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BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox is a video game created for the Game Boy Advance released on December 10, 2002. It was developed by Cave+Barn Studios and Pipe Dream Interactive, before being published by Majesco Entertainment. A remake of the game, called BattleBots: Design and Destroy, was released on August 31, 2003 but marketed as a sequel.
The game features 16 robots, four from each weight class, from the hit TV series BattleBots as well as multiple arenas to fight in and the option to make your own robot to compete in a tournament.
Aside from fixing bugs, the most noticeable change for BattleBots: Design and Destroy is the lack of fight commentary. Both games feature both single player and multiplayer gameplay and some early retail copies of Design and Destroy also contained Beyond the BattleBox cartridges.
Game Modes[]
The main menu.
Tournament Mode[]
Initially, a player is given access to two battle arenas and all 16 robots. Unlocking the other arenas requires players to compete in Tournament Mode with the player's own robot design. The player starts in the lightweight division and has to work their way up, earning cash for every victory instead of $5000 for the entire tournament, as well as a sponsorship award that gives the player free components such as motors or batteries. Regardless of the design a player chooses, the resulting robot is always able to self-right.
Before building a robot, it must first be named.
Much like the show, a judges' decision is awarded for any battle that goes the full time limit and points for each judging category are included. If it is a three or four-way battle, the totals of each robot will still add up to 45 and is the only occasion where the initial robot totals will not reach 45 on their own. The player can also pick one of the sixteen included robots and add up to three others to battle against. The four-way battles also include additional bonuses that are designed to help repair the robot's damage such as armor and battery. They appear as white dots in the viewfinder and players can also turn off simulator mode to allow all robots, even ones that cannot normally self right, to be able to right themselves when flipped. The hazards in the arena greatly resemble the ones used on the show, though except for each of the Screws, the hazard activates when a robot gets close enough. However, if a robot gets near where the Spinner and Ramrods are closest, then the player will have to go around one of them to get past as they will otherwise leave a robot unable to move forward, regardless of the robot's weight.
The Pit menu ahead of building a custom robot.
Throughout the Tournament Mode, various fictional arenas can be unlocked. The player is awarded a Golden Nut once winning the superheavyweight division, and then the credits screen plays.
Pit[]
When entering the Tournament mode, the player is prompted to enter the Pit to design and build their own robot with a budget of $850. Every item has an individual price and weight, and the player must built a lightweight robot weighing between 25-60lbs. First, the player must enter a custom team name before picking a pre-selected chassis type. Motors, batteries, wheels and armor can then be chosen before the player can choose their primary weapon. Once finished, the player must name their robot.
As the player progresses through the tournament, prize money and free components can be earned through winning battles and attaining sponsorships. Once the lightweight division has been beaten, the player moves up to the next weight division and build a new robot with better components available.
An example of one of the game's damage reports.
Repairs[]
The player is prompted to repair their robot after every fight following a damage report detailing the health of various components in the form of a percentage. Each individual repair costs money and in this screen, upgrades can also be made.
Brawl Mode[]
Brawl Mode is a mode where the player can pick any robot to fight in a battle against an opponent of the player's choice within the same weight class. The player may use custom robots built in Tournament Mode, as well as any of the sixteen robots from the show. Up to three AI-controlled opponents may be selected in this mode, as well as any arenas unlocked at that point. Fights can last for two, three, five, eight minutes or an unlimited amount of time, with players able to toggle this in the Settings menu. Also available in Settings is the ability to switch between Arcade and Simulation mode, with the latter offering various power-ups similar to those teased in the canceled BattleBots video game.
Multi Play[]
Multi Play allows for up to four players to fight their robots across linked Game Boy Advance consoles, but is otherwise similar to Brawl Mode.
Playable Robots[]
A total of 16 robots are available to play as in BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox - four per weight division. This is also true of BattleBots: Design and Destroy, with no robots added or removed.
Robots are only able to fight others in their respective weight division, with each having to be defeated in order to win the Giant Nut.
Lightweight
Middleweight
Heavyweight
Superheavyweight
Arenas[]
The game features a total of five arenas: a replica of the BattleBox, as well as four fantasy arenas with various themes.
Replica Arenas[]
Fictional Arenas[]
* This arena features in BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox, but not BattleBots: Design and Destroy.
Glitches[]
- One particular bug in the game is that one or more of the hazards, particularly the screws and the Pulverizer, can disappear, leaving the space empty where it normally would be.
- Holding down the button for the robot's weapon can cause the noise the weapon makes to continue playing long after the weapon has stopped working until you release the button.
- Sometimes the cloud effect left from when the Pulverizer strikes can remain even after the Pulverizer has returned to its regular position.
Differences from the TV show[]
- With the sole exception of the Screws, the BattleBox hazards only activate when a robot gets close enough.
- The Spinner prevents robots from driving over it and can also prevent players from driving forward if between it and the Ramrods.
- Damage to robots is mostly indicated by gauges at the bottom of the screen and fires are the only visible damage, apart from the occasional scattering of gear graphics.
- There is no music from the TV show, nor any introductions from Mark Beiro.
- The countdown to a KO happens immediately after a robot is flipped, rather than waiting 20 seconds and counting down the last 10.
- The countdown for the 10 seconds on the clock for the match are audible but aren't on the TV show.
Differences between BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox and BattleBots: Design and Destroy[]
- The Machine Plant arena is non-existent in BattleBots: Design and Destroy.
- Various BattleBox hazards do not function, including the left-rear killsaws, the left-front floor spinner, the right-side ramrods and the right-front corner pulverizer.
- Also within the BattleBox, the front-center screws and the right-rear screws are non-existent apart from the supports.
- Only the second and fourth lights turn on before the start of a fight.
- The turning wheel animation for choosing the name for the team and robot is replaced with animated green text.
- Returning to Tournament mode after completing it without saving does not reset the whole game. Rather, it takes the player back to the beginning of the Superheavyweight tournament with the prize money from winning the Superheavyweight tournament previously being added to the player's budget.
- BattleBots: Design and Destroy does not have save functionality, and instead relies on the player inputting a password to start from a specific stage.
See Also[]
Trivia[]
- Some robots have shortened names in-game for unknown reasons.
- Mouser Mecha-Catbot becomes Mouser.
- Sunshine Lollibot becomes Sunshine L.
- El Diablo Grande becomes Diablo.
- Complete Control becomes Control.
- Jaws of Death becomes Jaws.
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