Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure

Developed by: Skip Ltd.

Published by: Nintendo

Genre: Adventure/Platforming

Emotions it inspires: Sadness, happiness, humor, wonder

How the game inspires emotion: Gameplay, story, cutscenes

Back when the gaming world was too busy looking at the promising Nintendo Revolution at its controller in early 2006, Nintendo kept supporting the Gamecube with small but worthwhile titles. One of them was Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure, developed by Skip Ltd.

What happens when you mix Toy Story’s magic with Wall-E’s heart? This is the concept behind Chibi-Robo in a nutshell. Funny, charming and at many times very moving, it tells the story of the Sanderson family as they receive Chibi-Robo, a tiny, robotic servant, as a present. What starts out as a simple story evolves into a surprisingly complex tale about the beauty of life and the wonders of our world, all told through the eyes of robots and toys. Chibi-Robo is accompanied by Telly Vision, a floating monitor that advises the little robot in his adventures.

Gameplay is a mix of Metroid, Mario and Zelda. You explore the Sanderson household doing chores that earn you Happy Points. As the adventure progresses, you earn new gadgets and upgrades that unlock other areas… and introduces new characters.

These characters are what make Chibi-Robo so unforgettable. They are toys who were given the gift of life by Giga-Robo, the Sanderson’s previous servant robot. Due to his high consumption of power, the Sandersons were forced to turn him off and left him to rot in the basement. The toys Chibi meet tell great stories about the surprising kindness found in the heart of a robot.

The plot then explores all of these stories and creates some very memorable moments that truly move the player. These stories range from the cynically comical to the wonderfully romantic. An example of this is the story of Princess Pitts and Mort. Pitts is a beautiful princess dolls that lives in a beautiful castle in Jenny’s bedroom. Mort is a short monster mummy doll that lives under Jenny’s bed. Their differences couldn’t be bigger, but Mort’s bravery and heart of gold earns the love of the princess.

But there is one moment that truly tops them all: the life, death and rebirth of Funky Phil.

Funky Phil is a dancing flower toy who, what else, loves to dance. When you first meet him you are given the task of planting his seed and raising his children (which at first Phil denies being his). But one night, Funky Phil accidentally turns himself off, leading everyone to believe that he has died. Chibi-Robo is then commanded to find the materials to give him a proper memorial service, which includes a scene where all of his children dance in his honor.

The scene is very touching. It makes the player realize how important life is to these toys, so much so that the apparent “death” of one of them impacts them deeply.

This is just one of many messages Chibi-Robo expresses in its story. Family values, true love knowing no boundaries, finding your heroic worth among others adorn one of the most endearing gameplay experiences ever. It teaches the player that life is indeed a wonderful gift that should be cherished and celebrated, no matter if you are a human or just a tiny robot cleaning up after them.