[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rockin_kats_u_001.png]]
''Rockin' Kats'' (known as ''NY Nyankies'' in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}) is a PlatformGame developed by Creator/{{Atlus}} in the early 90's for the [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]], revolving around a young cat named Willy in a vague Prohibition-era setting who has to rescue his girlfriend Jill from the bulldog mob boss Mugsy.

The main gimmick of the game is the spring-loaded boxing glove gun that Willy uses as a weapon. On top of just punching enemies with it, he can also grab and swing from parts of the stage, grab certain projectiles and send them back to the enemy, and launch himself off of the floor and certain objects. The game also included ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic''-style non-linear stage progression (done through choosing "channels" on a TV, a shopping channel for buying powerups, and a "bonus channel" for various minigames to earn cash and extra lives.

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!!Rockin' Kats provides examples of:

* AdvancingWallOfDoom: Two vertical sections of the final level have a ghostly disembodied doberman head slowly chasing you through them.
* AirborneAircraftCarrier: The third part of Stage 2: Sky Ace takes place inside Mugsy's giant blimp.
* AmusementParkOfDoom: Level 3 takes place in an Amusement park, with plate spinners, a spookhouse, and a roller coaster. Willy battles the Clown Dog in the boss battle.
* AnachronismStew: Mugsy and his gang look like 30's gangsters, but the stage select has the player choosing stages on a TV, one of the bosses is a rock band, and at one point Willy rides on a skateboard.
* BewareOfViciousDog: Most of Willy's enemies are Mugsy's gangster dog minions.
* BlackoutBasement: Part of level 5
* BossBonanza: The final level (Stage 5) takes you through a series of rematches with all of the minibosses and main bosses you previously faced in the game.
* BrutalBonusLevel: Mugsy challenges Willy to one more fight after the credits, with an ultra-hard level preceding it (and no power-ups.)
* BullyBulldog: The BigBad Mugsy is a gangster mob boss bulldog who leads a gang of dogs.
* CatsAreMean: Inverted. The protagonist is a cat and the main villain (and many of the bosses) are dogs of some kind.
* CreepyCemetery: Part of stage 3 (though seeing as it's sandwiched between two amusement park sections, it's probably a haunted house.)
* DamselInDistress: Jill gets herself kidnapped ''in every level''.
* EpicFlail: The Hammer Punch powerup turns the boxing glove gun into this, doing more damage while not being able to grab things.
* FingerFirearms: The level 2 boss attacks with multiple WhiteGloves, capable of firing bullets by making the FingerGun gesture.
* GoodAnimalsEvilAnimals: The Cats are the good guys, and the dogs are the bad guys.
* GunsAkimbo: Mugsy during the FinalBoss fight.
* InjunCountry: The second part of level 4.
* InstrumentOfMurder: The first stage boss has Willy fighting a rock band called the "Bull Band", with the lead singer attacking you with musical notes.
* KillerGorilla: Mugsy's personal bodyguard Mr. Kong. Who is fought in the fifth level.
* LevelsTakeFlight: In Stage 2: Sky Ace, Willy stands atop the wing of a bi-plane being driven by his friend, fighting off airborne enemies. They soon make their way to a large blimp, where a flying dog serves as the mini-boss.
* MarathonLevel: Level 5 is basically a BossRush with some pretty long stretches of level in-between each boss.
** Levels 3 and 4 aren't as insanely long, but still a ''lot'' longer than the first two stages (fortunately, there's mid-level checkpoints that are retained even after continuing.)
* MascotWithAttitude: Strangely enough, the game came out a few months ''before'' ''VideoGame/{{Sonic the Hedgehog}}''.
* MegatonPunch: The final boss fight ends with Willy punching Mugsy so hard that he goes flying to the moon.
* MinecartMadness: The final part of level 4
* MonsterClown: Clown Dog is the main boss of Stage 3.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Gangster dogs, ghost dogs, clown dogs, cowboy dogs, cowboy ''birds''...
* NoArcInArchery: Averted. Archers in level 4 will fire their arrows upwards in an arc. The arrows don't change direction at all, though, making it look very odd.
* NoobBridge: The player won't get very far without knowing about the floor rebound, swing and WallJump techniques (in fact, the player can't even beat the ''first level'' without knowing how to use them).
* OutsideRide: Part of level 2 has Willy riding on top of a biplane to fight enemies.
* PolkaDotPaint: A paint is used which makes white-red striped paint for every odd swipe and blue-yellow polka dot paint for every even swipe.
* SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud: "CLOWN-DOG SHOW TIME CLAP! CLAP!"
* ShoutOut: One of the enemies in level 5 dresses like Smooth Criminal Music/MichaelJackson and attacks by moonwalking into you.
** The bat enemies are dressed like a certain [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Caped Crusader.]]
** The second-to-last boss is a giant gorilla named [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong Mr. Kong]].
* SoOnceAgainTheDayIsSaved: Due to the Saturday Morning episodic nature of the levels, every episode ends with Willy rescuing Jill from the predicament of the episode, with Mugsy ticked off and [[WeWillMeetAgain swearing revenge]].
* SuperDrowningSkills: Falling in water is instant death.
* TraintopBattle: Part of the first stage.
* WallJump: Willy can effectively do this by punching the wall at a downward angle.
* WeWillMeetAgain: Mugsy says this at the [[SoOnceAgainTheDayIsSaved end of every level]].
-->'''Mugsy:''' "Hey punk! I'll get you yet!"
* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: You can get pretty inventive with the boxing glove gun (and in fact you're expected to.)
* TheWildWest: Level 4.
* AWinnerIsYou: Beating the BrutalBonusLevel gets you the exact same ending as beating the game normally.
* XtremeKoolLetterz: Rockin' '''K'''ats.
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