Rocket Knight Adventures (MD, 1993)
Graphics-9 Sound-8 Control-8.5 Challenge-7.5
Level Design-9 Frustration-7 Fun-9 Originality-7
Overall Score-9
+
Fast and intense
Great variety (effectively mixes shoot em up and platformer gameplay, giant robot boxing/fight)
Humorous tone
The jetpack (air dash attacks in 6 (?) directions)
Some innovative gameplay (airship bosses, giant robot fight)
Difficulty options (US version unlocks hard/very hard modes from the beginning)
Great bosses overall (sometimes with multiple forms)
Risk reward system on some bosses (melee attacks do more damage than ranged attacks)
Good art direction, Very good use of colour overall
+/-
Like in Mario you can walk over small gaps between platforms (they can be wider here)
Very linear (no hub map/world or notable branching paths)
-
Some trial & error (post death attack by king pig, some bosses)
Slowdown (very noticeable during boss fights - seems to actually be built into some attacks)
Can't control the length of your rocket boost and you lose control over your jump after the boost ends
Somewhat uneven difficulty (first two autoscrolling sections and the underwater crab boss are too easy, not helped much by increasing the difficulty)
Level Design-9 Frustration-7 Fun-9 Originality-7
Overall Score-9
+
Fast and intense
Great variety (effectively mixes shoot em up and platformer gameplay, giant robot boxing/fight)
Humorous tone
The jetpack (air dash attacks in 6 (?) directions)
Some innovative gameplay (airship bosses, giant robot fight)
Difficulty options (US version unlocks hard/very hard modes from the beginning)
Great bosses overall (sometimes with multiple forms)
Risk reward system on some bosses (melee attacks do more damage than ranged attacks)
Good art direction, Very good use of colour overall
+/-
Like in Mario you can walk over small gaps between platforms (they can be wider here)
Very linear (no hub map/world or notable branching paths)
-
Some trial & error (post death attack by king pig, some bosses)
Slowdown (very noticeable during boss fights - seems to actually be built into some attacks)
Can't control the length of your rocket boost and you lose control over your jump after the boost ends
Somewhat uneven difficulty (first two autoscrolling sections and the underwater crab boss are too easy, not helped much by increasing the difficulty)