Rocket Ninja is a game developed by Cloud M1 (who previously developed Ayo The Clown), it later made a port for Factor's 16-bit fantasy console, Factor Dynasty.
Gameplay[]
The player controls Sparks. Sparks can use his jetpack to temporarily hover in midair, bounce off walls when he hits them at a 45 degree angle and shoot short range projectiles and perform a drill attack which allows him to break through certain surfaces. Sparks' attack range is also complete, allowing him to deflect certain projectiles with his sword. There will be side-scrolling shooting segments, where Sparks can charge his shots and use his jetpack to quickly avoid obstacles. There are several items and power ups along the way, with point and life bonuses earned for collecting all of a certain item in a level.
The game can be played in one of two ways; Arcade and Freeplay. Arcade works similarly to classic 16-bit games, in which players run through the entire game with a limited amount of continues, which is where experienced players can earn achievements. Freeplay allows novice players to play through levels individually, being able to select any unlocked level and attempt to get a high score for that level. The game also features unlockable character skins, difficulty levels, online leaderboards and achievements.
Plot[]
In the village called Edoville, A young tanuki named Sparks studies the art of Rocketsu, a martial art which combines jetpacks and ninjitsu. A rival ninja panda named Axle Skull attacked Sparks' master and made it off with the ancient scroll of Rocketsu. Later, Sparks soon hears news that Prince Akihito, a white cat who's the ruler of Edoville, was going to make a feared shogun wolf named Kishida, head of the army. Sparks tried to warn Prince Akihito not to, due to him being suspicious of Kishida. Prince Akihito ignored him and told him that Kishida was his most trusted general. Sparks' soon started the simple life of a farmer with his wife and children until one day, he spotted the airships of the Stone Wizard, a powerful warlord who comes from the east. Sparks then suited up to stop the Stone Wizard. When Sparks makes it to the palace and battles the Stone Wizard's weapon, The Village Destroyer, he discovers Kishida is leading the army to counter attack the Stone Wizard. Sparks then follows suit and makes it to the palace of the Stone Wizard. After a battle with the Stone Wizard, Kishida then turns on Prince Akihito and holds his wife, Princess Hime, hostage. Kishida then throws Sparks out of window, where he lands in a factory where Kishida is producing his weapons. Sparks destroys the factory and battles Axle Skull, who's working with Kishida. Sparks soon makes it to his hometown of Edoville, only to find that Kishida has taken over. Sparks soon finds and defeats Kishida on his mind-controlled dragon, freeing Edoville from his tyrannical rule. Sparks is praised as a hero and he soon heads home.
Levels[]
| World | Stage | Boss |
|---|---|---|
| Edoville | Edo Country | --- |
| Hi-skies | Axle Skull | |
| Edovillian Palace | --- | |
| Village Destroyer | Village Destroyer | |
| Stone Wizard's Domain | Edoville's Counter Attack | --- |
| Stone Armada | --- | |
| Stone Fortress | --- | |
| Stone Wizard | Stone Wizard | |
| The Land Deep Under | Wolf Bunker | --- |
| Kishida Labs | --- | |
| Axle Skull | Axle Skull | |
| Return to Edoville | The Kishida Fleet | --- |
| Enslaved Village | --- | |
| Shogun Kishida | Kishida |
Trivia[]
- It's inspired by Climax's Rocket Knight, but this isn't the first game idea inspired by Rocket Knight, as there is Rocket Fox.
Tropes[]
- Always Someone Better: Sparks is this to Axle Skull.
- All There in the Manual: Most of the story is explained in a digital manual.
- Big Bad: Kishida is real main antagonist of Rocket Ninja.
- Bookends: The game begins with Sparks farming when he spots the airships. In the ending, he later returns it to his farming home.
- Call to Agriculture: Apparently what Sparks was doing in those years before the game, and even got himself a family.
- The Cameo: Sparks appeared as a cameo in several CloudM1 games, such as Air Ayo, Kitz: Kitty Rescue, and Rabbie: One Radical Rascal.
- Comedic Underwear Exposure: When they wolves are attacked, they run in their boxers.
- Disc-One Final Boss: The Stone Wizard is the main antagonist for the first half of the game. Once he is defeated, Kishida takes over as the game's Big Bad.
- Evil All Along: Though he was feared by all of Edoville, he presents himself as a loyal general, but his real agenda for over a decade was to deceive his way into power, then take Edoville for himself.
- Flunky Boss: Not content to just fight you with a huge dragon, Kishida will call in minions to help kill Sparks.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: He ends up being defeated by having his hover-capsule knocked out of the air and onto the electrified whiskers of his own dragon.
- Savage Wolves: The big bad, Kishida, and his henchmen are wolves.
YMMV[]
- Crossover Ship: Sparks had been shipped with Lilac from Freedom Planet, Alternatively, Axle Skull has also been shipped with Neera Li.
- Friendly Fandoms: Gained one with the Rocket Knight fandom because of their similarities.