Robots (2020) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Robots is a children’s cooperative board game designed by Reinhard Staupe and published by Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag in in 2020. The game is aimed at players aged 5 and above and can accommodate 2 to 6 players.

Game Components of Robots

Cards: Each card has a front with a line and various items, and a back with a speed indicator (slow, normal, fast) and an item.

Wooden Discs: 50 discs used for scoring.

Race Track: A line with items laid out face-up.

How To Setup Robots

To set up the game, shuffle the cards and lay them out in a pile. Place the 50 wooden discs nearby. The race track is laid out face-up with various items along it. Each player takes turns being the robot, starting with the top card from the pile, which they flip over to the information side without showing the other players.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Cooperative Play: Players work together to guess the item the robot stops at, using the robot’s beeps to indicate start and stop times.

Time Perception: The robot’s speed (slow, normal, fast) affects the distance traveled, which players must guess based on the beeps.

Scoring: Correct guesses earn 3 chips, guesses one item off earn 2 chips, and guesses two items off earn 1 chip.

Objective: Collect as many chips as possible over 11 rounds to achieve a high score.

Competitive Variant: Players can also play competitively, each making their own guess and earning chips individually.

Player Experience

Playing Robots is an enjoyable and educational experience, especially for younger players. It helps introduce the concept of time and speed in a fun and engaging way. Players learn to adjust their perception of time based on the robot’s beeps and the group’s collective guesses. The game is simple yet clever, making it perfect for short game sessions or as a filler game before dinner or bedtime.

Pros

Intuitive Mechanics: Simple and easy to understand, making it accessible to young children.

Adorable Artwork: Vibrant, colorful, and fun artwork that appeals to kids.

Educational: Teaches the concept of time and speed perception in a playful manner.

Variants: Includes cooperative and competitive modes, as well as easier variants for younger players.

Cons

Replay Value: The game may lack extensive replay value, typical for ‘filler’ games.

Subjective Time Perception: Can be challenging for players to align their perception of time, which might lead to some confusion initially.

Personal Thoughts on Robots

Robots is an excellent addition to any family game collection, particularly for those with younger children. It’s a lightweight game that’s perfect for short sessions, teaching valuable lessons about time and speed in an entertaining way. While it may not be a game you play every game night, it’s ideal for quick, fun interactions that help kids and adults alike understand and adjust their perception of time. If you’re looking for a game to introduce children to the world of board games or just need a quick, engaging filler, Robots is a great choice.

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