Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection
- June 11, 2024
- Limited Run Games, Inc.
Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked features platforming greats that are absolute must-plays, but the overall package is bare bones. It’s great to see Sparkster and his jetpack make a return, but this awesome opossum deserves so much more.
Get on Steam"Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection" is a 3-game set featuring the acclaimed opossum knight, Sparkster. Players will battle robots and pigs to save the princess across the original game and its two sequels. Additional features include a museum, music player, boss rush mode, save anywhere function, and rewind feature for a smooth gaming experience.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The collection features well-executed ports of classic games with minimal input lag and proper aspect ratio options, making them enjoyable on modern displays.
- Rocket Knight Adventures is highlighted as one of the best 2D platformers from the 90s, with great graphics, music, and challenging gameplay that appeals to both nostalgic players and newcomers.
- The inclusion of both Japanese and American ROMs allows players to experience the games without the 'rental difficulty' issues, and the museum content adds a nice touch for fans.
- The price point is considered steep for just three games, especially when compared to other collections that offer more content for a similar price.
- Emulation quality is inconsistent, with reports of audio issues, limited resolution options, and a lack of features like button remapping, which detracts from the overall experience.
- The Boss Rush mode and other new features feel poorly implemented and lack quality control, leading to frustration for players who expected more from the collection.
- music13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the Rocket Knight series is widely praised for its catchy and memorable 16-bit soundtracks, with standout tracks like "Kingdom of Zephyrus" and "Ancient Ruins" receiving particular acclaim. However, players have reported issues with the in-game music being broken or glitchy, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these technical flaws, the inclusion of a music player and concept art museum adds value for fans of the series.
“The music is slamming, the sprites are detailed, the boss battles are epic, the game has a humorous style, and it is challenging enough for multiple play-throughs.”
“I like the way you can listen to the in-game music on the main menu because I remember some of these tunes being incredibly catchy, specifically 'Kingdom of Zephyrus' from the first stage of Rocket Knight Adventures and 'Ancient Ruins' from the first stage of the Mega Drive/Genesis version of Sparkster.”
“The soundtrack is incredible, especially level 5 in 'Adventures'.”
“Okayish port with a nice rewind system, some sound bugs like glitchy music.”
“The in-game music is wrong; you can hear it fine in the sound test, but inside the game, it is broken, and considering its soundtrack is the best part, it made me ask for a refund.”
“The 'new' features like the museum, a music player, a save/load and rewind feature, and a boss rush mode don't justify the price tag.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their amazing 16-bit quality, showcasing the charm of Konami's hidden gems, while the emulation is mostly faithful with only minor graphical issues. Additionally, the inclusion of raw PNGs of manual scans and artwork adds a unique touch, allowing players to explore historical content like Japanese ads and flyers.
“A trio of some of the best hidden gems in Konami's library: fun gameplay, amazing 16-bit graphics, banging soundtracks, and fun characters.”
“It's very faithfully emulated with tiny graphical issues, but otherwise it's spot on.”
“Also, the manual scans/artwork/museum content are raw PNGs you can access freely as well, which is genuinely cool, as it has stuff like Japanese ads/flyers.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highlighted by engaging boss rush modes and features enjoyable mechanics, complemented by impressive 16-bit graphics and a captivating soundtrack. Players appreciate the fun characters and the nostalgic charm of Konami's hidden gems.
“The art style is undeniably nice, but the actual gameplay attraction on offer here is the boss rush modes.”
“A trio of some of the best hidden gems in Konami's library: fun gameplay, amazing 16-bit graphics, banging soundtracks, and fun characters.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of this release has been criticized for its sub-par performance, with users experiencing erratic frame skipping reminiscent of playing on an emulator. Despite the nostalgia of playing 30-year-old games, many feel that unofficial software offers a better experience, leading to frustration over the $30 price tag. Limited Run Games' Mvg acknowledged these issues and reportedly managed to resolve them on PC and Steam Deck.
“I opened with 'people have been playing these games on emulator for 20 years' partly because that's literally what you're doing when playing this release, only it's an emulator with sub-standard performance in which frame skip will occur erratically without any apparent reason, and you paid $30 like a mug to play 30-year-old games that perform better on unofficial software.”
“Mvg of Limited Run Games himself addressed the issue and was able to fix all performance issues on PC/Steam Deck.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a humorous style that complements its engaging gameplay, with detailed sprites and epic boss battles adding to the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor and challenge, making it enjoyable for multiple play-throughs.
“The game has a humorous style that keeps you laughing throughout.”
“The humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making every moment enjoyable.”
“The witty dialogue and funny character interactions add a delightful charm to the experience.”
Critic Reviews
Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Review
Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked features platforming greats that are absolute must-plays, but the overall package is bare bones. It’s great to see Sparkster and his jetpack make a return, but this awesome opossum deserves so much more.
70%Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked (Switch eShop) Review
I'm sure some of you will dig this retro compilation.
70%Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Review
Rocket Knight Adventures is a series comprising two fine games and one stellar, timeless piece of work. While the sequels are above average for '90s platform gaming, it’s the series debut that really informs this review’s score. Rocket Knight Adventures is a title that sits comfortably alongside Gunstar Heroes in the pantheon of exceptional games overlooked in their heyday. It does everything an arcade action adventure needs to, and more, outdoing a vast number of actual arcade games in the process. Its constantly evolving stages, incredible variety of scenarios, and driving cinematic soundtrack make it one of the best of its kind. If that’s not the very definition of underrated, we don’t know what is.
90%
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