Robot Quest Arena:

Fun with a Capital ‘F’

Review by Lincoln Hoppe: The Game Bard

Let’s take a look at Robot Quest Arena by Wise Wizard games and see if might be the right game for you. And spoiler alert, I’m going to tell you why it’s one of my favorite games of the year. 

Now, Star Realms, also by Wise Wizard Games, was my first deck builder I ever played. I instantly fell in love with star realms and the deck building genre. And would like to go back in time and hug the longish haired game store guy who recommended it. If you’re reading, I’m saving an awkward hug for you. 

So the possibility of diving into another deck builder by Wise Wizard games… well I was already sold on it. 

So what makes this one of my favorite games of the year?

Let’s get the smallest reason, but also the pink elephant in the room out of the way… or should I say, pink robot. That’s right. The robots are freaking adorable. These figures are full color, they’re big and chunky, they’re adorable, and you get to control them, and make them punch other robots in the face. Everyone’s happy. 

Now maybe you’re one of those people thinking, they look too much like toys and not enough like serious gamer minis. You are entitled to that opinion. But that opinion makes me sad, and I think you’re missing out. And probably need a hug. Bring it in. 

This deck builder is battle game taking place in 3 dimensions.  And not just in your mind, like dominion, Star Realms, or Magic the Gathering, for that matter. Your cards let you move your robot figure across the arena, buy new cards from the market, attack, power up, and sometimes even fly. Well, technically jump. But I prefer think of it as FLY. 

You have starting hand of 10 cards, but like many other deck builders, you can use the energy to purchase a huge variety of more powerful and strategic  cards from the market. Ranged weapons, powers ups, defense cards, higher energy cards, new abilities. There’s so many things to explore in the market deck. Even events affecting all players if you include some of the mini-expansions. 

Energy on the cards also allows you move and perform attacks. So you can use a battery card in several ways, keeping player options variable like a mini-puzzle to get the most bang for your battery.

The biggest praise for this game I can mention, is that it’s Fun with a capital “F”. It’s just so fun. In addition to moving around the board and gleefully attacking your friends and family, there are delightful combat mechanics like bashing into other robots, pushing and pulling them, and smashing them into obstacles or even other robots, for which you get points. The physics of this battling are so fun and visceral  to me, they make me crave playing the game again and again. 

Here’s another thing I wasn’t sure I’d like at first:

There’s no player elimination. Which I was surprised works so well. 

When your robot is defeated, it gets knocked out and not killed. So on your next turn, you spawn back in and still get to do a full turn. This works because the attacking player gets your remaining health points, which count as victory points in the end of the game. So they still get rewarded for each bit of damage they do, and for knocking you out. And when you respawn you get new health points. So the winner is not the last player standing, but the player that has caused the most damage and havoc and amassed the most points. So the more targets the better. 

Another thing the lack of player elimination accomplishes is that it never feels mean when you’re attacked, or attacking.. You can attack your kids without worrying about hurting their feelings. Making it great for families and younger players.  

This is part of the genius of the game, making it fun for both care bear players, and players who like to deal out punishment. Like my daughters. It’s always fun. 

 There are cards with tops and bottoms. This card has a butterly on top, and moss on the bottom. This card has a quirrel on top, and salamander on the bottom. See how thematically the things that climb and fly are on the top, and the things that live on the bottom of the forest are on the bottom?

And when you place these cards in your forest, you must make a choice. Which portion of the card to tuck and hide behind your tree, basically losing it forever, and which portion of that card to invite into your forest. Allowing it’s points and abilities to be triggered, or await further synergy as you invite other cards to your forest.

Sometimes is an easy choice, sometimes its not. You don’t know what cards are coming up in the deck. You don’t know if your point grab strategy will be possible with the luck of the cards that pop up in the clearing, or the face down cards on the deck. And what’s more, even if they do pop up, your opponents might grab before you even get a chance. Happens all the time.

I haven’t played this with little kids. I have teenagers that are often difficult to get to the game table. But Robot Quest Arena is an easy sell every time. Everyone in my family likes it. We can gather around this game and enjoy each other’s company. While smashing, bashing and beating each other up. 

And isn’t that what family is about? The spending time together part, I mean. 

I have a few critiques so I don’t sound like I’m just gushing about this game. (UPDATED )

My original critiques were that the game was too short. Somehow I missed in the Rulebook an OFFICIAL VARIANT that allows you ADD CUBES to extend the length of the game!

Page 3 in the rulebook in the setup section clearly states:

“YOU MAY ADD OR SUBTRACT CUBES FOR A LONGER OR SHORTER GAME.”

ORIGINAL REVIEW having missed this detail in the setup:

1. It’s too short. Just a little too short. The game ends when the reserve (or respawn health pool) is empty. So this problem for me is easily fixed by adding a few extra red health cubes to beginning reserve on the board. Each cube you add will make the game last a little longer. So you can control the game time in a certain range. 
2. My second critique is completely related. It’s not just that it feels too short, you don’t get enough chance to use the great cards you’ve added to your deck later in the game. This is common with deck building games, but it’s’ also why I like to add cubes to make this game a little longer. 
1. One bonus critique. I wish the player board were dual layer, as it would be really nice to slot the health cubes in there. 

Robot Quest Arena is a fantastic game. The art and graphic design is whimsical and fantastic. The replay-ability with the different characters market cards, and obstacle and special tiles, and mini-expansions is huge. But most of all, it’s fun. It’s really fun. 

Video Review Link

by Lincoln Hoppe

Original Music by Lincoln Hoppe: The Game Bard

Review based on purchased Kickstarter Copy

Publisher: Wise Wizard Games

Designed by: Robert Dougherty, CJ Moynihan, Paul Waite

Board Game Geek Page: Robot Quest Arena

My Board Game Geek Page: Lincoln Hoppe