History Main / RobotBuddy

* The ''VideoGame/{{StarFox}}'' series has ROB 64.

* The ''VideoGame/{{StarFox}} series has ROB 64.

The logical opposite to AIIsACrapshoot (except when it [[KillerRobot isn't]]). Compare RobotGirl, DoAnythingRobot, VirtualSidekick and CompanionCube. May also be an AmusingAlien. Not to be confused with the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem peripheral the VideoGame/RoboticOperatingBuddy. See also RobotDog, the dog-shaped subtrope. Often overlaps with FunnyRobot. May be the KidAppealCharacter, and may also overlap with GratuitousAnimalSidekick when the robot is animal-like.

** Bumblebee in ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' takes this role on occasion. He gives the impression of actively trying to invoke the trope; Sam accuses him of faking [[CuteMute muteness]] at one point to try and be endearing.

* The original ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' series had a [[InvertedTrope human buddy in Spike]], as the robots were the stars of the show. However, some of the other shows play this straight.

* Creator 0010 from ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''. In fact, it's what [[spoiler: created and recreated mankind in the first place.]]

* ''VideoGame/LunarLux'': Tetra (a [[HoverBot floating]], red robot) is Bella's trusty robot sidekick.
* In ''VideoGame/NoUmbrellasAllowed'', HUE is your assistant at Darcy's secondhand shop. He's a small robot who sits on your table and guides you in running the shop, and also occasionally [[DeadpanSnarker snarks]] at the news.
* Clank from the ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series, although he's usually more well-grounded than Ratchet.
* ''VideoGame/Overwatch2'' introduces a new mode called "Push" which features a massive Omnic that is extremely friendly and delights in helping whichever team is currently in control of him, even happily exclaiming how good he is at pushing things.
* No list of Robot Buddies would be complete without Floyd from the Creator/{{Infocom}} InteractiveFiction game ''VideoGame/{{Planetfall}}'', called (by those who played the game) one of the most endearing and memorable characters in game history.
* Another Floyd appeared in ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini''. This one rebelled against the big bad and saved a few tribals but needs you to fix him up again. A friend can even control him afterwards to help fight enemies. Quickly becomes averted if your buddy starts shooting the tribals however.
* Joey from ''VideoGame/BeneathASteelSky'' is the main character's robot buddy. He's also a bit of a SnarkyNonhumanSidekick in that he enjoys the company of humans, but frequently mocks their frailties and thoughtlessness. He is also rather versatile, able to be transferred to a different robotic body when his circuit board is placed into it.

* Puck in ''VideoGame/{{Rama}}'', a tiny Shakespeare-ish android who lives in your inventory. He's programmed to analyze items inside the titular alien ship, with a thirst for adventure to boot.
* Oscar in ''VideoGame/{{Syberia}}''. He joins you in your quest to find his creator, Hans Voralberg, with the use of a [[CoolTrain clockwork train]] he was programmed to operate.
* Automatons in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', while indeed a puppet for the Puppetmaster class, seem to possess unique thoughts of their own, and in at least two cases, personalities! Cardians, which are the pride and joy of Windurst, are a ''lot'' less rigid compared to Automatons. One cutscene has a Cardian [[AnAdventurerIsYou trying to look for an EXP party!]]
* Robo from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. He manages to get himself totaled within minutes of his first appearance, though it's a HeroicBSOD rather than a HeroicSacrifice. Once the GadgeteerGenius has her way, he (apparently) continues to serve the party with technology-based attacks and futuristic knowledge.
%%* Pipo from ''VideoGame/OverBlood''.
* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/ChibiRobo'' is a Robot Buddy to all of the inhabitants of the house, but what makes this even more interesting is that he has his ''own'' Robot Buddy, Telly Vision, who flies around giving Chibi advice and speaking for him in cases where the player has to [[HeroicMime say something other than "yes" or "no"]].
%%* Beep-0 from ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle''.
* In ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'', we have Metal Gear Mk. II (named and modeled after the eponymous mecha ''VideoGame/MetalGear''), Gillian's walking Forensics Lab, and Robot Buddy. Unlike most examples of the trope, although loyal to Gillian, Metal does not hesitate to [[WhatTheHellHero call Gillian]] [[MoralityPet out on some of his questionable behavior]], and [[DeadpanSnarker insult him semi-regularly]]. This little robot buddy was {{transplant}}ed into ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''.
** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' gives us the D-Walker, a MiniMecha that can either act autonomously, or be controlled directly by Snake.
** Bladewolf from ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' is another example, though he ends up bickering with Raiden for most of the game.

