On January 6, 2018, the new FRC game was announced, beginning the intense six-week build season. As FIRST explains in their game manual, in FIRST Power Up, teams are trapped in an 8bit video game! Each three-team alliance prepares to defeat the boss in three ways:
- Control the Switches and the Scale. Robots collect yellow Power Cubes and place them on Plates to control Switches or the Scale. When the Scale or their Switch is tipped in their favor, it is considered owned by that Alliance. Alliances work to have Ownership for as much time as possible.
- Earn Power Ups. Robots deliver Power Cubes to their humans who then place them into the Vault earning the Alliance Power Ups. Alliances use Power Ups to gain a temporary advantage during the Match. There are three Power Ups available to teams: Force, Boost, and Levitate.
- Force gives the alliance ownership of the Switch, Scale, or both for a limited period of time
- Boost doubles the rate points are earned for a limited period of time
- Levitate gives a robot a free climb
- Climb the Scale. Robots Climb the Scale in order to be ready to Face The Boss.
To learn more, check out the FRC 2018 Game webpage and watch the FIRST Power Up game animation: