Tag: Medabots

Thursday Media Review: Medabots (GBA)

Review written by TheChoujinVirus

Note: I had to play the game via an emulator. I don’t endorse piracy, so support the creators and buy the original game. The game also contains spoilers to the game.

I recalled a while ago. As I did a review of the Monster Rancher anime, I discussed how with Pokemon, you had other monster collecting games. I also forgot about a game that themed about battling robots. For those wondering what I’m talking about, I’m talking about Medabots (or Medarots for those in Japan)

Medabots was a franchise that started on November 17th, 1997 (a year after the release of the Pokemon Franchise) and developed by Natsume (Creators of the Harvest Moon series). Sadly most of the games in the series were never released (save for games like Medabots AX, Medabots Infinity) and source material like the anime. However, there was one game that was released in the US. The game was titled Medabots (known in Japan as Medarots 2 CORE. Reason for this is the game is a GBA remake of the Japanese exclusive for the Game Boy Color Medarots 2 made in 1999). Also, the Medabot games do share the same path as Pokemon: Both have separate versions (Kabuto/Metabee and Kuwagata/Rokusho). For the sake of this review, I’ll be playing the Metabee version. So with that..in the great words of Mr. Referee

MEDABOTS! ROBATTLE!

Story+Gameplay

In Medabots, you play as the main protagonist (Ikki is the default name, yup the same one from the anime for those who don’t know) as you’re visiting the Medabot Corporation for another tour. The player character is hinted to be obsessed with Medabots and dreams of a day of owning one. One day, his mother tells him to go down to the Convenience store to pick up some dinner. He is suddenly and forcefully sold a Medabot by the store clerk (due to his bumbling of buying this medabot.) You get a Medabot (and a scolding from your mom due to this jerk of a store clerk). Though your dad helps you out as he gives you a medal given to him by the mysterious Phantom Renegade. With that, Ikki and his Medabot (Metabee/Rokusho) begin their journey as they battle other medafighters, rogue medabots, and of course, defeating the dreaded Rubberobo gang and their leader Dr. Meda-Evil.

 Though I could explain the story further, we need to get to the core aspect of what the gameplay is—some games like Pokemon, where you take turns and attack. Medabots has an exciting aspect of your companion and combat. First off, unlike Pokemon, where you capture the critter, in Medabots, you build your companion with three components: Tinpet, Medaparts, and Medal.
The Tinpet serves as your medabot’s skeleton (and determines your Medabot’s Sex). Medaparts give your Medabot the skills needed to either fight, inflict status conditions, and sometimes heal yourself and your partner medabots. The Medal is your Medabot’s brain, which provides better compatibility with certain medaparts. One example is the Kabuto medal of Metabee specializes in shooting, so using medaparts that use bullets and missiles with the Kabuto medal is much better. Otherwise, some medaparts would have a low success rate (e.g., Using a Monkey medal but using shooting medaparts). For the rules of combat, it’s pretty simple: The first Medabot to defeat the other (or the leading medabot) wins. Though unlike Pokemon, where you win money, the loser must submit one medapart to the winner. This is how you make your medabot stronger. This can also affect you, as you have to give up one medapart to the winner. If you don’t have enough medaparts to make at least one medabot, then it’s game over for you.

Now, the first thing you’re going to ask is, “but what about the battles? How do you fight?”
Battles are a bit interesting as battles aren’t really turn-based but more like a game of dodgeball. At your Medabot’s starting area, you make them choose what to do, such as attacking which part, charging up the medaforce bar, using support moves, or just letting the fight go into auto. The Medabots will run toward the middle of the arena to attack the other one. Their speed is determined by the robot’s leg medaparts and weapon charge (how fast your medabot gets to the center). Once at the center, the medabot will either hit the target directly (if it’s a ranged attack) or if its melee will target the closet enemy (some attacks like Destroy parts will hit only medabots with their back turned). When the attack is launched, it’ll hit a specific part of the opposing medabot. Now, when the medabot is hit, it strikes a part of the Medabot, which depletes the Armor (the Medapart’s HP). When it hit 0, the part ceases function by exploding and exposing the tinpet underneath. That part cannot be used unless revived via healing medaparts. When the limbs are destroyed, the medabot’s offense is limited. If the legs are destroyed, then the Medabot’s speed and terrain advantage. However, if the head medapart is destroyed, the entire medabot is defeated (regardless of the other medaparts). So you should be trying to go for the head whenever you get the chance.

The Winner is Metabee! What makes the game shine?

The core thing I loved is the design and the concept of the medabots themselves. Each one has a specialty and theme. Like for example, Churlybear is a teddy bear themed Medabot that uses gravity for its weapon or Floro, which is a flower Medabot that shoots lasers quickly. Also, you can mix and match parts to make your own robot with the parts acquired. You want your Brass to have Mermaid legs? Go for it! You want your Totalizer to have tank treads? Why not?! Want to basically make your Medabot a mix of various parts? Sure, go right ahead! Another factor is that Medabots incorporates themes from the anime of the same name, such as the names and some of the medabots (Though not all of them make it in the GBA game.) Lastly, the combat of the game is a change of pace that doesn’t feel like it copies pokemon. Having a form of strategy by building your medabot with the parts acquired while trying to aim at specific parts while hoping the enemy doesn’t nail yours. So you could go with building a bot that looks badass or a bot that can fight and win more battles

Function Ceased! What it lacks?

One annoying factor I found as I played was that the medaparts, though good, have a bit of an annoyance once you get a female tinpet. Remember, as I said, the Tinpet determines the sex of your medabot. This becomes important as male medaparts are incompatible with female tinpets (and vice versa). Some medaparts don’t come off as masculine or feminine and have more of a unisex appeal (e.g., some multileg medaparts or vehicle legs). This creates frustration as you have to find female medaparts when that inevitable acquisition of your first female tinpet. The next basis I find annoying is the story between two versions and the differences. From what I found with this GameFAQ walkthrough (I had to use it to see variations as I had to use the review via Medabee) and found out the game is identical with only mild changes with what your starter Medabot, what medabots you fight and what medals you find. Other than that, the game suffers the problem Pokemon has (not much of any difference in the story save for the creatures found.) A pity as it would be nice to see a different story or protagonist rather than simply Ikki and his choice of Metabee/Rokusho fighting Koji’s Sumilidon/Warbandit. However, I feel that it’s just a nitpick over the basis.

Medabot Conclusion

Now, despite its flaws and such, the game does have some fun (I’m still playing it from time to time and wanting to see more of the story) I do find the battle fun and refreshing. For those wondering how you can buy the game? From what I found the Wii U has it on the Virtual Console, and the game is being re-released as part of the Medarots Classics Plus collection for the Switch (in Japan), but otherwise if you’re a fan of the anime or wanting something vastly different to try out, I would suggest you play the game and find out about it. It’s a fun game, and something you might enjoy if you want to play with robots (Unless you’re Elon Musk.)

References