Collectible of the Week: Verbot (Tomy Corp; 1984)

I recently featured “Dingbot” -- a Tomy Robot from the year 1984 -- as my collectible of the week here on the blog.  Today, I want to highlight one of his (two) counterparts, namely Verbot: “The programmable robot!” 

Verbot was also manufactured by Tomy Corp. in 1984, and he “performs eight functions by remote control.  Your VOICE is his command.”

The instructions on this robot’s box note that a child can: “program Verbot to respond to your own secret commands through his remote control microphone.  He will move forward and back, turn left or right, pick up and deliver objects, blink and smile, all at the sound of your voice.”

A further tally of Verbot’s abilities includes:

“8 command memory. Program each command with your own secret code word.”

“Dazzling personality. He’ll blink and smile at your request.”

“Forward and reverse! Direct his movement.”

“Turn right and turn left.  Verbot goes in any direction.

“Pick up and deliver objects!  Train Verbot to be your mechanical messenger.”

“Wireless remote control unit! Control him from a distance!”

While Tomy suggested “The future is here – Home entertainment robots!,” I’m not certain how much these robots actually caught on with kids or the public, but I still enjoy the (admittedly) antiquated design of the Verbot.  He’s half R2-D2, half Robby, I suppose you might say.  The only one of these Tomy toys I don’t currently have in my collection is the gigantic mega-bot, Omnibot…