Each city node in the world of
Robotek HD is graded according to the energy required to battle in that location, and the relative strength of that city’s resident mainframe. Especially if you’re intent on playing the free, single-player version of
Robotek HD, it’s wise to pay attention to these ratings. You can stockpile energy and buy your way into a city where you’re entirely out of your league.
Robotek HD will warn you when you’re about to take on a mainframe with more life points, but an added element is how more advanced mainframes use better strategy. In the low-level fights, you’ll find disjointed attacks where a mainframe will leave itself exposed or make stupid decisions. It’s not rock-paper-scissors so much as tic-tac-toe, in the sense that one player can gain a major advantage if his opponent makes even one stupid decision. The element of luck is always there, but you learn how to gain and retain an advantage over time.
Later in the game, and if you’re battling human opponents in Duel or Multiplayer modes, you’ll find yourself perfectly matched from a strategy perspective. At this juncture, Robotek HD comes down mainly to luck and your tolerance for risk. Special attacks like the Unmaker Omega are only obtained if you manage to spin three matching slots. The odds of this are slim, but aggressive players may go for gusto rather than use turns to shore up defenses and repaid robots. Attacks like Hack, that convince robots to switch sides mid-battle, can quickly turn the odds based only on a percentage of success each time the slot stops on this ability. It’s this random quality that makes Robotek HD fun, compared to a perfectly predictable set of attacks and defensive maneuvers.