* The Robot Sentry, while only active for about one and a half levels in ''VideoGame/Doom3'', works like this, its beeps and boops and overall design being a cross between a ''cockroach and a puppy''.
* PROXY, Starkiller's holodroid companion from ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'', fits the bill pretty well, up to and including [[spoiler:the HeroicSacrifice part]]. However, he also possesses the added distinction of being programmed to try and ''kill'' his master periodically, as a form of TrainingFromHell. [[ComedicSociopathy He's rather cheerful about that last part as well,]] but in spite of this his friendship was the one thing that kept Starkiller from being driven mad by [[AbusiveParents Vader's abuse]] according to the novelization.
* Befitting a ''Franchise/StarWars'' game, T3-M4 and HK-47 are respectively the R2-D2 and C-3PO of ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' (if C-3PO were [[KillerRobot homicidally insane]], that is and R2-D2 is a wisecracking robot who outwits the homicidally insane robot). In the second game, they are joined by G0-T0, the personal droid of crime lord Goto, [[spoiler:or so he says.]]
** G0-T0 is more of a [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] than a robot buddy. His miniature counterpart on the other hand...
* BT-7274 from ''VideoGame/{{Titanfall}}'' is an AI-controlled battle [[HumongousMecha mech]], but he doesn't just fight. He can also [[InASingleBound throw you]], catch you from falling into a BottomlessPit or scan for enemies.
* The Dinosaur Capture Team from ''Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals'' have their ''own'' Robot Buddy, who runs around in the open distracting the tyrannosaurus while the Team's human members sneak up on it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' franchise:
** The Claptraps, who in the first game give you reminders of new missions and are often seen dancing in the cities. In the "Robot Revolution" DLC, however, the Claptraps have TurnedAgainstTheirMasters and try to take over Pandora for themselves. By the time of [[VideoGame/Borderlands2 the sequel]], there's only one Claptrap left on Pandora, and the citizens of Sanctuary see him as a nuisance. He's still helpful in a number of missions because of his ability to interface with Hyperion technology.
** In ''VideoGame/TalesFromTheBorderlands'', the main characters have a robot buddy who in turn has his own robot buddy. Initially Loader Bot is just a bodyguard for Rhys, while the Gortys robot is basically an adorable MacGuffin. By the end of the story, the friendship between the two becomes a major plot point.
* ''VideoGame/Portal2'' gives you the absentminded but chatty and mostly-helpful Wheatley, voiced by Creator/StephenMerchant, for the first act of the game. Then he [[spoiler:[[FaceHeelTurn becomes the]] BigBad, and you get [=POTaTOS=], who's as [[DeadpanSnarker friendly]] as she was beforehand as [=GLaDOS=].]]
* In ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'', WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit has the Mad Doctor build him animatronic versions of Mickey Mouse's friends, as he wants Mickey's life for himself.
* Exploited with [[Creator/{{Nintendo}} R.O.B.]], the Robotic Operating Buddy. Nintendo understood how this trope works, and thought that R.O.B. could convince retailers that the NES was a toy[[note]]Which, ironically, Nintendo had always considered it to be...at least in Japan.[[/note]] instead of a video game system. [[AllAccordingToPlan It worked.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Descent}} II'' and III gave players the Guidebot, a robotic tour guide with an assortment of cute sounds and the ability to name him (or her?) for that extra love.
* ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'':
** The Mr. Handy, and its combat version, Mr. Gutsy, is a customizable line of robot buddies.
** In ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', the Lone Wanderer can recruit a Mr. Gutsy named Sergeant RL-3.
** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' gives us ED-E the recruitable Robot Buddy, Rex might count too, though he's only [[{{Cyborg}} half a robot]].
** ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' has Codsworth, your character's Mr. Handy from before the war. There's also Curie, a Mrs Handy [[spoiler: who's also a romance option]]. The Automatron DLC adds Ada and also gives you the option to customize Ada, Codsworth, and Curie or build your own robot buddy from scratch. [[AndroidsAndDetectives Nick Valentine]] blurs the line a bit as a [[ArtificialHuman prototype synth]], but in his own words he is still "servos and sprockets".
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has Legion, who manages to be one of the game's two or three [[OnlySaneMan sane individuals]] ([[MindHive for a sufficiently loose definition of individual]]). [[PronounTrouble It]] is something of a WarriorPoet who makes an effort to explain the culture and ethics of the geth, who were previously assumed to be AlwaysChaoticEvil, with [[BlueAndOrangeMorality partial success]].

