Rocketron: The Traveling Planet Review

Looking at this game with its simple, cutesy visuals and the simplistic gameplay of avoiding obstacles, one might think that Rocketron: The Traveling Planet is a game for children. While this title might be enjoyable for younger audiences, older players shouldn't dismiss it as a simple title. This game is actually quite challenging and the simple gameplay and cute graphics hide a devilishly fast-paced game that requires quick reactions and lots of practice.

Rocketron is a side scrolling platforming game in the vein of the aptly named The Impossible Game in which the players object -- in this case a rolling planet -- moves forward quickly and the player taps the screen to guide it over and under obstacles in it's path. In Rocketron there is no gravity per-se, and the planet sticks to the floor or ceiling of the level. The player then taps to make the planet alternately rise and drop to avoid obstacles and stay attached the floor or ceiling without falling off.

To most players this probably sounds easy enough, but it is not the cutesy walk in the galactic park that it seems to be. This game is difficult and can be quite unforgiving. In order to make it through the plethora of gaps, traps, and obstacles that stand in the way of this rolling planet thing, player will need to be very quick and in possession of a good deal of patience. Playing levels multiple times in order to memorize the layout is essential to knowing when and where the rolling planet needs to change directions.

While this difficulty seems a bit out of character for a game with such a cute and youthful visual style, it goes a long way towards making the game more enjoyable for those players that enjoy games of this type. Players shouldn't be too quick to judge this game one way or another based on its screenshots. The game is simple, no doubt, but the challenge it provides gives it the feeling of a more complex game without complicated gameplay mechanics getting in the way.