Line #122 VideoGame/RocketKnightAdventures


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6	->''"Just look at him: he's a knight with a jetpack! '''YOU CAN'T TOP THAT!!!"'''''
7	-->-- '''WebVideo/TheHappyVideoGameNerd'''
8
9	Zephyrus, a MagicalLand full of [[FunnyAnimal Funny Animals]] in the world of Elhorn, has a problem. Long ago, during the reign of El Zephyrus, the first monarch, an invading power used a giant warship called the Pig Star to wreak havoc. They were defeated at great cost, and the dreaded Pig Star was [[SealedEvilInACan placed under a magical seal]] to keep future enemies of Zephyrus from using it. Since then, the descendants of El Zephyrus have kept the Keys to the Seal safe, and an elite order of fighters, the Rocket Knights, was founded to protect the royal family from harm.
10
11	Sparkster, the current leader of the Rocket Knights, came to power after a traitorous Knight, Axel Gear, killed his superior and former captain Mifune Sanjuro. He banished Axel Gear, but this proved to be a bad move. Our story begins when Sparkster, hearing of a new invasion, speeds to the capital to find that Axel Gear has returned as the stooge of the aggressive Devotindos Empire and kidnapped the Princess while the Empire's troops burn the castle, hoping to get the Key to the Seal as ransom. What Axel Gear doesn't know is that only the Princess herself knows where the Key is...
12
13	''Rocket Knight Adventures'' is a side-scrolling action platform game series by {{Creator/Konami}} with diverse and distinctive gameplay mechanics such as short-range jetting in eight directions (including ricocheting off walls and around corners), charged attacks, swordplay, the occasional bit of [[ShootEmUp shmup-style]] sustained flight, and [[HumongousMecha much]] [[FightingGame much]] [[MinecartMadness more]]. The original game, on the [[Platform/SegaGenesis Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]], spawned two more games: ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'', a sequel also on the Mega Drive, and ''Sparkster'', a game on the SNES which takes place in an alternate continuity. The series may owe its existence to the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] series, which put FunnyAnimal mascots in vogue and likely influenced the series's art style.
14
15	Sparkster returned in 2010 in a new 2.5-D adventure developed by Creator/ClimaxGroup, simply titled ''Rocket Knight''. According to the story, there haven't been any new games in the past 15 years because nothing's ''happened'' in 15 years. And when an army of Wolves attacks, Axel and the Devotindos are fighting ''alongside'' the possums. Apparently when Sparkster defeats you, you ''stay'' down.
16
17	On January 2024, Konami and Limited Run Games announced a CompilationRerelease titled ''Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked Collection'' for Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/PlayStation5, Platform/NintendoSwitch and PC. This collection will include both the first two games for the Genesis and the SNES game running on the Carbon Engine, and it will include a new animated intro, several quality of life improvements, a BossRush and more.
18	----
19	!!This series provides examples of:
20
21	* AdvancingWallOfDoom: Three in ''Rocket Knight Adventures'' — one of which is part of a boss battle.
22	* AIBreaker: In the first game, one of Axel's attacks during his first phase is to fire two sword beams and then charge his jetpack. If you ram into him while he's charging, he will flinch and fire two beams again. Your own rocket will recharge just in time to blast him again and again until his second phase starts.
23	* AirborneAircraftCarrier: At least one per game.
24	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Sparkster is this to Axel Gear.
25	* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: More subtle example. US covers actually used Japan originated promotional artwork, but edited Sparkster's anime smile into an angry scowl. Interestingly the European covers used an identical box art as the US, but edited it to reuse the original cheerful Sparkster art. Additionally, the American version also had its opening cutscene and level intro screens changed to look more edgy.
26	* AnimeHair: Sparkster has some under his helmet.
27	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Some of the toughest areas in ''[=RKA1=]'' have an extra life in plain sight or in a somewhat tricky location, so you have infinite attempts at things like the first major boss or the giant mech battle as long as you manage to grab them.
28	* ArtEvolution: Sparkster, and to a lesser extent the other characters and the surrounding environment, have a distinctly different look in each game that goes beyond simple graphical upgrades.
