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| Note: these pictures are in low resolution and the game looks much better on a TV. |
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| Story: 7/10
The intergalactic mice are in a state of panic! Naughty space cats out have invaded their outposts to eat them! In such times of distress these mice can't think clearly, so you must place the arrows to guide them to the escape rocket. Save as many as you can! The story admit ably weak but this is a puzzle game don't come to this looking for some drama, instead look for its insane fun that spreads faster then the flu! Graphics: 8/10 The main game consists of a 2D view (like most games) of a brightly colored maze. Honestly, how can you expect much graphically? This game is about space mice and cats, if you forgot. The design of the game as a whole though is great: The title screen, menu, puzzles, and challenges are all cohesive and look good. The only 3D effect in Chu Chu Rocket is when you finish the puzzle you see the rockets flying in full 3D with the maze you just played on below it also in 3D, while its game play is in 2D the game is still high addictive and o so fun! Controls: 10/10 This game has the most simplistic control setup in any game I have seen. You use the analog control to guild a cursor around the map to place a arrow and choose what way to have it facing by using the a, b, x and y buttons. The keyboard also is easily implemented for quick pre-made replies, is can also be used to play the game though using it to play just isn't the same as the controller. There's even a in-game tutorial that makes it all so easy if you didn't get it already and it details the game to such a point it really just shows some quality input by Sonic Team. Sound: 8/10 The sounds in this game are great just like its music. Sound wise your teated to a pallet of sounds from mice getting into the rockets to you winning a game and while nothing special they go right on track with the rest of the game. The music is a highly catchy techno music that will be bouncing in your head for weeks. The good thing is that the music doesn't get repetitive because there is just only one song to listen to. Game Play: 9/10 With its simple game play having fun is very easy. Basically you put down arrows on the puzzle and lead mice in a maze of walls to space crafts and ultimately safety from the cats. There are 4 different ways to play Chu Chu Rocket: puzzle mode, challenge mode, up to 4 player mode via net or at home. In puzzle mode you play one of 25 pre-made puzzles, challenge mode you play with the computer with up to 4 players and the online mode which you connect to the Chu Chu Rocket servers. It should be noted that the online version can have up to 3 people on the same dreamcast also adding to the options and the fun. In addition it also features a in-game website which features not only some basic Chu Chu Rocket news and game info but also downloads. This game is simple but playing is so much fun it can't be said enough. When you start a game you much quickly place arrows and use walls because you can only place 3 arrows at a time to guild the nice to the one or more rockets on the puzzle. This sounds weird and maybe even boring but its far from it. Because when facing other computer or human opponents in the challenge mode (online or offline) you fight for the most mice you can get that come out of special spaces. Which include the radom addition of a cat now and then which take away a huge portion of the mice you have already won. After a awhile your spaces will need to be replaced but thats the least of the problems. Because your opponents can place arrows too high-jaking your stream of mice and even as low and to pass it to someone else when a cat comes along to save their own skin. Adding in the fact that if you or one of your opponents pick up a special mice that is worth 50 mice a event will take place, like having a madding non-stop stream or mice coming from the special respaen spaces or to a wave of cats which can be used on you or by you to take a massive amount of damage to there number of total mice they have saved. The interesting part is this game can be played off the bat and have some real fun but after playing more you see there is some real skill you have to use when playing that can be used to win match after match. The addition of a puzzle editor adds in the factor that you can trade files with your friends my connecting your vmu's, using the Dreamcasts console with 2 pluged in controllers or posting them online on the Chu Chu Rocket server. Replay Value: 9/10 This game is impossible to get tired of period. But sadly its lacking in the puzzle mode, because you beating all 25 isn't too hard. Sonic Team did make a download that added 75 new puzzles to the game's puzzle mode but it was only released for the Japanese version. But you can play downloaded puzzles, make your own and trade with friends so this does make up for Sonic Team not adding the downloads to the US in-game site. Online game play is going to end up after you get to rapes your bulk of playing time with Chu Chu Rocket. But Sonic Team for some reason put lag in its online mode on purpose! And it does effect the online mode in a big way, because when you place a arrow you wait a good full second before it appears on the puzzle. This may not seem like much but the game is so fast pace you end up having to re-learn how to play the game just to play it online to compensate for it and really does ruin the online game but not to the point where its fun it lost but really is a drag. But with a group of friends this game is great fun. Offline there is no lag and when some ones sends a cat your way and you lose the game your close enough to physically hurt them! The downloads are great for this game, using the option in the options menu you can choose to play the game with different characters. The game comes with a 3D looking version of a cat and mouse you can change them to a version with more of flat looking cartoon version of the the cat and mouse or replace it with the cat being a flying UFO and the mice being cows! This game has tons to do and surprising depth for a puzzle game. Overall: 9/10 Fun is just so overwhelming in this game its few fauls can be easly over looked, and you can still have fun online even with the lag for this land make title has to be one of the greatest puzzle games ever made. History: -Chu Chu Rocket was not only the first online Dreamcast game but also the first online console game. -The US version's servers have been shutdown -The European version's servers have been shutdown -The limited edition was only released in Japan and came with a copy of Chu Chu Rocket and a special orange colored controller with a Chu Chu Rocket logo on it. |
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