The story mode does a good job at slowly introducing them.
The full cast rounds up at 5 different characters.
One of the biggest changes is that there are more playable characters this time around. Although there are callbacks to the original stages, the way the plot continues and the way stages are presented delivers a unique way of re-experiencing the game! Rather than being a definitive version, it becomes an entirely new entry in the series.Īnd you can definitely tell that they had fun re-imagining the game! With each passing stage the encounters and bosses become even more extraordinary, with the final battle being one of the best encounters I’ve experienced in a while! Pocky & Rocky & …. At this point, it diverges wildly from the original game. Or at least that’s the idea until you reach level 3. It might look the same but it’s not, it’s better. The best way I can put it is that it’s the game you remember through rose-tinted glasses.
You will recognize the stages and the enemies, but they’re not quite the same. Just like Wild Guns Reloaded, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined builds upon what the base game offered, but with a modern additions. To answer that question we just need to look back at Tengo Project’s previous work. There’s one question which needs to be answered before continuing this review, and that’s whether Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is a remake or a remaster. Pocky & Rocky is incredible to look at and it would be amazing if this game was just a remaster, but it is much more than that! Re….shrined? Like knowing that the silly tortoise is actually a kappa.Įven better when you realize just how beautiful the pixel art is for this game! While already being par for the course, Tengo Project’s way of upgrading old SNES graphics is as wonderful as with previous games. Most of this thematic flew over my head when I was a little kid, but now that I’m an adult with knowledge about these ancient creatures and demons I can appreciate the flavor of the game even more. The entire game draws heavy inspiration from Japanese folklore in both environments and enemies.
In Pocky & Rocky you play as Pocky, a shrine maiden on a quest to stop Black Mantle. You will also find items to increase your power, secret chests with 1-ups and even seemingly pointless characters that transform into a sage which will let you play an item roulette. Unlike other shmups where the screen scrolls by itself, Pocky & Rocky gives you the opportunity to move at your own pace.Įvery stage has its own particular obstacles that need to be overcome, but not everything is a threat. Pocky & Rocky Reshrined is a top down multi-directional shooter where you have total control over your movement. Now it’s 2022 and I have a different seat, but let’s see if the glue still holds. Between the gameplay, the crazy boss designs and the raccoon Rocky, I was glued to my seat from start to finish. I’ll admit that I didn’t play much of the original Pocky & Rocky, but I definitely put a lot of hours into the sequel Pocky & Rocky 2! There was something about the game that charmed me from a young age. Now it’s time to add another SNES classic: Pocky & Rocky. To this day, Wild Guns Reloaded remains a game that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone willing to listen.
Not only have they brought back some of my favorite SNES games to modern consoles, but also they’ve done so in a way that is respectful to their legacy and improved for modern audiences. There are 2 things which are guaranteed to skyrocket my excitement: SNES game remasters and Tengo Project.