29	* AttackItsWeakPoint: Almost all bosses use some form of this trope.
30	* BadassAdorable: Sparkster, especially in his end-of-level victory animation.
31	* BandLand: The sixth level in ''Sparkster'' for the SNES is composed primarily of giant musical instruments, in a rather odd contrast to the grim, warlike (if still somewhat whimsical and cartoonish) feel of most of the other settings.
32	* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Sparkster can, bizarrely, breathe in space without the need of a space-suit. This is notable, as the pig troopers and Axel Gear himself wear an appropriate gear when fought in space (this can be summed-up as the princess casting a spell on Sparkster prior to his departure).
33	* {{BFG}}: Axel Gear comes at you with one in Stage Six of the original game, it can be used as a WaveMotionGun.
34	* BigFancyCastle:
35	** In the original game, the third part of Stage 1 takes place in King El Zebulos' castle, which is partially on fire, and under attack by a giant robotic spider you fight at the end. In the same game, the second part of Stage 5 takes place in Emperor Devligus Devotindos' castle, which has many EternalEngine elements, and a fight against Axel Gear in giant robots at the end.
36	** In ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'', the fifth level takes place in King Gedol's castle, which has many EternalEngine elements, and two Holy Swords hidden within.
37	* BlackKnight: Axel Gear is a marginal example.
38	* {{Bookends}}: The second game begins with Sparkster taking the sword out of its pedestal before he is suddenly thrown into a mecha battle with Axel Gear. [[spoiler:In the Golden Sparkster ending, he later returns it to the same pedestal.]]
39	* ButtMonkey: Captain Fleagle from the first game. Notably he gets progressively more beat-up looking as the stage goes on.
40	* CallToAgriculture: Apparently what Sparkster was doing in those 15 years before the 2010 game, and even got himself a family.
41	* TheCameo: Sparkster appeared as a cameo in several Konami games, such as ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Contra}}'', ''VideoGame/MitsumeteKnight'', ''[[VideoGame/GanbareGoemon Ganbare Goemon 2]]'', and ''New International VideoGame/TrackAndField''. Most oddly of all, a human version of Sparkster appears in Konami's ''Jikkyou Powerful Pro Wrestling '96: MAX VOLTAGE'', where he bears a passing resemblance to Wrestling/HulkHogan.
42	* CartoonMeat: In ''RKA 2'', the full health restore power-up takes the shape of a hunk of meat with a bone sticking out of both ends.
43	* CheekyMouth: If you go frame by frame in ''Sparkster'', you notice the cheeky mouth teleport across the AmbidextrousSprite in the turning animation.
44	* ClimaxBoss: Axel Gear. Especially when you face him head-to-head with no mechs nor anything.
45	* ClippedWingAngel: The Pig Star's final form, its core, has only two easily avoidable attacks and can't survive atmospheric reentry.
46	* CollisionDamage: A slightly odd example -- in the first game, the distressed pigs on fire just fleeing past you in the castle do the same damage if they touch Sparkster as the armored ones attacking him with swords earlier on. In the second, there are lizards on fire who do the very same thing.
47	* ComedicUnderwearExposure: Enemies are stripped to their underwear when defeated in ''Rocket Knight Adventures'', ''Sparkster'', and sometimes in ''Rocket Knight''.
48	* ComicBookAdaptation: In ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic''. Its storyline was set after the games, after Sparkster has left Elhorn for a long time and then returned to find the Princess is brainwashed and the country occupied by new reptilian invaders. This adaptation had a few grimdark elements, one of the opening panels of the conquered nation being two former knights involved in a bloody street fight for a crowd.
49	* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard:
50	** In ''RKA 2'', Axel Gear's mech can do one thing that Sparkster's can't: fire a projectile from its chest. But it's easy to block, and his mech is temporarily immobile after using it, pretty much guaranteeing you a free hit.
51	** In the same game, when you get to face Axel in a head-to-head fight, [[spoiler:he creates a pincer barrier which will start closing until it gets you, Axel's attack tends to last longer than yours, and he can hover as much as he likes]].
