I’ve never heard of it The Adventures of the Rocket Knight until I started adding to my Genesis collection. This was back in the 2000s when it was a really affordable solution. It quickly became (and remains) my favorite console game.
I didn’t understand why it wasn’t talked about more, but that was when I thought quality had to do with popularity. Oh, how naive. Now that I’m older, I realize that it’s just marketing and sometimes people shout, which is a form of marketing.
Now I’m going to shout at you Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection. I’ll tell you about the overall quality of the collection, but it doesn’t matter. You should play The Adventures of the Rocket Knightand this is your chance.
Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection (computer, Switch, PS4, PS5)
Developer: Konami, Limited Run Games
Publisher: Konami
Released: June 11, 2024
Suggested retail price: $29.99
The Rocket Knight The series centers around an anthropomorphic possum named Sparkster who works to protect his kingdom and usually its princess from invasion. Each time he faces his opponent, Axel Gear, who seems motivated to be a dick. This is probably his only ambition. Each time he cooperates with the enemy and defends Sparkster. Perhaps there is a hint of this in the Genesis version Sparkster that he just wants to prove himself in the fight against the main character, but collaborating with the invader seems to be a bit too far.
I’ve already gone off track. Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collectioncontains Rocket Knight Adventures, Sparkster and Sparkster. Were Sparkster Is Sparkster: The Adventures of Rocket Knight 2 for Genesis/Mega Drive, and the latter is Sparkster on SNES.
Apart from that, There was a spark again the collection includes a music player and an art viewer with production documents. There is also a boss fight mode suitable for these games. Truly the most striking part of the package are the fully animated cartoons interpreting the gameplay. Other than that, they’re uncomplicated ports from home consoles with a few bells and whistles.
Original from games The Adventures of the Rocket Knight is something special. If I haven’t sold out enough, this is one of the best 16-bit platformers out there. Konami royalty is behind all three games, but well, let’s get to what weakens the other two.
WITH The Adventures of the Rocket Knighthowever, it is simply an enjoyable production. While the mechanics are uncomplicated, they can be extended in any direction. Each level presents something up-to-date and different and is rarely just platforming. One moment you’ll be flying across the surface of a lake, the next you’ll be judging your jumps by the reflection of the rippling water.
In a particularly fantastic level, the Sparkster attacks an enemy aircraft. He fires out of the cannon and hits straight into the side of the ship like Doomguy Eternal Doom. You cover a low distance through the interior before reaching the summit, where you battle intense winds. You move to the front of the airship, then fall onto the rails below it. Then you go back inside and move forward to finish off the boss.
It doesn’t go away. There are just a few issues. First of all, it’s really challenging to judge what kind of damage you’re doing. You can run into enemies, hit them with your sword, or simply hit them with a projectile that fires as you swing your weapon. You can also spin in place, which sometimes happens when you hit an enemy at the right angle. But it’s challenging to say what actually causes more damage.
Likewise, it’s rather annoying that touching an enemy does significantly more damage to Sparkster than being hit by a projectile. If the only way to avoid a projectile is to get close to the enemy, sometimes it’s worth taking the hit rather than risk grazing and taking twice the damage.
Finally, the sequel is restricted and to actually play the entire game you must play on “normal” difficulty. It wouldn’t be that bad, but the default difficulty is basic, so you’ll have to check it out. Moreover, “normal” in North America corresponds to “very tough” in Japan. It’s not impossible, but it is deceitful.
With two Sparkster sequels, it looks like Konami’s marketing department or management got involved and gave a mandate ‘more like Sonic the Hedgehog” This is rather obvious because Sparkster is in The Adventures of the Rocket Knight looks like a rat in a garbage can while being in Sparkster games, he’s all in the mood. Stringy limbs, pointed ears, spiky hair; works.
The artwork you can see in the collection really proves this. Sketches of Sparkster in The Adventures of the Rocket Knight it showed him taking a nap or snacking on apples. There are early design documents for Sparkster this changed its design, but not in such an aggressive way Sound kind of way. I preferred him to look more solemn than composed.
I would love to hear about how these changes came about, but even so Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection gave interviews (which he doesn’t), I doubt they actually included conversations about corporate meddling.
Sega Genesis version Sparkster he goes on to imitate Sonic. The levels are more open and require more exploration. One of the side goals is to collect the seven swords scattered throughout the levels, which empowers Sparkster and turns him into gold. To be fair, Sound I just picked it up Dragon ballbut this is more obvious when an anthropomorphic rat with spiky hair does it.
Speaking of which, Genesis Sparkster has a frosty opening that involves fighting Axel Gear in a robot suit. It’s so basic to lose that you might think it’s a scripted defeat to start the competition, but you actually have to win it to get your first sword. Pro tip.
As for the SNES Sparkster, is mostly okay. You fight wolves and if you hit them, they will be knocked out of their armor and show off their chiseled silhouette.
It is based on the same “improved” design as the Genesis Sparkster, but the levels are more linear and there are no swords to collect. It’s an above-average platformer with some variety and ambition, but nowhere near as much as the original.
That’s such a problem with these two Sparks. They are competent, but have only a fraction of the soul of the first game. The visual design changes just shed a lot of lightweight on it.
When it comes to restricted games” He fired back collection, I once again have to wonder why I can’t rebind the controls. I understand that on console most people just utilize the basic controller setup, but is it really that challenging to allow the option to change it? I suspect not, as the original versions of the games allow you to change bindings, which for some reason were removed from the versions in this release. I get so frustrated that I just want to play on a Genesis-like controller.
Other than that, they’re just emulated versions of the game. I feel like the main goal of these collections is to make games available on a newfangled platform. Any changes you make rarely have an impact. For example, updating graphics Gargoyles it didn’t suddenly make it a better game. Scroll and save states are appreciated, and I find the included production graphics very captivating.
There’s nothing stunning here. I would have loved to have seen staff interviews or design documents that went beyond the concept art, but I don’t think that was mentioned. The only thing that really elevates Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection except for, say, the recent one Feliks Kot the collection is mainly animated openings and boss fight modes. The entire collection is quite pricey for three emulated games. For comparison, this is $10 more than e.g Castlevania Anniversary Collection.
On the other hand, if there’s anything to be learned from this review, that’s it The Adventures of the Rocket Knight it’s an underrated classic and you should definitely play it. Two Sparkster the games are more Sparkster, but more disposable and with a sense of cynicism. Whether you wait for a sale is your decision. Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection everything’s fine, just play The Adventures of the Rocket Knight Already.
