''Robot Unicorn Attack'' is an endless running

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

released by Spritonin Media Games on February 4, 2010. In the first week after its release, the game garnered one million plays. Following Robot Unicorn Attack, Adult Swim released three follow-ups, titled Heavy Metal, Christmas Edition, and Evolution. As part of the Robot Unicorn Attack series, a sequel was developed and released by

PikPok PikPok is a New Zealand video game developer and publisher based in Wellington. It was founded as a subsidiary brand of the game developer Sidhe. Since 2012, PikPok has been the company's primary brand. PikPok is a developer and publisher of i ...

for

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...

and Android on April 25, 2013, and July 12, 2013, respectively. Robot Unicorn Attack Forever for iOS, a third game rendered in full 3D, was released on April 27, 2017.

Gameplay

''Robot Unicorn Attack'' is a side scrolling

platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...

in which the user controls the movement of a

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...

unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...

. The object of the game is to prolong gameplay without falling off the stage, crashing into the edges of platforms, or colliding with crystal stars (without first dashing). Points are earned during playtime, by collecting

pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas aro ...

, and by destroying crystal stars by dashing through them. As the game progresses, the stage slides faster. Jumps and dashes can be chained together while the unicorn is airborne. The player has three

lives Lives may refer to: * The plural form of a '' life'' * Lives, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran * The number of lives in a video game * '' Parallel Lives'', aka ''Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans'', a series of biographies of famous ...

(referred to as "wishes"), and the sum of the scores from each life counts for the player's final score.

Other versions

''Heavy Metal''

In October 2010, Adult Swim Games released ''Robot Unicorn Attack: Heavy Metal'', an alternate version of the game featuring different visuals and music, for iPhone. It was later published to

Adultswim.com Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house pr ...

, as well, on November 19, 2010. The game features the song "Battlefield" from German

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band

glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam ...

. It received a better score on their website than the original. In January 2011, ''Robot Unicorn Attack: Heavy Metal'' was made available on

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

alongside its original counterpart as a single application.

''Christmas Edition''

On November 23, 2010, Adult Swim released a Christmas-themed version of ''Robot Unicorn Attack'' entitled ''Robot Unicorn Attack: Christmas Edition''. The game features " Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" by The Darkness. ''Robot Unicorn Attack: Christmas Edition'' was released on Adultswim.com in November 2011.

''Evolution''

''Robot Unicorn Attack: Evolution'' plays identically to the original, but after three stars are broken in a row (four in a row in the Facebook version), the Robot Unicorn evolves into other robotic creatures. There are also multiple fairies per platform. In the Facebook version, the player must keep breaking stars in order to transform into the next animal; missing a star will cause the animal to revert to the unicorn.

''Retro Unicorn Attack''

''Retro Unicorn Attack'', a version of the game styled after popular video games in the 8-bit era, was released in 2013.

Sequel

A sequel titled ''Robot Unicorn Attack 2'' was developed by

and released on iOS on April 25, 2013, and Android on July 12, 2013. This sequel expands upon the original's template by adding new maneuvers like the "Rainbow Savior" and "Gallows Gallop". It also introduces enemies, missions, the option to customize your unicorn's appearance, and the ability to fly by equipping wings. The core gameplay and controls remain the same as in the original browser game, but the game also adds a number of new features. The player can collect teardrops that can be used to customize their character. Missions can be completed to unlock new content and abilities. The game also adds enemies, including giant golems. Egyptian and medieval-themed unicorns were introduced in an update, as well as the new threat of solar geysers. The visuals also received a makeover. The unicorn itself is much more detailed and fluid, and the painted backgrounds also have much more depth and detail. Introduced in a post-launch update was a "celestial unicorn", as well as a new "Lava" course available for purchase with real-world currency. This is the first ''Robot Unicorn Attack'' to include in-game purchases; the player can buy credits to upgrade his or her unicorn and additional sound-packs.

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

's seminal song " Always" – which was a main part of the original game – is not part of the default package and must be purchased separately for $0.99. "I will never be able to separate Always from Robot Unicorn Attack", wrote

Kieron Gillen Kieron Michael Gillen (; born 30 September 1975) is a British comic book writer and former video game and music journalist. In comics, Gillen is known for ''Phonogram'' and ''The Wicked + The Divine'', both co-created with artist Jamie McKelvie ...

in 2010. "I can't even imagine wanting to do such a thing. It'd be like decapitating the Mona Lisa. It merges with the sparkles of sound effects and the explosions of light and makes it complete." The song is not included with the base game due to copyright, and as Adult Swim wanted the game to be free-to-play, it was made into an in-game purchase. Other songs by such bands as

Blind Guardian Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.Slade Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The ''British Hit Singles ...

, Limahl, and Corey Hart are also available for purchase.

Critical reception

Ivan Williams of '' 1UP.com'' stated that, "Whether it's the song constantly on a loop or the simple desire to get a better score than the millions of other gamers playing, I challenge anyone to play ''Robot Unicorn Attack'' and not have that game pop into your head every now and then." In reviews of the major flash games of 2010, ''

Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson. Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EG ...

'' writer

said, "Like a comet made of gold, glitter and Lady Gaga's eyelashes, Robot Unicorn Attack circled the Earth and filled the firmament with its irresistible radiance for the whole of 2010. It changed lives. It challenged sexualities. It involves pressing two buttons. It is undoubtedly the greatest game of all time that features a Robot Unicorn unless you're a metalhead who digs its sequel." Scott Sharkey of ''

UGO Networks UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States. History The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Onlin ...

'' said that while "the aesthetic is a good gag for a few minutes", the important point of Robot Unicorn Attack is that "the game itself is addictive enough to last much, much longer. At least, until someone catches you playing and ribs you about it for the next week or so." Neon Kelly, Previews Editor of VideoGamer.com, concluded after playing that "Somehow the whole thing ends up being extremely addictive - despite the fact that the game's tongue is so firmly wedged in its cheek that it's in danger of giving itself permanent facial damage. If you've not yet done so, I heartily urge you to go try it." Toby Green of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' wrote in a short review that the game was "Great fun", giving it four out of five stars. In a review of the iPhone version of the game,

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

writer Topher Kohan concluded, "Easy-to-use controls, great soundtrack, the ability to turn the sound off and get useful feedback via vibrate and fun in-game tidbits. This feels like a game you'll put on your phone, then pull out to play again and again." In a twin review for the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

by reviewers Stephanie Bendixsen ("Hex") and Steven O'Donnell ("Bajo"), Hex finished by saying, "This game is utterly ''riDONKulous'', so I'm giving it the utterly ridonkulous score of 8971. I can't wait to press Z to chase my dreams again", to which reviewer Bajo responded, "I'm not sure how to score it after that."

References

External links

''Robot Unicorn Attack''
on the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

{{Adult Swim original programming Adult Swim games Adult Swim franchises Browser games Free online games 2010 video games IOS games Android (operating system) games Fantasy video games Parody video games Works about unicorns Platform games Side-scrolling video games Single-player online games Flash games Fictional robots Casual games Video games about robots Video games developed in the United States