Pocky and Rocky (SNES, 1992)
Very difficult scrolling fantasy shooter with loads of charm.
Nostalgia Factor: Medium.
Difficulty: Brutal. There is no way I could beat this game without cheesing my way through with save states.
Many years ago, you could rent video games from Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. We didn’t have any kind of proper video store in my small little town in Kansas, but the local grocery store (Dillons!) had a fairly large movie and video game rental section. My mom would often surprise us by bringing home a rented SNES game for my brother and I to play together. She thought the cover of Pocky and Rocky looked cute.
The day mom brought home Pocky and Rocky (PnR), we discovered the meaning of “Nintendo hard” (though this term probably best applies to ridiculous NES games like Silver Surfer, Mega Man 1, or Battletoads). PnR drew us in with it’s mythical charm and repeatedly smashed us into submission. We played for hours before finally giving up in frustration. We could never get past the octopus boss at the end of Stage 2.
The brutal difficulty likely stems from the fact that PnR is a sequel to a 1986 arcade shooter called Kiki KaiKai. Arcade games are intentionally very difficult in order to squeeze quarters (or in this case, ¥50 or ¥100 coins) out of zealous gamers that want to rise to the challenge.
Aside from the difficulty, there’s plenty to appreciate about PnR. The ancient Far-east theme (Feudal Japan, I think?) is rich with imaginative monsters and creatures familiar to Japanese mythology (the Kappas for example). The soundtrack is solid and features oriental instrumentation that lends to the eastern fantasy theme. Pocky is a Shinto shrine maiden, and Rocky is a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog), which you might recognize from the Mario series. I really enjoyed these elements from PnR, since I haven’t yet played many games with an eastern fantasy theme. It’s refreshing!
The visuals are pretty good for a 1992 SNES release. There have been better graphical demonstrations on the SNES, but there’s lots of delightful pixel art both in game and on display during the story cutscenes. The story is simple and not particularly of note, but it’s very whimsical the way these mythical creatures and characters interact and speak with each other.
The greatest strengths are the addicting gameplay and the 2-player co-op, though the difficulty is very frustrating and may lead you to crush your controller to bits. Natsume’s sound effects are always on point, and they add to the addictive gameplay. It’s very satisfying to get fully powered up and chew through a wave of enemies with Pocky’s ofudas or Rocky’s enchanted leaves.
If you like extremely difficult games, PnR has got your number. Otherwise, try this one out on an emulator and take advantage of some save state cheese. Also, check out Pocky and Rocky Reshrined for the Nintendo Switch, a new adventure from Natsume.