Rocket Knight Walkthrough/Achievement Guide V.05 Written by Paul Acevedo Created on: 05/17/10 Updated on: 05/17/10 Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Version History 3. Series Rundown 4. Controls 5. Items 6. Gameplay Tips 7. Walkthrough 8. Achievement Guide 9. Unlockables 10. Special Thanks 11. Contact Information -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- This guide covers Rocket Knight, a downloadable game for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. The game takes up 701 megabytes on PC. It costs $15 on all three platforms. Rocket Knight is a modern sequel to the 16-bit Rocket Knight games. It has 3D graphics but the gameplay is 2-dimensional. Try not to let the somewhat bland art style and music put you off; Rocket Knight is a great game. It was developed by Climax Studios and published by Konami. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Version history -------------------------------------------------------------------- 05/17/10 Version 0.5 FAQ created. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Series History -------------------------------------------------------------------- The three 16-bit Rocket Knight games were directed by Nobuya Nakazato, who also directed Contra. This was basically Konami's golden age, during which their games showed incredible technical prowess and smooth gameplay. Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis, 1993) ------------------------ Sparkster, the Rocket Knight, is tasked with rescuing Zephyrus' Princess Sherry from the evil Pig Empire, Devotindos. He also has to contend with Axel Gear, his renegade Rocket Knight nemesis. Rocket Knight Adventures is an action-platforming game, but that's not all there is to it. It also features shooter stages and giant mech battles. The amazing graphics and variety-filled gameplay cause Sparkster's first adventure to be remembered fondly. Unfortunately, like many of Konami's 16-bit games, it's also punishingly difficult. Sparkster (Super Nintendo, 1994) --------- Strangely, the Super NES and Genesis sequels to RKA are two completely different games (and yet they share the same cover art). In SNES Sparkster, the titular hero battles an army of wolves. The stages now allow for more use of the rocket pack. There is a single overhead shooter stage (no more side-scrolling ones). A password feature even alleviates the difficulty somewhat. Sparkster (Genesis, 1994) --------- Sparkster is now threatened by militant reptiles. The rocket pack now charges automatically. This makes it much easier to use, but Sparkster moves more slowly than before and he no longer has a ranged attack. Finding the hidden keys in each stage allows Sparkster to take Axel Gear's Sword and become Gold Sparkster, making the final boss easier. Rocket Knight (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC, 2010) ------------- The latest game in the series takes place 15 years after the 16-bit adventures. The pigs and wolves both return (sorry, reptiles!). Axel Gear is back too. The rocket pack works like it did in the Genesis Sparkster sequel, charging automatically, but unlike that game, Sparkster can still shoot flames from his sword. Side-scrolling shooter stages are present, though the mech battles are MIA. Rocket Knight is easier than its predecessors, with more forgiving stage design and an autosave save feature. Fear not, masochists: the harder difficulties still offer a challenge! Cameo! ------ Most people don't know it, but Sparkster makes a cameo appearance in Contra: Shattered Soldier for Playstation 2. *** For more details about the Rocket Knight game series, see Kurt Kulatta's article at Hardcore Gaming 101. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Controls -------------------------------------------------------------------- Xbox 360 Controls ----------------- Left Stick: Movement D-pad: Movement X button: Attack A button: Jump Y button: Ranged Attack B button: Rocket Burst Left bumper: Right bumper: Rocket Burst Left trigger: Right trigger: Back button: Start button: Pause Playstation 3 Controls ---------------------- Left Stick: Movement D-pad: Movement Square button: Attack X button: Jump Triangle button: Ranged Attack Circle button: Rocket Burst L1 button: R1 button: Rocket Burst L2 button: R2 button: Select button: Start button: Pause PC Controls ----------- -These are the keyboard controls. You can also use an Xbox 360 controller, in which