Whether they are the hero or the villain of the story, robots have had a large presence in video games. Appearing in pretty much every genre, these mechanical beings have left a lasting impression on gamers everywhere. In this list, we are going to highlight our five favorite robots in video games. Same rules as usual apply, the list is not in a particular order, one entry per franchise, and to qualify the character’s first appearance must have been in a video game. Let’s get this list started.
Vectorman – Vectorman
Vectorman is a perfect example of everything awesome about video games in the 1990s. He is an “orbot” in charge of cleaning up toxic sludge left over after humanity fled a pollution ravaged Earth. He completes his task by flying a spaceship and dumping the stuff in the sun. His days as an interstellar garbage man come to an end when another orbot named Raster decided to take over the Earth and begins plans to destroy humanity upon their return. It’s up to Vectorman to save the day, and he does so with a large amount of style. Eventually kicking Raster in his metal behind and earning the first spot on our list.
Metal Sonic – Sonic CD
Sure he is an overused cliché at this point, but back in his first few appearances, Metal Sonic was awesome. He was the first of Dr. Robotnik’s creations to pose a serious threat to Sonic the Hedgehog. Much sleeker and more deadly than his predecessor Silver Sonic, this guy was a force to be reckoned with. Like Vectorman above, Metal Sonic was a product of the 1990s, and it really shows. Despite the fact that the franchise he is part of may be a bit tired at this point, Metal Sonic still manages to make our list, if only out of nostalgia.
Robo – Chrono Trigger
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest video games of all time, and we here at The Nerd Stash agree. Robo aka Prometheus is one of the main characters of this legendary RPG. Found in the port-apocalyptic future, Robo joins the game’s party on their quest to defeat the parasite Lavos and save the planet. Robo is a genuine and sympathetic character, who goes through a ton of character growth in the story. His time-traveling adventures have landed this much-loved robot on our list.
Mega Man – Mega Man
Talk about a character that gets love from gamers. Mega Man is one of the all-time greats, standing alongside characters like Mario, and Pac-Man. Known to many as “The Blue Bomber”; he spends his days fighting the evil robot minions of the menacing Dr. Wily. With his trusty robot dog Rush, and help from Roll and Dr. Light, Mega Man always manages to save the day. He managed to beat his future incarnation Mega Man X, and that character’s comrade Zero to make this list. It was a tough choice, but we just had to go with the original.
Clank – Ratchet & Clank
One-half of the titular duo that stars in this franchise, Clank may not be as old a character as most of the other entries on this list, but he is just as great. Even starring in his own solo entry in the franchise, Clank has quickly become one of the most popular robot characters in video games. Possessing an intelligent and charming personality paired with a diminutive and cute appearance it’s easy to see why people like him so much. Of the characters listed here so far he is also the only one who stars in a franchise that can be considered healthy and ongoing. He easily made our list.
Well, that concludes our list for the top 5 robots in video games. It was a short one this time, but we still had a lot of fun making it. This list is far from all-inclusive, and we are sure we missed some other great ones. Be sure to let us know who your favorite robot is in the comments. As always be sure to check out the rest of The Nerd Stash for more great articles and interesting news.
