ChuChu Rocket!

"Monkeys and humans have been launched into space, why not mice?"

Chu Chu Rocket is one of the Dreamcast's most enjoyable titles. This fun little puzzler/party game could even be played online back when the Dreamcast was still alive, I didn't get to play it online but I have played it with friends and relatives offline and I must say, this is one of the most fun games you could ever play, if you're looking for a game where you and your friends or family can have fun, try this game on for size.

Presentation

Chu Chu Rocket has a very basic presentation style but then again nothing complex or flashy is needed for this simple yet complex game. The overall feel of this game is pretty positive with it's bright colors and such. In the options you have a jump pack toggle, you can adjust the play time, game speed, percentage of mice (high is ridiculous), and change the language if you want. In the game you have your board where you monger for mice, the timer on the very left, and below is your number of mice and how many matches you've won. Overall Chu Chu has a very basic and effective presentation.

Score : 8.0 – Good

Gameplay

The goal of this game is to get the most number of mice possible into your own rocket until time runs out in order to beat everyone else. Sounds pretty simple but in reality it's a little harder than that, especially with other human players. You've got a handful of modes to choose from with Four Player Battle, Team Battle, Stage Challenge, Puzzle where you figure out a way to get mice into a rock with a complex situation, Puzzle Edit where you can make your own puzzles, and there is even a help section in the game where everyone can learn how to play and eventually become a Chu Chu contender. In the game there are these little nodes where the mice come from and you have to put down arrows to guide them into your rocket but there are obstacles to overcome as well. Sometimes a cat will crawl out of a mouse node and if you're not watching out it could hit your rocket reducing the number of mice you have saved.

Of course you could use cats to your advantage and guide them to another player's rocket but this applies to everyone. There are also mice that have a question mark on them and when they hit a rocket a random effect happens. Some effects are good like Mouse Mania where it's like harvest time only mice, the nodes pump out hundreds of mice for anyone to take into their own rocket. Some effects are confusing like Everybody Move, which moves the placement of everyone's rockets and forcing everyone to redo their arrows. Some effects are just bad like Cat Mania, the opposite of Mouse Mania obviously but again you can use cats to your advantage.

Chu Chu Rocket has a formula for a gameplay winner simply because of it's somewhat addictive nature and the fact that almost anyone can pick up a game like this, learn to play it, and have the most important thing in gaming, more than graphics or storylines or good voice acting and anything else…fun.

Score : 9.0 – Great

Graphics

While Chu Chu isn't really a game that needs graphics, everything works great for the game anyway. It's not like we're playing something that really needs graphics anyway. For what it's worth, Chu Chu's graphics are simplistic at best.

Score : 7.5 – Good

Sound

Same goes for sound, although there are a few different music tracks that play that are pretty fitting for whatever moment. The mice squeak of course and the cats make some type of demonic meowing noise. Sometimes people may get tired of the mice noise but for the most part, everyone would be too embroiled in the game at hand to care.

Score : 7.5 – Good

Replay

Since Chu Chu has a really generous learning curve to it opening up a broader potential audience for the game, and it's got that winning formula for a game that will only get old if you play the living daylights out of it, Chu Chu Rocket should have a long and healthy life in your library. Of course you and your friends can always play or you and some family members and you can all make puzzles for each other to figure out, yet another enjoyable aspect of this game.

Score : 9.0 – Good

Overview

Chu Chu Rocket was one of the best Dreamcast games available especially with it's online play. Even after Seganet is down Chu Chu remains to be one of the best Dreamcast games around and anyone who has a Dreamcast should own this game, unless you're the antisocial type of course. There really isn't much else to say other than get this if you don't have it or that this is a game that reminds us what games are for or are all about…fun.

Overall Score : 8.2 – Great

Score Modified to 8/10 for Gamefaqs.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/14/06