Tiny Wonder Studio, a new game development studio with key members from Chibi-Robo! series creators Skip, Ltd., announced box, a new action-adventure game that follows a pint-sized robot named koROBO and his owner Tom. Kickstarter and Campfire campaigns have been launched to launch on modern consoles and PC.
â– O
box is an action-adventure game that follows the story of a pint-sized robot named “koROBO” and its owner Tom, a little boy who receives koROBO as a gift from his father for his 10th birthday. Players step into the small but mighty koROBO shoes and embark on an exciting and heartfelt journey that begins in Tom’s room and unfolds into a world-changing adventure.
â– Story
Sometimes it takes the smallest hero to fulfill the greatest destiny!
Somewhere in Brocklyn, nestled in 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 it open, excited to see what’s inside.
What he found isn’t the coolest and latest in small home robotics technology, but some appalling model. “box?”
But before long, koROBO is cleaning the house, helping Tom with his homework, and even playing games and reading comics with him like a brother. What will the arrival of koROBO bring to Tom, his family and perhaps the whole world?
boxThe story takes place in Tom’s family apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Players take on the role of a pint-sized hero. As koROBOs, they will help the family, complete tasks around the house, meet the many residents who inhabit the apartment building, and defend Tom and those he loves from a mysterious enemy… who can travel through time and space?
â– Gameplay
Little hero, big adventure
boxThe core of the game is exploring the family home, cleaning up the mess and solving problems wherever they arise – quite a challenge for such a small hero!
Be careful though! koROBO’s battery is limited and performing tasks drains it even faster. While more popular robots require owners to join the adventure, Tom modified the koROBO to bathe in some rays to charge a solar battery strapped to its back. Players will need to keep an eye out for sunspots to make sure koROBO is running at full capacity!
While exploring Tom’s apartment building, players will not only help him and his family. There are a number of strange inhabitants living their lives that koROBO will encounter. As koROBO, players can talk to these characters and help them solve their problems to unlock some of his most powerful upgrades!
Better, faster, stronger
Players can collect items while scavenging and exploring to upgrade koROBO and what it can do. While koROBO will be able to run, jump and slide, in time it will also be able to fly, swim and even travel through time…?
But wait, there’s more! koROBO is not the only toy in Tom’s party. Players will discover new miniature friends and gain a variety of accessories that allow koROBO to experience adventure and sometimes battle in new and exciting ways!
The parts that players will need to find for their upgrades can be found throughout the house, each with a rarity color that indicates how difficult they will be to obtain. Players should collect as much as possible to upgrade koROBO!
House of Future Past
While koROBO has an entire apartment to clean and explore, players will be doing a lot more than traveling around the house while helping the family.
Finally, koROBO unlocks the radical ability to travel through time – just by touching its tiny fingertips…?
â– Cast
koROBO “Robotic Cleaner”
The robot given to Tom on his 10th birthday and the big hero of our adventure, koROBO, is given to Tom by his estranged father.
koROBO is by no means powerful, but has a catchy attitude and mischievous traits. koROBO helps with cleaning, helps Tom with his homework and so on. But will he have what it takes to fill the void that separates Tom’s family?
Tom “The Ten-Year-Old Tinkerer”
A homebody by nature, Tom has few friends and spends most of his time in his room editing his collection of toys and machines. Although she rarely sees her dad after her parents’ divorce, she occasionally gets toys and other tchotchkes from her travels around the world.
Sally “Mother of Invention?”
Originally from Japan, Sally is now raising Tom alone in their Brocklyn apartment. Sally hates when things are out of order 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 desire to travel became too much. With a strong will and a kind heart, she once dreamed of becoming a singer, but now works as a waitress in a cafe to make ends meet.
John “The Wandering 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 mysteriously left, leaving behind only a note: “I’m leaving to protect you. Despite the distance between them, Tom clearly gets his love of mechanics from his father.
Garth Vader (real name: unknown)
A suspicious figure that roams the courtyard of the apartment building, many rumors about the truth have appeared around Garth. Some say he has fallen to the dark side and plans to take over the world. Others suggest that he’s just great in the building, watering the plants, feeding the birds, and taking care of the plumbing. However, no one actually talks to Garth, so the truth remains shrouded in mystery.
â– The world
A world in crisis
The year is 2025 and the world is facing an impending energy crisis. Fossil fuels are rapidly becoming unreliable as a fuel source and humanity is teetering hopelessly on the edge. Even in these saddest times, however, hope springs eternal in the hearts and minds of those who 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 will change the course of history forever: koROBO!
Apartment in Brooklyn
While navigating your living room or kitchen may not seem like a monumental task, things look very different when you’re a small, highly motivated robot. While well-placed stacks of books and an overturned chair can offer koROBO help getting to hard-to-reach places throughout the house, it would be impossible for them to get to the hardest-to-reach places on their own. koROBO will need some help!
Tom’s room
One might look into Tom’s room and see the dirty room of a lazy child, but that is far from the truth. If one looked closer, one would see instead the workshop and playground of a gifted child who has a wild imagination and naturally gravitates towards working with electronics. Tom’s room is full of toys, tools and electronics in various states of tinkering. One boy’s trash is another boy’s treasure, and Tom’s room is koROBO’s treasure. What new treasure will be revealed while exploring Tom’s room?
â– box Crowdfunding campaign and a message from the developer
Tiny Wonder Studio is turning to fans for support box to life. Along with community support box will be developed as a collaborative effort between creators and enthusiasts, with the goal of launching on PC and modern consoles if sufficient funding is achieved.
“Our goal is to create a game that everyone will enjoy box is meant to be a cozy and comfortable game that we hope everyone will love. Core box is all about bringing people together and working towards a better tomorrow, and this campaign, coupled with your support, is a great opportunity to bring video game fans together – something our little hero would be proud of!
“The future is a dream we all share! Let’s make it a reality together.”
– Kenichi Nishi, Director
â– About Tiny Wonder Studio
Tiny Wonder Studio is a new development studio composed of key members formerly of Skip, Ltd. and other industry veterans.
- Kenichi Nishi – box director (Tiny Wonder Studio)
- Previous works: Chibi-Robo! Join the adventure!, moon: Remix RPG Adventure, An incredible crisis, LOL: Lack of love, Giftpia
- Hiroshi Moriyama – box director (Tiny Wonder Studio)
- Previous works: Chibi-Robo! Join the adventure!, Chibi-Robo! Park patrol, Okay! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Osoji!, Giftpia
- Keita Eto – director koROBO (Tiny Wonder Studio)
- Previous works: Chibi-Robo! Zipper lash, LOL: Lack of love
- Hirofumi Taniguchi – koROBO Music & SFX
- Previous works: Chibi-Robo! Join the adventure!, moon: Remix RPG Adventure, Chibi-Robo!: Photo Finder, Chibi-Robo! Zipper lash, LOL: Lack of love, Giftpia, Captain Rainbow, Snowpack Park, Chulip, Black bird, Million Onion Hotel, ufo – a day in the life～
- Hikarin – box art, character design
- Previous works: Chibi-Robo! Join the adventure!
- Hisashi Koshimizu – box producer (Tiny Wonder Studio)
Watch the announcement trailer below. Check out the first screenshots in the gallery. Visit the official site here.