Pocky & Rocky Reshrined

Fans of classic games have a lot to celebrate this week. We’ve had the release of Sonic Origins, Capcom Fighting Collection and now Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. It might be lesser-known, but this retro shooter very much deserves your love.

83%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

graphics, grinding

88% User Score Based on 152 reviews

Critic Score 77%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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About

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is a single player and multiplayer arcade shooter game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by NatsumeAtari and was released on February 24, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Pocky & Rocky Reshrined" is a cute and classic shooting game, serving as a sequel to the SNES title "Pocky & Rocky." The game retains its 16-bit style while enhancing graphics, sound, and gameplay. It features a story mode with an extra easy difficulty, free mode with character selection, and multiplayer options, providing an enjoyable experience for both new and returning players.

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 152 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Gorgeous pixel art and animation that enhances the nostalgic feel of the original game.
Challenging gameplay that rewards skill and perseverance, making victories feel satisfying.
A competent reimagining of a classic with new levels, characters, and mechanics that keep the experience fresh.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks value for the price.
Co-op mode must be unlocked, which can be frustrating for those wanting to play with friends right away.
Some players find the difficulty to be excessively punishing, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
73%
9%
The story of "Pocky & Rocky Reshrined" features a time-traveling antagonist, Black Mantle, and revolves around Pocky's quest to gain divine abilities to defeat him. While the backstory is considered enjoyable, many reviewers find the narrative to be thin and reliant on obscure references, with the main story mode being completed in about two hours, including lengthy cutscenes. Additional stages and a more developed plot would have enhanced the overall experience, as the current pacing feels overly ambitious and chaotic.
- “If you are into a crazily tough arcade game with a nice backstory.”
- “That's the twist in the story: by obtaining the blessings of the gods, Pocky is able to use abilities that she didn't have in order to turn the tables on the antagonist, Black Mantle.”
- “Upon getting through story mode, you unlock free mode and, upon unlocking the 3 secret characters in story mode, access to other play styles by which to try to approach the game.”
- “I cleared the story mode in 2 hours, and probably half an hour of that run time was slideshow cutscenes.”
- “A few more stages would have been very welcome, not only for the enjoyment but also for helping pad out the rather overly ambitious and chaotically-paced story.”
- “I say this because Pocky & Rocky Reshrined will likely be a pretty frustrating story mode because the crux of the story is that the main villain travels back in time to defeat Pocky.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
73%
9%
The gameplay of "Pocky & Rocky Reshrined" is praised for its tight controls, challenging mechanics, and beautiful pixel art that enhances the classic shmup experience. Players appreciate the balance of nostalgia and modern updates, with new mechanics and characters that maintain the game's difficulty while offering diverse playstyles. Overall, it is regarded as a standout title in its genre, appealing particularly to fans of the original arcade games.
- “Gorgeous pixel art, perfect challenge level, and just enough new mechanics to keep it fresh.”
- “Solid controls, tight gameplay, and has a deceivingly high skill requirement (at least for 1cc's).”
- “It's the classic Pocky & Rocky/Kiki Kaikai shmup gameplay married to some downright gorgeous pixel art.”
- “Reshrined is an HD remake that plays exactly like the classic game down to the incredibly hard and ruthlessly punishing gameplay.”
- “Although keep in mind the game design and mechanics are intentionally hard and brutal - it's not a design flaw that you can't easily shoot the way you want to - they made it like that intentionally for character design and each character has its uniqueness for you to 1cc.”
- “Tbh, they fit in the story but some change the gameplay too much in my opinion that it basically becomes easy mode.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and nostalgic arrangements, particularly the theme from stage 1, which enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the seamless integration of music with gameplay elements, noting that it complements the character selection and adds depth to the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The music (especially the theme from stage 1), the power-ups, the character selection, free play mode, very easy mode (even with this I was losing, and again, I'm a complete noob at this game), the graphics (the movements were really smooth!), and the fun backstory.”
- “I love the music, and each character really makes you play the game in a different way.”
- “Faithful sequel to the SNES titles with absolutely gorgeous sprite work and music.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics are praised for their beautiful and subtly updated visuals, maintaining the original charm while enhancing the experience with smoother movements and vibrant colors infused with Japanese elements and yokai. The overall art style complements the gameplay, making it visually appealing without a complete overhaul.
- “The graphics are beautifully designed, with smooth movements that enhance the overall experience.”
- “The art style is vibrant and colorful, incorporating Japanese elements and yokai, making it visually captivating.”
- “The graphics have been subtly updated, providing an enhanced experience while maintaining the essence of the original game.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “While the gameplay is enjoyable, the graphics are underwhelming and don't do justice to the concept.”
- “The art style is inconsistent, making it hard to appreciate the visuals fully.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game offers solid replayability through the introduction of new characters and leaderboards, despite its short playtime of around two hours. Players appreciate the effort and creativity invested in the game, which enhances the overall experience and encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Great game, it's short (only about 2 hours) but the amount of effort and soul put into it makes it worth it, and it's very replayable.”
- “New characters and leaderboards give the game some replay value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game, which revolves around farming for scores, to be the least engaging part of the experience. This repetitive scoring mechanism detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The scoring concept is based on farming for score and, in my opinion, is probably the least interesting aspect of the game.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features intentional character development through unique mechanics that challenge players to master each character's distinct abilities, emphasizing a brutal and skill-based gameplay experience. This design choice enhances the individuality of each character, making their mastery a rewarding endeavor despite the game's inherent difficulty.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, resonating deeply with players through its storytelling and character development. While some may focus on superficial elements, the core experience is enriched by moments of genuine connection and emotional depth. Overall, the game successfully engages players on an emotional level, making it a memorable experience.

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77%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is a arcade shooter game with fantasy theme.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined was released on February 24, 2023.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined was developed by NatsumeAtari.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors, Streets of Rage 4, Contra: Operation Galuga, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, Jamestown and others.

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined

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