A brand new game is rocketing onto the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, and its protagonist is a Panda!
And yes, it’s as cute as you might imagine.
The game, made by Space Pants Games (probably my favourite studio name ever) features a brave little panda flying around using (get this) a tea-powered jetpack while eating biscuits. I mean… this guy is my spirit animal if ever there was one!
![Rocket Panda holding a badger and flying up the side of the screen](https://retrododo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rocket-panda-gameplay-3-1160x653.jpg)
According to the official Kickstarter Page, Rocket Panda has ‘escaped from the stale and repressive republic of Rich Tea for tastier snacks in his newfound home of Biscuit Land’. This panda is fighting not just for freedom and to save Badgers throughout the land, but he’s also fighting for justice and tasty snacks along the way.
Now that is a hero I can get behind. I’m not sure how happy Super Sparkster will be to know that another critter is taking his share of the skies (I’m talking about Rocket Knight Adventures), but Rocket Panda has my vote!
A Sweet Treat For Sega Fans
![A bee flying towards Rocket Panda](https://retrododo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rocket-panda-gameplay-1160x653.jpg)
Any game that sees a Rocket-powered Panda utilising tea as a means of fuel and fighting an enemy called ‘Biscuit’ Head is a winner in my book.
The graphics are very reminiscent of the Mega Drive (or the Genesis if you’re reading this from the USA), and the levels are very typical of games from the Sega glory years, with enemies firing at you left, right, and centre as you move through perilous mazes in order to reach safety.
One thing that does slightly concern me is learning that the badgers you save act as shields against enemies. Those guys are brave, and I think I’ll be trying to aim for a ‘no-hit run-through’ when I play this game to minimise badger casualties!
Players must collect biscuits scattered through the levels to rack up points. Don’t worry, little badger, I won’t let you miss a single snack!
Checking Out The Bundles
![Bundles available from Space Pants games (left) and the game cart held in someone's hand (right)](https://retrododo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/rocket-panda-bundles-1160x653.jpg)
There are various bundles available from the official Rocket Panda Kickstarter page, with players able to get their furry paws on a boxed Genesis, Mega Drive, or VGS version of the game as well as digital ROMs and booklets to play on your computer or handheld.
Fans can also bag stickers and other treats including a wooden version of the cart depending on how much they pledge to the campaign.
With 11 days to go at the time of writing, the campaign has already surpassed its goal of £11,825, meaning that there’s a lot of love for this sky-soaring Panda out there. Who knows, he might even shoot into our favourite Mega Drive games list once we get hold of a copy!
Speaking of which, you can have a go on a Rocket Panda demo to get a feel for the game and take this fearless little bear for a spin!