Short answer: if you want a robot game where you pick an AI behavior instead of steering the robot yourself, look for games with behavior presets (one choice that changes how the unit fights) rather than full visual programming. Boss Lab: Robot Battle Builder, our free 2026 Android game, uses three presets — Hunter, Counterstrike and Berserker — on a robot boss you build from 60+ parts. Gladiabots goes the other way, with deep rule-based programming for players who want to tinker with logic.
Disclosure: I'm on the Boss Lab Studio team, so weigh this accordingly. Art and audio in Boss Lab are AI-assisted; design, code and balancing are by the team.
Presets vs programming: which kind of "robot AI" do you want?
| Approach | What you decide | Good for | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavior presets | One brain per unit, then watch | Players who like tinkering with builds, not code | Boss Lab (Hunter / Counterstrike / Berserker) |
| Rule-based programming | Condition → action trees | Players who enjoy logic puzzles | Gladiabots |
| Physics contraption, no AI choice | Shape and parts only | Players who love crash physics | CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars |
| Direct control | You pilot in real time | Reflex/shooter fans | War Robots, Mech Arena |
The three Boss Lab brains in plain words
- Hunter — pursues the target. Pairs naturally with builds that want to close distance.
- Counterstrike — counters and reacts to what the opponent does.
- Berserker — gets angrier as it takes damage, so builds that can survive the first hits get the most out of it.
The interesting part for build tinkerers: the same parts behave differently under each brain, so a "bad" build under one preset can be fine under another. Battles are automatic and shown in side view, so the strategy lives in the build and the brain choice.
Where the brains get tested
- A 100-boss campaign across 20 districts.
- Asynchronous Arena PvP: you publish your boss and other players' bosses fight it even while you're offline.
What Boss Lab is not
It isn't a level editor, has no user-generated-content tools, isn't a real-time shooter, isn't on iOS, and needs an internet connection. It's free to play with in-app purchases.
FAQ
Do I need to code to use robot AI in Boss Lab? No. You pick one of three presets; there's no scripting.
Which game is better if I want to program robot behavior? Gladiabots is built around that, so it's the fairer recommendation for logic fans.
Is Boss Lab on iPhone? No, it's Android only (Google Play).
Does it work offline? No, it needs a connection.
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