One of my favorite management techniques, back during the dotcom boom and bust, was to have engineers on my team solve their differences with Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots!
A quick check shows Rock ’em Sock ’ems aren’t gone, but I haven’t seen a set in years. Mine are in a box in my basement, marked for the last start-up wherein I attempted decision-making by robot duel.
The controls? Kinda awful. Opponents sliding forward/back and side-to-side tends to keep the boxing ring bouncing about. Those buttons also take a lot of force, and over time one robot or another’s head latch would get loose, giving the opposing color a sure win. Repairs were possible, but over time both robots would become incredibly sensitive. Sometimes, as the weary boxers aged, heads would break free and launch themselves into orbit!
I miss knocking your block off.
Current Era Mattel Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots via Amazon