Yahoo News Here’s why the new Robot Wars will be awesome
It’s back – ‘Robot Wars’ is returning to BBC Two.
It’s been over a decade since ‘Robot Wars’ gave us our last glimpse of twisted metal as contestants faced off against the house robots. But now, the legendary game show is heading back to BBC Two… and it looks as though it’s had a bit of an upgrade.
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The explosive new series features new contestants, a new arena… even the house robots have a few new tricks up their sleeves. So get ready for some robotic carnage, as we reveal exactly why the new ‘Robot Wars’ will be the best one yet.
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Upgraded House Robots
They’re back – some of the biggest, baddest house robots have returned. But don’t expect them to be the same old bots. After all, they’ve had a bit of an upgrade… and now they’re even meaner than ever.
According to the BBC, the house robots have been “evolved and upgraded to modern-day standards to be even more impressive and even more menacing.”
But none are quite as formidable as Sir Killalot
At a staggering 741kg, Sir Killalot is the heaviest of the house robots… a drastic increase from his previous weight of 520kg. And he looks like a complete beast. His weapons have been upgraded, too – he now wields a rotating drill lance and hydraulic claws with a crush force of 2.5 tonnes.
Enough to keep the contestants in a real pinch.
He can also lift up to 300kg – the equivalent of 3 competitors…
Of course, the house flipper bot Matilda might have a bit of an edge.
It’s no secret that flipper bots have always done particularly well… and Matilda is armed with those impressive pneumatic tusks. Capable of lifting 1.5 tonnes, those front flippers are a force to be reckoned with.
And she’s looking more menacing than ever.
Sporting some upgraded armour and sinister red LED eyes, Matilda weighs in at 350kg.
But you really don’t want to be the one to tell her she’s looking a bit bigger.
Dead Metal is back… and ready to rip the contestants to shreds.
One of the more classic-looking ‘Robot Wars’ bots, Dead Metal uses those colossal pincers to trap his enemies… and follows up with his impressive circular saw, which now spins at a speed of 340kph. It’s enough to rip some of the contestants in half.
Of course, he’s also received a less-obvious upgrade in the form of those chunky tires. Not the most exciting of additions, but it’s bound to keep Dead Metal a lot more stable… and it will make it much harder for the contestants to escape his pneumatic grip.
Finally, there’s Shunt – part robot, part bulldozer.
This industrial monster weighs in at 327kg and packs a mean punch. He’s fully-equipped with enough power to tow a van… and that means one hell of a force smashing into Shunt’s enemies on the ‘Robot Wars’ battlefield. Able to lift up to 350kg, it’s a real powerhouse.
And then there’s his axe…
That’s right, Shunt wields an impressive titanium axe, fired at a speed of 0.25 seconds.
But can any of the contestants stand up to the house bots? They might be bigger, badder and meaner than ever before, but we’ve heard reports that they won’t be completely unscathed by the end of the series…
A New, Bulletproof Arena
Don’t get too excited – this doesn’t mean ‘Robot Wars’ is allowing live ammunition.
The return of ‘Robot Wars’ sees the show moving to a hangar just outside Glasgow… where they’ve constructed a purpose-built, bulletproof arena that’s perfect for robotic combat. The arena itself is reportedly a lot sleeker than the industrial-looking sets of the old series, and it’s been completely surrounded with bulletproof glass.
And apparently, it’s not just for show.
“We were watching one time and these spinner things were going at over 200mph and we saw it bang [the triple bulletproof glass] in front of us,” said presenter, Dara O’Briain. “A twisted shard of metal was flung at our windows.”
Some Impressive Contestants
Although the new ‘Robot Wars’ hasn’t even aired yet, we’ve already got a glimpse at some of the show’s contestants… including video footage of their robots in action.
Legendary ‘Robot Wars’ contestants Team Storm are back with Storm 2.
Their impressive robot has been a huge part of the original ‘Robot Wars’ series, and hammered to victory multiple times in more recent years. But while it may prove to be a fan favourite (and real contender to win the series) there are plenty of other robots to look out for with even bigger weaponry…
“One robot I would advise keeping an eye out for is Gabriel,” said Wow 24/7. “If only because, in a world of nippy little motorized flippers, the big shiny galoot with a five-foot Perspex axe is a sight to behold.”
Expect plenty of rams, thuds, shunts and grinds as ‘Robot Wars’ returns. But will any of the new contestants manage to knock the house robots down a peg or two?
New Presenter – Dara O’Briain
Comedian and boffin Dara O’Briain will be heading up the new series of ‘Robot Wars’, joined by co-presenter, Angela Scanlon… and I can’t think of anyone more suited to the job.
“For too long, the schedules have cried out for a show in which dedicated amateurs, toiling day and night, handcraft sophisticated automatons built on the delicate interplay of hand-wired servo motors with custom-built circuit boards and fingertip motion control, just to see them get smashed to pieces by a dustbin carrying a massive hammer,” he said. “It’s war - and how I love it so.”
Will he be as good as former ‘Robot Wars’ presenter, Craig Charles?
It looks as though Dara O’Briain will be approaching things a little differently.
“Well, the Craig Charles thing, that was 12 years ago,” he told the Daily Mirror. “He did a big acting job. You know how Richard O'Brien did the Crystal Maze. It was all swooping of fans and the big leather jacket… I did it in a much more sports-event kind of way. There was more investment in the teams.”
It may not be the same old show, but it looks as though ‘Robot Wars’ is going to bring robotic combat back into the 21st century. There’s certainly plenty to look forward to on the new series.
And remember:
If a tiger gets angry, he’ll show his claws, but we’ll show you flamethrowers, on Robot Wars!
‘Robot Wars’ heads to BBC Two later this year.
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Picture Credit: BBC
Are you looking forward to the new series of ‘Robot Wars’? Which is your favourite house robot? Leave your comments below… and follow Ryan Leston on Twitter, Facebook or my official Tumblr blog for more on the latest TV shows.
