Gyromite was a video game released in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, designed for use with the Robotic Operating Buddy (R.O.B.):
Gyromite is one of two games in Nintendo’s Robot Series, the other being Stack-Up (AKA Robot Block).
The opening screen of the game shows the title Robot Gyro, the Japanese name of the game for the Family Computer. Essentially, the Gyromite game program is unchanged from the Famicom Robot Gyro cartridge, and many Gyromite cartridges contain the circuit board from a copy of Robot Gyro, attached to an adapter that allows the game to be played on NES consoles. Famicom games had 60-pin connectors, so the adaptor converted the game so it can be used with the 72-pin connector in an NES.
Professor Hector and his assistant, Professor Vector, navigate side-scrolling platform levels with the help of their creation, R.O.B. Their lives are threatened by dynamite and hungry little bird-like creatures called Smicks, and Professor Hector’s sleep-walking tendencies get him in trouble as well.
As the Professor character moves through the levels, R.O.B. must aid navigation by raising and lowering red and blue gates. When a Gyro depresses the red pedestal, a lever presses the B button on Controller #2 and red gates are lowered. When a Gyro depresses the blue pedestal, a lever presses the A button on Controller #2 and blue gates are lowered. The action on the screen never stops, so while operating R.O.B., the on-screen character continues to be vulnerable.
Wooo another Gyromite. I think this was the first game I ever completed. Well does Duck Hunt count as completed? I loved mode B. I still have ROB somewhere. I never got him to work properly. Its amazing the level of inefficiency that thing had now that I’m an adult and look back on it. I just used the other controller myself. Mode B was a lot of fun. I’m really enjoying looking over these old school mini reviews.