With its cute visuals, accessible gameplay and addictive gameplay loop, Rocket Panda is a new game for the venerable Sega Genesis / Mega Drive which has gained a fair bit of attention over the past few weeks.
Developer Space Pants Games raised a respectable $23,405 via crowdfunding to help its development, and publisher Mega Cat Studios has produced a physical version, which is available with a full-colour manual and packaging.
The core focus of the game is guiding the titular rocket-powered panda around a series of stages, collecting both badgers (a number of which are required to exit each level) and biscuits (which add to your score). While it initially feels like a multi-directional shmup, your panda lacks the ability to attack enemies with projectiles; instead, you have a limited number of dash attacks which you can use to take out foes. These are replenished by grabbing cups of tea.
There are sixty stages in the game and seven unique bosses to defeat, so there’s plenty of content on offer to keep you coming back. You can also adjust the difficulty level; on the higher settings, you’ll have to pick up more badgers before the level’s exit opens, and taking a hit means you lose a badger – all of which forces you to be as skilled as possible when navigating the hazard-filled stages.
Rocket Panda reminds us a lot of the first James Pond game, which is no bad thing, and its visuals and audio are pleasing rather than dazzling. It’s perhaps not the game that shows off what the 16-bit console is capable of, but it remains an enjoyable romp nonetheless – and one which can become increasingly challenging on the higher difficulty settings.
Go on.... treat yourself to a new game.
2 Comments
Rocket Panda sounds like such a fun addition to the Mega Drive lineup! I love the idea of a cute panda zooming around collecting badgers and biscuits. The dash attack mechanic is a cool twist on the typical shoot-’em-up format, and I appreciate that it encourages players to strategize a bit more instead of just blasting through enemies.
Sixty stages and seven bosses? That’s a solid amount of content for a retro game! The difficulty adjustment is a nice touch too—nothing like a good challenge to keep things interesting. I’m also getting some nostalgic vibes from the mention of James Pond; it seems like Rocket Panda captures that quirky charm while offering its own unique experience.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical version with the manual and all that. It’s always great to see indie devs bringing fresh titles to classic consoles. Definitely adding this one to my wishlist!
Rocket Panda sounds like a total blast! I love the idea of a cute, rocket-powered panda zipping through stages while collecting badgers and biscuits. The dash attack mechanic is a cool twist, too—it’s always fun to have a unique take on combat.
Sixty stages and seven bosses? That’s a solid amount of content, especially for a game that’s giving off those nostalgic vibes like James Pond. I appreciate the adjustable difficulty levels; it’s nice to have a challenge when you’re feeling up for it.
Even if the visuals aren’t pushing the Mega Drive to its limits, I’m all about those charming aesthetics. Can’t wait to add this to my collection and see how many badgers I can snag!