FIRST® POWER UP, the 2018 FIRST® Robotics Competition game, includes two alliances of video game characters and their human operators who are trapped in an arcade game. Both alliances are working to defeat the boss in order to escape!

Each match begins with a 15-second Autonomous period in which Robots operate only on preprogrammed instructions. During this period, Robots work to support the three efforts listed above as well as earn points for crossing their Auto Line.

During the remaining 2 minutes and 15 seconds of the match, the Teleoperated period, student drivers control Robots. Teams on an Alliance work together to continue to control their Switch and the Scale. They can also trade in their Power Cubes for Power Ups. During the final 30 seconds, teams work together to Climb to Face the Boss.