koROBO revealed, from former Chibi-Robo developers

Today, former staff from Skip – the company known for its work on Chibi-Robo – unveiled its new development team Tiny Wonder Studio and announced koROBO as its first project. The game is targeting PC as well as “modern consoles” – so we’re hoping that includes Switch and / or its successor.

Tiny Wonder Studio employees key members that worked at Skip and other veterans in the industry. The lineup includes original Chibi-Robo director Kenichi Nishi (who’s also co-directing KoROBO), Keita Eto (directed previous Chibi-Robo titles and is co-director here), third co-director Hiroshi Moriyama, producer Hisashi Koshimizu, and character designer Hikarin.

As for the new project, it’s an action adventure game that follows the story of a pint-sized robot and his owner, who receives koROBO as a gift from his father on his tenth birthday. It goes without saying, but there’s a ton of Chibi-Robo inspiration here.

We’ve got a ton of details in the following overview:

Story

Sometimes it takes the smallest hero to fulfill the greatest destiny!

Somewhere in the borough of Brocklyn, nestled within the urban jungle of New Yock City, Tom and his mother are celebrating his 10th birthday. When a wrapped present arrives from his estranged father, Tom rips through it, excited to see what’s inside.

What he finds is not the coolest and latest in tiny household robo tech, but some knockoff model. ”koROBO?”

But before long, koROBO is cleaning the home, helping Tom with his homework, and even playing games and reading comics with him like a brother. What will koROBO’s arrival have in store for Tom, his family and perhaps, the world?

koROBO’s story unfolds inside Tom’s family apartment in Brocklyn, New Yock. Players take on the role of the pint-sized hero. As koROBO, they will help out the family, perform tasks around the home, meet the many denizens that inhabit the apartment building, and defend Tom and those he loves from a mysterious enemy…that can travel through space-time?

Gameplay

Tiny Hero, Big Adventure

koROBO’s core gameplay involves traversing around the family’s home, cleaning up messes, and solving problems wherever they can be found–a big ask for such a tiny hero!

Be careful, though! koROBO’s battery is limited, and performing tasks will drain it even faster. While more popular robots require owners to plug into adventure, Tom has modified koROBO to bathe in some rays in order to charge the solar battery strapped to their back. Players will have to keep an eye out for patches of sunlight to make sure koROBO keeps running at peak capacity!

While exploring Tom’s apartment building, players won’t just be helping out him and his family. There’s a whole host of kooky denizens living their lives that koROBO will encounter. As koROBO, players can talk to these characters and help solve their problems to unlock some of his most powerful upgrades!

Better, Faster, Stronger

Players can collect items as they clean and explore to upgrade koROBO and what they can do. While koROBO will start out being able to run, jump, and glide, in time he’ll also be able to fly, swim, and even travel through time…?

But wait, there’s more! koROBO isn’t the only toy in Tom’s retinue. Players will discover new miniature friends and gain an assortment of attachments that’ll allow koROBO to adventure and sometimes even fight in new and exciting ways!

The parts players will need to find for their upgrades can be found all over the house, each with a rarity color denoting how difficult it will be to obtain them. Players should collect as many as they can to upgrade koROBO!

House of Future Past

While koROBO has a whole apartment to clean and explore, players will be doing much more than just merely traveling around the home while helping the family.

Eventually, koROBO will unlock the radical ability to travel through time—at the mere touch of its tiny fingertips…?

Characters

koROBO “Robotic Cleandroid”

A robot gifted to Tom on his 10th birthday, and the pint-sized hero of our adventure, koROBO is given to Tom by his estranged father.

koROBO isn’t strong by any means, but he’s got a go-getter attitude and a mischievous streak. koROBO helps out by cleaning up, helping Tom with his homework, and more. But will he have what it takes to fill the void that separates Tom’s family?

Tom “Ten Year-Old Tinkerer”

A homebody by nature, Tom has few friends and spends much of his time in his room making modifications to his collection of toys and machines. While he rarely sees his dad after his parents divorced, he sometimes receives toys and other tchotchkes from his dad’s travels around the world.

Sally “The Mother of Invention?”

Originally from Japan, Sally now raises Tom on her own in their apartment in Brocklyn. Sally hates when things are in disarray, and gets frustrated with Tom when he says things that don’t seem to make sense. While she and Tom’s father enjoyed a whirlwind romance, she eventually divorced him when his lust for travel grew too strong. Strong-willed and kind-hearted, she once dreamed of becoming a singer but now works as a waitress in a cafe to make ends meet.

John “Wanderlust King”

Tom’s father. Considered an eccentric by some and a genius engineer by others, John and Sally were madly in love in their youth. However, when Tom was five, John left mysteriously, leaving only a note behind that read, “I’m leaving to protect you.” Despite the distance between the two, Tom clearly gets his love of mechanics from his father.

Garth Vader (Real Name: Unknown)

A suspicious figure seen wandering around the courtyard of the apartment building, plenty of rumors have surfaced about the truth surrounding Garth. Some say that he’s fallen to the dark side and is plotting to take over the world. Others suggest that he’s simply the building’s super, watering the plants, feeding the birds, and tending to the plumbing. No one actually speaks to Garth, though, so the truth remains shrouded in mystery.

World

A World in Crisis

It is the year 2025, and the world is dealing with a looming energy crisis. Fossil fuels are quickly becoming unreliable as a fuel source, and humanity teeters hopelessly on the edge. Even in these most dire times, however, hope springs eternal in the hearts and minds of those that believe in a better tomorrow. When the world needs it most, one pint-sized hero could be the catalyst that sets humanity on a new path, one that would change the course of history forever: koROBO!

The Brocklyn Apartment

While traversing a living room or kitchen might not seem like a monumental task, things look a lot different when you’re a tiny, highly-motivated robot. While well-placed book piles and a toppled over chair might offer koROBO assistance in getting to hard-to-reach places throughout the home, it would be impossible for them to get to the hardest to reach places all on their own. koROBO is going to need a little help!

Tom’s Room

One might look at Tom’s room and see the messy room of a lazy kid, but that’s far from the truth. If one were to look closer, one would instead see the workshop and playground of a gifted child, wildly imaginative and naturally inclined to work with electronics. Tom’s room is full of toys, tools, and electronics in various states of tinkering. One boy’s garbage is another boy’s treasure, and Tom’s room is a treasure trove for koROBO. What new treasure will be uncovered while exploring Tom’s room?

Get a look at the first trailer for koROBO below.

Announcement Trailer

Tiny Wonder Studio is asking fans for their support on the development of koROBO. A crowdfunding campaign will begin on July 22, 2024, lasting until August 23. Pages will be going live on Kickstarter (English) and Campfire (Japanese).