Chibi-Robo
Publisher: Nintendo
Official Site: Nintendo.com

ESRB Rating: E-10+
Reviewed Platform: GameCube
Available Platforms: CubeCube
For 1 player.

Overall: A
Violence: A
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Alcohol/Drug Use: A

What is this game about?

Little Jenny Sanderson is having a birthday and her father buys her a Chibi-Robo, which she and Mr. Sanderson absolutely love. Mrs. Sanderson is perturbed by the cost of a Chibi-Robo, but she agrees the family can use the help.

Chibi-Robo is a miniature robot whose only mission in life is to help people. And he does that by cleaning and finding ways to make everyone happy. Spread the happiness is his motto.

As Chibi-Robo, you'll help the Sandersons clean their house, kill off nasty spiders and assist the family through a difficult patch. And at night, when the family is asleep, the toys in the house come to life. The toys have their own problems and needs and Chibi-Robo can help all of them out, too.

Is it fun to play?

Chibi-Robo is different, but in a very good way. As the tiny robot (probably three inches tall and lugging around a plug that he has to insert into wall sockets to recharge his batteries), you'll help the family by cleaning and performing tasks to make them happy. There are several rooms to explore, such as the living room, kitchen, basement and bedrooms. Each room offers new tasks, as well as items to collect.

Chibi-Robo can also find different suits to wear and tools to use that help him along the way. Everyone in the house needs help, from finding stickers to getting the family dog a bone.

The control scheme is easy to master, although the camera system is not great. While that is bothersome at times, such as climbing narrow objects or during the odd combat sequence, it's not too difficult to get the hang of.

However, there are a few drawbacks. The pacing is quite slow. This is a Japanese import and the game has a very Japanese sensibility. It's extremely methodical and there's no way to really speed through the animation sequences.

And the graphics are nothing special. But in a game like this, where it's more about the mood and the quirky characters you have to interact with, it's not an issue that should deter you from giving the game a chance.

What do parents need to know about Chibi-Robo?

From a parent's perspective, Chibi-Robo is one of those rare games that combine good family entertainment, fun gameplay and a memorable character. I'm thinking about games like the original Super Mario Bros. or, more recently, the two Katamari titles.

The great thing about Chibi-Robo is that it reinforces a lot of positive parenting messages. Chibi-Robo is rewarded for helping people and making them happy. What a novel concept É doing good can be fun and earns you points to spend.

In some ways, you could look at this game as a lesson for young kids who might be interested in earning an allowance. Chibi-Robo can pick up coins or earn points by doing things such as cleaning, cooking, scrubbing the floor, helping people with their chores, recycling objects and even ridding the house of pests. He can redeem those coins for upgrades, so you can show kids that by doing chores and earning an allowance, they'll have money to either save up for something special (which Chibi-Robo has to do in order to get some of the major upgrades) or buy little things that are inexpensive.

Now, there is mild cartoonish violence in the game (such as shooting bugs with a ray gun), but it's very benign stuff.

There's also some family strife and the topic of divorce is broached, but it's handled in a deft manner and this is not a dark game. In fact, it may be a way to discuss the issues with your children, as well. After all, the game is recommended for kids 10 and older.

As well, your kids have to be old enough to read. There is no English dialogue in the game at all. Everything you hear is some made-up language. So, you have no choice but to read the subtitles or else you won't have a clue what's going on in the story. But as mentioned, this game isn't meant for kids younger than 10, so reading shouldn't be an issue.

Now, can kids younger than 10 play it? I wouldn't have a problem letting my seven year old take a run at it, but the fact is that reading is the main issue standing in his way. Content-wise, I didn't find anything overly objectionable that would warrant keeping younger kids away, but you may want to sit in with them or have a go at the game yourself before making that call.

The overall aim of this game is to bring people together, be happy and help each other out. And in today's gaming environment, having a game that's based on that and is still entertaining to play is something to really get behind.

Wayne Chamberlain

© 2006 One Voice Communications. All Rights Reserved.