Custom Robo

 GameCube
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 31
  3. Negative: 4 out of 31
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  1. GameCube Europe
    86
    Once story mode is out of the way you will discover a gem of a fighter. You just have to persevere through the story. Don't give up!
  2. Nintendojo
    85
    Although it's not the deepest game out there, Custom Robo is a thoroughly enjoyable action game, and probably one of the best sleeper hits of the spring for Gamecube.
  3. TotalGames.net
    85
    In a nutshell, Custom Robo is a vibrant and entertaining adventure game with more customisation options and robot combinations than you will ever actually see. [JPN Import]
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  5. GameSpy
    85
    Thanks to the huge amount of customization options, this game offers much more depth of gameplay than what's found in your average fighting game. If only so much tedium wasn't involved in accessing all of it.
  6. Play Magazine
    83
    Graduating from story mode into Grand Battle, you can lost yourself in the game's meticulous art of fighting if you so desire, via a level of give-and-take that knows no bounds (this game could last you months.) [July 2004, p.73]
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  7. GMR Magazine
    80
    This is quality gaming that's both fresh and exciting. [May 2004, p.92]
  8. GameShark
    80
    The best part of Custom Robo, and the only reason to play through single player, is the level of customization you get with your miniaturized death machine.
  9. NintendoWorldReport
    80
    Although it doesn't look or sound all that great, the awesome gameplay and the long single player mode make for a really good experience overall.
  10. GamingTrend
    79
    It's designed to let newcomers into the 'build your own robot' genre, yet isn't quite expansive enough to keep the diehard gamers happy for an extended period of time. Add in a so-so AI component, and you'll end up with a game that's better played as a multiplayer title.
  11. Nintendo Power
    76
    With hundreds of parts to collect and diverse abilities to bestow on your robo, the customization elements are endless! The story starts out a little slow, but it really picks up. [June 2004, p.118]
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  12. GameZone
    75
    The battles are varied, along with the robots, but after a while, this game does get really repetitious.
  13. Kombo
    75
    The lighthearted gameplay, silly innuendo, and general feel of the game are enough to make you crack a smile, even if the shallow story mode makes you sneer.
  14. Gamezilla!
    70
    The multiplayer modes make up, in part, for the mistakes of the single player mode – stripping down the game to the essentials of battle – but there still just isn't enough game here to keep you occupied for very long.
  15. Armchair Empire
    68
    While the control can feel "floaty" at times, button mashing is as successful as nuanced control, and the camera can make it hard to keep a bead on your robot, the overall effect of playing 4-player multiplayer is darn fun!
  16. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    68
    Though the fighting's great (even when it's on the slightly confusing four-player variety), I can't help but be disappointed by the rest. [June 2004, p.108]
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  17. IGN
    65
    Amusing for short periods of time. But, I was never compelled to play it. Too many things bothered me, like the "RPG" story mode that isn't really an RPG, the implausibility of the storyline, and how little strategy and skill is required to succeed.
  18. GameSpot
    63
    While the level of customization is nice, the RPG section of the game and the actual combat leave a lot to be desired.
  19. games(TM)
    60
    Battles soon take their toll on your controllers due to their frenetic nature and generally lack the strategy or refinement of many other mechanical adventures. [July 2004, p.110]
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  20. Cheat Code Central
    60
    Custom Robo makes a great rental. Keep in mind that the longer you spend with it, the less you'll probably like it.
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  21. WHAM! Gaming
    60
    With only a so-so single-player storyline, it's up to Custom Robo's fun but not particularly deep multiplayer modes to carry the game, and it turns out to be a little too much weight for these mini-bots to bear.
  22. GamePro
    60
    A disappointingly undersized and shallow RPG experience for GameCube owners. [June 2004, p.91]
  23. Yahoo!
    60
    It's an uneven mix of the flashy, the goofy, the hectic, and the insipid -- that pretty much sums up the Custom Robo experience.
  24. G4 TV
    60
    A game with this much customization and apparent depth is sure to have its fans, and the extent to which you'll enjoy Custom Robo largely depends on your willingness to overlook the simplicity of the story mode and sink your teeth into the somewhat repetitive battles.
  25. Game Informer
    58
    At a distance, it looks like an RPG, but it's really just a robot-themed "Power Stone" with some weak story elements in between battles. [Apr 2004, p.101]
  26. Computer Games Magazine
    58
    The story mode proves dull - heavy on the text, skimpy on the action. [Aug 2004, p.6]
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  27. eToychest
    55
    Unfortunately, while all of this was very exciting 5 years ago, it just hasn't evolved since then.
  28. Edge Magazine
    50
    Subtitling this Battle Revolution could be considered a breach of advertising standards; it's about as revolutionary as a racing game with powerslides. But while Custom Robo lacks a fresh hook, it's done with such a diligent simplicity that it's hard not to take a shine to it. [July 2004, p.108]
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  29. Game Revolution
    42
    Its interesting customization feature is effectively buried underneath the mindless fighting and mind-numbing Story.
  30. GameCritics
    40
    Everything from the graphics to the storyline feels half-baked.
  31. GamerFeed
    40
    An acquired taste. There's so many things that make you really want to delve into its world, but then there's so many limitations that you run into that make you wonder what the point really is.
  32. netjak
    22
    This game just bored the life out of me from the second I put it into my GameCube. There are so many problems with Custom Robo that it amazes me that Nintendo was willing to publish it in the first place.
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Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best GameCube Game of 2004
14
#14 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2004
6
#6 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2004

