Palooka AI 2026

In the year 2202, you fly in a space freighter to the recently discovered dwarf planet Gong, which is orbited by a ring of space junk. You have been warned that a gigantic tornado is sweeping across the surface of the dwarf planet, whirling dust, sand, and junk into space. Is this the result of an ecological collapse that may have led to the end of civilization on Gong?

You have received orders from the Interplanetary Upcycling Corporation (I·U·C) to collect the junk, assemble robots from it, and use them to explore the dwarf planet. To do this, you first search for usable parts with speed and finesse in the vastness of space—which is not as “vast” as you will soon discover. You then upcycle your robot from these parts, climb level by level, and finally assemble the control unit: the AI controller. This gives your clumsy robot, which you affectionately call Palooka, “analog intelligence.” The first one of you to reach the top gets to let the slightly dented but good-natured robot “stomp around” with joy on gong. For research purposes only – that's logical!

—description from the designer