‘Chibi Robo: Zip Lash’ And The Chibi Robo Amiibo Are Set To Clean Up The West!

Welcome back, Chibi!

In a surprise Nintendo Direct that was full of exciting announcements on both the Western and Eastern front, the return of an old cleaning buddy might have been the most welcomed of all. The company officially announced that Chibi Robo: Zip Lash, the latest title in the quirky series about a toy robot and its outrageous adventures, is headed to the West, complete with its own Amiibo!

Trying to explain this franchise to those who never played these games is a challenge in itself when almost all of the games in the series have been so drastically different. Zip Lash is no excepton, taking Chibi out of family homes and trading in its Nostaljunk for platforms and swings. What oddly enough, looks like a happy, colorful version of Castlevania, Chibi’s next game is a 2D platformer, using his trademark plug as a whip to be used for attacking, climbing and making difficult jumps.

In addition to a physical and digital release, special editions will come bundled with an adorable Chibi Robo Amiibo, which can be used to level up the little guy to the point where he can become Super Chibi Robo! What does this mean? I have no idea, but I know that this guy might be a hot commodity when it hits shelves in October. Considering the figure will only be available through this bundle, hunters and Chibi fans alike would  do well to get those refresh buttons ready!

I’ll be honest, after the second game got a severely limited, Walmart exclusive run, the third never got localized and the fourth was relegated to digital only as more of a mini game collection, I didn’t have much hope for a return to grace for this unsung Nintendo franchise. Suddenly, with Zip Lash on the horizon, things aren’t looking so bad! Sure, taking Chibi out of the open world environments and putting him into a platformer might seem odd to an extent, but between receiving a full retail release for the first time since the Gamecube days, coming bundled with an Amiibo, (which I hear sell pretty well,) and switching over to a genre Nintendo is known for with a Castlevania twist, and this just might be the series revevival we thought would never come! I have faith that the tiny robot can pull it off. If it can save broken marriages, restore the environment and pull items from space-time, this should be a cakewalk!

Watch the robo in action in the trailer below. Will you pick up Zip Lash for your 3DS this October? What do you think of the direction the franchise is taking? Let us know in the comments!