By Elias Dounis on June 2nd, 2004

There are many games that Nintendo has prevented from coming to North America since the company’s entrance into the home console business with the Famicom, or Nintendo Entertainment System if you will. When thinking about recent titles that have had such a fate, some readers may be reminded of Treasure’s Sin and Punishment for the Nintendo 64 and the internally developed Doshin the Giant, which appeared on both the N64 Disk Drive and GameCube in Japan. Additionally, Noise’s (then known as Marigul) Custom Robo for the Nintendo 64 had also been one of those games.

While I had not personally tried out the Nintendo 64’s Custom Robo, it seemed to cause enough noise amongst a handful of Nintendo fans for me to take notice of. Many of which who would praise the game’s fun gameplay and “deep” customization, and because of this I had always wanted to get my hands on an import of the game, which I never did. Well, my chance to get my hands on a Custom Robo game has finally come.

Four years after the release of the N64 incarnation, a new Custom Robo game has been released for the GameCube courtesy of Noise. This game is the very first Custom Robo game to ever hit retail shelves outside of Japan, and after spending many hours with it, completing its story mode, and thoroughly dissecting all of its aspects, I can say that I now understand why Nintendo has been so hesitant to release the game overseas, but let’s not emphasize on that statement much, since there is a slightly enjoyable experience to be found within Custom Robo (known as Custom Robo: Battle Revolution in Japan) for the GameCube.

In the introductory cinema to Custom Robo, what seem to be, giant-sized mechs are creating chaos in a dark, yet colorful futuristic city, with sprawling skyscraper-like buildings towering above all the chaos. These mechs move around the battlefield quickly and are all rendered beautifully, with tons of great looking effects engulfing the screen in smoke, flames, and colorful blasts. Unfortunately, the actual game shares little resemblance to this introductory sequence.

First, let me mention that the actual Custom Robos in the game aren’t the likes of mechs you would encounter in a Gundam anime. While they are used as tools for upholding the law and causing chaos, in the Custom Robo universe, these mechs are no larger than a children’s toy, which is in fact the original premise for the earlier games in the series. Second, while the introductory cinema may have been beautifully rendered, during actual gameplay the visuals featured are anything but.

Custom Robo has a visual appearance that is similar to what you could possibly find in an early SEGA Dreamcast game such as Skies of Arcadia; meaning, that the game isn’t too texture heavy and opts for a simple, yet colorful look. Additionally, the game manages to hold a steady framerate at all times, even during intense four player battles in the Holosseum, the arena in which players pit their Customs Robos against opponents.

Something that is worth mentioning is the game’s unique art style, one that is definitely anime inspired. When in conversations with NPCs during the game’s story mode called “A New Journey,” due to the lack of voice acting and facial expressions, avatars are used to express simple human emotions colorfully, managing to add a sort of unexpected charm to the game.

As for the audio side of things, conversations are filled with annoying beeps and bloops similar to those found in Nintendo’s Animal Crossing. However, on the flip side, the game’s sound effects and soundtrack are pulled off extremely well. With the most commendable being the roar of the Dragon Gun and the later tunes heard during gameplay, which are similar to those slow and emotional orchestrated tracks heard in a Final Fantasy game.

Now, for the gameplay, and let me get straight to it… Custom Robo doesn’t really offer any robot mech action that someone could truly enjoy. Sure it offers all this customization, allowing players to modify their weaponry and the performance of their Custom Robos, but the fact of the matter is that when in battle players can simply result to button mashing in order to win bouts. No real skill is needed at all to fight with these clunky handling robos. Add to the fact that there’s no real difficulty, and all you have is one ho-hum gaming experience.

That which happens to save Custom Robo from being complete and utter Japanese waste is its story mode. At first this linear and completely non open-ended adventure may seem a bit childish, but the further you dive into it, you begin to love the game’s lighthearted and laughable characters, and as the game even manages to drift into darker territory, things become interesting… It is soon revealed that an evil entity has been revived, one that nearly wiped out the planet’s population in the past, and it’s up to you, the HERO, to rid the world of this menace and the corrupt factions willing to use this evil power for their own personal gain.

While the other gameplay modes in the game offer unfulfilling Robo fighting tournaments, the game’s story mode is a short and sweet adventure that keeps players hooked for its duration. Unfortunately though, you ARE thrown into numerous Robo battles, and due to a lack of side quests, story mode doesn’t last long. After the completion of it, you are then presented with a game that no longer holds any true appeal, aside from new, yet trivial gameplay modes and features (including a first person mode) opened up after story mode’s completion.

When the bells tolls, it can be concluded that Custom Robo lacks the bells and whistles, the polish, and the lasting appeal that make today’s best games what they are. However, what the game succeeds in becoming is a title that provides an enjoyable experience for those willing to try it out. This is in thanks of the game’s story mode, which happens to provide lighthearted fun with a surprisingly enjoyable plot that more appreciative gamers are sure to enjoy for while it lasts.