Little Rockets Review

Setting up arrows to guide little critters to a specific location isn't a new concept for me. But it is a concept that doesn't seem to get enough use these days. Thankfully we've got the occasional release of games like Little Rockets to fill the void. It's a little different, and it isn't perfect, but it's not bad.

A bunch of cute little rockets are going about their business on the tiny artificial planetoid they call home when it's completely vaporized by a meteor. Being rockets they can simply fly off to find another place to settle down, but it's a shame to see their home get wrecked all the same. Of course if it didn't get decimated then we'd have no game. A game which involves lots of strategic arrow placement and the occasional need to quick reflexes. And let me say for the record, getting those rockets to gather a level's resource, then get back to the exit, can be a heck of a challenge.

As complex as the levels can get, the gameplay remains simple and effective throughout. New elements such as switches and gates are introduced fairly regularly, and some of the layouts can leave players scratching their heads for a bit. Of course when it finally clicks and everything comes together, it can be very satisfying.

It's not all simple satisfaction, however. Some of the levels can feel downright impossible at times. Often the solution involves some planning and timing, and one slip up can completely wreck any chances at earning top marks. Which brings me to my second irritation. Losing a rocket due to a badly-places arrow or awful timing doesn't end the level or prompt a restart. Instead, it just keeps going. I suppose it's handy for figuring out the solution, but losing a single rocket ruins any chances of getting a three-star rank. So perfectionists will have to either keep plugging away until the solution is found (then restarting and doing it right the first time) or manually restart the level constantly until they get it right.

Little Rockets starts out slow and easy, which had me worried for a bit, but it gets much tougher after those introductory levels. And that's a good thing. It comes down to trial-and-error most of the time, but it's plenty satisfying when that perfect score is finally earned.