What Are Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots?

Description

• The robots fought in a plastic boxing ring. In the classic version, one of the robots, called the "Blue Bomber," is blue, while the other, the "Red Rocker," is red. Each player had a joystick with two plunger buttons which controlled the left and right punches. There wasn't much strategy as the robots couldn't fake or duck. The goal was just to punch faster than your opponent and land a clean shot on the opposing robot's head. If the robot's chin was struck at the right angle, its head popped up. In game terms, this was "knocking his block off."

Early History

• The first version was produced by Louis Marx and Company, a major American toy manufacturer of the period, in 1964. It was designed for Marx by Marvin Glass and Associates, who also designed board games like "Mouse Trap" and "Operation." An updated version with redesigned robot heads was released in 1977 under the name "Clash of the Cosmic Robots."

Later History

• "Clash of the Cosmic Robots" was released shortly before Marx shut down in 1979. Eventually, the rights to the game were acquired by Mattel. In 2000, Mattel produced a new version based on the original design, but the ring and the robots were smaller. Mattel also marketed a number of different versions using characters from films such as "Toy Story."

Other Versions

• Mattel Interactive released a fighting game based on the title for the PlayStation in 2000. Another game based on the brand was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2006. Critical reaction was generally negative due to the game's simplistic, repetitive play. Also in 2006, Oasys Mobile released a first-person boxing game for mobile phones that was based on the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots characters.