case the default controls will be the same as the Xbox 360 version. -Configuring controls: You can only change the controls if you have a gamepad plugged in before starting the game. In the Configuration Tool that launches before the game, click on the Direct Input GamePad Setup tab. WASD or Arrow keys: Movement C or Enter keys: Attack N, Spacebar, or ' keys: Jump Left Shift, X, M, or Right Shift keys: Ranged Attack CTRL key: Rocket Burst Moves ----- Duck: Press down Knocking projectiles back: Press Attack or perform a Burst Vortex an enemy projectile is close in order to knock it back at an enemy or destructible object. Burst moves (these deplete the Burst Meter): ----------- Rocket Burst: Press any direction + the Rocket Burst button to fly through the air briefly. This functions as an attack. You can also richochet off walls. Burst Shot: Press the Ranged Attack button to fire a projectile from your sword. This works on the ground, in the air, and while hanging from rails. It does less damage than other attacks, unfortunately. Burst Assist: Press Jump while falling to hover briefly. Burst Vortex: Press the Rocket Burst button without pressing holding any directions to make Sparkster spin in place with his sword extended. It works on the ground or in the air. Sparkster is briefly invincible while doing this move. Rail Spin: While hanging from a rail, hold no directions and press Rocket Burst. Sparkster will spin vertically. This attacks above and below him. More importantly, you can press Jump when Sparkster is spinning up to jump extra high. This is the only way to reach certain high places. Burst Drill: While doing a Rocket Burst, press the Rocket Burst button again. In other words, double tap the Rocket Burst button while holding a direction. This uses extra fuel but does double damage. It also creates a small shockwave if Sparkster reflects off a wall. The Burst Drill is used to break destructible objects. Flying moves (during flying stages; these deplete the Burst Meter): ------------ Attack: Press Attack to perform a combined melee and ranged attack. Burst Beam: Hold Attack and then release. This does extra damage and passes through multiple enemies. Burst Dash: Hold the Rocket Burst button to do the flying stages' version of the Rocket Burst attack. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Items -------------------------------------------------------------------- Each stage has a fixed amount of items. You can earn one extra life for collecting all of the Blue jewels and another extra life for gathering all of the Red jewels in a stage. Blue jewel: 50 points Red jewel: 500 points Small heart: Refills 2 hearts Large heart: Refills 4 hearts 1-up: Guess! Rocket Pack: Refills rocket pack fuel (found in ice areas) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Gameplay Tips -------------------------------------------------------------------- Coming soon! -------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Walkthrough -------------------------------------------------------------------- World 1: Zephyrus Stage 1-1: Items Blue jewels 150 Red jewels 25 Small hearts 6 Large hearts 2 1-ups 3 Stage 1-2: Tree Tops (Flying stage) Items Blue jewels 50 Red jewels 15 Small hearts 3 Large hearts 1 1-ups 1 Stage 1-3: Zephyrus, Zephyrian City Items Blue jewels 150 Red jewels 25 Small hearts 5 Large hearts 3 1-ups 2 Stage 1-4: Zephyrus, Forest Shredder (boss) Items Blue jewels 0 Red jewels 0 Small hearts 2 Large hearts 0 1-ups 0 Special technique: Knock the boss' dynamite back into him to unlock Hard difficulty for World 1. World 2: The Wolf Kingdom Stage 2-1: The Counter Attack Items Blue jewels 150 Red jewels 25 Small hearts 8 Large hearts 0 1-ups 2 How do you get to the top of ship mast w/ 1-up and 2 red jewels? Stage 2-2: Airship Armada Items Blue jewels 50 Red jewels 10 Small hearts 3 Large hearts 1 1-ups 1 You can hit the ships' propellors! Stage 2-3: Wolf Fortress Items Blue jewels 150 Red jewels 25 Small hearts 6 Large hearts 3 1-ups 2 You must stand near a torch or collect a Rocket Pack icon to recharge your rocket pack! Stage 2-4: The Wolf King (boss) Items Blue jewels 0 Red jewels 0 Small hearts 1 Large hearts 0 1-ups 0 Special technique: Break the cracked floor while the Wolf King his standing on it, making him fall through the floor. You can break the floor from above or below; as long as Wolfie's on it, he will fall. You face off against the Wolf King in a 