Best of Commodore 64: R.O.B.B.
If you’ve ever wondered what games for the Commodore 64 were like R.O.B.B. is a great example. Raid On Bungeling Bay is probably the best example of a Commodore 64 game.
Commodore 64 games were better than Atari games but still not quite as good as many games found in an arcade. R.O.B.B. is a good example of that difference. Neither the Atari or Commodore 64 were known for their impressive graphics. The main difference was the gameplay. ROBB’s gameplay more than made up for the poor graphics.
A New Approach
In an era where you shot at an endless supply of Space Invaders in Space Invaders, Asteroids in Asteroids, or Missiles in Missile Command, newer games such as R.O.B.B. offered something different: the ability to finish a game.
The idea was simple, you controlled an attack helicopter and your mission was to destroy 6 factories. There were jets, tanks, and ground positions shooting guns and missiles to stop you from completing your mission.
It wasn’t just a game of endless shooting, there was actually a goal in mind. The computer controlled jets and anti-aircraft guns weren’t easy pickings either. It wasn’t an easy game to finish. But it was fun to play.
It also got progressively harder as the game went on. More defenses popped up near the remaining factories, and attacks on your aircraft carrier came more frequently. A Battleship being completed was also a constant threat to your carrier. It also had to be bombed periodically to prevent it’s completion.
It was almost always chaos near the last factory. Which made completing the game and seeing the ending all the more satisfying. A game didn’t last more than 10 minutes, so you could play it over and over until you won.
Plenty of Action
Raid On Bungeling Bay was basically shooting game. You had a top down view of your helicopter. The helicopter had a gun with unlimited ammo and 10 bombs. Most of the game is scouting for a factory, eliminating its defenses, and bombing it.
Frequently landing and reloading back at your aircraft carrier. Or hilariously at an enemy airport. If you landed there it would resupply your bombs but not repair any damage to your helicopter.
You could also take out jets before they took off if you spotted them. Taking out enemy radar also kept down the frequency of jet attacks. In addition to the factories, there was a battleship that you could bomb. While the battleship was an optional target, once completed it was only a matter of time before it would sink your carrier.
Between the jets, radar, tanks, and gun turrets on the ground there was plenty to keep you occupied between bombing factories. If that wasn’t bad enough, the first factory you bombed would be rebuilt about the time the 6th factory was being bombed.
Winning the game was a percentage thing. For beginners, it might take 10 tries to win. Even for pros, they can’t win 10 out of 10 games. It takes some luck and a lot of skill to get all 6 factories before the game gets too overwhelming.
Progressive Game
R.O.B.B. is not only progressive for a game in general, but that was also built in. The game gets increasingly harder for every factory destroyed. It isn’t a bad idea to scout out the location of each factory and hit the isolated ones first. Saving factories clustered together for last.
That way you could be begin bombing that last factory before more jets took off or the first factory was rebuilt. Or the dreaded battleship was complete. Scouting out the battleships location and progress is also a good idea after the 3rd factory is destroyed.
While there is no timer in ROBB, everything about this game was a race against the clock. From the first factory bombed to the last, once you started you had to be quick. If you were fast enough you could get away with not bothering about the battleship at all.
By the time it reached your aircraft carrier you could be dropping the last bomb to finish the last factory. But that was a calculated risk. It could pay off with your name in the paper and a parade in your honor for completing your Raid On Bungeling Bay.
A Remarkably Fun Game For Being So Basic
R.O.B.B. didn’t win any awards for its graphics or cutting edge gameplay. It’s still a remarkably fun game to this day. Not unlike some minigames or mobile games minus the graphics. ROBB has you flying around shooting enemies and dropping bombs on enemy factories.
Even though Raid On Bungeling Bay might not sound so great, trust me, it’s worth checking out!
Best of Commodore 64: R.O.B.B. brought to you by: David M.
I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.
