A Robot Named Fight is a 2D side-scrolling rogue-lite developed solely by Matt Bitner with heavy influence from the Metroid series, especially Super Metroid. This influence is clearly evident in the game’s look and feel, but A Robot Named Fight does feature some key differences: unlike Metroid, everything is completely randomized, and if you die, you’re dead for good. You’ll play as a robot destined to find and stop the Megabeast, a repulsive-looking and evil entity wreaking havoc on lower-order robots and spreading its spawn throughout your world. Play alone or with a friend, and with Nintendo Switch, take this game wherever you go!
This indie will feel quite familiar to Metroid fans, since most elements—including your map, item upgrades, jumps, and appearance—feel nearly identical to Super Metroid. But this isn’t a bad thing because Super Metroid is awesome. And even with the visual similarities, this game’s permadeath element and procedural generation makes it feel considerably different from anything in the Metroid series. Each new run is unique with billions of distinct possibilities, so you’ll never have the same experience twice—but if you’ve had a good run that you want to revisit, you can use the game’s seed system to go back at any time.
As with any title inspired by the Metroid series, exploration is key, and you’ll find items and upgrades as you navigate the game’s labyrinthine levels to destroy the Megabeast’s evil spawn. Boss fights also feature prominently, and since you lose everything when you die, we recommend exploring and upgrading extensively before attempting to fight even the easiest of bosses. The game’s permadeath can be challenging and frustrating, especially for new players. But it also ensures that you pay close attention as you play, which can be a good thing. Plus, you may occasionally find a rare save room, which lets you respawn once after death. These rooms are few and far between, so keep your eyes peeled—and if you’re lucky enough to find them, use them sparingly!
As we’ve said, A Robot Named Fight is a Metroid look-a-like, and if you picked up the controller for this game without knowing the title of what you were playing, you’d probably just assume you were playing a fan-made Metroid. It’s remarkable that Matt Bitner built this aesthetic replica from the 16-bit era all on his own, crafting its graphics and assembling its atmospheric soundtrack with utmost precision, all while programming a vast procedurally generated world.
So what do we think of A Robot Named Fight? We love it! Its gameplay feels like a mashup of Super Metroid and The Binding of Isaac, and as fans of both games, A Robot Named Fight is the perfect new addition to our Switch library. We’re so impressed with Matt Bitner’s achievements, and even though his passion project is basically a Metroid clone, he’s shaken things up to the point where this game really stands on its own. Of course, this doesn’t mean that A Robot Named Fight is a good fit for everyone, so you really should know what you’re getting yourself into with this one, but we hands-down recommend it for any Metroid fan looking for a new challenge!
Platform – Nintendo Switch eShop Download
Publisher – Hitcents
Developer – Matt Bitner Games
Price – $12.99
Genre – Action, Adventure, Platformer
Size –878MB
Nick and Sarah are the ultimate gaming couple. Nick is a Super Mario Maker 2 enthusiast, but working with Nintendeal has fostered a love for tough-as-nails indies such as Enter the Gungeon, Celeste, and Cuphead. Sarah prefers sim games like Animal Crossing, Don’t Starve, and Stardew Valley, but she challenges herself by grinding Slay the Spire from time to time.