Play Mobile Police Patlabor Online

Mobile Police Patlabor (Game Boy) is one of those games that makes you wonder how they fit so much mecha goodness into a tiny cartridge. You’re basically a cop, but instead of a boring patrol car, you get a hulking Labor unit—think giant robot with police decals—to bust criminals and rogue mechs in grimy city streets.

At first glance, it looks like a simple tactical game, but there’s a surprising amount of depth. You tweak your Labor’s weapons before missions (shotgun or stun baton? Decisions, decisions), then jump into real-time skirmishes where positioning matters way more than you’d expect. The pixel art nails that retro mecha aesthetic, and the cyberpunk atmosphere is weirdly immersive for a Game Boy title.

If you’ve played Advance Wars and wished it had more giant robots and less grid-based formality, this is your jam. Just don’t let the chunky sprites fool you—it’s tougher than it looks.