Play Gyromite Online

Gyromite came out in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by Nintendo R&D1. It was one of those early NES titles that felt more like an experiment than a traditional game, especially since it was bundled with the Robotic Operating Buddy accessory. The game exists in that strange, transitional period for home consoles, where developers were still figuring out what a video game could be.

You control Professor Hector, a scientist who must navigate a series of single-screen caves. Your goal is to collect all the dynamite sticks in each stage while avoiding or squashing the bird-like Smicks. The core mechanic involves pressing buttons on the second controller, which in theory commands the R.O.B. unit to raise and lower colored pillars in the game world to crush enemies or create safe paths. In practice, most people just used a second standard controller. The pacing is methodical, almost puzzle-like, as you time your movements between the rising and falling obstacles. It feels like a slow, slightly clunky test of patience more than reflexes.