52	* ConspicuousElectricObstacle: Antennas that shoot electricity between them can be found in ''Sparkster''.
53	* ConvectionShmonvection: The lava areas. Specifically the first of these featuring lava with a reflective surface.
54	* DamselInDistress: All three of the original 16-bit games start with Axel Gear kidnapping a princess, leading to Sparkster rescuing them.
55	* DarkIsEvil: Axel Gear's armor possess a dark shade of purple, and is one who decides to side with any of the enemy army present in the hopes of claiming the kingdom for his own.
56	* DefeatEqualsExplosion: Foot soldiers avert this, but mechanical enemies and most bosses blow up upon defeat.
57	* DefeatByModesty: In somes games in the series, mainly the original, Sparkster hitting an enemy with his sword makes their clothes fall off and they will try to run away.
58	* {{Determinator}}: After Sparkster destroys most of its body, the final boss of the first game follows him off the exploding Pig Star and ''keeps fighting him as they re-enter Elhorn's atmosphere''.
59	* DiagonalCut: The coup de grace is delivered to ''RKA 2's'' BigBad in this manner.
60	* DidntNeedThoseAnyway: Four bosses in ''RKA'' after enough damage is dealt to them - Pig Tank loses its treads, Pig Train loses its cannon and arms, Pig Crab can lose its claws, and Pig Battleship loses its turrets, lower jaw, and main body.
61	* DifficultyByRegion:
62	** ''RKA'' has the same difficulties in all regions, but with different names: Japan and Europe have Normal (Japan)/Easy (Europe), Hard, [[HarderThanHard Very Hard, and Crazy Hard]], while the US has Children, Easy, Normal, and Hard. Notably, Very Hard and Crazy Hard require codes to unlock, but all four difficulties are freely selectable in the US version.
63	** In the US and European versions, if you play on the lowest difficulty, you will skip the final boss fight and [[EasyModeMockery get a message that this is not the true ending]]. The final boss fight happens on every difficulty in the Japanese version.
64	* TheDragon: Axel Gear will serve any {{Big Bad}}s currently present to take over the kingdom, the manual for the first game states that he wants to [[TheStarscream overthrow]] Devilgus and take over once he's out of the picture.
65	* DrivenByEnvy: [[spoiler:Sparkster's promotion to leader of the Rocket Knights is what fuels Axel Gear's jealousy, and led him to side with TheEmpire in the hopes of getting back at him for his wounded pride.]]
66	* TheEmpire: The enemies in each game are part of one.
67	* EnemyMine: Sparkster and Axel Gear and the pigs vs. the wolves in ''Rocket Knight''.
68	* EternalEngine: Due to the fondness of the series for ridiculously huge war vehicles and mechanical fortresses, a large proportion of its levels are some sort of variation on this.
69	* EvilCounterpart: Axel Gear, to Sparkster.
70	%% * EyeBeams: Used by some bosses.
71	* {{Fanfare}}: One of the levels has this as the background music.
72	* FatBastard: The emperor in the first game. [[spoiler:General Sweinhart too, once he does a FaceHeelTurn.]]
73	* FlamingSword: Sparkster can get one as a powerup in ''RKA 2''.
74	%%* FlashOfPain
75	* FlyingBrick: Sparkster, to the point where he actually ''flies'' in some sequences.
76	%%* FollowTheMoney
77	* FreakyFridayFlip: In ''RKA 2'', one of King Gedol's attacks is a spell where he can swap bodies with Sparkster, and the player can briefly control Sparkster in Gedol's body.
78	* FunnyAnimal: Sparkster and most of the other people of Zephyrus are anthropomorphic opossums, and the invading armies over the three games include such fauna as pigs, lizards, snakes, wolves, and lions.
79	* GenderBlenderName: Generalissimo Lioness is a male lion.
80	%% * GlacierWaif: Sparkster and Axel Gear.
81	* GogglesDoNothing: Averted for Sparkster, he dons his goggles whenever you use his rocket boosts.
