RoboRally
Encyclopedia
RoboRally is a board game
originally published in 1994
by Wizards of the Coast
(WotC). It was designed in 1985 by Richard Garfield
, who would later create the card game Magic: The Gathering
. The game and its expansions received a total of four Origins Awards. RoboRally was rereleased in July 2005
under the Avalon Hill
label.
Control Computers" in a dangerous widget factory filled with moving, course-altering conveyor belt
s, metal-melting laser
beams, bottomless pits, crushers, and a variety of other obstacles. The goal in a game of RoboRally is, apart from survival, to be the first to reach a pre-designated number of checkpoints in a particular order. However, the real difficulty in RoboRally is movement, which is accomplished with the randomly dealt program cards.
The program cards specify movement, such as move one space forward, turn left or U-turn. The cards have to be arranged by the player in the specific manner they wish the robot to move. Each player receives up to nine cards each turn. They use five of the cards to specify their robot's movement for the given turn, playing each card face down into one of five available "registers". All robots move simultaneously
, each player revealing each register in turn. Robots attempting to move into the same space at the same time are resolved by priority numbers printed on the cards. Players with damaged robots receive fewer cards: with one point of damage, the player receives eight cards, with two points, seven cards, and so on. When a player's robot takes five or more points of damage, its registers become "locked," keeping specific program cards in play until the robot is repaired. Each player has a very limited amount of time to place their cards, which combined with the unpredictability of the plans of the other players, often leads to one's robots moving in unexpected ways.
Robots can also carry optional weapon
s and devices, which add to the carnage and mayhem. These devices can cause additional damage, allow robots to move differently, affect the movement of other robots, and disrupt opponents' plans in other ways.
The basic game includes six different boards, which allow players variety of play as well as the ability to alter the length or difficulty of games.
The original metal pieces in RoboRally were designed by Phil Foglio
, who also did the artwork for the game. The Crash and Burn, Grand Prix, and Radioactive expansions were designed by Glenn Elliott.
In Europe
(German by Amigo, and Dutch by 999 Games), a different series was released. It incorporated a few rules changes and fewer components to make the game simpler. The damage and life tokens are larger and thicker than those of the original American release. The movement cards are color-coded. Forward (Move) cards have blue arrows, Backward (Back Up) cards have red ones and Turn cards yellow ones.
The Avalon Hill edition also changed the cards. The new Move cards have only an arrow in the corner instead of the number with the arrow, which means you have to look at the full face of the card to distinguish them. It also has larger counters. Character sheets were introduced to track damage, life counters, power-down status, and program cards. Each sheet also contains a copy of the turn sequence for reference. The graphics have been redesigned to make the functionality of board elements clearer. The rules were also simplified to remove the concept of virtual robots.
communities, created by fans of the game.
In August 2008, GameTableOnline.com licensed the rights for an online version of RoboRally from Wizards of the Coast.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
originally published in 1994
1994 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1994. For video and console games, see 1994 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events in 1994:...
by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
(WotC). It was designed in 1985 by Richard Garfield
Richard Garfield
Richard Channing Garfield is a mathematics professor and game designer who created the card games Magic: The Gathering, Netrunner, BattleTech CCG, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle , The Great Dalmuti, Star Wars Trading Card Game, and the board game RoboRally...
, who would later create the card game Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
. The game and its expansions received a total of four Origins Awards. RoboRally was rereleased in July 2005
2005 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2005. For video and console games, see 2005 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2005:...
under the Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
label.
Gameplay
In RoboRally, players assume control of one of many "RobotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
Control Computers" in a dangerous widget factory filled with moving, course-altering conveyor belt
Conveyor belt
A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...
s, metal-melting laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
beams, bottomless pits, crushers, and a variety of other obstacles. The goal in a game of RoboRally is, apart from survival, to be the first to reach a pre-designated number of checkpoints in a particular order. However, the real difficulty in RoboRally is movement, which is accomplished with the randomly dealt program cards.
The program cards specify movement, such as move one space forward, turn left or U-turn. The cards have to be arranged by the player in the specific manner they wish the robot to move. Each player receives up to nine cards each turn. They use five of the cards to specify their robot's movement for the given turn, playing each card face down into one of five available "registers". All robots move simultaneously
Simultaneity
Simultaneity is the property of two events happening at the same time in at least one frame of reference. The word derives from the Latin simul, at the same time plus the suffix -taneous, abstracted from spontaneous .The noun simult means a supernatural coincidence, two or more divinely...
, each player revealing each register in turn. Robots attempting to move into the same space at the same time are resolved by priority numbers printed on the cards. Players with damaged robots receive fewer cards: with one point of damage, the player receives eight cards, with two points, seven cards, and so on. When a player's robot takes five or more points of damage, its registers become "locked," keeping specific program cards in play until the robot is repaired. Each player has a very limited amount of time to place their cards, which combined with the unpredictability of the plans of the other players, often leads to one's robots moving in unexpected ways.
