Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash Reviews
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash takes Nintendo's adorable mini helper robot and throws him into a mediocre side-scrolling platformer that's too easy, too frustrating, and too below the standards of either its hero or its publisher. There's some good here, but it's not enough to raise this one above being an average experience.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is a fun but ultimately unexciting title, which makes it occupy a weird space in our minds. The whole package is undoubtedly polished and pleasing, and if you're looking for a solid platformer that zigs where a Mario may zag then this is a safe bet for an enjoyable time. But for all the charm and smooth polish, there's little texture here to make the game stand out from others in this genre. Over time, we suspect we won't remember a lot of the finer details — the amiibo for sure, and maybe a stage or two here, but on the whole will struggle to pin down a reason to revisit.So what's the point of Zip Lash, then? Is it to simply experiment with gameplay concepts? There aren't any radical new ideas at play, and it seems odd for this to be a grand experiment — Bionic Commando explored similar concepts back in the NES days. Is it to test whether Chibi-Robo can find success in a new genre? Perhaps — he's been in a few quirky games already, and maybe some think it's time for him to take a swing at the big time. Whatever the problem that Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is trying to solve, we hope Nintendo can find the answer it seeks. We'll be over here, scratching our heads about it.
The new Chibi-Robo chapter is certainly not a triumphant return to its previous titles but that doesn't mean Zip Lash does not have its charms. The use of the electrical cable and the collecting of snacks are welcome components and the outfits certainly extend the game's replay value. It can, however, become repetitive quickly and lose some of its appeal, as its unambitious level design demonstrates.
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Had Nintendo taken the time to produce a sequel with the same amount of depth as the original Chibi-Robo, we'd be getting somewhere. But Zip Lash just feels like a routine platformer, not offering enough bang for the buck to satisfy die-hard fans of the series. Kids may get a kick out of it, but more could've been done to assure a long-lasting life for our environmental hero. Here's hoping we haven't seen the last of him.
[I]f you like old-school action and see yourself not minding the spin wheel mechanic for accessing stages, then Chibi Robo! Ziplash might just be a game you'll want to plug into.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is a solid game that was a very entertaining experience. It's not a ground breaking revolution in gaming, but not every game has to be. It's fun, easy on the eyes, and the gameplay is very well crafted. It's a shame that Nintendo said this could be Chibi's last adventure if this game doesn't sell well, because I think this is the most enjoyable Chibi-Robo game yet. If you plan on picking it up, do yourself a favor and get the amiibo bundle. Even though I'm not the biggest amiibo fan, the quality on the Chibi-Robo amiibo figurine is outstanding. If you are looking for a quality 2D adventure, and enjoy being a completionist, Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash should be on your radar. Chibi whips it, and he whips it good!
There's plenty of good times and fun to be had with Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, but it's all bogged down by a restrictive and archaic level selection system.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is varied enough to keep every skill-level of player engaged throughout its 30+ worlds but isn't as polished as one would hope. There's a quirkiness here that's come to be expected of the series – of the more "off-beat" Nintendo efforts, this is the closest thing to a Mario game that exists in the same space as, say, Tomodachi Life — but the oddities feel incongruous with the game at large, as if the previous game's environmental and "do-good" themes were just pasted on instead of weaved meaningfully into the experience. That said, it's still a slightly above-average platformer that'll eat up time for on-the-go gamers looking to satiate their appetite.
It's a minor part of the game—Chibi-Robo will find snacks during his clean-up duties, and can give them to his hungry plane friend for a useful return—but it's so weird to see real products in a game like this that it stands out more prominently than it should. Here's a fictional game world, devoid of all people and recognizable buildings, filled with stuff you'd buy at Wawa during a road trip. Actually, that might make it the most ingenious thing about Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash: it's not just trying to sell you something, it's trying to sell you something you'd buy to kill time in the back of a car, just like the game itself.
Chibi-Robo Zip Lash may not be the most original game of 2015 but it gives the player an honest arcade experience with a fun protagonist and some old-school gaming mechanics with a few twists and challenges to be found along the way. To borrow an element from the song by Devo "I say whip it… Whip it Good!"
An alright platformer with charming looks and characters, but nothing revolutionary.
A fun game marred by bizarre design choices
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash tries to clean up the series but just makes a mess
Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash is a nice break from the series' usual 3D platforming formula and offers some solid gameplay, even if it stumbles a bit along the way.
It's fun in spurts, but overall a disappointment that hopefully doesn't consign this series to years in limbo.
Chibi-Robo: Zip-Lash is a fun game. It's got some frustrating moments (stage select, vehicles) but the highs outweigh the lows, and I like the Amiibo functionality. Give it a shot, kids.
Overall, Chibi-Robo Zip Lash is a very fun platformer that feels very Metroid in how it handles exploring worlds.While the difficulty can be lacking at certain points, once you master all of Chibi-Robo's moves you begin to really enjoy and appreciate the puzzle aspect of each level.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is a drastic departure from immersive 3D exploration, but still offers a respectable and fun 2D platforming experience that shines with all the Chibi charm and cuteness fans know and adore.
Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is not the best Chibi-Robo - it is not even that great of a 2D side-scroller or platformer, either. For the most part, the experience ends up feeling shallow and generic compared to the past games and aside from a few fleeting bold moments with the bosses, there just is not much memorable about it. The world may never see another game in this franchise, and it is sad that this one will probably be remembered as "that time Nintendo tried to give Chibi-Robo a desperate change." Perhaps the timing was bad for this character, or the world just wasn't ready for him yet. Zip Lash is a well-made title, just one that fails to inspire. Skip Ltd. should have played to its strengths as a quirky Japanese game developer, instead of aiming for a homogeneous 2D platformer.