Sparkster
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Sparkster
(1994 on
Genesis)
Description
Sparkster is a 2D side-scrolling platformer starring the eponymous hero who previously appeared in Rocket Knight Adventures. It is very different from the contemporary Genesis title Sparkster, as it does not continue the story from the first game and has completely different levels, enemies and gameplay mechanics. In that way it can be considered a spin-off in the series. The introduction merely shows how an elderly man captures a girl and takes her into his airship. At that point Sparkster appears and he decides to chase them.
Sparkster is an opossum (marsupial) carrying a rocket pack on his back. He can move around, duck, jump and hang from branches or rails. His regular attack is a sword slash that sends out a circular projectile. Through the L and R buttons he can dash left and right in a circle of fire. Keeping the attack button pressed powers up a rocket meter. When full, different types or actions can be performed: dashing left, right or up to cover a large distance, ricocheting off walls in a diagonal motion, or a stationary attack.
The game consists of nine levels of which the last two can only be accessed on higher difficulty levels. Sparkster collects diamonds for points, defeats all types of robot enemies and collects apples to restore his heart meter near the top of the screen. Most of the game consists of regular platforming gameplay, with a few diversions where Sparkster rides a robot bird, or is shown from a top-down view flying in the air like a vertically-scrolling shooter. All levels have a level boss along with a large number of mid-level bosses. The game supports a password system.
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Screenshots
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Credits (SNES version)
20 People (17 developers, 3 thanks)
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 84% (based on 15 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 16 ratings with 2 reviews)
The Good
The graphics: Amazing display of skill, the reflective water, the muscles on the wolves, even the backgrounds are incredible!
Music and sound: All well done in all aspects, especially the "instrument land" level music.
AI: This even has an AI that gangs up on you every second to make the game harder! I like it!
Story: Same as the last game, princess gets kidnapped by your evil clone, you rescue her, live well until she gets kidnapped again. (Mario style story)
The Bad
The part where you box the boss in a giant robot seems impossible, also, Sparkster changed from the Genesis version, I liked him better on Genesis
The Bottom Line
The best platformer for this, or any system ever. Not many games live up to what Sparkster is, a mixture of many platformers and practically every genre of gaming (except racing) in one package, if you still have your SNES and Sparkster, go play, you'll come back in 6 hours saying: I want to beat the game again!
SNES · by Stefan Schalk (3) · 2005
A great spin-off/sequel to an awesome Genesis platformer.
The Good
Sparkster does a good job in maintaining the many positive aspects of Rocket Knight Adventures. The gameplay and level design are fun and diverse like its predecessor, and zooming around on your rocket pack is as satisfying as it ever was. The graphics are very well designed, with neat-looking sprites, colorful level designs, and a few clever uses of Mode 7. The music is also as good with catchy, well-composed tracks that accompany each of the game's seven stages.
The Bad
There's really not much wrong with this game. My only problem when initially playing the game was getting used to the controls, which felt different from those in Rocket Knight Adventures mainly because the rocket pack in this game is much faster, and learning to roll from side to side effectively took a little practice. Another thing that some people might not like is that the game isn't a true sequel to Rocket Knight Adventure, since its plot doesn't really follow it chronologically. As for me, I really couldn't give a crap about plot in an action platformer, and if you don't either, than this isn't a problem.
The Bottom Line
Sparkster is a great addition to the Rocket Knight series. It is a fun platformer with excellent gameplay, graphics, and music. In my opinion, it is better than its very different Genesis counterpart, since it plays a lot more like Rocket Knight Adventures. Anyone who has played RKA or is a fan of 2D action platformers should check out this game. I highly recommend it.
SNES · by Idkbutlike2 (18) · 2010
Trivia
Awards
- EGM
- 1995 Buyer's Guide - Best Sound Effects
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Sciere.
Additional contributors: Alaka.
Game added May 14, 2010. Last modified August 21, 2024.