Rocky (SMS) Playthrough - NintendoComplete
122A playthrough of Sega's 1987 license-based boxing game for the Sega Master System, Rocky.
The Rocky movie series is up there with my all-time favorite movie franchises, and until Rocky V, it's amazing how they upped the ante further and further with each release.
The Master System's take on the underdog-takes-all story doesn't quite hit the same levels of epicness of the movies it covers in the timeline, but that's alright. It didn't have to. It's still quite a respectable boxing title on its own, but of course, the Rocky license does help things out quite a bit.
You fight Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), Clubber Lang (Mr. T), and Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) all for the title. Each fight is preceeded by a training exercise that establishes Rocky's stats for the upcoming bout - if you skip these, in the words of Mr. Death From Above himself, "You will lose."
The training rounds are easily the hardest part of the game if you want Rocky in peak physical form. If you get the qualifying number given on-screen, you'll be able to take down the enemy, though it might be a struggle unless you have their patterns down cold. If you score well enough beyond the requirement, Rocky gets a significant further boost that really makes the three opponents *much* easier. They certainly aren't as hard as most people seem to thing - they aren't Track and Field affairs where you indiscriminately bash buttons as fast as possible. A turbo controller might get you there, but I'm guessing it probably won't get you to the highest power upgrade. They asked fast paced, but rely far more on timing than sheer speed. Figure out the rhythm and pace to maximize the number of hits, and you're pretty much guarantees success everytime.
The fighting itself feels much like any other 80s side-view boxing arcade game. You throw straights, uppercuts, hooks, and judge your distance and speed to pull off combo-strings. Nail the powerful combo finisher enough times and your opponent will be twitching on the mat in no time. Like Apollo. I mean, "if he dies, he dies." Right?
Given the order of the training stages, though, it seems like someone forgot to inform Mickey that he was already dead. Oops.
The graphics look great for such an old title, and the music isn't bad, even if it feels like a colossal waste of opportunity. The Rocky theme is totally absent, as is anything from the insanely awesome soundtrack to Rocky IV. No Hearts on Fire, No Easy Way Out, or Vince DiCola montages here.
Even without the music, it's still quite a good game - miles better than Ring King - and one that any fan should play.
And don't listen to all the naysayers that might scream, "You can't win!" It is entirely possible, as I did here. You just have to figure out how to play it first.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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