Rocket: Robot on Wheels (N64, 1999)

• Partially non-linear structure (can enter the third level before finishing the second (or even entering the second if you collected everything in level 1 and the hub area up to that point), can do the fourth level (arabian flights) before the third (mines), can do the fifth level (pyramid) before entering the fourth if you collect a lot of tokens and nearly all tickets up until that point, can enter the final level before finishing the sixth, open-ended levels and in some aspects the hub area, linear final level)

• Save & quit only (does save all completion progress however and you can use it anywhere). Loading a save restores your HP and puts you at the beginning of the hub area

• HP recharge stations (about one per area)

• Some backtracking to progress as well as to get to some items - there are also vehicles (1-2 per level) but they don't carry over between levels, upgradeable life bar (find the upgrades in the levels))

• Some good puzzles (logical, sound sequence, spatial awareness/parallel worlds ones in the pyramid) and some decent ones (using objects and certain NPCs as platforms, color mixing (fountains) and coloring puzzles, etc)

• Start with a grapple hook/tractor beam (works on specific parts of each level as well as some thrown objects) which also lets you carry and throw objects and some enemies

• Various hidden items

• There's a hint system for the tickets and some other objectives in levels+you can see your completion stats via the pause menu

• Some interesting movement upgrades (freeze ray - lets you create platforms on water+freeze some enemies, grapple upgrade/hookshot - lets you aim it in FP view+reaches much further  - Ocarina of Time, )

• Can quickly exit any level via the pause menu

• Some sequence breaking possibilities (can get to the food fright level before the pyramid one via an alternate path in the hub area; minor: if you position yourself correctly you can get to the top of the roman tower right away - kinda tricky, damage boost jumping during the indoors bomb throwing segment in the arabian level, can get to the upper part of the room outside the pyramid level without the hookshot/upgraded grapple)

• Codes for "super" versions of your moves+faster movement

• A few shortcuts within levels

• Vehicles stay where you left them while in a level unless summoned via the vehicle pads

• Forgiving about falling into death pits (arabian level, mine) - lose 1 HP and respawn near where you fell

• Can't carry items (including bombs) between rooms through doorways

• Can't kill some enemies (item thieves)

Some notable cons:

• No level maps

• Some control/interface issues (camera issues in tighter spaces and you can't make it stay in place while moving if it's not behind you+can't turn it near walls (sometimes can't turn it at all for seemingly no reason)+can't place it behind your avatar while your back is next to a wall, camera sometimes forces an overly zoomed in view, camera sometimes doesn't focus on Rocket enough when jumping, slow turning vehicles, floaty jumps+dolphin jumps and grapple swings, etc.)

• Some trial & error (even if you make it on time with more than 1 second to go during the screw collecting mini-game in the hub area you can still fail as the timer just keeps going (have to quickly grab the ticket), no hints for the machine part locations - only a problem in some levels though, the game doesn't tell you that you should go back to the hub area when you have enough bolts/tokens for a movement upgrade, etc)

• Various tedious aspects (having to replay a longer segment after falling down (inside the dinosaur robot statue, inside the roman tower and the water cave in the same level, level 6, etc. (or the opposite in one part of the arabian level)) - no checkpoints in the middle of levels or platforming challenges, plenty of dead space and no teleporters or alternate entry points within levels, no item magnet (Sonic 3) - breaks flow a bit, etc.)

• Uneven difficulty

• So-so draw distance on certain objects (dolphin vehicle in roman level, some machine parts in the arabian level, electric barrier around the snake head entrance in the pyramid level)

Playthrough - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Banjo-Kazooie, Super Mario 64, Ape Escape, possibly Sonic Adventure, Spyro the Dragon

Influenced: Possibly Banjo-Tooie