82	* GoldColoredSuperiority: In ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'', if the player [[BonusStageCollectables collects all seven Keys to the Seals]], Sparkster's armor will become the Legendary Armor, and the [[GoldenEnding true ending]] will be shown after the BigBad, King Gedol is defeated. Gold Sparkster charges his jet pack faster and his attacks do more damage, but unlike Super Sonic, he can still take damage.
83	* GoodAnimalsEvilAnimals: The Possums (with the exception of Axel Gear) are the heroes, and the animal villains depend on the game. In ''RKA'', the villains are Pigs, in ''RKA 2'', the villains are Lizards, and in ''Sparkster'', the villains are Wolves. In ''Rocket Knight'', the villains are Wolves again until the final level where the Pigs take the villain spot again.
84	* GoodColorsEvilColors: Sparkster's armor is "good" blue, while Axel Gear's is "evil" purple (red in ''Rocket Knight''). Also, there's an awful lot of green on the baddies' uniforms and vehicles. Although, King Gedol's lizard lackeys do wear purple armor as well.
85	* GoofyPrintUnderwear: Most non-robotic {{Mooks}} are reduced to this when you defeat them in ''RKA''. Their armor falls off and reveal their underwear in a manner strongly reminiscent of ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins'', and they run or fall off the screen with an embarrassed look on their face. This does not apply to the lizards in ''[=RKA2=]'', but this is brought back (though with briefs) for the wolves in ''Sparkster'', and applies to the pigs (but not the wolves) in ''Rocket Knight''.
86	* GottaCatchThemAll: ''RKA 2'' has seven Keys to the Seals the player can collect. [[HundredPercentCompletion Finding all of them]] unlocks the Legendary Armor and the [[MultipleEndings complete ending]].
87	* GreenHillZone: The first stage is a grassy plain with no environmental hazards.
88	* HailfirePeaks: In a particularly impressive example, the second level in ''RKA 2'' manages to combine ShiftingSandLand, LethalLavaLand, TempleOfDoom, and EternalEngine.
89	* HarderThanHard:
90	** The Japanese and European versions of ''RKA'' and all versions of ''Sparkster'' contain difficulties called "Very Hard" and "Crazy Hard". As noted in DifficultyByRegion above, the US version of ''RKA'' made the equivalents Normal and Hard. Crazy Hard turns ''everything'' into a OneHitKill and forces you to start with one life and no continues, which puts even the ''Contra'' games into "baby difficult" territory in comparison.
91	** ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'' features the Very Hard difficulty where enemies hit harder, bosses are faster, and every 10 gems is 100% guaranteed to give you the "amazing" prize of a bomb.
92	** ''Sparkster'' for the Super Nintendo also has a "Crazy Hard" difficulty, but it's nowhere as unforgiving as the first game; it does massively increase the damage you take and reduces healing items, but at least you don't die in one hit from everything and you have extra lives too.
93	* TheHero: Sparkster serves as the primary protagonist for all installments.
94	* HeroicMime: Played with in that ''no'' character has any lines. Characters may be shown apparently conversing, but we can only infer what they're talking about by what happens immediately afterward.
95	* HorseOfADifferentColor: There are more than a few exotic steeds in the series. Triceratops or [[MechanicalHorse mechanical]] ostrich, for example (the Triceratops creature is seen in ''RKA 2'' with a carriage mounted on its back).
96	* HotBlade: Heavily implied to be why Sparkster's sword is so effective as a weapon. Character design art shows he sheathes it ''in'' his jetpack, and several of his attack animations (like his dashing strikes and spin attacks) in the various games have the blade glowing with a blue, orange, or red flare.
97	* HumanCannonball:
98	** Not being enough launching yourself with a jetpack in the seventh level of Sparkster (SNES) you are shot into space with a cannon.
99	** In the original ''Rocket Knight Adventures'', the king shoots Sparkster into the pig battleship in this fashion after Stage 3.
100	* HumongousMecha: Sparkster and Axel Gear have a giant robot fight in the first and second games.
101	* IdiosyncraticDifficultyLevels: The difficulty levels include names like "Children" and [[HarderThanHard "Crazy Hard"]].
