Play Robo Army Online

I was playing Robo Army on MAME 0.243 the other day, a 1991 beat 'em up from SNK. It's a very typical arcade game for its time, the kind of thing you'd find wedged between Final Fight and Streets of Rage cabinets. You don't get a deep story, just a simple premise: giant robots are trashing the city, and it's your job to stop them.

You control one of two large, slow-moving mechs, either a red or blue model, and you march from left to right through urban and industrial stages. Your main objective is to clear each screen of all enemy robots and cyborgs before you can proceed. The signature mechanics are your powerful, screen-shaking punch that can destroy most basic enemies in one hit and the ability to pick up wrecked cars or other debris to throw at groups. The pacing is deliberate because your robot is so heavy, and the difficulty ramps up quickly as you're surrounded by foes that can stunlock you. It feels like you are a powerful but vulnerable piece of machinery slowly carving a path through relentless opposition.