Robo-Squash (1990-)

• Developer: NuFx

• Publisher: Atari

• Genre: Action | Sports

Robo-Squash was developed by NuFX and published by Atari Corporation, making its debut in 1990 on the Lynx handheld system. The production team included Craig Erickson as producer, programmer Ed Schneider, and artist Robert Nagel. The score and sound effects for the title were composed by David Tumminaro. Robo-Squash was designed specifically for the Lynx platform and has no known ports or releases on other systems.

The game plunges players into a futuristic sporting contest set in the year 2810, where the world teeters on the edge of collapse after the death of a long-reigning president. To determine control, rival political factions resolve their conflict through Robo-Squash. Players wield a target paddle or racket to deflect balls into rows or columns, hitting explosive bricks and power-up items as they vie to overcome an opposing mechanical spider. The playfield is presented in a projected 3D style, blending action and strategic positioning in a distinctive, fast-paced experience.

Gameplay unfolds through single-player and two-player matches via the Lynx’s ComLynx link. The fundamental objective is to either clear rows or columns of bricks or strike the spider to win a round. As matches progress, the pace accelerates, demanding quicker reflexes and sharper accuracy. Power-ups enhance gameplay dynamics—players can deploy explosives, expand their paddle size, preview trajectories, or even momentarily catch the ball, injecting tactical depth and variety across multiple rounds.

The soundtrack features a title theme and sound effects crafted by David Tumminaro, leveraging the Lynx’s audio to heighten atmosphere during gameplay. While details on the full breadth of the audio content are sparse, a brief theme track is known to exist, suggesting a concise but memorable musical accompaniment. Though there was no prequel to Robo-Squash and no official sequels followed, the game received moderately positive reception from critics and reviewers. In early 1991, Computer and Video Games magazine awarded it a 70/100, while Raze gave it a notably higher score of 82%, applauding its addictive nature and engrossing gameplay. Retrospective reviews, such as Robert A. Jung’s later assessment, rated it 7/10, characterizing Robo-Squash as a solid, slightly above-average offering and suggesting it was particularly enjoyable in two-player mode.

Images from MobyGames