Parents' Guide to

Chibi-Robo! Zip-Lash

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Quirky platformer with mild violence won't be to all tastes.

Game Nintendo 3DS 2015
Chibi-Robo! Zip-Lash Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (4 ):

While the hero remains as cute as ever, some of the personality that defined his series has been lost here. The quirky and distinctive objectives of past games, which included tasks like cleaning and taking pictures, have been largely supplanted with generic running, jumping, and combat mechanics. And Chibi's key ability in this game -- using his power cord as a grappling hook and whip-like weapon -- feels a little awkward. Players need to adjust a targeting line to properly aim each toss, sometimes mid-jump. It breaks the flow of movement and can lead to costly mistakes that will force players to lose significant progress or even restart some levels. Plus, strange game design decisions -- like spinning a wheel used to randomly choose the next level, which can lead to replaying levels you'd rather not revisit -- are as likely to lead to frustration as they are to delight.

If you can grow accustomed to the less-than-intuitive controls, there's still fun to be had, thanks to a handful of imaginative levels and the tireless and persistent Chibi-Robo himself, who is easy to root for. Plus, players who opt for the version of the game that comes with a Chibi-Robo Amiibo figurine should enjoy levelling it up with points after each level and then using it to transform Chibi-Robo into a super-powered version of himself. Let's hope, though, that the next Chibi-Robo game returns our tiny tin hero to his charmingly eccentric roots as a household chore robot.

Game Details

  • Platform: Nintendo 3DS
  • Pricing structure: Paid (The game alone costs $29.99; purchasing with the Chibi-Robo Amiibo adds $10.)
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release date: October 9, 2015
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Topics: Adventures , Robots
  • ESRB rating: E for Mild Cartoon Violence
  • Last updated: June 21, 2020

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate