Introducing the 2026 - 2027 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Game, Level Up!
All available documentation is listed below. Expect the rest to be uploaded in the next few weeks, after we’ve all had some time to settle down and recover from two weeks at VEX Worlds.
Best of luck this season!
Thank you so much! I was having trouble finding the game manual.
This is better than override
game seems so fun, love the level 4 goal too
Super excited about this game! My team’s builder is already talking ideas (some pretty out there and cool!) She is READY to start building (minus the fact she has to dismantle last year’s bot, because extra brains and motors aren’t just lying around.)
First impressions…
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES
Teams are going to have a great chance for Innovate awards this year. The “best” design is not obvious from the game. Reminds me a lot of the season-long progression we got in V5 High Stakes (still my favorite game as a coach).
COOL BOT OPPORTUNITIES
I’m excited to see “cornhole” bots, stair climbers, tower climbers, launchers. A meta will likely emerge, but this season shouldn’t have the 180 bot design “solved” before most teams even have a tournament.
TEAMWORK BUILDS
Much better opportunities for teamwork mechs. Mix and Match was mostly pre-game discussion of who would do what, and then stay out of each other’s way. The opposite field colored pyramid and midfield zig-zag will likely encourage bot designs that directly help the alliance partner score.
MATCH SCORING
Yay for straightforward scoring! Mix and Match was a fun game (and a great game for first-year students), but DUDE was that scoring tricky to do without the calculator.
MATCH LOADS
It appears they got a good balance of match loads and field elements. Mix and Match was a bit too dependent upon match loads. This year, they look to be important, but if a team member can’t make a tournament, a two-player team should be able to still put up good numbers.
ROBOT SKILLS
Yay, (mostly) the same field setup between matches and skills! Last season, my team chose to focus on skills scores, but that meant their match play didn’t get as much practice. (This, I think, was a side effect of not having enough colored pins on the field in match play).
APRILTAGS
The video didn’t mention it, but the top box on the pyramid has AprilTags. My team’s coder asked last season about getting the AI Sensor. Last year, it would have been a waste. This year? If he’s trying to position the bot accurately to score on level 3 with his autonomous, it might be worth the add.
SEASON PROGRESSION
I’m hoping it takes a while for teams to solve scoring both level 3 and 4 in a match. I loved High Stakes, and how climbs weren’t big until Worlds. I’m hoping to see that this season. (Last season, both V5 and IQ were “solved” by November. I don’t anticipate that being the case with either game this year.)
LAST THOUGHT
Please PLEASE someone build a cornhole bot.
You must be joking
oh ok
This game seems really fun!
Unfortunately, my team is ridiculously poor and can’t get the AI sensor…
Honestly I probably would prefer the V5 game to be closer to Level Up.
Not sure how I like the bean bags but I admit they haven’t been used in Vex for several seasons.
From the game manual, they left out the whole sections for General Definitions and Game Definitions, like they totally rushed and skimped this game manual. These are very important in teaching students the rules, but also the ability to clarify and advocate by the students. Can we get this added in the next update @bkahl ?
I think general definitions have moved to Appendix C
unfortunately, I agree just because of the 55 watt limit
@jpearman Augh, I see that now, thanks. I was going by the listing of definitions in previous versions in the front of the manual for the game and general as defined terms for students to understand. I get putting it in an appendix, takes some fluff out and puts it elsewhere, but it was nice having game definitions in the front for students to easily read before moving on to rest of the manual. Having Possession and Plowed defined for them to read before getting to SG6 for example would allow them to under this rule better. Could just be my view though, so all good. If Glossary of Terms carries the same weight as definitions, then that’ll do. Thanks!
Does anyone know where the robot has to start?
@VEX_GDC_IQ - This is a fail point. Nobody reads the Appendix. In fact you promote moving “redundant information” to the back of team notebooks for judging. This is so the judges don’t need to read the Appendix either.
Let’s pull it back up to the front so roboteers / mentors / etc have to make at least one pass through them. I have enough problems with teams just watching the video, putting key info into an appendix makes me want to cry. 
you cant twist my words like that.
Seriously. I’m not joking
OK OK i understand 
Well this game will be interesting for sure. Just didn’t like the possesion limit.
What’s against the rules
I have two main questions really and they’re really important and I need to know this.
So first off, what if we make my robot compact during inspection but extended during the round since in this game you need to have at least a long robot so you’re able to reach high platforms like level four what does go against the rules?
Second off what if you were to like a carrying case for the beanbags that you were able to put behind you so technically you’re only grabbing one at a time and you’re just holding the rest would that still be considered legal?
