Did the Nintendo R.O.B. Save the Video Game Industry?
How the robotic assistant worked like a Trojan Horse for the NES
Over the years, there have been many accessories for Nintendo. But one was absolutely critical in its early success.
The Robotic Operating Buddy, or R.O.B., was a robotic assistant for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It played the games with you but was slow and challenging to use.
Did it over-promise and under-deliver as a video game accessory? Possibly, but the point was to help change the perception of video games, and for that reason; it worked.
This is the story of how R.O.B. may have saved the video game industry.
Coming Out of the Dark Era
It seems weird to think, but there was a time when video games were not in demand. Not only that, manufacturers wanted nothing to do with them.
It’s not that they went away but the great video game crash of 1983 shook the industry to its knees. It also bankrupted Atari.
Atari dominated through the 70s and into the early 80s but didn’t have control over the games released for the Atari 2600.
Nintendo had their “seal of quality” which ensured anything released for the NES met their…
