by Jay "THE FLEA" Wade
The first of what is hoped to be many more games in the future. A multiplayer online game. Chu Chu Rocket is a puzzle game where you try and get as many mice into your rocket before time runs out. You place arrow tiles and the floor to direct the mice into a rocket and avoid cats to eat mice and destroy your rocket. You'll also get special mice that give power-ups that make everything from tons of mice appear, cat attack, Switch places with and opponent and slow down the action. You go online and challenge others and he/she with the most mice wins.
The one player mode is a little different, you have to figure out where exactly to place the tiles and get all the mice into a rocket and not get eaten by a cat.
The only problem with the one player mode is once you figure out the puzzle, you'll never want to play that puzzle again due to you know exactly where to place the tiles.
Some of the puzzle are extremely challenging so it will take awhile to figure out all the puzzles.
There's also a create your own puzzle mode, so make a puzzle and challenge a friend.
The online battle mode is great but does have a lag problem when a lot of people are online.
So you'll click a square and the tile won't appear for a second. But if you play later at night or early in the day you won't notice a problem.
The Graphics are simple like most puzzles games and the game play reminds me of some of the old classic puzzle games like LoLo on the NES. You can get high scores and save your online wins, it can be really addicting.
The sound has a high energy feel that really pulls the game together, and control is simple and only can be difficult online due to lag.
PUBLISHER: SEGA
GRAPHICS: 7 SOUND & MUSIC: 9 CONTROL: 7
SECRETS: 7 ORIGINALITY: 9 FUN & REPLAY: 9.5
With free online servers available, Chu Chu Rocket is a great game to get you started online with your Dreamcast.OVERALL: 8.5