102	* IdleAnimation: In the first game, if you leave Sparkster alone long enough, he will remove his goggles and cheerfully emit a word balloon that says, "'''LET'S GO'''" along with a high-pitched noise.
103	* InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha: The enemies have a massive and varied arsenal of animal-like vehicles and autonomous machines. Also, each game features at least one boss fight where Sparkster and Axel Gear pilot giant mechs and engage in a giant-sized boxing match. ''RKA 2'' goes further: it has an entire level that consists of driving a mech through the baddies' capital city and annihilating everything in your path.
104	* ItsPersonalWithTheDragon: Axel Gear is the ArchEnemy, and he is always TheDragon to each game's BigBad.
105	%% * {{Jerkass}}: Axel Gear, no doubt about it.
106	* JetPack: Look at the title.
107	* JokerImmunity: Averted with the [[BigBad Big Bads]], but played straight with Axel Gear.
108	* JumpJetPack: This is Sparkster's jet pack's primary function. Only in a select number of levels does it grant real flight.
109	* KilledOffForReal: The BigBad at the end of each game. In contrast, Axel Gear, who serves as TheDragon to them, always survives every battle he loses against Sparkster. Meanwhile, the status of each BigBad's other most notable minion (Fleagle, Paeli, and Wolfheim respectively) is sort of unclear.
110	* KonamiCode: Can be used in Rocket Knight to unlock Axel Gear and Gold Sparkster from the get go. A variant is also in the SNES game with the code being Left, Left, Right, Right, Up, Down, Up, Down, A, X, in order to unlock Crazy Hard Mode.
111	* LargeAndInCharge: The emperor in the first game, [[spoiler:although this is actually subverted as he is nothing but a robot created by the Pig Star's computer, which is the ''real'' enemy]].
112	* LawyerFriendlyCameo: [[Anime/DragonBallZ Gold]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sparkster]] and [[Franchise/StarWars the Pig Star]], at the very least.
113	* LethalLavaLand: The first area of Stage 3 in the original game features a rising and falling tide of lava that has a reflective surface as if it were water. Unfortunately, it's not, as [[OneHitKill it instantly kills Sparkster if he falls into it]]. This is played with shortly, as [[ObstructiveForeground crystal formations obscure platforms above the lava and Sparkster himself from the player's view]], forcing you to use the reflection in order to see the path and make the proper jumps to proceed. Oddly enough, the more conventional lava found in the level's third area, while still hurting a lot, doesn't instantly kill on contact (unless you're playing the game on the hardest difficulty, but that's another story).
114	* LiftOfDoom: The original game has this in the middle of the fifth level, with many situations requiring Sparkster to use his jet pack to escape getting crushed.
115	* MagicKnight: Sparkster and Axel Gear, to a certain degree.
116	* MagmaMan: In the pyramid stage, when Sparkster enters the pyramid, there are pits of lava. From one of them, a fire elemental emerges, and Sparkster must therefore defeat it before proceeding any further.
117	* MarathonLevel: Stage 1 of ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'' is made up of three different sections, two mini-bosses, and one main boss.
118	* MascotWithAttitude: Sparkster. He was much more down-to-earth than others of his time.
119	* MassHypnosis: AllThereInTheManual; this is how the BigBad gets his troops.
120	* MechaMooks: Hardly uncommon, but interspersed with regular flesh-and-blood {{Mooks}}.
121	* MeteorSummoningAttack: In ''Rocket Knight Adventures 2'', one of King Gedol's attacks during the first phase of the final battle against him involves him raining many small meteors down from the sky.
122	* MilitaryMashupMachine: All over the place, including such oddities as space submarines whose front portions can [[TransformingMecha turn into giant mechs]]. One notable vehicle is the flying ship on Stage 3 of ''RKA 2''.
123	* MiniMecha: There are several varieties of enemies that pilot these.
124	* MirrorBoss: Axel Gear, the only recurring enemy in the series, fights much like Sparkster himself. However, it should be noted that Axel is always ''stronger'' than Sparkster, as he can rocket boost without losing control and even fly freely, whereas Sparkster has to deal with the wild recoil of his rocket boosts and cannot fly or even hover.
