Rocket Knight Adventures
When talking about the best platformers of the 16-bit era, you probably hear the same names over and over again:, and more. But Rocket Knight should stand with them.This series of 2D side-scrollers was Konami’s attempt at getting into the whole mascot gaming franchise thing Sonic started in the early ’90s. But Rocket Knight is far from a knockoff. These games featured a mechanic that set them apart — a jetpack. The series’ hero, Sparkster, uses his wearable thruster to dash through the sky.
You could use it for attacks and for maneuverability. It even has a kind of pinball effect; hitting walls while zooming along with your jetpack bounces you off them. Ricocheting through hazards — and hitting enemies along the way — is an important part of the franchise. The first game, Rocket Knight Adventures, came out in 1993. It debuted that exhilarating jet pack. But rockets aside, Rocket Knight Adventures is superb. The characters are charming, colorful, and full of expression and the levels are clever.Adventures had two sequels.
Rocket Knight Adventures is an energetic action/adventure game that rockets you into a feudal outer space fantasy world. If you think the story line is all over the map, wait until you meet the fast-flying Sparkster (part Jedi Knight, part Rocketeer). The side-view, multi-scrolling hack-n-slash game blasts across seven stages.
Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2 for the Sega Genesis and Sparkster (yes, just Sparkster) for the Super Nintendo. The names are almost identical, and they both came out in 1994. But these are two different games. Both are similar to the original, although the Genesis Sparkster has the rocket park charge automatically. In the original, you have to hold a button to rev the device up a bit before you can use it. The SNES Sparkster retains that, but having it charge automatically gives the Genesis game a faster pace.But all three are worth your time.
If you love those 16-bit era platformers as much as I do and haven’t played the Rocket Knight games, you need to.Of course, getting the games can be tricky. You’ll either still need to have your Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo handy and buy the original cartridges (Sparkster for the Genesis is the most expensive; you’ll probably pay at least $60 for it), or you’ll have to depend on ROMs. Sadly, Konami these days, so they aren’t doing anything in the way of retro compilations.
And Sparkster did not appear as a game on the SNES Classic Edition.But there is one Rocket Knight game you can buy easily! In 2010, Konami made a new entry in the series as a digital release for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. It’s still on Steam, and the Xbox 360 version is backward-compatible on the Xbox One. Image Credit: KonamiIt’s not as good as the originals. The 2010 Rocket Knight is too easy and short when compared with Sparkster’s 16-bit outings. But it’s still a fun game with plenty of rocket pack action.For the best Rocket Knight experience, you need to play the 16-bit classics.The RetroBeat is a weekly column that looks at gaming’s past, diving into classics, new retro titles, or looking at how old favorites — and their design techniques — inspire today’s market and experiences. If you have any retro-themed projects or scoops you’d like to send my way, please.
This game is great! I bought it primarly because I was already in love with Sparkster (the sequel) and I was very pleased to notice that it is even superior to it.Bosses are easier than in the sequel but you have to manage much trickier levels, notably because the rocketpack must be charged everytime you use it. Also you really have to use your tail to get through levels wich isn't really that important in the second tome. It is a side scrolling platformer, but there are shooter features wich make it very dynamic.I highly recommend this gem. Rocket Knight Adventures is a classic side-scrolling platformer in every way. Rival turf rom. There are tricky jumps to be made, highly strategic boss battles to be fought, and more than a few tricks and traps to memorize.This is the definition of old-school, but with enough vision to carve out a niche, and avoid seeming generic.You play as Sparkster, on a quest to save, you guessed it, a princess.
The catch is that Sparkster is an opossum, so he can hang from ledges with his prehensile tale, and he is a rocket knight.This means he has a jet pack that he can charge up to launch himself at enemies or over obstacles, and this is your primary method of attack.This adventure is not for the easily frustrate however. Expect a great deal of challenge here, which is typical of the genre and time period.The music is the embodiment of the word 'Genesis'.
No one could hear it and mistake it for anything else. There is a good variety here, with bombastic rock tracks and chirpy tunes that evoke a romp through the magical forest.The graphics are excellent for the hardware, with large sprites and expressive characters, not to mention some often humorous animations.The story is paper thin, and clearly self-aware. It's almost like a parody that takes itself seriously, if that makes any sense.Rocket Knight Adventures is classic side-scrolling action. It's visceral, it's memorable, it's challenging, and most of all, it's just good.Buy it for you kids, buy it for yourself, buy it as a gift, but buy this game.