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Official Site: Nintendo

R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) is a toy robot accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was launched in July 1985 as the in Japan, and October 1985 as R.O.B. in North America. Its short lifespan yielded only two games in the Robot Series: Gyromite and Stack-Up.

Following the devastating North American video game crash of 1983, Nintendo alleviated the fearful retail market by rebranding its Japanese Famicom video game console as the Nintendo Entertainment System—a new platform focused on R.O.B. to further reclassify the system as a uniquely sophisticated toy experience instead of simply as a video game console. Computer Entertainer magazine in June 1985 called R.O.B. "the world's only interactive robot".

The extensive marketing plan centered on R.O.B., which began at the October 1985 test market launch of the NES, was ultimately successful. The launch was Nintendo's debut in the North American video game console market, and revitalized the entire video game industry. Although R.O.B. was quietly discontinued a few years later, it is nevertheless remembered as a successful Trojan Horse of marketing, and has even gained renewed attention as a playable character within the Super Smash Bros. series.

The new Nintendo of America subsidiary, having already bet the company's own launch upon its conversion of its failed Radar Scope (1980) arcade game cabinets into the successful new Donkey Kong (1981) arcade game, wanted to debut in the home video game console market using the Japanese parent company's successful Famicom system. But the entire video game industry, which had been virtually abandoned following the devastating North American video game crash of 1983, first needed a relaunch.

ROB has not been a contender in any CBUB matches.