Rocky & Co. (Icon 64 / Psytronik Software) Digital $4.99USD / Physical £14.99 - £39.99
Game title: Rocky & Co.
Game description: The great adventurer Rocky Memphis has discovered the entrance to the lost temple that he thinks contains the fabled treasure known as the Golden Condor. But Rocky needs to be quick as his arch nemesis Russo Baluch is also out to get his hands on it. So he grabs two of his mates and sets off on their latest hunt in the hope that they can reach the treasure first. Rocky & Co is a puzzle platform game that draws inspiration from the old Datasoft title The Goonies. Each of the three members of your team have a different skill set for you to take advantage of. The objective of each level is to use a combination of the character skills to get all three characters to the exit points so that you can proceed onto the next level. You control each character one at a time. To switch characters you can either tap SPACE on the keyboard or alternatively you can hold down the joystick button and tap down with the joystick. In solving all of the various levels, there will be switches for you to stand on, roof handles to pull down and, at times, you will need more than one character to work together to open up a path ahead - all this while looking out to avoid various nasty creatures and dangerous hazards. Rocky & Co. contains 12 standard levels but if you can light up all four letters that spell out the word ICON in the bottom panel then you unlock a bonus stage and special ending. The game includes a Practice mode which allows you to play the first 11 stages of the game in sequential order with infinite lives so that you can learn the tricks to these levels before you embark on trying to complete the game in the normal story mode.
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Production - 91%
91%
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Fun - 85%
85%
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Depth - 82%
82%
Summary
Rocky Memphis makes a very strong return to the Commodore 64 with this fun casual paced puzzle platformer. Borrowing a game design from Datasoft’s The Goonies, Rocky & Co. is a perfect example of the Icon 64’s ability to produce a high quality modern day adaptation of classic titles. Rocky & Co. ends up being superior to its inspiration title with its use of current day production values, the inclusion of one additional character to controller and well thought out and generally accessible puzzle designs. The graphics are detailed and vibrant and really pop off the screen. The SID music soundtrack from Saul Cross, while somewhat reminiscent of his previous work, is a perfect fit for the game and does so much to enhance the overall experience. Rocky & Co. does only contain 12 standard stages but this doesn’t make it a short game as the main difficulty within the game is that many of the levels do have that Rick Dangerous trial and error element to them, which can make completing the game with just the 5 lives and no save checkpoints quite a challenge. In fact, the game ran the risk of shooting itself in the foot on this front as many casual gamers would find the experience too frustrating to persist beyond its initial handful of levels. But fortunately, Icon 64 wisely decided to include a Practice Mode that will allow you to play through the first 11 levels in sequential order with infinite lives so that you can learn the tricks to these levels before you embark on trying to complete the game in the normal story mode. Having played through Rocky & Co. for countless hours prior to its release, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed repeatedly playing through the game. If you like your platform gaming to have a strong cognitive aspect to it then Rocky & Co is quite an easy recommendation.
Overall
86%User Review
( votes)Pros
- Casual paced – no time limit
- Puzzles are clever but not overly taxing
- Detailed and vibrant graphics
- High quality atmospheric SID tracks
- Practice mode with infinite lives
Cons
- No save or checkpoint system
- Only 12 standard levels
Digital Purchase: https://psytronik.itch.io/rocky-and-co
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