125	* TheMole: In ''Rocket Knight'', Axel Gear and the Devotindos fight alongside Sparkster to defeat the Wolf Army. Midway through the game, it is revealed that [[spoiler:this was part of Axel's plan to turn against Sparkster so that he and the Devotindos Empire can rule Zephyrus]].
126	* TheNapoleon: Captain Fleagle from the first game, who even dresses like the Trope Namer.
127	* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Fleagle is fairly goofy and incompetent throughout most of Stage 4, but he does prove he can be fairly formidable when he takes control of the stage's boss, a giant robot in his likeness.
128	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Anthropomorphic opossums who wear medieval knights' armor with jetpacks!
129	* ObstructiveForeground: Used intentionally at the beginning of the third level in the first game, with crystals obstructing certain platforms, and a rising and falling pool of reflective lava that reveals the platforms behind the crystals.
130	* OminousPipeOrgan: Axel Gear is seen playing one at the end of the aforementioned BandLand [[spoiler:(the sixth level of Sparkster for SNES)]].
131	* OneHitPointWonder: Unlock the Crazy Hard difficulty of RKA 1 ([[DifficultyByRegion or just select "Hard" difficulty in the US version]]) and you'll become this. Not only will one hit from ANYTHING kill you dead, but you only receive one life and no continues. Your only hope of getting any more than one life lies in collecting the 1UP icons, and passing certain score thresholds.
132	* ParentalAbandonment: AllThereInTheManual; Sherry and Cherry's mother died from unknown causes years before ''RKA''. Sparkster meanwhile is a [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan war orphan]] who was raised by the Rocket Knight, Mifune Sanjuro... [[spoiler:until Mifune was murdered by Axel Gear ten years before the first game]].
133	* PasswordSave: Both the SNES and Genesis versions of ''Sparkster'' have these, but they're very different. The SNES version has twelve boxes, and the Genesis version has eight. In the SNES version, the password is shown on the continue screen, and in order to input the password, [[PlayableMenu you play as Sparkster]] and hit the boxes with his sword. In the Genesis version, the password isn't shown on the continue screen until you choose not to continue the game, and in order to input the password, you have to select the correct cards and colors.
134	* PigMan: The villains of the first game.
135	* PlantPerson: In the first stage, a miniboss appears in the form of a tree elemental.
136	* PlayableMenu: In ''Sparkster'' (SNES), the password menu has you play as Sparkster and input the password by hitting the boxes with his sword.
137	* PostFinalBoss: After you defeat the Pig Star, you evacuate the starbase in an escape pod, while the starbase explodes. The Pig Star's core isn't done with you yet, and keeps attacking you straight into the planet's atmosphere. You have to dodge it until it finally burns up on re-entry.
138	* PosthumousCharacter: Mifune Sanjuro, Sparkster and Axel Gear's former teacher [[spoiler:who was killed by Axel Gear before the first game began]].
139	* PreFinalBoss:
140	** In the original game, Sparkster faces off against Axel Gear a third time in the Pig Star. After Sparkster defeats Axel, he battles the Pig Star Computer, the game's final boss.
141	** In ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'', Sparkster faces off against Axel once again in the heart of King Gedol's castle. After Sparkster defeats Axel, he battles King Gedol, the game's final boss.
142	* PurpleIsPowerful: Axel Gear's armor is dark purple, and his abilities rival those of Sparkster himself.
143	* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: [[spoiler:When Sparkster is chosen by their master instead of Axel Gear to lead the others, Axel retaliates by killing his master.]]
144	* QuicksandSucks: Stage 2 in ''Sparkster'' has quicksand that the protagonist can quickly sink in.
145	* RazorWind[=/=]SwordBeam: Sparkster and Axel's swords can do this, except, for some reason, in ''RKA 2''.
146	* RedEyesTakeWarning: The emperor in the first game. [[spoiler:Even more so during his RoboticReveal and during the sequence where you have to fight multiple clones of the prototype emperor robot.]]
