Pocky & Rocky (1992). Play online

Summary

Pocky & Rocky is a top‑down scrolling shooter where you choose either a shrine maiden or her tanuki sidekick. Both glide in eight directions and can slide across the ground; in co‑op a collision makes them spin out enemies in a chaotic chain reaction. Pocky tosses talismans and a gohei, Rocky hurls leaves and can briefly become an invulnerable statue, and each has a unique bomb—one hits harder, the other covers more.

In six scrolling stages you’ll chase hidden “Help Man” icons that drop upgrades: bigger projectiles, multiple shots, shields or extra health. The game provides unlimited continues, letting you persist until the goblins are tamed. Sliding attacks grant speed and range, while Rocky’s long slide reaches far across the screen, turning co‑op play into a lively bomb‑and boomerang‑filled dance.

Critics praised the tight controls and colorful graphics, earning 80‑90 scores from several magazines; Super Play even placed it among the top 100 SNES titles. The success spawned three sequels and a spiritual follow‑up, cementing Pocky & Rocky as a hidden gem of the 16‑bit era.

Storyline

Set in a Far East‑themed world, Pocky & Rocky follows a young shrine maiden named Pocky (Sayo‑chan in Japan) as she tends to her Shinto shrine. One day the mischievous tanuki Rocky (Manuke) arrives, explaining that the Nopino Goblins—yōkai he belongs to—have slipped back into madness. Pocky had previously cured the goblins, but a new spell has driven them insane again, forcing the duo into a frantic ambush. Together they travel across mythic landscapes, battling classic Japanese monsters such as kappas while searching for the hidden mastermind behind the curse. The game blends cute characters with folklore as Pocky and Rocky work to free the Nopino Goblins and restore balance.