Family Computer Robot

Also known as the ROB.

I like this little fellow. The American version is grey, and the Japanese is white. This is to match it with the consoles.

There are two games for it: The Block game, and the Gyro game. I think they were sold separately.  The Japanese version isn't very expensive in Japan actually. But I have had it arrive with missing pieces for the games, and then it isn't useful.

I think that the Japanese and American versions are completely compatible, except that the American version is a NES game and the Japanese version is a famicom game. But it is a commonly known secret that the NES game Gyro is often just a famicom game with a NES-adapter. ( http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/23 ) So I think that basically they are compatible. Missing parts shouldn't be too hard to pick up, since you can pick them from both the US and Japan market.

In Japan, the Gyro set isn't as common as the Block set. But I would prefer to use the Block set, the Gyro seems a bit complicated.

Block is a game where you start with one set of blocks and the goal is to move them to a specific other position. You direct the robot by chosing the right movement for him, until the movements match the blocks in the goal position. Technically, you can play this game without the robot, since you enter the inputs manually with the controller. All the robot does is to copy your moves by the inputs he gets from the TV.  The TV sends inputs in the light gun way, so it is necessary to use an older CRT TV.

The Robot isn't the most useful thing. He moves slowly and he doesn't  input anything to the games, he just takes directions. But I like the Robot because it is so nice looking. It should be possible to have several Robots directed at the TV at the same time. That would probably look cool, like a little army of stormtroopers.