Raising Robots
- Players
- 1-6
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.2 / 5
- Year
- 2023
About the game
Raising Robots is a competitive engine-building game for 1-6 players who play famous inventors assembling the greatest robot collection around. Every round, players simultaneously choose two or more actions, upgrade, assemble, design, fabricate, or recycle, deciding how much power to invest in each for better or worse effect. The twist is that your most powerful actions can also benefit your rivals, forcing careful risk calculation. After eight rounds, whoever has amassed the most points wins.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli likes the tension in Raising Robots between building your own engine and inadvertently helping the competition through shared power actions. Simultaneous action selection keeps everyone engaged rather than waiting on a single active player. It's a fairly heavy, calculation-driven design that will appeal most to engine-building fans who enjoy weighing trade-offs. As a newer, more niche release, its long-term table presence and best comparisons are still less certain.
What we like
- Simultaneous action selection reduces waiting between turns.
- Whimsical robot-inventor theme adds charm to a heavier engine builder.
- Variable player powers boost replayability.
- Scales widely from solo play up to six players.
Keep in mind
- Downtime can still be high overall at higher player counts (downtime grade D).
- Actions that boost your engine can also help opponents, which some find frustrating.
- Higher complexity may be steep for casual players.
Who it's for
Best for engine-building strategy fans aged 14+, solo or in groups up to 6.
