The goal of Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots is for a player to keep pounding his opponent's robot until he "knocks his block off." — Photo courtesy of Tim Walsh
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots
Debut: 1965
Inventors: Burt Meyer, Harry Disko, Judd Reed
Companies: Marx, Mattel
Object of the game: Two players using controllers at the base of the platform compete to force the spring-loaded head of the opponent's robot to pop up.
History: Marvin Glass & Associates wanted to invent a game with two boxers, but they abandoned the idea when boxer Davey Moore died fighting for the world title in Los Angeles on March 21, 1963. The designers also had trouble figuring out the engineering that would allow the boxers to fall over. Ultimately the company decided to change the boxers into robots with heads that pop up.
Updated versions: A new version of the game in 1977 featured cosmic robots, which was likely inspired by the popularity of sci-fi movies. In the mid-1990s, the robots' colors were slightly altered, and in 2000 Mattel remade the game in a smaller version. Today, there's an action figure line, bobblehead dolls, computer games and an app.
Trivia: The robots' names are Red Rocker and Blue Bomber.
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