Post #4355362

2026-08-03 12:02 UTC

So, I didn't spend as much time talking about Rocket: Robot on Wheels as i did about Starshot. That is a crime, and I plan to rectify that. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Rocket is a much better game than Starshot. But comparing the two games is unfair. Rocket is a collect-a-thon whilst Starshot is mostly a level based platformer. The latter has one collectable that is required for story progression, making it barely qualify as a collect-a-thon. It would probably be fairer to compare Starshot to Glover or Jinx and even then, both of those are far more enjoyable than Starshot. I must admit, I have my biases towards 3D collect-a-thons. This is mostly because games like Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie are textbook examples of how to make a good one. Mario 64 as a foundational example, and Banjo Kazooie as an applied and expanded working example. They are also just important to me, as games from my childhood. #RetroGaming #N64

Replies (1)

@ishambard@cupoftea.social 2026-08-03 13:24

Rocket: Robot on Wheels continuously caught me off-guard as I played it. From building a rideable roller coaster in the first world to colour-based puzzles using a paintball cannon vehicle in the second world, the game presented a really cool mix of puzzle-based and skill-based challenges. Despite being called a Robot on Wheels Rocket is, effectively, a unicycle. His physics, momentum and movements reflect this. Turning on a dime is not possible and how he moves takes some getting used to. The game provides hints to the key collectable via the means of riddles to help steer you in the right direction. Not too dissimilar to how Mario 64 does the Power Star hints, but still requires a bit of thought to figure out. The other thing that surprised me was how difficult the game gets, and the difficulty spike happens quickly. Even in the first world, some of the platforming challenges are a test of patience. I can imagine many kids never getting to the end of this one. #N64 #RetroGames

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