Custom Robo Arena, known in Japan as Gekitō! Custom Robo, is a science fiction action role playing game for the Nintendo DS. It is the fifth title in the Custom Robo series. The name was announced on May 9, 2006 at the E3 convention,[1] and released in Japan on October 19, 2006, then later in the United States on March 19, 2007. Later, on May 25, 2007, it became the first Custom Robo title released in Europe, and on September 20, 2007, it also became the first title of the series released in Australia. In the game, the player participates in Custom Robo tournaments and tries to earn money to buy parts to use to improve their robo. The game is the first in the series that features two-player mode with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection including voice chat, Multi-Card play, and DS Download Play. Custom Robo Arena also uses a "Rivals" list.
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Despite the hardware's limitations, the childish nature of the story, and the somewhat awkward controls, I love this game. The fact that they expanded on the GameCube title and had it on the DS still astonishes me, as the amount of content here is staggering.
Being able to create and fight with your little Robo, with each piece affecting your build in unique and interesting ways shattered my mind as a kid. I loved using the hornet guns and making an agile build. After all this time I can agree that the controls do take some getting used to, as you need to move around a 3D environment using a D-Pad, which is pretty cumbersome.
The story, while cliche and childish, was still fun and I was always invested in it, especially with the characters and the contemporary setting. Graphically it looked pretty good, and the music was not very memorable either, however, the fact they got this to run on the Nintendo DS still boggles my mind.
Nowadays more in-depth titles capture the magic of this original game, but it's the balance of simplistic design with complex combat mechanics that makes this game worthwhile to revisit. I truly think this game is a hidden gem of the console, and people should at least check it out once.
Being able to create and fight with your little Robo, with each piece affecting your build in unique and interesting ways shattered my mind as a kid. I loved using the hornet guns and making an agile build. After all this time I can agree that the controls do take some getting used to, as you need to move around a 3D environment using a D-Pad, which is pretty cumbersome.
The story, while cliche and childish, was still fun and I was always invested in it, especially with the characters and the contemporary setting. Graphically it looked pretty good, and the music was not very memorable either, however, the fact they got this to run on the Nintendo DS still boggles my mind.
Nowadays more in-depth titles capture the magic of this original game, but it's the balance of simplistic design with complex combat mechanics that makes this game worthwhile to revisit. I truly think this game is a hidden gem of the console, and people should at least check it out once.
I realize years later that the DS hardware limited this to 1v1s but playing the Gamecube game at a friends house then playing this was disappointing slightly.
This game was incredibly addictive, in depth and replayable. Its surprisingly there has not been a sequel. Recent Gundam games get close but it doesnt hit the spot like Custom Robo did. I remember spending hours trying to find the NPC hiding in the bathroom stall...
Childhood icon but in DS
One of the hidden gems on the stacked console that is the DS. The core of this series is its action packed mecha gameplay, and Custom Robo Arena(CRA) is no different. With millions of potential unique combinations each with their own unique playstyle to master, combined with the snappy, yet realistic controls/movement that promote thoughtful positioning, CRA always leaves me feeling like I can get better at it, even after having completed everything the game has to offer. In that regard, it’s very similar to fighting games, maybe that’s why I love it so much! But a eriously, I just can’t stress enough how satisfying and limitless the core gameplay of CRA is.
While I played through the game solo, I’d recommend playing through this game alongside a friend that you can challenge and play against frequently, as the story mode is passable at worst on its own. It does its job creating decently believable scenarios to thread each battle together, and it’s pretty obvious how much work and love went into the core gameplay compared to the story. The 2000s digimon-protag-esque character designs are quite lovable if you let yourself enjoy them(Dennis is literally me), but some people just can’t get over the… er, stylized overworld, and I don’t blame them for it, even if it’s a shame to let that overshadow the core gameplay in my opinion.
Overall, CRA is a really fun gem that always leaves me hungering for more with its addictive mech battles. While I think Custom Robo on the Gamecube has a better story mode and characters, if you’re up for some awesome mecha battle gameplay, I simply can’t recommend this game enough.
While I played through the game solo, I’d recommend playing through this game alongside a friend that you can challenge and play against frequently, as the story mode is passable at worst on its own. It does its job creating decently believable scenarios to thread each battle together, and it’s pretty obvious how much work and love went into the core gameplay compared to the story. The 2000s digimon-protag-esque character designs are quite lovable if you let yourself enjoy them(Dennis is literally me), but some people just can’t get over the… er, stylized overworld, and I don’t blame them for it, even if it’s a shame to let that overshadow the core gameplay in my opinion.
Overall, CRA is a really fun gem that always leaves me hungering for more with its addictive mech battles. While I think Custom Robo on the Gamecube has a better story mode and characters, if you’re up for some awesome mecha battle gameplay, I simply can’t recommend this game enough.
Baller game, it's the kit building experience with super fast paced combat, maybe i'll get back to it some day since i didn't fully explore everything it had back when i played it.