RowBot Rally
RowBot Rally is one charming game. You play as a little rabbit that wants to win the big trophy in the annual boat race… but this is a sport that machines have taken over. They don’t get tired, and their precision rowing for the past number of years has meant that any non-robot that tries to beat them in a boat race is doomed to fail. Luckily, you find a RowBot of your own in a junkyard, which means you’ve got a copilot for your little boat!
At its core, this is a top-down boat racing score chaser game with seven unique levels. Your robot friend will always row at a consistent speed, so it’s up to you on the other side of the boat to do steering by rowing faster or slower than your pal by using the crank. Row at the same speed and you’ll go straight ahead. Row faster or slower than your teammate and the boat will turn one way or the other. Maintaining a consistent speed to keep your boat going in the right direction is tough! But you will eventually get the hang of this unique control scheme and have a great time. There are also non-crank controls that are a little easier to understand, but still have their own unique feel. Each race is only about two minutes long, so you don’t get too tired from all the cranking… just make sure you take some breaks!
Each level has its own online leaderboard on the Playdate’s official website, and the same person is currently at the top of every single one of them! Better get crankin’ if you want to compete. The levels are all unique, with new obstacles, goals, and an occasional perspective shift. If you’re not someone that tries to get on leaderboards, there is still a nice little story to be found here, and the animated cutscenes (there are a ton) are very well done, with tons of personality. You really feel for the little rabbit and their junkyard robot friend, and you want to help them achieve their dreams.
The only real downside to this game is that – at $15 – it’s currently the single most expensive game on the Playdate. And if you’re not into trying to get top times by perfecting the controls, the actual story mode is less than 45 minutes long. You can do a New Game+ and try it again on a harder difficulty, though, so it really depends on what you’re looking for. Want a short and sweet story with some of the best looking cutscenes on the entire platform, or a game where you can compete with your other boat-loving friends across the world? This is the place!
(Released December 17, 2024, on Catalog. Learn more about the game’s development in our interview with Rae here.)