4738 Patribots in 2023. Beautiful robot, amazing driving, and incredibly reliable. The few times it failed were memorable simply because it was so consistent on the field. Also, their robot (Jerome the Robo Giraffe) was so personable and fun to watch. It really did look like a giraffe running across the field and reaching its neck out. Plus, breakdancing to get back up after falling over in any direction was cool too. 4738 won Imagery in their division at champs (which just so happened to be our division too) because of how well their entire theme was molded around the giraffe idea. Jerome my beloved
The 6329/2056/1591 archetype was the smartest way to play the game and I’m quite jealous of the brains to come up with that layout.
However I have to hand it to 1922 for finding the simplest competitive concept and executing on it to a T. They were an alliance captain or first round pick at every event they attended, including their district championship division. They continue to find the
2023:
The 6329 machine was both incredibly designed and extremely well executed. They were running cycles while we were posting blog posts of our robot struggling to pick up game pieces, and they topped it off with a sick Einstein run.
Honorable mention to 695 for finding one of the simplest ways to build a top tier robot and executing on it extraordinarily well.
2022:
6328 started off their 3-years-on-Einstein streak with the simplest robot that could do everything in Rapid React. Maybe the Last Great Tank Robot - their intake made me jealous, their climber made me mad (they did it so simply!!!), their autonomous modes were absurd, and their shooter could make every shot.
Honorable mentions to 4481 (for similar reasons to 6328), 2910, and of course, the only actual correct answer for 2022, 4907 - who not only made a jumping robot, but it was also incredibly good at all the other aspects of the game with a very simple intake and shooter!
2020/21:
694 built a simple tall robot that did everything right (including being able to spin the color wheel?!?!) when everyone else was overcomplicating their short robots. They went undefeated at the regional they attended, and went to the finals at both the offseasons they attended.
973 is extremely similar (and definitely the better robot- they won like every big California offseason! - but I know people on 694 and had to compete against it, so I’ll put 694 on top).
I was also a big fan of the body plans for 1690 and 88, which found the smartest way to marry the tall release point with the short robot (not to mention 1690 probably had the best robot in the world those years - courtesy of their absurd 3 point percentage)
I’ll do my best not to echo the already posted teams, as the majority of them are excellent picks for someone’s favourite robot each year.
2024:
610 had an amazing robot design, and after they switched intake plates to UHMW during the McMaster event their robot became much more consistent. I thoroughly enjoy watching their reveals each year.
1285 boasted a dual sideways intake and I love it so much. Took home gold at Durham with 1241 their sister team. PDH mounting is so clean.
4476 beat me 3 times in eliminations at 3 different events, and I love them for it. They’re nice, respectful, terrifying, and made einstein as an 8th alliance.
4946 had two configurations of their robot that allowed for their elims runs to focus on points and their qualification matches on RP. This “robot” was the bane of every LRI.
5912 was a cranberry alarm with copper paint. No need to invent your own design, they focused on the execution of an established robot archetype. Simple, robust, effective. I enjoyed working with them at STEMley.
7558’s turret was really good when it worked, and still effective when it didn’t. Their einstein run was overshadowed by partners 2056, but I enjoy their robots each year as they go with simple ideas executed in complex ways.
8789 had some of the best defense out of ONT this year. Their ghost was fun and efficient at blocking shots, and they never gave up despite losing their lead mentor, Mark Janes, over the summer. Their run at STEMley brought tears to my eyes as they did a cheer in the pits before each match, and thanked him posthumously during the event.
9785 had a very effective WCP robot this year. Considering the team size, they won ONTDCMP with 2056 and have had a successful offseason with 7558, their partner team.
9991 “baguette” was fun in build and in driving, ending 3rd at an offseason in Lasalle ON.
2023:
254 built a really solid set of elevators this season. I studied their technical binder like it was an SAT.
1305 built a really neat looking robot with imagery and functionality in mind. I enjoyed watching them score cones with the rotator roller claw.
2056’s simple double jointed arm was fun to watch and super stable on the balancing beam.
2200 had a rotating roller claw capable of righting cones and then scoring them. They set the world high score in Quals 6 of Newmarket and I caught it on tape. Loved seeing this robot win ONTDCMP.
5409’s robot and media team in 2023 was incredible. I loved how their strategy evolved through the matches and they added a single stage elevator to their arm to do ground intake.
6081’s minibot Tadpole was a crowd favourite, but it’s not very competitive. I just think it’s neat.
7211 had a nearly fully pneumatic scoring mechanism, and it was beautiful. Super nice people, loved working with them in matches at Rainbow Rumble.
8884 just put every mechanism they could think of on a robot, and it worked! Sideways elevator, telescoping arm, swerve, and rotating gripper claw made for a fun robot to watch.
9062 (yes I am biased) because longest swerve in the world with dual sideways intakes and a cube cannon was very much not the meta, but the students wanted to do something fun and fun it was. 2 cube balanced auto by worlds with a rookie code team was insane.
9098 the absolute GOATs for cube scoring. They came out swinging and haven’t stopped. Every single team at worlds knew them and asked my team if we were them. Honoured to be compared to them.
2022:
610 had a plunger-inspired shooter this year and it used threaded rods to aim. Not sure who came up with that but it was cool to watch.
1325 built a really cool 180 turret on long swerve with a traversal elevator.
2609 had this really interesting climber that we studied as a possible trap method for 2024. I thought this was the most creative ONT climb system.
3161 had a consistent climber and shooter and this is where they started to really come up in the standings in ON.
4678 had a pool noodle intake roller which was highly effective and simple. Their climber was my favourite in Ontario.
4907 obligatory jumping robot post. I was RI at their first event and we had no clue what we were looking at. Now that I know, I understand this team is sick of explaining the mechanism to literally everyone they meet.
5406’s bicycle climber was fun to watch, only beat in ONT by 4678’s single axle version.
6135 had the most effective shooter in ONT per dollar spent on their robot. Practicing in the snow, their team made it to worlds as the lowest ranked team to do so, and put up a ton of points. Super janky build, but enjoyable to watch.
8765 built a kitbot with a 2ft tall pole, upon which was only the RSL. It looked like one of those kid’s first shopping carts at the dollar store. I loved it.
2021:
4414 made a small, fast and accurate shooter using mostly custom parts.
2020:
1114 had a simple, efficient shooter and a really lightweight intake.
2056 had the best robot in the world. Shoot on the fly, capable of all game objectives. Shame we never saw it.
2609 used the everybot to become #1 in ONT. This feels like I’m joking but I’m not, they were one of the only teams to get to play both their district events and were super reliable.
6135 made a really consistent climber. Alliance captains without scoring a single ball iirc.
6336 had the best design for this game in my opinion, their intake doubled as their shooter and was capable of half court shots over the wheel of fortune. They had this giant pneumatic cylinder climb straight out of Mad Max. They were alliance captains in 2020, their last on-field season.
5024 made a good robot, I wish I could have seen more of it.