%%* PAL-18 from ''VideoGame/{{Anachronox}}''
* Marcie from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAdventure''. He could be used to restore MP when you use the Ask feature. [[spoiler:His only weakness is that he cannot jump, which serves as his own [[TearJerker demise]]. His HeroicSacrifice is throwing you away from the crumbling Dime Tower to TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon.]]
* ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' gives you an assortment of robots as pets, both combat and non-combat. Robotics Masterminds are a notable example, as they can have up to six. More can be added via certain Incarnate powers.
* Time Patrol Trunks is accompanied by a robot named Hope!(exclamation point necessary) in ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline''.
%%* Turing, the first sentient machine from ''VideoGame/ReadOnlyMemories''
* ''VideoGame/FreedomWars'': Your Accessory, although they are less your "buddy" and more your "personal corrections officer".
* Kid Ultra from ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'' is a child-sized Magnus originally designed to be a nanny-bot that would take care of children and be customizable for home defense, astrogation, and other needs. When "The Great Severance" happened, Kid Ultra left without any no external reference or personality data banks to draw from, drew info instead from his pre-loaded holo library of cartoons and became a robot that sees himself as a KidSidekick.
* ''VideoGame/CorpseOfDiscovery'' has A.V.A (Software version 7:2:1) who starts out cold and uncaring. Turning spiteful in the middle of the game before finally warming up to the PlayerCharacter.
* MOAV in ''VideoGame/MaglamLord'' was supposed to be an artificial weapon for killing immortal beings, like the protagonist, Killizerk the Bladelord. Thanks to their influence and the friendships MOAV strikes with the other members of the party and the town, however, he starts to develop a kind, gentle, friendly personality, and he becomes one of the nicest characters in the game. Still perfectly capable of kicking ass and destruction, however.

* ''VideoGame/InOtherWaters'' casts the player in this role, with them being an AI assistant built into the advanced diving suit that the protagonist, xenobiologist Ellery Vas, is using to explore the oceans of the Gliese 677Cc. [[spoiler:It turns out said AI was designed by Ellery's lover, Minae Nomura.]]

** The fourth game Servos receive a redesign to be realistic, but still fulfills the same role like the previous Servos. They can be given enhancements that gives them bonus benefits, and at Level 4, can toggle behavioral modules that suit their role. The danger is that unlike [=PlumBots=], Servos can short circuit through water
* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' has two:
** Taroimo, a dying turtle turned fluid android with mad science.
** Cube, a small robot who looks like a baseball with glasses and a cap who's the resident Robot Buddy of the spaceship Cogita Ergo Sum. However, rather than being a sidekick he's the protagonist of his section of the game as his story is all about him working to save his crew from what is effectively a Xenomorph and later [[spoiler:[[AIIsACrapshoot the hostile ship AI]]]].