something special. For example, some legs make your robot faster, while others make it stronger. You can also choose different weapons to put on your robot's arms and back.
The stories in Armored Core games are usually about fighting other robots and completing missions. Sometimes the stories connect between games, but often each game has its own story. The world in these games is usually a dark future where big companies have a lot of power. If you like robots and customizing things, you might enjoy playing an Armored Core game. Try one out and see what kind of robot you can build!
Haiku, the Robot
Platforms: PC, Switch
Genre: 2D Metroidvania
Developer: Mister Morris Games
Release Date: April 28, 2022
Haiku, the Robot is a fun 2D game where you play as a little robot named Haiku. The game is a side-scrolling adventure, which means you move from left to right across the screen. Haiku lives in a world that's been ruined by a computer virus that made other robots go bad. As you play, you'll help Haiku fight enemies using his sword, dash through enemies, and jump to avoid danger.
When you defeat enemies, you'll collect scrap metal. This scrap metal is like money in the game. You can use it right away to fix Haiku if it is hurt, or you can save it to buy cool upgrades in shops. This title also gives Haiku some special chips to make it stronger or improve its sword. Join Haiku on his adventure and see how strong you can make him!
Machinarium
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Genre: Adventure, Indie
Developer: Amanita Design
Release Date: October 16, 2009
Machinarium is a special adventure game. In this game, you play as a small robot who's been thrown away in a junkyard outside the city. Your job is to go back to the city, face off against some bad robots, and save your robot girlfriend.
The whole world of Machinarium is full of robots of all shapes and sizes. As you play, you'll need to outsmart the mean robots from the Black Cap Brotherhood, rescue the city's mayor, and save your robot girlfriend too.
One of the coolest things about Machinarium is how it looks. All the backgrounds and characters are drawn by hand. The game also has great music composed by Floex. Another neat thing is how the game tells its story. Instead of long, boring conversations, the characters talk using comic bubbles with simple animations and pictures. If you like solving puzzles and exploring interesting worlds, you should really give it a try.
Detroit: Become Human
Platforms: PlayStation, PC
Genre: Interactive Drama, Adventure
Developer: Quantic Dream
Release Date: Jun 18, 2020
Detroit: Become Human is an ambitious narrative-driven game that explores themes of artificial intelligence, consciousness, and what it means to be human. The title is set in the near-future Detroit where androids and humans live side by side, but are treated as second-class citizens or even possessions. In this game, you’ll play as three different androids: Connor, a police investigator; Kara, a housekeeper; and Markus, a caretaker. Each of these androids starts to think and feel for themselves, which causes problems in their world.
The game lets you make choices that change how the story goes. You might help androids fight for their rights, try to keep peace between humans and androids, or just try to survive. You'll explore the city of Detroit, talk to other characters, and solve puzzles to move the story forward.
As you play, you'll face tough decisions that can lead to different endings. Your choices can make characters live or die, and change how humans and androids get along. The game makes you think about what it means to be human and if machines can have feelings.
If you like stories where your choices matter and you're interested in thinking about the future of technology and society, you should definitely try this game. Take time to explore your surroundings and gather information. Don't be afraid to replay chapters and see how different choices can lead to totally different endings.
The Red Strings Club
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox
Genre: Narrative Adventure, Cyberpunk
Developer: Deconstructeam
Release Date: January 23, 2018
The Red Strings Club is an exciting adventure game set in a futuristic world, where people can change their bodies and minds with special devices. In the game, you’ll play as different characters and do various activities. As Donovan, you mix drinks to bring out certain feelings in your customers, which helps you learn important information. When you play as Akara-184, you make and install special implants for people using a pottery wheel. Later, you become Brandeis and try to stop the company's vicious plan by solving puzzles.
What sets The Red Strings Club apart is its deep, thought-provoking narrative that questions the nature of happiness, free will, and mind control. Every conversation and action can have far-reaching consequences, and every cocktails you make can affect your customers’ emotions and the secrets they spill to you. As you go deeper into this narration, you’ll find some unexpected facts and plots.
The game's pixel art style perfectly captures the gritty cyberpunk atmosphere, while the electronic music sets the mood for your adventures in this dystopian world. If you enjoy thought-provoking stories and unique gameplay, give The Red Strings Club a try. You'll be drawn into its fascinating world of technology, emotions, and difficult choices, and experience some sad but touching moment between Brandeis and Donovan.
Conclusion
Robot-themed video games offer experiences that range from STEM learning to narrative-driven adventures. These games not only entertain but also encourage us to think about the role of technology in our lives and the potential future of human-robot interactions.
Whether you're building complex machines in LogicBots, exploring virtual worlds in Astro Bot Rescue Mission, or grappling with existential questions in Detroit: Become Human, there's a robotic adventure out there for every type of player. For now, why not pick one of these fantastic titles and start your own robotic adventure? The future is now, and it's waiting for you to press start!