147	* RearrangeTheSong: The first level themes from the first game and its sequel see multiple rearrangements over the course of the series, and most of the music in the SNES game is rearranged versions of tracks from the sequel. Then rearranged again in the ''Rocket Knight''. [[MundaneMadeAwesome Orchestral style]].
148	* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Most of the enemies in ''RKA 2''.
149	* TheRival: Axel Gear.
150	* RivalTurnedEvil: [[spoiler:It was their master's choice to make Sparkster the new leader that led to Axel Gear's path of evil.]]
151	* RoboticReveal: [[spoiler:After you fight him normally and "kill" him, Emperor Devligus Devotindos in the first game is revealed to be not only a Franchise/{{Terminator}}-like robot, but one of many such robots stocked aboard the Pig Star.]]
152	* RopeBridge: In the original game, the mini-boss of Stage 1, the Pig Tank takes place on a rope bridge. Although the bridge is capable of supporting the Pig Tank's weight, it collapses after Sparkster clears the Pig Tank's first phase, after which the second phase takes place in the waterfall below.
153	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Princess Sherry, who powers up Sparkster's rocket pack so he can chase after the Pig Star in the first game.
154	* RuleOfCool: Sparkster and the other Rocket Knights are heavily armored, sword-wielding opossums with the ability to fly about with rocket packs and fire waves of energy from their swords, not to mention occasionally piloting HumongousMecha, flying through walls of bricks or solid steel, flying through space without a spaceship... yeah. Arguably shades into NinjaPirateZombieRobot territory.
155	* SavageWolves:
156	** In ''Sparkster'', the most common enemies in the game are the Yellow Dogs, an army of wolves led by Generalissimo Lioness. One of them, Colonel Wolfheim, serves as the mini-boss of Stage 3 and the main boss of Stage 4.
157	** Played with in ''Rocket Knight'' (2010); when the Wolf Army attacks the Kingdom of Zephyrus, Axel Gear and the Devotindos Empire fight alongside Sparkster to defeat them. [[spoiler:Of course, this is all part of Axel Gear's plan to turn against Sparkster so that he and the Devotindos Empire can rule Zephyrus.]]
158	* SaveThePrincess
159	* SceneryPorn: The graphics for RKA is ''gorgeous'' for its time. That said, the game's graphics are often brought up as what a Genesis' graphics hardware is capable of despite being more limited than the [=SNES=] or [=TG16=]
160	* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Sparkster himself.
161	* ShoutOut:
162	** The side-scrolling shooter (or in one part of the Mega Drive sequel, ''[[RocketPunch puncher]]'') segments contain minibosses strongly reminiscent of ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}''' bosses, to the point of having a series of shields blocking a vulnerable "core" (usually the vehicle's pilot). More speculatively, it's possible that the mech fights are intended as a ShoutOut to Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. Another boss is a shout out to the boss of the waterfall in the original Contra.
163	** [[spoiler:In the Golden Sparkster ending from the Climax Studios game, Bill Rizer shoots at Sparkster, proclaiming revenge. This acts as a continuation of the ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra: Shattered Soldier]]'' ending with the Sparkster cameo.]]
164	* ShrinkRay: Paeli can use this on Sparkster, rendering him harmless for several seconds.
165	* SlippySlideyIceWorld: In ''Rocket Knight'', the Wolf Kingdom takes place in an arctic climate. The climate is so cold, it freezes Sparkster's jet pack, preventing him from being able to recharge it. To unfreeze the jet pack so he can recharge it, Sparkster has to be standing next to a torch.
166	* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
167	** The name of the world the series takes place in is supposed to be named for the titular country in Samuel Butler's ''Erewhon'', but because of the way the Japanese manual rendered it(エレホーン [Erehōn] in the manual, rather than エレホン [Erehon] for the book), this was rendered into English as "Elhorn". This appears to be treated with equal validity to "Erewhon" by fans and references, even today.
