Surprisingly the game is pretty difficult. It helped the game stand out among other western releases even if it looks a bit childish. The Nopino goblins are a varied bunch and pull heavily from Japanese folklore. Every level is distinct and features a new set of enemies. The game isn’t particularly stunning but what I appreciate is its variety. This game isn’t afraid to go dark when it needs to however. Both titles share a similar theme and a bright color palette. The Ghosts n Goblins inspired map might seem familiar but the overall art direction has more in common with Legend of the Mystical Ninja. Looks can be deceiving and in this case that adage is definitely true. These fights are almost never simple and require the kinds of twitch reflexes usually reserved for more haircare titles. Each level is long and filled with frequent boss encounters. The magic stick makes up for the lack of a fixed fire option as it swings in an arc and catches most attacks. Enemies come in Gradius style formations and from all corners. Every so often you’ll come across a title like Mercs where the action is almost non-stop. Top down action games tend to be slower and more methodical. Part of what I love the most about the game is its pacing and setting. More importantly holding down the button will perform a charge attack Pocky does a spinning attack while Rocky turns into an invincible stone statue! Aside from swatting attacks your other means of defense is a slide which covers a decent range. You can even use it while tossing out cards which is really cool. There are many enemies that attack rapidly and this is your only protection. Melee attacks can block and swat away nearly every projectile and are vitally important. There aren’t many other power-ups aside from a shield, screen clearing bombs and the rare Mad Dog item. It’s like the difference between the spread gun and laser in Contra although here both are effective. This attack can go down two paths’ orange orbs imbue it with powerful fire while black awards a spread shot. There are two separate buttons for attacking one for rapid fire or if for some god forsaken reason you want to tap repeatedly. Your primary attack is ofuda cards as Pocky or leaves as Rocky. As either character you have a long range weapon and a melee attack. The mechanics from the original arcade game have carried over with a few new additions. This is a truly fantastic game, and one that deserves a brighter spotlight. Pocky & Rocky comes courtesy of Natsume, who took the arcade game’s mechanics and gave it a 16-bit makeover. It was also released outside of Japan in small quantities. Shrine maidens and Japanese yokai were a far cry from the burly muscle men that dominated shooters. Kiki Kaikai was a decent top down shooter for its time but was even more notable thanks to its aesthetic. Pocky & Rocky is actually the sequel to a Taito arcade game from 1986. Pocky & Rocky is one of my favorite top down shooters from that period. I had no expectations of this but the high reviews made me reconsider. Natsume took a chance and brought Pocky & Rocky to the US and it was worth it. But the truly exceptional games in the genre remained imports. Occasionally one or two would reach the west such as Stinger, Magical Chase, and Cotton. They were no less intense, as usually behind the cute façade laid a vicious game. This sub genre of the traditional shooter changes space ships and shirtless commandos for a bright and cheery aesthetic. The cute em up genre never quite took hold in America like it did in Japan.
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