Robot.Start is a fun maze-and-puzzle game that features a tiny, floating robot whose job is to turn on computers on each floor or level of a facility. Players help the robot find its way across the floors to reach and press the computer buttons.
The game loads with a classic, arcade-style screen that displays access points to different settings. If a player taps "Options," they can adjust the music and special effects. The "Controls" screen provides keyboard and controller instructions. If a player doesn't have a controller, they use the "W," A," "S," "D," "Enter" and arrow keys to move around and perform tasks within the game. They can alternately use "2" or "C" to confirm an action instead of the "Enter" key. If the robot becomes stuck in a level, the player can use the "R" key to reset the game back to the beginning of the level.
When the player taps "Play," they're taken to Level 1, which is displayed from top-down perspective. The player can see the layout of the floor with the robot on the left side of the screen bouncing up and down a little while waiting. The game makes the use of keyboard and controller commands simple by supplying extra instructions at the bottom of the screen. It also accepts touch swipe commands. The game offers no score board or points earning potential. Instead, the levels become increasingly difficult over time.
To press a button or buttons to turn on computers on a level, the player must run the robot or slide an object across the top of the button. They can only do this by determining how to position the robot or nearby objects in an optimal way. The little robot can move objects to help block a path to slow them down and redirect their movements, but only certain ones. The player determines which objects the robot can move by ramming it into any objects found on a level.
Robot.Start seems simple at first, but it actually requires that players use increasingly difficult strategies to reposition the robot and objects.
