| Introduction:
Pocky is a goblin trainer, who stopped the Nopino Goblins when they first went on a rampage. The goblins were then peaceful... for a while. One day Rocky, a Racoon Nopino Goblin, came running to Pocky to ask for her help. Rocky tells Pocky that the Nopino Goblins are once again out of control. The duo then springs into action and find out the character behind this chaos is a guy named The Black Mantle.
Graphics [8/10]:
The graphics in this game are not bad at all. In my opinion, most of the characters are very well drawn and the game does a good job of using different colors and shades. There are a few things that you can't tell what they are, or this game would get a higher score in this department.
Music and Sound [7.5/10]:
The music on this game is not horrible, but it is not spectacular either. I guess the music does fit the theme of this being a more joyful, nonviolent game. It seems aimed at a younger audience. The music also does fit the theme for each stage, for example, during the graveyard stage, the music has a spooky tune. The sound effects on this game are good, however. The sounds effects themselves fit the job of whatever action is taking place.
Gameplay [9.5/10]:
Somehow, this game has the feel of an arcade game. I know it sound crazy, but with nonstop enemies, the graphics, the powerups, the timer, and the two player mode, it gives the game an arcade atmosphere. The game is in an overhead view much like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Pocky and Rocky can perform several moves. They have unlimited ammo to shoot at the enemies(Pocky throws magic cards and Rocky throws leaves.) Pocky can block projectiles with her wand, and Rocky can do the same with his tail. They each have a bomb attack, Pocky's is four directional and more powerful, but Rocky's covers the whole screen. They also each have a slide maneuver to avoid being hit(Pocky's is faster, but Rocky's controls more ground.) The small differences between Pocky and Rocky make this game interesting. The game plays like a shooter, as you run through the stages and shoot goblins. You then fight a big, sometimes freaky looking boss that takes some strategy to beat. This game is a fun game, and will keep you hooked.
Challenge and Replay [8/10]:
There are three difficulty adjustment settings: easy, medium, and hard. No, the ending does not change with different difficulty settings. I suppose the fact that there are three difficulty settings, and the fact that Pocky and Rocky are different give this game some replay value. Some games don't change much with the different difficulty settings, but in this game, you can tell the difference between easy and hard. The easy setting lets you get the feel of the game, while the hard setting will keep you on you toes. This game will keep you coming back for more, but even on hard, it is not really that difficult.
Conclusion/Overall [9/10]:
This is one of my favorite games for the Super Nintendo. There is also a Pocky and Rocky 2, and I wish there was a Pocky and Rocky 3 out. Anyways, this is another instance of a game relatively no one has heard of that is fun to play. This game dishes monsters at you constantly, so you never get bored in this game. The characters have different moves to perform, which gives the game depth and makes you use strategy when fighting the bosses. I personally like this game because of the fantasy like setting where you fight goblins, ghosts, and what have ya. The arcade feel of this game I mentioned makes this game good too. This game deserves at least a rental, you won't be dissapointed.
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