Konami's excellent Sparkster, spiritual successor to Rocket Knight Adventures. Gorgeous, demanding, one of the console's best platformers.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Rocket-propelled opossum knight Sparkster battles enemies in this Konami Mega Drive platformer. Published by Konami, released in Europe in September 1994. Platformer with Sparkster using his jetpack to fly and attack, harder levels and formidable bosses.
Sparkster review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Konami crosses the animal fable with war machinery: an armoured opossum propelled by a back-mounted rocket, set against pigs piloting steam-driven contraptions. The scenery moves from a green medieval kingdom to industrial hangars and on into space, with enormous sprites and animation of constant roundness.
Konami's sound team writes chivalric themes run through rock: heroic fanfares doubled by synthetic guitars, rhythmic breaks when the rocket bolts, a light flying motif in the airborne passages. The FM chip is worked in thick layers, with bass that carries the melody rather than trailing it.
Sparkster PAL is the European edition of the Konami game, the sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures with Sparkster as the main protagonist. Its collector value comes from the fact that it is one of the last Konami platformer productions on Megadrive and that the Sparkster franchise remains a cult object among 16-bit Konami fans.
An underrated gem
A sequel to the valiant opossum knight, this Konami platformer takes up its predecessor's jet-powered formula while toughening the challenge and refining the staging. Released late and in the shadow of the nascent PlayStation, it stirred little buzz. Demanding and spectacular, it will delight fans of muscular platforming in search of an underrated 16-bit title.
Is Sparkster still worth playing in 2026?
A direct sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures by Konami, Sparkster offers an inventive platform adventure with the return of the opossum hero and his back jetpack. The vibrant cartoon art direction, gameplay inventiveness and new aerial movements make it an excellent continuation of the Rocket Knight saga. For anyone who loved the first entry or seeking an original Konami 2D platformer, a warm recommendation still valid today on Mega Drive without any hesitation for fans truly here indeed.