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 36
  3. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. DKAwesome
    Jul 27, 2021
    9
    I had vague memories of playing this game back when the GameCube was Nintendo's newest console. I just replayed through the 1 player storyI had vague memories of playing this game back when the GameCube was Nintendo's newest console. I just replayed through the 1 player story today, and I have to say.. I really enjoyed it.

    The combat itself is fairly criticized for being repetitive. But I feel it's only an issue in the 1 player story mode. That being said, swapping parts allows many different playstyles, which made it fun for me. Fights that I may have failed once, would become extremely easy with the right choice of weaponry.
    But there's a reason that to this day there is still a competitive scene where people are playing Custom Robo online.

    The story is entirely told through text and character dialogue. Some of it is a little cliché, but I absolutely got caught up in it. The main cast of characters are very endearing. The side characters, and even the nameless extras all sharing the same 2-3 models are oozing with charm. It's easy to miss if you're just skipping through all of the dialogue to move along faster, but so many characters have funny, witty dialogue to make it worth the read.

    As I'm writing this, it's been about 17 years since the game originally released. And I doubt we'll hear from the Steel Hearts again in a new story. But when I finished the game I found myself really wanting to see more from these characters. I had a hard time saying goodbye.

    The 1 Player story doesn't have immediate reply value. But after a few years, once the details are a bit foggy in my mind... I see myself starting up Custom Robo.. To see Lucy, Ernest, Harry and Marcia again.

    In the mean time.... With the story complete, and a bunch of parts unlocked, it's time to invite some friends over for some multiplayer action!    … Full Review »
  2. KumaSan
    Jul 30, 2020
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. This game feels like that one Starfox Assault side game that you play with friends but has the requirement of 200 battles for a single character. It may be fun and get you some value with it's customization but the rest of the package? It is obnoxious. The story mode tries to be this light yet dark theme but it fails mostly thanks to akward dialogue that happens just 50% of the time, the ''villains'' are your cliche ones ''harr harr rule over the world'' with nothing else, most things that happen are just annoying and the good parts of it? There are just not many, the game hits you with its plot twist yet it destroys said twist by having unnecessary moments. Especially right before the final boss where you are, and i'm not joking, forced to battle 15 times in a row with random enemies withing 2 rooms before the final boss to make it more long. If you really have the patience and time. Go ahead, get those parts and play with friends later. If you don't, avoid this game, its not worth trying to even complete 100% because of how stupid it is, there are almost 200 parts and that means almost 200 battles of the same, shooting and flying over and over with little to no variation.… Full Review »
  3. shootingstars99
    Aug 23, 2019
    5
    The game was fun but not challenging at all. I found myself using exploitable patterns to win most fights quickly, as there wasn't much depthThe game was fun but not challenging at all. I found myself using exploitable patterns to win most fights quickly, as there wasn't much depth or challenge to the fights at all. I remember with those things being said, having a lot of fun with the rental as a kid, and beating it fairly quickly. I probably would not play the game again, but for a rental it was okay 15 years ago.… Full Review »
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