Collection essentials #239: Pocky & Rocky 2 (SNES)

Pocky & Rocky 2 is another quality game, and a lot of what I said about the first game also applies here. But they certainly changed some things up in the sequel, and this post will mainly focus on differences between the two games.

Pocky & Rocky 2 moves a little bit away from the pure arcade-style action of the previous game. There are things like branching paths, a little more story, friendly characters to talk to, and shops to buy upgrades, making for a game that feels a little more involved. 

The game’s “partner system” is fairly unique. Pocky is the main character, and whether or not there’s a second human player, she always has a helper character, which can be Rocky or a number of other allies who each have their own abilities. The partner character, even if human controlled, definitely feels more like support for Pocky and not an equal, as they have unlimited lives, can be thrown like a projectile at enemies for a big attack (removing them from battle temporarily), and Pocky can “merge” with them for a brief powered-up state.

One thing I don’t care for too much is that the evasive slide move is removed. Now there is no fast maneuver at the player’s disposal to quickly cover a lot of ground and escape enemy attacks. Thankfully the game is designed around not having this ability so it’s not as though the absence of it will screw you over, but I like evasive moves in my games.

How does Pocky & Rocky 2 stack up to the first game overall? It’s a little tough to say. I think I might prefer the more straightforward action of the first game. But thankfully we live in a world where I don’t have to pick one, and count both games as essentials.