It involves two alliances of three teams each, with each team controlling a robot and performing specific tasks on a field to score points. The game has a retro 8-bit theme and teams are required to place milk crates, or "power cubes", on large balancing scales to tip the scale and gain ownership. Alliances can also trade power cubes for power ups, giving them a temporary advantage in a match. At the end of the match, robots can climb the tower attached to the centre balancing scale using a rung attached to the tower, giving them additional points.

Event Description: Free and open to the public! Forty of the best and brightest high school robotics teams will be competing in this two-day event. Come out and cheer on your favorite team or learn more about bringing FIRST Robotics programs to your community.

FIRST Robotics Competition is recognized as the premier high school engineering challenge. Teams of students, working closely with teachers and volunteer mentors, have six weeks to conceptualize, design, build, program, modify and test a robot to participate in a competition that changes each year. Every January FIRST unveils the challenge or “game” at an annual kick-off event that is simulcast to locations around the world.