Gyromite

About

Gyromite is a co-op platformer where two players take control of bumbling professors dodging hazards in side-scroller levels. One player guides Professor Hector, whose sleepwalking often gets him trapped. The other handles their robot companion, R.O.B., who must trigger switches and clear obstacles to help. The game splits the screen between the two characters, adding chaos as they navigate crumbling platforms, dodge explosive dynamite, and avoid Smicks, tiny creatures that pounce on careless scientists. The game relies on the R.O.B. peripheral, which physically responds to in-game actions by moving mechanical arms. This hardware gimmick made Gyromite a novelty in 1985, though it’s best remembered for its goofy charm and local co-op play. While critics panned its simplistic design, fans of retro Nintendo experiments and split-screen silliness might still enjoy the 2-player antics. Released alongside the original R.O.B.-exclusive Stack-Up, it remains a curious artifact of 80s gaming hardware creativity.

Storyline

Professor Hector and his assistant, Professor Vector, navigate side-scrolling platform levels with the help of their creation, R.O.B. Their lives are threatened by dynamite and hungry little bird-like creatures called Smicks, and Professor Hector's sleep-walking tendencies get him in trouble as well.