Cat-in-a-mech adventure Gato Roboto arrives on Crunchyroll Game Vault

The 2019 Indie That Just Surfaced on Mobile

Crunchyroll is best known for anime streaming, and its Game Vault service tends to fly under the radar. The latest title added to that library is Gato Roboto, a Metroidvania originally released in 2019, built around a simple but memorable premise: you play as a cat piloting a mech suit.

Captain Gary Crashes, Kiki Must Save the Day

The story kicks off when Captain Gary, Kiki's owner, crash-lands on an alien planet during what should have been a routine patrol. Gary is trapped in the wreckage and the rest of the crew is unconscious, leaving the rescue mission to Kiki — a cat. As the game itself wryly implies, that's not a reassuring plan for anyone who has lived with a cat.

One Hit Kills: The Risk of Stepping Out of the Armor

The core gameplay loop revolves around swapping between Kiki and her armoured mech. Inside the suit, Kiki is sturdy: she wields a blaster, carries micro-missiles for breaking through rock, and can perform a double jump.

Outside the suit, everything changes. Kiki can squeeze through pipes, swim, and climb walls to reach places the mech can't — but a single hit finishes her off. Much of the game's tension comes from deciding whether leaving the safety of the armour is worth the risk.

Sectors, Upgrades, and a Submarine

The map is divided into distinct sectors, including a high-tech lab, an underwater aqueduct, and a heater core. Collecting upgrades such as the dash opens up backtracking routes to previously unreachable areas. Beyond the standard traversal, you can also pilot a submarine at one point, take control of turrets, and hunt down health expansions if you enjoy thorough exploration.

Spoiler alert: among the bosses is a talking mouse in its own mech suit — a matchup that feels distinctly personal for a feline protagonist.

What You Need to Play

Gato Roboto is out now on iOS and Android through Crunchyroll Game Vault. Access requires a Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan membership, so it's bundled into the subscription rather than sold as a standalone purchase. Players looking for similar experiences can find curated lists of the best Metroidvanias on Android.

Where Things Stand

Gato Roboto's mobile arrival puts a well-regarded 2019 Metroidvania in front of Crunchyroll's subscriber base at no extra cost beyond membership, continuing the platform's quiet expansion of Game Vault beyond pure anime tie-ins.