Which is better? Robotrek or Inindo: Way of the Ninja

Inindo and Robotrek are both turn-based RPGs that have similar approaches to combat. After that, things are very different. Their settings, gameplay, and story differ greatly. These are both weird games, and that is part of the reason I like them.

It has been a while since I’ve written about Robotrek. This is one of my favorite RPGs on the SNES. It is a weird game, but it is a competently made one. You don’t have the awkwardness in the graphics or story that you’ll see in some of the other middle-tier RPGs on the console.

Inindo is a fairly new game for me. I had no idea this game existed when I was collecting games in the 1990s. I first stumbled across it in the 2010s, tested it, and then put it on a shelf. When I found out that it was an RPG, I got interested in it.

Both of these games are in the middle tier of SNES RPGs. They have something going for them, but aren’t good enough to get into the upper tier of games. Let’s go over the games and see how they stack up to each other.

Game Descriptions/Overviews

These two games have some similarities in terms of combat. They’re both turn-based RPGs and have some tactical RPG elements. They differ in terms of story, setting, graphics, and tone.

Robotrek is a science fiction RPG where you build robots, fight terrorists, travel through time, and eventually end up in space. There is a crafting system in the game, which works well as your character is an inventor. The graphics are bright and colorful, but you can’t really explore the game’s world.

Inindo: Way of the Ninja is an alternate history RPG where your character is out for revenge. There are a lot of possible party members and constructions for you to choose from. The game has you assemble a party of three characters, and it plays like an extended training montage. Going on alongside the main game. Is a computer controlled game of Nobunaga’s Ambition.

Those are the general overviews of these games. They have more differences than they have similarities. Both of these are decent RPGs and offer something different from the other games on the SNES. Let’s go over their main differences.

Main Differences 

Robotrek and Inindo have some big differences. These include random encounters, animation in and out of battle, and settings. The stories are also quite different, which goes back to the games setting. I’ll just be going over the main differences. I know there are more, but I won’t be getting into them here.

You can see the enemies in Robotrek, and Inindo has random encounters, which is closer to what you’ll see in a console RPG. The enemies in both games look good. Robotrek is more cartoonish, and Inindo’s enemies are darker and more fantastical.

Animations in Robotrek are better than in Inindo. There is an awkwardness to how characters move in Inindo, and things are much smoother in Robotrek. The graphics are much more colorful in Robotrek, and they’re muted in Inindo.

The two games have radically different settings. Robotrek is a science fiction game where you play as an inventor and have to create robots and craft weapons for them. Inindo takes place in the late 1500s and has more fantasy elements to it. You’re not going to see robots in the game, but there are guns.

To go along with the setting, the stories are very different. There isn’t a lot of plot development in Inindo, and the game plays like a training montage where you travel to different training grounds until you’re ready to fight the big bad guy. With Robotrek, you have to save the universe from some cosmic evil, which gets revealed late in the game after you have some time-travel shenanigans.

Those are the big differences between the two games. There are several minor differences. I wanted to try and keep this short, so I stuck to these things. Let’s get into what each of these games does better than the other.

What Does Robotrek do Better?

There are a lot of things in Robotrek that are better than Inindo. The gameplay is better, I like the story more, and the setting is better. The graphics are also better, and the animations are much smoother.

Robotrek has more refined and experimental gameplay than Inindo. They both have a pseudo tactical RPG approach to combat, but Robotrek has a more creative approach to it. You can craft weapons and equipment, and you can alternate between your three robots. This game doesn’t have all your characters on the battle screen. The player uses one robot, but can swap between the three you can build.

The graphics are more cartoonish than Inindo. The animations on every screen are more fluid, and it looks like the game was more refined. Everything also looks brighter and less muted. It is a very crisp looking game.

This game has a fun story. I found it to be more enjoyable because there was more stuff happening in it. While there are some strange things in it, nothing felt out of place for the game’s world. I like that this story sticks with being heavy on technology instead of mixing in magic or the supernatural.

There are other things that Robotrek does exceptionally well. These games are pretty different in their approaches to telling a story, as well as in their settings. Let’s get into what Inindo does better.

What Does Inindo: Way of the Ninja do Better?

There are a few things that Inindo does better than Robotrek. It has more characters, and you can explore the game’s world. There are also more dungeons for you to explore.

This game has a large cast of potential party members. There are different character classes, and you have a lot of options on how you want your party construction. You only have two slots for additional party members, but you can easily let them go to add new ones. There is also a rudimentary relationship system.

Inindo has a very large world map, and it can be fun to explore it. Parts are blocked off at the start of the game, and as you progress, they open up. It is much better than being locked into one set path. You also don’t have to complete the game in a set order. A few of the dungeons can be completed when you’re ready for them.

Those are the two things that I think Inindo does better than Robotrek. There are a few things that are more of a personal preference. I’ve also skipped some of the more minor things that could go either way. Let’s get into which is better and which I would rather play.

Which is Better Overall and Why? 

Robotrek is the better game. The story, gameplay, and setting are all better than what is offered in Inindo. The graphics are also better and more fluid when I compare them with Inindo. I had more fun with this game than I did with Inindo.

There is more to this game’s story. Inindo is more like an extended training montage, while Robotrek has a few twists in its story. Even if the plot goes off the rails, everything that happens feels like it should exist in this game’s world. Because so much happens in the plot, it is more fun than a basic revenge tale.

The gameplay in Robotrek is more refined. Both games have a version of what you’ll find in a tactical RPG, but Robotrek does a better job with this. It is easier to move your character, you can swap between characters, and there are more options to be creative with the combat. This game has a pretty good crafting system where you can create weapons for your robots. It also has a better skill system where you can program attacks for each robot.

Robotrek has cartoonish graphics, and they look better than those in Inindo. There is an awkwardness to Inindo that isn’t there in Robotrek. You can’t explore the game’s world, but everything looks nice, which isn’t something I can say about Inindo.

Graphics did play a bigger role in my decision than in other games. I also like the gameplay and story much better in Robotrek. It is a weird RPG, and I’m going to go with something weird over a game that I’m on the fence about. Let’s get into which game I would rather play.  

Which Would I Rather Play?

Robotrek is the game I would rather come back to play. I have more memories of this game, and it is more fun to play. The graphics, story, and gameplay are all better. This game means more to me, and that is one of the big factors that pushes it past Inindo.

The first time I played this game was on an emulator. Back then, it felt like I was discovering something new. None of my friends talked about this game, so it felt like it was something that only I knew about. After figuring out how to play this game, I found it to be very good.

This is a game that I’ve been playing for a while. There is something different about it that I find extremely enjoyable. The story, graphics, and gameplay are all great. The goofiness in this story doesn’t feel out of place, as nothing feels all that serious.

Conclusion 

It is always fun to compare weird games to one another. Both of these games have things going for them, but Robotrek feels more polished than Inindo. I also enjoy the creativity in Robotrek more than what is offered in the other game.

Inindo is a fun alternate history story if you’re into this period of history. It has a fun premise, and I like how the game progresses. There are also some fun things in it, like going on spy missions and having some impact on the strategy game that is taking place in the background. It is a solid RPG, but it doesn’t feel finished.

Robotrek is a game that I have a few fond memories of. It took me a while to really get into the game, but there was something about it that kept me coming back. This is one of the games that just makes me smile when I play it. I love the graphics and the gameplay in this weird little RPG.

This comparison was a little weird because of how these are. They have some similarities, but there are some huge differences. It will be fun to see how these games stack up to the other RPGs I’ve played.

If you liked this post, check out some of my other vs posts. Such as Inindo vs Destiny of an Emperor or Dragon Quest vs Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.