Rocko's Modern Life: Spunky's Dangerous Day is, to date, the only video game based on Rocko's Modern Life Note . Rather than be a standard platformer, it mixes platforming with Escort Mission gameplay, as Rocko helps his dog Spunky to each level's goal (a fire hydrant). Spunky will continuously walk forward, but Rocko can feed him items to make him do specific maneuvers, or pick him up and change his walking direction. Rocko can take as much damage as he wants, but if Spunky loses enough energy, Rocko loses a life.
Developed by Viacom New Media and released in 1994, it isn't one of the better-known license games; whether you like it or hate it will depend on your tolerance for the aforementioned Escort Mission gameplay. But most can agree that it at least stayed faithful to the show in its visuals and characterizations.
Tropes featured in the game:
- Anti-Frustration Features:
- When you pause the game, it lets you move the camera around the level, which is helpful if you happened to get separated from Spunky and want to find him. Also useful for spotting upcoming hazards.
- As mentioned in the description, Rocko can take infinite damage from enemies; the only thing that kills him is if Spunky dies. If he had a traditional life bar and had to keep Spunky safe, the game would've been a nightmare.
- Cutscene: Each batch of levels feature a brief cutscene setting up the next place Rocko has to save Spunky from.
- Down in the Dumps: The second batch of levels take place in a dump.
- Easter Egg: You can play with the Nickelodeon dog bone logo during the start-up.
- Gale-Force Sound: In the third set of levels, Ed Bighead's screaming is so powerful it can push you back slightly.
- Game Over: A generic screen of Rocko, Heffer and Spunky with disappointed looks on their faces. It doesn't even have a unique game over jingle; it just recycles the title screen music.
- Opening Scroll: Subverted; the scroll comes at the end, with the end credits.
- Palmtree Panic: The first three levels take place at the beach, and are loosely based on the episode "Sand in Your Navel".
- Password Save: There is no battery back-up for this game, so if you want to continue later on, you need passwords. Appropriately, nearly all the passwords are references to the show: COMICS (where Rocko works), BLAZES (one of Rocko's catchphrases), MELBA (Rocko's crush), O-TOWN (the show's setting), HIPPO ("How DARE you!"), and... GRIPES. Not sure on that last one.
