"Good Early On..."

Custom Robo is one of those series that was initially virtually unknown outside of Japan and only became known in North America and Europe with a few trophies in Super Smash Bros: Melee. The first game in the series to see a worldwide release is its DS debut, but how does it do compared to other games?

The objective of the game is to build your Custom Robo out of bits you can buy or acquire throughout the game. You play the role of a kid who is moving to a new home. The kid's father is an expert on Custom Robos, his mother is constantly worrying, and his sister is his rival. It may sound disturbingly Pokemon so far, but the similarities beyond that are few. Actually building your robot is a fairly simple process, and once it's built, you have to keep it clean as well by polishing it with the stylus.

The story basically revolves around this kid and his friends from school getting up every day, going to school, and at night returning home to sleep. The routine rarely varies much, and it does become a bit tiring. The characters either pop up out of nowhere or are introduced through long scenes which dominate the storyline. It's good for a while, but it does become repetitive.

The control system is surprisingly effective, with each command doing something clear. Combat is well executed and the camera is rarely a problem.

The stages are thankfully varied. They range from simple stages with a few platforms to more complex stages, such as one set on a volcano where the platforms fall away unless you keep moving quickly enough and another on an iceberg where the water levels constantly change. One I particularly like is set on a cloud in space, where the whole stage becomes dark after a few seconds, with only your characters and the backgrounds visible to you.

However, the Custom Robos themselves aren't particularly exciting to fight after a few fights. Your opponents don't really change, except that their parts get better. Lose a few times, and the game lets you reduce the opponent's health a bit at the start of the fight, eventually to a mere 25%. It's not like most RPGs whereby even if you have to fight when you don't really want to, you get experience. If you're lucky, you might get a reasonably good part for your Robo and a small amount of money.

Custom Robo Arena isn't a bad game. On the other hand, it's not the best that the DS has to offer. With a few tweaks, it could become a great series on the DS. If you're a fan of previous Custom Robo titles or you're looking for a game that will last you for a short while, it's a worthwhile buy, but otherwise, think before you buy.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 07/13/07