Robotek

Robotek takes place in an alternate version of our world where mankind has fallen and the machines have taken over. The player needs to reclaim the world by infiltrating hostile nodes all over the world and defeating enemy mainframes using an android. They are each on a side of the screen. It is a strategy game where both sides take turns to plan and execute different actions with the goal of getting the enemy health to zero, claiming the node.

During a turn a side determines the action by rolling symbols on a slot machine. The machine can be changed for three configurations: warfare (red), hacking (yellow) or powers (blue). Warfare spawns helper robots that absorb damage and attack as well, hacking protects the own robot or disturbs the enemy, and powers provide a direct attack. For each configuration three symbols can be rolled, each with a very different effect. They roll automatically and the player can only determine when to stop the first symbol, the others are then rolled at random.

For warfare three types of helper bots can spawn (tankbot, drone and droid). They appear at different locations around the player's android and absorb incoming attacks. Each turn they will also attack. When destroyed, they disappear and the explosion causes splash damage to the player's mainframe. If they are kept alive for a while they gain experience and level up, becoming stronger and more powerful. Each symbol represents a different bot, but if two or three identical symbols are drawn, a stronger version spawns with more health and power. When bots are already in place, rolling 'warfare' can heal them. For the second configuration, 'hacking', there is a chance to snag an enemy robot and bring it to the player's side, energy leak weakens enemy robots and bring more experience to the player's bots, and firewall puts up a defensive shield. 'Powers' lead to three different types of attacks: lasers, microwave and shock. Additional strategy is provided by different directions to attack and defend. If three identical symbols are rolled, an additional turn is provided.

By claiming nodes on the world map, with different difficulties and unlocked gradually, experience (to level up) and power (to unlock and use abilities during games) can be earned. Abilities have a cooldown time. They include rapid fire, emergency repair, summon hero, and nuke. Abilities are shown at the bottom of the screen, next to the health for each side. Each level up provides some perks as well as a coin used to upgrade symbols. Enemies at level 13 for instance will then match the strength of the player who spends 13 coins. The nodes (levels) are shown on a world map and can be played in any order. There are about 200 levels in total.

The game is free-to-play and offers in-app purchases. The game uses an energy system that requires some time to regenerate. There are three in-app purchases that provide an amount of power (for abilities) and additional coins. These coins provide a permanent advantage and last forever. For instance when buying ten coins a level 13 player can use the abilities of a player at level 23, making battles easier. The three other in-app purchases provide a costume for the android and an additional coin. The game supports hot seat multiplayer as well as online cross-platform games. Multiplayer is unlocked by any in-game purchase and also opens up the recharger node, a separate level that can be beat at any time to gain energy without having to wait.