Rocket Mania
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Rocket Mania is a puzzle game by Nuclide Games, published by PopCap Games.
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[edit] Gameplay
In Rocket Mania, players earn points by quickly and skillfully launching fireworks. This is done by rotating fuse segments on a grid in order to form a path between sources of flame on the left and firework rockets on the right. As the two are connected, the rockets launch, earning points. Bonus points can be earned by launching multiple rockets at once, which is possible since the fuse segments often contain 3-way or 4-way junction pieces, effectively splitting the path of the flame. After a rocket launch, all fuse segments which were touched by the flames are eliminated and replaced by new random fuse segments (with existing pieces falling downward to fill any gaps).
Connections are helpfully color-coded in order to easily identify fuse segments which are connected to a source of fire or to one or more rockets. Players often find it helpful to work backwards (from the rockets), allowing setup of a multiple rocket launch before making connection with fuse segments already connected to flames.
[edit] Items
The game features bonus items which appear on various fuse segments. These include gems (worth extra points), bombs (which blow up all nearby fuses), and clocks (which temporarily freeze the game countdown timer). These items are earned when the corresponding fuse segment is burned. Coins can be collected in the same way, and after each level, the coins are automatically spent to upgrade the point-value of some of the rockets, making future launches of these rockets more valuable.
New items are placed onto the existing fuse segments at a faster rate if the player successfully performs large, multi-rocket launches. Larger launches also tend to increase the denomination of the coins which appear during the remainder of any given level.
After all rockets are fully upgraded (to level 10), every additional coin will add points to the total earned at the end of the current level.
[edit] Modes
In addition to the classic mode, the game also includes an arcade mode, and a strategy mode. In the arcade mode, there is no time limit, but new fuse segments continuously fall from the top of the screen, filling up the available play area. Players can somewhat shift the position of falling pieces, but must otherwise quickly launch rockets to consume existing fuse segments. If any column of the board completely fills up, the game ends.
In the strategy mode, the player has only a limited number of matches, and the game ends when the player runs out of matches. New matches can be earned by lighting fuse segments upon which they appear, but since every launch consumes a match, players must seek to earn an average of at least one match per launch. This encourages slower, more delibrate play, with careful planning required in order to extend play time.
[edit] Availability
The online version of Rocket Mania can be played for free at the MSN Gaming Zone and various other websites, but is limited in levels and extras. The Windows version, Rocket Mania Deluxe, is available as a trial download, with the full version able to be unlocked for a nominal fee.
Palm OS and Pocket PC versions are also available.