Robots can also carry optional weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s and devices, which add to the carnage and mayhem. These devices can cause additional damage, allow robots to move differently, affect the movement of other robots, and disrupt opponents' plans in other ways.
The basic game includes six different boards, which allow players variety of play as well as the ability to alter the length or difficulty of games.
The original metal pieces in RoboRally were designed by Phil Foglio
Phil Foglio
Philip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...
, who also did the artwork for the game. The Crash and Burn, Grand Prix, and Radioactive expansions were designed by Glenn Elliott.
Reception
RoboRally has received fairly good reviews from the gaming community. The game has been praised for its original gameplay and mechanics.Editions and expansions (with board names)
Between 1994 and 1999 Wizards of the Coast (WotC) released the original game, four expansion sets, and a limited edition board.- RoboRally (WotC, 1994): Basic boards (6), unpainted metal miniatures (8), movement cards, option cards, and counters.
- Armed and Dangerous (WotC, 1995): Additional boards (6), additional option cards, and counters.
- Crash and Burn (WotC, 1997): Additional boards (2)
- Grand Prix (WotC, 1997): Additional boards (3), with randomly selected reprinted basic boards on the backs.
- Radioactive (WotC, 1998): Additional boards (3)
- Origins ’99 (WotC, 1999): A single new board (King of the Hill), only given to finalists in the championship tournament.
In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(German by Amigo, and Dutch by 999 Games), a different series was released. It incorporated a few rules changes and fewer components to make the game simpler. The damage and life tokens are larger and thicker than those of the original American release. The movement cards are color-coded. Forward (Move) cards have blue arrows, Backward (Back Up) cards have red ones and Turn cards yellow ones.
- RoboRally (Amigo, 1999) and (999 Games, 2000): Basic boards (4, lettered instead of named), prepainted plastic bots (4), movement cards, counters.
- Crash & Burn (Amigo, 2000): Additional boards (4, lettered instead of named), prepainted plastic bots (4), option cards.
The Avalon Hill edition also changed the cards. The new Move cards have only an arrow in the corner instead of the number with the arrow, which means you have to look at the full face of the card to distinguish them. It also has larger counters. Character sheets were introduced to track damage, life counters, power-down status, and program cards. Each sheet also contains a copy of the turn sequence for reference. The graphics have been redesigned to make the functionality of board elements clearer. The rules were also simplified to remove the concept of virtual robots.
- RoboRally (Avalon Hill, 2005): Double-sided boards (4), Docking Bay (a double-sided starting grid, one-third the size of a regular board), plastic bots (8), movement cards, option cards, plastic flags, and counters.
The board combinations are Chop Shop & Island, Spin Zone & Maelstrom, Chess & Cross, and Vault & Exchange.
| Board | Wizards of the Coast | European | Avalon Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannery Row | 1994 – RoboRally | 1999 – RoboRally (D) | — |
| Cross | 1994 – RoboRally | 1999 – RoboRally (C) | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Exchange | 1994 – RoboRally | 1999 – RoboRally (B) | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Island | 1994 – RoboRally | 2000 – Crash & Burn (E) | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Maelstrom | 1994 – RoboRally | 2000 – Crash & Burn (F) | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Pit Maze | 1994 – RoboRally | 1999 – RoboRally (A) | — |
| Chasm | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Circuit Trap | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Coliseum | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Flood Zone | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Gear Box | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Laser Maze | 1995 – Armed & Dangerous | — | — |
| Blast Furnace | 1997 – Crash & Burn | 2000 – Crash & Burn (H) | — |
| Machine Shop | 1997 – Crash & Burn | 2000 – Crash & Burn (G) | — |
| Back Stretch | 1997 – Grand Prix | — | — |
| Canyon | 1997 – Grand Prix | — | — |
| Pit Row | 1997 – Grand Prix | — | — |
| Pinwheel | 1998 – Radioactive | — | — |
| Reactor Core | 1998 – Radioactive | — | — |
| Shake ’N’ Bake | 1998 – Radioactive | — | — |
| King of the Hill | 1999 – Origins '99 | — | — |
| Docking Bay | — | — | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Chop Shop | — | — | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Spin Zone | — | — | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Chess | — | — | 2005 – RoboRally |
| Vault | — | — | 2005 – RoboRally |
Online
A large number of additional game boards and elements are available via InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
communities, created by fans of the game.
In August 2008, GameTableOnline.com licensed the rights for an online version of RoboRally from Wizards of the Coast.
External links
- Wizards of the Coast's RoboRally home page
- FAQ and printable boards for RoboRally