3-story room. You can climb or drop down from the outer edges of the room (by the walls). The boss can be damaged by knocking back his explosives, getting him to dash into a wall or stone block, or breaking the cracked floor while he's on it. World 3: Deep Underground Stage 3-1: Pig Bunker Stage 3-2: Stage 3-3: Stage 3-4: Axel Gear (boss) Special technique: Get one of Axel's purple homing shots to hit him. World 4: Stage 4-1: Stage 4-2: Stage 4-3: Stage 4-4: -------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Achievement Guide -------------------------------------------------------------------- Xbox Live Achievements/Playstation Trophies ------------------------------------------- Burst Friends: 5 points ------------- Description: Defeat 5 enemies in a single Rocket Burst or Drill attack Tips: Woodland Bouncer: 5 points ---------------- Description: Defeat 3 enemies with a single reflected projectile Tips: Ferocious Flier: 10 points --------------- Description: Completed 1.2 having defeated all enemies Tips: Wolf Connoisseur: 10 points ---------------- Description: Completed 2.1 having collected all pickups Tips: Nimble Knight: 10 Points ------------- Description: Completed 3.2 without taking damage Tips: Zephyrus Saviour: 35 points ---------------- Description: Completed Arcade Mode on Normal Tips: Elhorn Tourist: 30 points -------------- Description: Completed all stages Tips: Impatient Hero: 20 points -------------- Description: Completed all stages below par time Tips: Spark Dog Millionaire: 15 points --------------------- Description: Completed Arcade Mode scoring 1,000,000 or more Tips: Devotindos Defiler: 25 points ------------------ Description: Completed Arcade Mode on Hard in a Single Playthrough Tips: Redoubtable Runner: 15 points ------------------ Description: Completed Arcade Mode on Hard within 60 minutes Tips: Legendary Possum: 20 points ---------------- Description: Completed Gold Sparkster Mode Tips: Steam Achievements ------------------ The Steam version adds four easy progress-related Achievements. City Saviour ------------ Description: Complete World 1 Wolf King Conqueror ------------------- Description: Complete World 2 Bunker Buster ------------- Description: Complete World 3 Return of the Rocket Knights ---------------------------- Description: Complete World 4 Additionally, the description for Devotdinos Defiler is slightly different than the console versions: Devotindos Defiler ------------------ Description: Completed Arcade Mode on Hard -------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Unlockables and Codes -------------------------------------------------------------------- Extra difficulties ------------------ Hard: You must damage (but not necessarilly defeat) each world's boss in a specific way in order to unlock that world's Hard difficulty. World 1-4: Forest Shredder -Knock the boss' dynamite back into him. World 2-4: The Wolf King -Break the cracked floor while the Wolf King his standing on it, making him fall through the floor. World 3-4: Axel Gear -Get one of Axel's purple homing shots to hit him. Golden Sparkster Mode: Beat Hard *and* damage each boss with the same techniques used to unlock Hard difficulty. Character Skins (found under Bonus Content) --------------- These skins are just for looks. They don't affect your abilities in any way. Axel: Beat Hard. Gold Sparkster: Beat Gold Sparkster Mode. Konami Code: ----------- At the main menu, press: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B (Ranged Attack), A (Jump) This temporarily unlocks the Axel and Gold Sparkster skins. You'll still need to beat Hard and Gold Sparkster Modes if you want to permanently unlock them. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Special Thanks -------------------------------------------------------------------- -Thanks to Kurt Kulatta at Hardcore Gaming 101 for information on the series history. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Contact Information -------------------------------------------------------------------- EastFAQs: Making games eastier since 2003! I'd love to receive your suggestions and questions. Email: eastfaqs at gmail dot com Xbox Live and Steam username: EastX Sega Saturn Net Link Handle: Eastman Rocket Knight copyright 2010 Konami Digital Entertainment. This document is copyright 2010 by Paul Acevedo. It may not be posted anywhere but gamefaqs.com, ign.com, and mycheats.com without permission. ?