168	** In the Japanese version of the games, the kingdom Sparkster lives in is called "Zephyrus", but was mistranslated as "Zebulos" in the English version and remained unchanged for years. For the new Rocket Knight game, Konami has dropped "Zebulos" for the English version in favor of the original "Zephyrus".
169	** In Sonic the Comic, the princess was named "Shelly", not "Sherry".
170	** The correct rendering of the name of Sparkster's master is up in the air as either "Mifune Sanjuro" or "Mifune Sanjulo". The former seems to be more appropriate for the character acting as shout-out to {{Film/Sanjuro}} and the film's lead Creator/ToshiroMifune.
171	* SpikeBallsOfDoom: Sometimes bosses and minibosses carry spiky metal balls.
172	* SpikesOfDoom: Spikes are a common hazard in the series.
173	* SpritePolygonMix: ''Rocket Knight''.
174	* SteamPunk: [[SchizoTech Sort of.]] The setting combines SteamPunk elements with more traditional fantasy and sci-fi elements.
175	* SuddenlyVoiced: The cameo in ''Mitsumete Knight'' is the only instance where Sparkster has a voice actor, courtesy of Creator/KazuyaNakai.
176	* SuperMode: The Legendary Armor in ''RKA 2''. While wearing this, Sparkster's attacks do more damage and his rocket charges faster.
177	* SwordBeam: In the original ''RKA'', Sparkster flings a spinning projectile of fire from his HotBlade when he strikes directly from a snap-draw. Some of the later games omit this projectile.
178	* TennisBoss: The first time you face Captain Fleagle in the fourth level of the first game, he tosses explosives at you. You can't reach him with your normal attacks, so you have to hit the bombs back at him to damage him.
179	* TenSecondFlashlight: Can get pretty irritating in levels with a lot of enemies or traps.
180	* TerribleTrio: At least one per 16-bit game.
181	** ''Rocket Knight Adventures'' (Genesis): Emperor Devligus Devotindos, Captain Fleagle, Axel Gear
182	** ''Sparkster: Rocket Knight Adventures 2'' (Genesis): King Gedol, Paeli, Axel Gear
183	** ''Sparkster'' (SNES): Generalissimo Lioness, Colonel Wolfheim, Axel Gear
184	* TimeSkip: Five years pass between the events of the first game and the sequel.
185	* TitleConfusion: At the time of its release, the first game was often mistakenly just called "Sparkster" by fans, which led to considerable confusion when the next two games had "Sparkster" as a subtitle and their actual title, respectively.
186	* WaterfrontBossBattle: Several in the first game, each one a different type.
187	** The very beginning of Stage 2 has Sparkster come across a giant robot piloted by one of Emperor Devligus Devotindos' Pig Soldiers. The robot tries to attack Sparkster as he swims in the water below, and Sparkster has to jump or use his jet pack to reach it.
188	** At the end of the second part of Stage 3, the mini-boss is a robotic GiantEnemyCrab piloted by one of Emperor Devligus Devotindos' Pig Soldiers. Because it is underwater, Sparkster has to swim underwater to attack it.
189	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: Happens very, very frequently, with ShootEmUp and (rudimentary) FightingGame segments breaking up the platforming.
190	* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: The last normal level of each game is on an enemy space station (slightly modified in ''RKA 2'', where it appears to be an OminousFloatingCastle in space), and the first game and the SNES game take this further by setting the final boss fight ''in re-entry'' and ''on a giant missile'', respectively. ''Rocket Knight'' has the final level in [[spoiler:a corrupted version of Zephyrus where the pigs have taken over and the general rules with a giant golden robot of himself. OhCrap]].
191	* VillainExitStageLeft: In a rather odd example, Axel Gear always lives to fight another day, while the BigBad always dies.
192	* WaterfrontBossBattle: In the second part of Stage 1, Sparkster flies through the air with his JetPack as a robotic SegmentedSerpent lurks in the water below, occasionally jumping out of the water to try to attack Sparkster.
193	* WhatMeasureIsANonCute: Zephyrus' enemies tend to be ugly, or at least to belong to species with morally ambiguous or downright negative stereotypes.
194

Context VideoGame / RocketKnightAdventures