Rocket Knight a blast from the past
Platform: Xbox Arcade
Genre: Platformer, Side Scrolling, Action
I’ll have to say that when I heard Konami was bringing back Rocket Knight on Xbox, I was a bit skeptical if it could stay true to its Sega Genesis original. To my amazement the game is a solid performer. If you’re looking for a blast from the past or just a solid side-scrolling action game, this game is worth having in your library.
The concept is still mostly the same as the original. Konami has beefed up the graphics. Loose 3-D cartoon rendering adds to the game's inherent strengths. If you’re not familiar with the game, this is the deal: you control Sparkster, a possum with knight armor and a jet pack. Yeah, sounds crazy, but with the ability to blast yourself in any direction, slash enemies and hurl energy from your sword, it’s a definite hook.
Boards consist of two types: Ground levels where you’ll jump and jet your way through obstacles peppered with enemies. On the second set, Sparkster takes to the sky where you’ll maneuver him through a melee of bullets and other forest animals hell bent on knocking you out of the sky with their heavy weaponry.
At a steep price of $19.99 or 1,200 Microsoft points you’ll want to make sure you’re a Rocket Knight fan before committing. But rest assured that if you loved the old Rocket Knight, this remake will definitely bring back fond memories of quirky pixilated action.
