One of Segas two launch
titles for the GBA, Chu Chu Rocket! is going to be a must-play title. Packing all the
features of the Dreamcast version, plus some new additions, this is much more than the
simple cat-and-mouse game we all know and love. Multiplayer action has rarely been so good
on any system, and Chu Chu Rocket! will make the GBA an excellent value for your
multiplayer dollar.
For
those unfamiliar with the Dreamcast version of Chu Chu Rocket, heres a quick
rundown: Your goal is to get mice into your rocket so you can launch them off to safety.
Game play is conducted on a "board," and each board is designed differently.
Various placements for walls, mouse generators, and rockets give the game an almost
infinite variety and provide for lots of replay value. In the standard game, one to four
players place arrows on the board to guide the mice, who continue in a straight line and
turn right when they hit a wall, into their respective rockets. For extra fun, certain
mice make special events occur and there is always the threat of a cat entering your
rocket, which will eat about a third of the mice you have collected.
In
addition to the multiplayer mode, there are several other game modes that provide an
equally good time. The major highlight is the Puzzle Mode, which can be played with one or
two players. In this mode, you are presented with a board and a limited number of arrows
you can place. You are required to guide all of the mice into the rocket with only that
number of arrows. These puzzles can be incredibly difficult and are a whole lot of fun.
Of
course, Chu Chu Rocket! also sports a couple of new gameplay features, such as Night Time,
Blindfold the Leader, and Four Player Battle Roulette, along with some others. Details
about these modes are sketchy, but we welcome any expansion to the Chu Chu format. Also
new in the GBA version are a whole lot of boards over 2500 of them which
should add greatly to the replayability of the game.
Youll
be able to play with up to four player multiplayer with a single cartridge, which is very
good news. In addition, youll be able to trade custom characters and puzzles, edited
on your own GBA, with your buddies via the link cable. I cant think of a more
exciting title for the GBA launch. Chu Chu Rocket! will be an even bigger hit on the GBA
than it was on the Dreamcast. If you miss it, youre just plain missing out.