R.O.B.
R.O.B. sporting his NES color scheme
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| Also known as | Robotic Operating Buddy |
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| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Type | Video game controller |
| Generation | Third generation |
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R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy), released in Japan as the Family Computer Robot (Japanese: ファミリーコンピュータ ロボット Hepburn: Famirī Konpyūta Robotto?), is an accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was launched in July 1985 in Japan, and October 1985 in North America. It had a short lifespan, with support for only two games which comprise the "Robot Series": Gyromite and Stack-Up. R.O.B. was released with the intention of portraying the Nintendo Entertainment System as a novel toy in order to alleviate retail fears following the North American video game crash of 1983. R.O.B. is available in the Deluxe Set, a configuration for the console that includes, among other things, R.O.B. and Gyromite. Stack-Up is packaged separately and includes its own physical game pieces.
In addition to its status as a peripheral, R.O.B. has appeared in various video games, either in cameos or as a playable character.
R.O.B. receives commands via optical flashes in the screen. Once the screen lights up, R.O.B. is ready to receive six commands. Just like the NES Zapper, R.O.B. only functions correctly when coupled with a CRT (cathode ray tube) type of television. Both Gyromite and Stack-Up include a test feature, sending an optical flash that should make R.O.B.'s LED light up.
The R.O.B. unit's height is 24 cm (9.6 in). It has a head movement range of a 45° horizontally centered tilt. The arm movement range is 240° left and right with five stopping points, 7 cm (2.75 in) up and down with six stopping points, and 7 cm (2.75 in) between hands when open. The unit has five accessory slots around the hexagonal base, numbered clockwise, starting at the rear-left from the robot's point of view; and notches on the hands allow for specialized parts to be attached for each game. The optional tinted filter can be attached over the eyes to compensate for overly bright televisions. The unit is powered by four AA batteries.
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Wikipedia