It’s time to relive all of our childhood fantasies as we step into massive mechs and robotic warriors while checking out the best PS2 Robot games of all time!
I think it’s safe to say that everyone loves robots. I mean, think about R.O.B, Judge Dredd, the VR Troopers, C3-PO; we’ve had a lot of cool characters in our lives thus far, and I for one definitely wished I had one that I could use to do chores instead of me when I was a kid.
They also starred in some of my favourite TV series too and were wholly the reason why I wished I was a Power Ranger.
The obsession hasn’t wavered in recent years either, with me regularly heading back to check out the best PS2 Robot games in my carefully crafted collection.
But which one has taken the top spot? Which game causes my phone to have a ‘system error’ every time my friends try to get hold of me while I’m playing…
1. Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner (2003)
When the dust settles on the robotic uprising, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is officially the best PS2 Robot game of all time!
This game is ultimate madness from start to finish, with more lasers flying around in a confined space that is ever advisable.
Konami know how to make incredible Anime action games, with slick levels and smooth gameplay that, twinned with an epic storyline, will win you over in seconds and keep you coming back for more time and time again!
Anyone who has played a Zone of the Enders game before should know what to expect. But, if this is your first time playing, then you’re in for a real surprise. We’re talking Goliath mechs, mammoth battles, and epic energy swords that could slice through steel like a hot knife through butter.
There’s no map to wander around to get to new areas; this is an old-school mission-after-mission title, where action is the main concern and getting to the end of the level is the only thing that matters!
Plus, with a slick Multiplayer mode, it’s just the gift that keeps on giving!
2. Robotech: Battlecry (2002)
Robotech: Battlecry sees players controlling one of the coolest character names in this list; Jack Archer.
You just don’t mess with a guy called Jack Archer, you just… dont!
Your mission here is to seek out and obliterate Zentraedi soldiers through space, reliving the entire Robotech Macross Saga and also featuring voice actors from the original cartoon!
We’ve chosen this game for the second spot in our list because of the obvious link to the series, but also because we’re just huge fans of the concept of robots in space.
I mean, anything in space, including the Muppets, wins big for us!
Adding the flying elements to this game makes it feel like a more advanced version of Space Harrier 3D too, as well as making battles much harder.
The cartoony, cel-shaded style is polished and timeless too, meaning the game hasn’t really aged much since 2002. Unlike me, who has aged a lot since then.
3. Robot Alchemic Drive (2002)
Robot Alchemic Drive takes todays bronze medal in our PS2 Robot games list, giving us MegaZord -esque battles in big cityscapes.
The character below looks super similar to the MegaZord too… not that I seem to have Power Rangers on the brain today or anything.
While the game itself starts off pretty easy, the enemies become sneakier and more aware of your movements as you play, making getting one up on them much trickier.
The main twist in this game is that the player controlling the robots actions isn’t actually in the robot itself. The character titled ‘The Hero’ moves around the city trying to stay out of the blast zone of the fight in a safe space.
Camera views move between the Hero and the Mech Fighter, allowing you to strategise where your attacks will fall so that you don’t end up being crushed by a hundred tonnes of monster and rubble!
Beat back the aliens and save the last city on Earth… or at least whatever’s left of it after you’ve finished destroying it.
4. Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Rengou Vs Z.A.F.T (2005)
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed: Rengou vs. Z.A.F.T. definitely has one of the most complicated PS2 game names of all time, but it’s not out of place among the other games in the Gundam series.
Let’s just talk about graphics for a second. This game came out in 2005 and it still looks incredible today, and even if you know nothing about the Gundam series, seeing amazingly designed robots using swords and battling to the death will never, ever get old.
Nine stages make up the main mode of the game, and it is definitely a case of kill or be killed in this game. Your opponent is gunning for you and won’t take any prisoners, so neither should you.
For me, the free play multiplayer mode is where this game shines the most, because there is no better way to either firm up or destroy a friendship than having 30 back-to-back robot battles.
Pick your friends wisely… preferable ones that are terrible at fighting games.
5. Armored Core 2 (2000)
Armored Core 2 takes the 5th spot in our best PS2 Robot games list. Despite it having a ‘2’ after the name, it’s actually the 4th game in the list, just to make it a little more confusing.
And, if you’re an NTSC gamer, then you may well have got this game along with the PS2 on launch day, making it a bit of a big deal!
