BOSTON and JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Robonica (http://www.robonica.com), a South African/U.S. start-up focused on developing new forms of robotic entertainment, today announces its eagerly anticipated launch of Roboni-i. Fusing elements of robotics, R/C vehicles and interactive gaming, this revolutionary product will create a brand new entertainment category dubbed "Robotic Gaming" by delivering meaningful and structured gameplay - whether alone, with friends or online. Roboni-i is now available online at Robonica.com, ToysRUs.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and also at retail in Hammacher Schlemmer, Edmund Scientific and other specialty shops for the suggested retail price of $249.99.

"Robotic gaming is the future of the home entertainment industry," said Robonica Inc. President/Director Tom Dusenberry, the founder and former CEO of Hasbro Interactive, who is in charge of the strategic direction for Robonica as well as the company's Global Marketing Operations. "Using state of the art technology, Roboni-i delivers instant mass appeal that will elevate robotic entertainment to a new dimension. This product is the evolutionary 'next step' for entertainment robotics."

A smart, fully programmable and highly agile two-wheeled robot, Roboni-i is the first entertainment robot to offer unlimited play patterns. The state-of-the-art robot features 16 sensors and four processors, RF (ZigBee) remote control and peer-to-peer protocol allowing for competitive gameplay with real-world robots. It also comes packaged with game accessories and six action games enabling players to lay out a playing field and use the gaming controller to select a game as they enter a new dimension of interactive, real-world robotic gameplay. Whether alone or with friends, they will need to beat the odds, race against time, manage resources, neutralize threats, execute special effects and collect bonus points to improve score.

The Roboni-i's online universe, slated to launch its beta version in November, will be out of this world. By plugging Roboni-i into the PC, players will enter a virtual world where they can earn a virtual currency, participate in virtual missions, play online games and interact with friends who are online at the same time. Its Advanced PC-based Command Center Software will allow users to program every facet of the robot's behavior, download games and upload performance data.

About Robonica

Robonica is a privately-held company with a research and development facility in Centurion, South Africa, and marketing and commercial headquarters in Boston, MA. The company is comprised of a top notch multidisciplinary team of entertainment industry gurus, professional game designers, electronic and mechanical engineers, computer scientists and animators. This dedicated team is realizing a dream of a vibrant community of robotic game players - players who share a social experience around a new form of electronic entertainment based on the fusion of advanced robotics and structured gameplay. For additional information, please visit www.robonica.com.

SOURCE Robonica