Back in the SNES era, there was a game I just couldn’t have enough of. The name of the game was Sparkster (sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures for the Genesis), named after the protagonist, an opossum in blue armor, equipped with a sword that fires energy shots and a jetpack. With creative pratforming action that forced you to use the rocket pack in creative ways, Sparkster was a game I loved and, since then, I’ve been waiting for a sequel. Roughly 16 years later, that sequel has finally arrived.

 

Released for Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network and Steam, Rocket Knight HD is a brand new game in the series, featuring all we loved back then with new graphics and new challenges.

 

Once again in control of Sparkster, you must fight for the kingdom you swore to protect and clean your name, after the evil general takes control of the kingdom. The story is simple and told without dialogues, but honestly, it’s completely unnecessary, as, much like in Mario games, the fun lies in the game itself, not the story.

 

 

The only big change between Rocket Knight HD and its predecessors are the way the rocket gauge is filled. Before, you’d hold the attack button for about one second, and when you released it, the rocket strapped to your back would activate, and you’d be sent flying. Now, the gauge fills by itself and using the rocket is mapped to a button. Using it will only spend a portion of the gauge, which also depletes when you use ranged attacks (weaker than the melee counterparts) and a new “quick hover” action, basically a way to extend your jumps longer.

 

The soundtrack is good, but nothing remarkable. The only great track would be the one from the very first level, a remastered version of the first track of the previous games, which would make any fan cry in nostalgia. As for the graphics, the art team decided to go with 2.5D cel shaded visuals, rather than sprites in good old 2D. I have to admit that much of the charm the older games had was lost with the transition, especially when considering that the concept art for the character looks so good.

 

 

In the end, Rocket Knight is a game not only for the fans of the series that have been waiting for a sequel, but for any gamer dying for a good platformer, a genre with less and less games to represent it.