Review: Rocket Knight

Rocket Knight was one of those games back in the 90’s that was trying to capitalize on a very big trend at the time: mascot-driven platformers. What easily set it apart from the bunch was the jet pack. With the jet pack mechanic players had to rethink the way they went about a 2D side-scrolling platformer. Fifteen years since the first Rocket Knight game we now have a brand new title that doesn’t stray too far away from the original formula. With updated visuals, stellar level design and interesting boss battles, Rocket Knight is one of the better downloadable titles but the hefty price tag might leave you wanting more.

The story behind the new Rocket Knight picks up 15 years after the first game. You play as Sparkster, a jet pack wearing possum that is forced to come out of retirement to fight off an invasion of evil pigs and wolf pirates. In order to save the kingdom of Zephyrus, Sparkster dusts off the old armor and jet pack to once again fight for his people. But the story isn’t the big draw to the game, it’s all about the jet pack mechanic.

Throughout the game you will rely on various jet pack tricks. You can use it to burst sword-first into a line of enemies, shoot fireballs from the magic sword, use the jet pack to complete spin attacks and use it to ricochet off the walls. Sparkster can’t really jump so while most side-scrolling platforms will require you to jump your way through the levels, in Rocket Knight you have to use the jet pack to get from one platform to another. Oftentimes you will also need to bounce off the walls to reach areas that are above the initial burst range. This mechanic is what made the original title so unique and it’s exactly what sets the remake apart as well. The jet pack has a limited about of power so you have to occasionally stop to let it recharge, which takes just but a few seconds.

The combat itself is simple but probably different from what you’re used to. You will be using the jet pack tricks to slash through the enemies and if you are out of juice you can use the simple sword attack. You do have to be a little smart about which move to use and when, because oftentimes if you use the burst attack to kill an enemy you’re vulnerable right after the attack. There are various enemies that you will encounter. Some will rush you others will throw dynamite or shoot you with lasers. You’ll encounter pretty much the same enemy types throughout the whole game but it’s where they are positioned in levels that might catch you off guard or put up a challenge.

There are fourteen levels in the game, three of which are flight levels and there are also four bosses in the game. The level design is very good. There are certain levels that will have you jumping from rail to rail above the ground as you hang only by your tail. There are levels that require precise timing and levels that will require you to use your jet fuel wisely. Each level is set in a different environment from forest levels to a snow level to an industrial setting. The environments all look great and each provides some challenging platforming puzzles.

In the early stages the platforming is pretty standard, just jet pack from one level to the next and occasionally you’ll have to wall jump. As the game progresses though the puzzles become more and more difficult and tricky. The last level will have you hit switches that will release timed platforms or will have you jumping around on moving platforms. The snow level on the other hand was my personal favorite as it required you to go through the level with very limited fuel. Any time Sparkster was in an area not illuminated by a torch, his rocket wouldn’t recharge. So make sure you make every jump count; this will really test your platforming skills!

Sadly the snow level was short lived and when I finished the game I couldn’t help but wonder why Climax Studios didn’t want to add more levels like the snow level. The same can be said about the flight levels. In the flight levels you’ll be flying through the air shooting at enemies similar to R-type. The levels serve as a nice break from the platforming but there are only a few of them. I think they could have made an entire game just filled with flight levels alone and then I’d be playing it nonstop. I think these issues I had with the game kind of speaks to the issue with the game as a whole.

The price for the downloadable title is set at $15 (1200 MSP). The updated visuals definitely presents the game well and makes it look really nice, and there also isn’t too much of a next generation feel to the game. For instance, there are gems to collect in the game but they serve only to boost your score and the score multiplier and nothing more. There really isn’t an incentive to collect the gems other than for leaderboard status or an achievement or two. I would have loved to have been able to get extra lives from them or even something like unlocking the original title, or also in-game content like new characters. Yes the game was also built for speed runs but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be an incentive to collect the gems for those treasure hunting-type players.

Rocket Knight is short, you can play it how you want to of course and if you aim to collect everything in each level it might take you three to four hours, but I was able to beat the game in an hour. As you unlock different difficulties it might take you longer but it’s still possible to complete in an hour. I personally don’t suggest playing through the game on harder difficulties unless you’re finding normal to be too easy. Even on normal there are certain levels where it just seems to get super difficult for no reason at all. On hard they flood the screen with enemies and oftentimes they’re positioned in such a way that you can’t avoid getting hit by them. I always expect some varying degree of difficulties in platformers but too often in Rocket Knight I felt it was due to a poor design decision rather than tricky puzzles.

I enjoyed Rocket Knight even if on occasion it frustrated me. There are many instances where you will feel like you’re playing a classic 2D side-scrolling platformer and some will find a lot of enjoyment in that. For me though, if I’m going to spend $15 on a downloadable title it has to be more than just that. I loved the boss fights, the snow and flight levels but there just isn’t enough content there to justify the price. If you love Sparkster and have huge nostalgic ties to the original title than you will be more than pleased with the remake. If you don’t and you are simply looking for a good platformer then there are more options for you out there that are not only cheaper but also provide more content. Unfortunately for Climax Studios, Rocket Knight is just one of those downloadable games that falls victim to its price point and it’s unfortunate because if it were cheaper I would find it hard to not recommend this title more strongly.

Rocket Knight
Playstation 3 (Reviewed), Xbox 360, PC
	Publisher: Konami Developer: Climax Studios Genre: Platformer Release Date: May 18th, 2010 MSRP: $14.99 ESRB Rating: E

Doin’ It RIGHT: - Good visuals and character design. - Loved the snow and flight level. - Very unique platforming.	Doin’ It RONG: - Can get frustrating in certain areas. - Very short game. - Price is too high.
FINAL SCORE: 7 / 10