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For their second opossum-based platform game Konami chose the title Sparkster. Interesting. For a game called Rocket Knight Adventures, surely Rocket Returns or Rocket's Revenge are titles full of promise. But that's Konami for you, flying in the face of convention. They named it after their heroic saviour of Elhorn, V8 mammal in doc martens.

With a plot about as surprising as the script to a Liptonice advert, the evil forces of the Porcine Devotindos Empire have again used mind-control as a means to enslaving Elhorn. And once more, the marsupial has to traverse many levels and destroy their demonic engines. However, instead of marking time, Konami have rebuilt the Rocket Knight idea with an entirely new game engine, new powers, and created a sequel with its fair share of surprises. Surprisingly, as Angus would say in the cold lemon tea ad...

A follow-up to Konami's hit Rocket Knight Adventures. A similar sort of game, but with a whole new engine.

Traverse the wide platform levels, using sword and rocket pack to defeat the pig hordes of Devotindos.

Konami games usually have more bosses than the average NHS hospital and Sparkster has... even more! Two or three per level, spread over each of the eight stages. Happily, they often provide the high points of the game, with cunning attack patterns and defences.

Blue and red gems pepper the layouts. Picking up as many as possible is a wise course of action, as every ten gems activate Sparkster's bonus wheel. An object is selected at random on falls on his head - a smart way to earn extra lives.

The rocket pack is the basis of Sparkster's amazing powers, and the key to the game's playability. Available power is indicated by a strip on the info bar. If this is lit, Sparkster is ready to jet off, and the longer you leave it the more powerful the thrust.

Unlike the first game, the bar powers up automatically, making the game play faster. If no direction is selected when the pack is ignited, Sparkster does a standing spin. In both instances, he's invulnerable to attack.

1. Blocky Puzzle
   In the Egyptian themed levels, some routes lead to tricky trap chambers. This one consists of a tumbling set of 'Breakout' blocks.
2. Cylinders
   Unscrew the rotating cylinders to escape trap rooms on the first stages. There are several different types.
3. Monorails
   Using your tail, run the rails, taking out carts of pig guards with you. Rails make up a fair portion of stage two as well.

I missed the first Rocket Knight game first time round, but when I did eventually get to see it I wasn't that impressed. True, the graphics were smart and there was a lot in it, but it was all a little too routine and I came away unimpressed.

Still, this all singing, all dancing sequel features enough improvements to satisfy even a miserable sod like me. The levels are massive and can be tackled in a number of ways, and the rocket pack is much easier to use than before, which speeds up the game immensely.

These improvements and a wealth of new bosses and icons make Sparkster a sequel which far outstrips the original in both the looks and playability stakes - not to mention the majority of platformers doing the rounds at the mo. Sequels rarely outshine the original, but Sparkster has and becomes the video game equivalent of Aliens and T2 in doing so - a real rarity.

The only reason not to buy this game is that you are sick to the darkest recesses of your molars with platform games and feel nauseous at the sight of one. Otherwise, Sparkster is one of the finest examples of the genre and though it never offers jaw-dropping surprises, there's a profusion of challenge, excitement and satisfaction lurking within.

The graphics are variable, but vary from very good to blinkin' wonderful. The game engine is brand new, and the freedom to choose makes it a much more dynamic experience than Rocket Knight.

But the glace cherries on the icing are the bosses - tougher than those of Dynamite Headdy, and scarier. The huge beast at the end of Stage 2, where you have to criss-cross a massive vault constantly is as white-knuckle a moment of any game at the moment. A product of quality - like a Saville Row suit or an Axminster carpet.

Graphics 90%
P. The Sparkster character never looked better, and the variety in graphics for each stage is constant.

Sound 86%
P. Fabulous effects, and stirring martial music.
N. The use of sound is pretty predictable and tends to be lost in the action.

Playability 91%
P. Sparkster's strong suit. Takes a while to get started, but a huge amount of thought has gone into the game.

Lastability 90%
P. Much harder than Rocket Knight, perhaps reaching a near-perfect point of encouraged frustration.

Value For Money 87%
P. Priced at the standard for 16MEG, you can at least be sure of quality and longevity.

Overall 91%
As good as anything we're seeing at the moment, Sparkster shows Konami up as the master craftsmen they are.