The Verdict
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash falls short of what it could've been. Instead of truly standing out with a new 2D platformer, implementing a wide variety of innovative control mechanics and a fun new-ish character, the title plays it a little too safe. Sure, the Zip Lash mechanic is a fun addition, and there's tons of charm to be found; however, the game still manages to feel like a standard platforming title with nothing to truly set it apart.
Thankfully, the game has a very solid foundation; nicely done gameplay mechanics, an endearing protagonist, and collectibles that are entertaining enough to search for (albeit fairly pointless). Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is a decent game. It's just too bad that it doesn't really stand out amongst a plethora of other 2D platforming titles.
The Positive
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Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is full of charm and endearing characters, especially when speaking of the protagonist. This charm does help to hold interest in an otherwise general platforming title.
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The “Zip Lash” mechanic, and collecting blue orbs to lengthen the line, is a fun addition that breaks up the monotony of the general platforming elements found in the game. There were some clever uses of the mechanic throughout the title, showcasing that this could've been explored quite a bit more.
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The game runs very smoothly, and has quite the charming art style (are you tired of the “charming” word, yet?). In fact, the art style matches the quirky story and characters within the title perfectly.
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The 3D is nicely done, though it is nothing that will stand out. A decent enough venture to garner a play-through with the effect on.
The Negative
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Initial travel between levels within each world is tedious and unnecessary. The player spins a wheel, determining the number of spots moved around in a counter-clockwise circle of levels. In order to get the desired spot (especially when the player is nearing the completion of a world, leaving less new levels to choose from), the player must spend coins to replace tiles in the wheel.
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The music is decent enough, but is nothing noteworthy. Why is this a negative? Well, with such a quirky protagonist and fun foundation to the game and story, music could've helped to push this title into excellency. However, it ends up simply being….well, average.
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The battery and charged wattage mechanic, though could've been rather unique, is mostly useless. A select few levels actually implement the mechanic to make it even mean something to the overall gameplay. Chibi-Robo has to plug into an outlet or finish the level within a certain amount of time, and if not done, he will power down. This might be an interesting twist to gameplay if the battery timer didn't typically move so slowly.
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The "vehicle" levels are way too inconsistent, usually falling more on the unenjoyable side. There are some that are tolerable (like the balloon level towards the beginning of the game); then, there are some that are downright frustrating (specifially, a sub level later on in the game).
The Neutral
- The amiibo usage is a mixed bag. There is content locked specifically behind the Chibi-Robo amiibo, such as Super Chibi-Robo and collectible figurines. However, this locked content is fairly inconsequential and wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't have the amiibo; and, to Nintendo's credit, there is a game bundle with the Chibi-Robo amiibo that was easily acquired.
Nintendo's latest 3DS software release, Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, is the latest in an IP which began on the GameCube almost a decade ago. The protagonist, Chibi-Robo, is a small little robot created by Citrusoft to clean up and do all the tedious jobs humans don't want to spend the time on – all without being seen. In this latest adventure, the charming little cleaner is cleaning a space craft when discovering there's something strange happening back on Earth; aliens are taking various resources from Earth, and no one knows exactly why!
This quirky 2D platformer has potential to be a unique experience, what with the inclusion of the “Zip Lash” mechanic and focus on a less-than-normal Nintendo character (well, technically Chibi Robo has been around for almost a decade, so there's nothing really new). Does this charming little robot have what it takes to make a stand-out title?
