Odds are, as the release date of Chibi-Robo nears, researching gamers will find lots of adjectives to describe this Japanese adventure game. "Quirky," "eclectic," "unusual," and plenty of other modifiers will be used to describe it. And they'll all be right. Up until this point, the trophy for weirdest import still went to the Katamari series. However, in 2006, Nintendo's first-party title starting a 3-inch tall robot should easily scoop up that trophy. We got our first taste of Chibi-Robo recently at Nintendo's Gamers' Summit at their headquarters, and it's coming along very nicely.

The premise seems simple enough. For her eighth birthday, Jenny receives a miniature robot from her toy-loving father, the multifunctional Chibi-Robo. Jenny's mom isn't very happy about the purchase as the father has just quit his job at a robotics plant. As a result, there's strife in the household -- it becomes Chibi-Robo's job to bring as much happiness as possible to this tense situation, be it through cleaning up around the house or battling the invading robotic Spydorz. It feels like Toy Story mixed with a little bit of Katamari Damacy, and it's shaping up to have cult classic potential.


How it all applies is what gives the title its magic. The rules and parameters are set so that while Chibi-Robo can't die, per se, he's bound to certain factors. In the lower right corner of the screen, there is a battery meter that resembles an odometer. It continuously counts down until Chibi runs out of juice. Therefore, players must keep him charged via the numerous electrical outlets around the house. As time progresses, Chibi is able to gain more battery life to perform more involved tasks without completely draining himself. Also, the game is split into two times: day and night. During the daytime, certain areas will be available thanks to the parents doing things around the household. At night, all of the toys that Jenny's dad has collected will come to life, including Space Hunter Drake Redcrest; his name and outfit certainly spell out the character's influences. There are also the Free Rangers, a militia of eggs who aggressively guard the foyer.

Visually, the game captures the feel of being a 3-inch tall robot nicely. Every room is a grandiose playground for jumps, battery charges, and quests. It's not necessarily the prettiest game out there; the graphics sometimes look a little muddled, mainly on Chibi's character depending on the camera, but they do a fine job of contributing to the overall presentation. Again, the game really seems to feel like a blend of Toy Story and Katamari all in one.