Mattel's throwback box (item DHW37), the one our link goes toPhoto: Mattel
What's in the box, put together: the ring, two robots and two controllersPhoto: Mattel
Red Rocker and Blue BomberPhoto: Mattel
Each player works one controllerPhoto: Mattel
A knockout: the head pops up (Mattel's photo for its standard box; the robots are the same)Photo: Mattel
Video

Two-player game

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Two boxing robots, two players: knock his block off to win

2players · best with 2
5–15 minplaying time
6+recommended age
Learning curve
Very easy1 / 5
EasyDemanding
Luck & skill
More luck than skill
LuckSkill
Interaction
High
Set-up
Under a minute
Reading
None

The quick verdict

Full verdict ↓

Great for Two children who like fast, hands-on games

Think twice if You need a game for more than two players at once

How we rate it

Learning curve. Press buttons, move, knock the head off. It sits with UNO and Connect 4 at 1 on our scale.

Luck & skill. Mostly fast fingers, with a fair bit of chance in where the punches land. There is little to plan.

Interaction. Two players fight head to head at the same time; every punch is aimed at your opponent.

Set-up. After the first assembly, just set the robots' heads down and play. Putting it together the first time, with the poles, rope and labels, takes longer and needs an adult.

Reading. No text during play; only the assembly sheet has words.

Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.

Is Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots right for you?

Great if

  • Two children who like fast, hands-on games
  • A parent or grandparent playing a child: anyone can hit the buttons
  • Settling an argument between siblings in a few loud rounds
  • A gift with a nostalgic box for someone who remembers the original

Skip it if

  • You need a game for more than two players at once
  • You want a game with strategy for adults; it is mostly button-bashing
  • A quiet game is a must: the clatter and the popping heads are loud

How Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots plays

Set-up: the first time, the game needs putting together, as Mattel's sheet shows. Slide the two controllers into the slots on the side of the ring, fit the robot platforms, snap the robot holders into the controllers, set the robots in their grooves, push the four ring poles into the corners and add the rope, then stick on the labels. An adult should help with this.

  • Time to teach: about 1 minute.
  • Reading and language: Nothing to read while you play: press the buttons to punch and steer your robot. Only the assembly sheet and the sticker sheet have words, so it works for any language and for children who can't read yet.
A knockout: the head pops up (Mattel's photo for its standard box; the robots are the same) · Photo: Mattel

How to play Rock'em Sock'em Robots · Triple S Games

Choose a video · Watch right here

If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.

A turn, step by step

  1. 1
    Punch

    Both players press their left and right buttons to throw punches at the same time.

  2. 2
    Move

    Push the control pad to move your robot around the ring and find an opening.

  3. 3
    Knockout

    A good hit to the jaw pops the other robot's head up and wins the round; press it down to go again.

Read the official rules (PDF)Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots instructions (Mattel item DHW37) · English
The full explanation: how a game of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots goes

Each player takes one controller. The left button throws a left punch and the right button a right punch. Push the control pad side to side or back and forth to move your robot around the ring. There are no turns: both players punch at the same time.

Aim for the other robot's head. A good punch to the jaw makes its head pop up, which ends the round. That player has had their block knocked off, and the other player wins the round. Press the head back down to start the next round.

Mattel's sheet gives no match length, so agree one before you start: best of three or best of five rounds keeps it fair. Some players remember one robot seeming quicker than the other, so swap robots between matches.

What's in the box

What's in the box, put together: the ring, two robots and two controllers · Photo: Mattel
  • 2Plastic robots
    Red Rocker and Blue Bomber
  • 2Robot platforms
  • 1Ring
  • 1Pole and rope assembly
    four corner poles with the ring rope
  • 2Controllers
    one button for each fist, and a pad to move your robot
  • 1Label sheet

From Mattel's DHW37 instruction sheet. Mattel's older sheet for the standard box lists the same parts with an instruction sheet instead of a label sheet, and gives the robots as 16.5 cm tall and the ring as 25 x 25 cm; those sizes were not confirmed for DHW37.

Where to buy

Check price on Amazon.in
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.

About the editions

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots isn't made in India: Indian store listings for this box give Vietnam as the country of origin and name Mattel Toys (India) as the importer. Our Amazon.in link goes to Mattel's 'throwback' edition (item DHW37), with the original Red Rocker and Blue Bomber in a retro-style box. The robots and ring play the same as in Mattel's standard box; the difference is the packaging.

Before you choose

  • Look for the Mattel Games logo and the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots name; this throwback box has retro artwork and the line 'Knock his block off!'
  • The robots are Red Rocker and Blue Bomber, in a yellow ring with corner poles and rope
  • Mattel's item number for this box is DHW37; Mattel and an Indian store list barcode 887961219661
  • Check for the ISI mark; toys sold in India must carry it
  • Boxing-robot toys from other brands use their own names; a listing that doesn't name Mattel is not this game

What reviewers and players say

We found no recent written reviews of Mattel's throwback box, so this rests on the toy's long history and on community memories. Wikipedia describes the original 1964 Marx toy as a hit that sold hundreds of thousands of copies and became a small piece of popular culture, and Mattel's current box plays the same way. In a MetaFilter discussion, people remembered it fondly from childhood, though one commenter said one robot always seemed to have a hair trigger, so whoever got it usually lost, and another found a themed version dull until their child made up voices for the robots. In short: a few rounds of fun, especially for children and nostalgic parents, but not a game with depth.

What people love

  • The head-popping knockout is the moment people remember from childhood
  • No reading, no turns and no batteries: children can start straight away
  • Parents and grandparents often know it from their own childhood
  • Rounds are short, so a group can take turns playing the winner

Common complaints

  • Little strategy; adults may tire of it quickly
  • The two robots can feel unevenly matched, so swap sides between matches
  • Needs assembling and stickers before the first game
Based on 4 reviews and discussions

Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.

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Questions people ask about Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Does Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots need batteries?

No. Mattel says no batteries are required. The robots punch when you press the buttons on your controller, so it runs on hand power alone.

How do you win Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots?

Punch the other robot on the jaw until its head pops up; that wins the round. Mattel's rules don't set a number of rounds, so agree on best of three or five before you start.

What age is Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots for?

Mattel rates it for ages 6 and up, for two players. An adult should help put it together the first time and put the labels on.

Is Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots made in India?

No. Indian store listings for this box give Vietnam as the country of origin, and Mattel Toys (India) imports it. It is Mattel's official game.

What is the difference between the retro box and the normal one?

The box our link goes to (Mattel item DHW37) is the 'throwback' edition, with the original Red Rocker and Blue Bomber in retro-style packaging. Mattel's standard box (item CCX97) has modern packaging. Both are the same two-player game.

Game facts

Designed by
Marvin Glass and Associates
Publisher
Mattel (Mattel Games); first made by Louis Marx and Company in 1964
In India
Mattel Toys (India) Pvt Ltd, Mumbai (named as importer on an Indian store listing)
First published
1964
Players
2
Barcode
887961219661
Language
No reading – Nothing to read while you play: press the buttons to punch and steer your robot. Only the assembly sheet and the sticker sheet have words, so it works for any language and for children who can't read yet.
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.

Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.