Publisher: Renegade Games
Designer: Dan Blanchett
2-6 Players
Playtime: 45-90 Minutes
Robo Rally, a programming game that has ruled since 1994, is back with a Transformers theme. For the uninitiated, Robo Rally lets players program robots to race through factory floors, navigating conveyor belts, obstacles, and of course, each other. But now, with the Transformers edition, players get to control their favorite bots, like Optimus Prime and Megatron, switching between robot and alt-mode to make the game just unique enough to warrant this edition.
If you’re familiar with the original Robo Rally, much of the core gameplay remains intact, but this new version has a few tweaks and is pretty thematic. In my review of the original Robo Rally, I highlighted the game’s unique combination of programming and chaos, where players plan their movements and hope for the best while navigating a track filled with surprises. The Transformers edition keeps that same wild energy (or rather, Energon), but adds unique Transformers elements, such as character-specific upgrades and the ability to switch between bot and vehicle modes.
New Features for Robo Rally Fans
Players can now install upgrades that are specific to each Transformer character, allowing for more customization and replayability. There are also new terrains and obstacles that interact with the robots in different ways depending on their current forms. These new elements, like the “drift” card, make the game feel familiar and fresh.
Despite these additions, the core of Robo Rally is still the same. Program your moves and watch the chaos unfold. In my original review, I noted that the game works best with larger player counts, which maximizes interactions without adding downtime. The Transformers edition is the same, offering the same thrills with a few different layers of strategy. The ability to switch between robot and alt-mode would make you think that there is a lot more depth here, but in reality, plans are just as likely to go awry in this edition as the original.
Robo Rally or Robo Rally Transformers?
If you’re a fan of Robo Rally, you’ll likely enjoy this new version, as it keeps much of what makes the base game fun while giving you new ways to play. The Transformers theme does stand out and may sway fans of the franchise who might not have tried Robo Rally before.
The updated components, such as the painted miniatures and the new game boards, make this edition feel like a nice alternative experience with a touch of that premium feeling (Though not as much as the 30th Anniversary edition that just came out.) It’s a nice balance of old and new, and if you love Robo Rally, you’ll likely have a blast with this edition. The additional rules with changing forms do make the game a little more finicky, and new players might have trouble without an experienced hand guiding them, but this is still an excellent experience that deserves a place on shelves, even if that shelf already has Robo Rally on it.
For the biggest Robo Rally fans, there is also the 30th Anniversary Edition, which is full of gorgeous bells and whistles and premium components! You can read more about it here.
