Robots Under Attack! Review (Nintendo Switch)

Review Code Used Many Thanks To Dmytro Derybas

Recently released on the Nintendo Switch, Robots Under Attack! is an action/puzzle game. A simplistic puzzler with one goal in mind: to shoot and destroy all the robots on each level. Being a puzzle game it’s not just as easy as a direct shot to destroy the robots. Each level has obstacles to shoot past or destroy and some of the environments mechanics will help in destroying the robots.

Bows and Arrows

To attack and destroy the robots, you use a bow and arrow and you can only draw your bow inside a predetermined red circle that’s on each level. In all there are four different types of arrows in Robots Under Attack, simple, heavy, fire and explosive. However the catch is that not all four types of arrows are available on every level and the quantity of arrows you have is limited as well.

The heavy arrows will press switches in, whereas the fire or explosive arrows are used for lighting fuses on bombs and blowing up barrels with a bang. A simple arrow has a normal arrow head and can be used for a variety of things, such as hitting a gravity box which turns off gravity and every robot and object is pulled to the top of the screen. If you use all the limited amount of arrows up before you have attacked and destroyed all the robots on screen, you start the level over again. Your score at the end of the level is increased if you managed to beat the level without using all of the arrows.

Obstacles Galore

Obstacles consist of a good variety of items such as boxes, bombs, portals to shoot arrows through, moving lifts, and my favourite of all: barrels full of explosives. Switches come into play a lot in most if not all the puzzles, either to open a gate or to turn a large pusher on that shoves a robot to the side usually towards something destructive, if you’re lucky.

I like the additional use of gravity in some of the puzzles, as the look and the solution changes once gravity is removed from the objects and robots. Puzzles are well thought out and there are 100 in all for you to crack.

Controls and Motion

Robots Under Attack is controlled by the Joy-Cons, L and R selects the arrow you want to use. Move the cursor with the L stick and hold A to pull the arrow back in the bow. Release the A button and the arrow is airborne. You can use the Touchscreen as the game is fully compatible with it, though I found that I preferred the Joy-Con control as I could be more accurate in my shots. With the Joy-Con removed from the Switch you can play using the motion control and this worked as expected.

Graphics and Sound

The hand drawn graphics and the graph paper look give a clear and uncluttered view to the whole puzzle for the player. Accompanied by a jazzy upbeat soundtrack and the appropriate bangs and booms when a box falls or a bomb explodes even right down to the clunk of an arrow hitting a switch and bouncing off all adds atmosphere to the gameplay.

Conclusion

Priced at £4.99 in the UK eShop this is an entertaining and enjoyable puzzle game that has given me more than a few hours of amusement as I blew up robots or watched them being cut in half by a saw and bringing a smile to my face as I watched their demise.

The game plays well without any annoyances or glitches, the physics and trajectory of the arrows is accurate to real life, though the same can’t be said for my aim.

There would not be much replay ability, however you could go back and try to beat your own score if you wished. Robots Under Attack is worth the small price it. If you’re on the look-out to add a good puzzle game to your library of games and to while away a few hours with, this could be the game.

Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot