1985 · Nintendo R&D1 · Puzzle · Strategy

Stack-Up

Nintendo console exclusive

B.) Stack-Up is one of two games in Nintendo's Robot Series, the other being Gyromite (Robot Gyro in Japan). B. itself and therefore comes with all the parts needed to play the game, Stack-Up comes in a large box containing additional bases and colored discs.

Released: 26 July 1985
Platforms: NES ZX Spectrum
Genres: Puzzle Strategy
Developers: Nintendo R&D1 Iwasaki Giken Kogyo
Publishers: Nintendo
Modes: Co-op Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Action Science fiction Educational
Age ratings: ESRB E

About

R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) is a toy robot accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). He was key to the NES's launch in October 1985, as a redesign of the Family Computer Robot which had been launched in July 1985 in Japan for Famicom and was available as part of the Deluxe Set until 1988. During its short lifespan, only two games in the Robot Series were released: Gyromite and Stack-Up.

Following the North American video game crash of 1983, Nintendo courted a fearful retail market by rebranding its Japanese Famicom video game console as the Nintendo Entertainment System—a new platform focused on R.O.B. to further reclassify the system as a uniquely sophisticated toy experience instead of simply as a video game console. Computer Entertainer called R.O.B. "the world's only interactive robot".

›Story

In some modes, Professor Hector works with R.O.B. to organize blocks. In others, Hector competes for control of R.O.B. against "glitches" named Spike & Flipper, or against Professor Vector.

Keywords

retro
robots
classic
abstract
launch titles
toy compatibility
peripherals
box art - pixel art
nes launch titles - north america

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Development

The new Nintendo of America subsidiary, having already successfully bet its own launch upon its conversion of its failed Radar Scope (1980) arcade game cabinets into the successful new Donkey Kong (1981) arcade game, wanted to debut in the home video game console market using the Japanese parent company's successful Famicom system. But the entire American video game industry, which had been devastated by the video game crash of 1983, first needed a relaunch.

Following the crash, many retailers had lost confidence in the Atari-led video game market even while the toy market was strong. With a high volume of low quality products and dead-inventory shovelware, some retailers and industry critics considered video gaming to be a passing fad altogether. Therefore, Nintendo spent much of 1984 re-conceiving its Family Computer (Famicom) platform from Japan to be portrayed in America not as a traditional video game console, but as a new kind of sophisticated entertainment experience.

Reception

In January 1986, an independent research firm commissioned by Nintendo delivered a survey of 200 NES owners, showing that the most popular given reason for buying an NES was because children wanted the robot—followed by good graphics, variety of games, and the uniqueness and newness of the NES package. B. as a "Trojan Horse" after the video game crash of 1983 was placed fifth in GameSpy's twenty-five smartest moves in gaming history. Yahoo!

B. as one of the craziest video game controllers and lamented that the peripheral only worked with two games.