Like Silent Line: Armored Core above, the 7th title in the Armored Core series, players can customise their mechs to the nth degree. Be careful not to go too overboard, however, as making your machine too top heavy could have disastrous consequences on both its movement and power consumption.
Completing missions and earning extra funds in the battle arena are core parts of the series as a whole, so the gameplay doesn’t change much between the first Armored Core game or Silent Line.
Work your way up the competitive ladder, destroying your rivals, fixing any repairs, and earning cold hard cash along the way. If you fail, you’ll have to pay for all of your costs out of your character’s pocket, so don’t mess up!
6. Metal Arms: Glitch In The System (2003)
I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, the PS2 was such a powerful machine for the 2000s, and Metal Arms: Glitch in the System proves how much of an amazing machine it was and still is.
This third-person shooter looks fantastic and plays like a dream, and both the humongous bosses that your little character goes up against and the vast cityscapes that you travel through look incredible!
If I had to compare this game to another title, I’d say it plays like the later Ratchet & Clank games that have platforming and shooting elements to the, though the gameplay is predominantly firing bullets at evil robots.
There are a couple of levels that players can dive into vehicles for, but I’m more of a fan of exploring on foot. The multiplayer mode is fun as well, bringing those 4-player split-screen GoldenEye 007 vibes to the PS2.
It’s bright, it’s quirky, and it’s explosive – what more do you need to know?
7. Silent Line: Armored Core (2003)
Silent Line: Armored Core is an absolute dream if you love the idea of customising armoured fighters.
The main premise of the game is based around completing tasks set by different organisations, with each specific quest giving you funds to spend on adding new parts to your mech and upgrading it to the hilt.
While the missions are the main bread and butter of the game, it’s the fighting arena that I tend to spend hours in.
I mean, any mode where you can fight against robots and earn money for it is a winner for me. It allows you to test out the equipment that you’ve added to your robot too, moving from first to third-person views at your leisure.
Which brings me onto my next favourite mode – multiplayer. Honestly, all fighting games should have a couple of badass robots for you to use. It’s the reason I always choose Cyrax when playing Mortal Kombat, and the mechs in this game could eat him for breakfast!
8. Buzz! Junior: RoboJam (2007)
Buzz! Junior: Robo Jam might not be as action packed as S.L.A.I, but it is definitely one of the best PS2 Robot games on the console!
If you’re a fan of games like Mario Party that you can play with your family members of any age, then Buzz Robo is going to be right up your street.
Using PS2 Buzz controllers, gamers play through minigames in space, all controlled by coloured robots.
Ok, it’s simple and doesn’t take much brain power, but neither does WarioWare, and we can’t get enough of that either.
This is one of those fun games like Quiplash that you can whip out on a birthday party or family gathering. It provides competitive but comedic action from the start, and it’ll definitely put a smile on your face!
9. S.L.A.I.: Steel Lancer Arena International (2005)
S.L.A.I.: Steel Lancer Arena International might not share any of the same title whatsoever as Phantom Crash for the Xbox, but it’s actually a sequel for said game, just on the PS2.
If I told you that the premise of the game was all about cyber punks competing in athletic competitions with battling robots, would it make you want to grab a copy?
Of course it would; unlike the mechs, you’re only human!
The only real thing you need to know about this game is that it’s a fighting game with robots. Imagine Pacific Rim but a situation where the robots are fighting each other and not massive Kaijus, and you’ll get an idea what this game is like.
It’s cook being able to move to a cockpit view rather than a third-person view when fighting from time to time too, putting you in the point of view of the pilot sitting inside the machine.
Upgrade your robot by winning fights and become faster and more powerful as the game goes on!
10. Transformers (2004)
I love the Transformers franchise; always have and always will. Sure, the films are a little loud and chaotic, but that’s what being an Autobot is all about.
Fight the Decepticons and search for 40 mini Transformers that basically serve as cool MegaZord-style add ons to make you even more powerful!
The only thing that I don’t like about this game is how insanely difficult it is. It’s definitely one of the hardest games on the console, but that does at least mean that you’ll have a lot of replay value from it as you improve.
There’s lots for the 101% completion club to sink their robotic teeth into too, though you may have to take out insurance on your controller as there is a strong chance that, like the remnants of your Decepticon foes, it will lay in a mound of chips and wires by the end of the game.
