Pocky & Rocky with Becky for the Game Boy Advance is the fourth game in the Pocky & Rocky series (following on from Kiki Kaikai, Pocky & Rocky, and Pocky & Rocky 2). The game was developed and published by Altron in Japan in 2001 and was subsequently localized and published by Natsume in North America in 2002.

Each Pocky & Rocky game retains the same basic premise and gameplay as the original, but with a few small enhancements, added to give the game a more modern feel. The series premise is based on Japanese mythology; monsters, ghosts and magic, and the gameplay is based on the multi-directional scrolling shooter template as set in the 1986 arcade game Kiki Kaikai.

The GBA version features three playable characters: Pocky is the Shinto priestess who has fought well over three previous games; Rocky is the leaf-throwing raccoon, and Becky is another Shinto priestess who you can play as, or play with cooperatively, with another player over a link cable. Unlike in Pocky & Rocky 2, though, this game is not about companions, but about playing one lone character chosen from the three available.

Each level follows a fairly standard path, although there are occasional branches giving route options. Enemies attack in waves and can be dealt with by either throwing magic cards at them, or by sweeping them aside with a magic wand. If you seem to be stuck in a dead end, you need to find a key to unlock the way forward.

Pocky & Rocky with Becky is a decent enough handheld adaptation of previous Pocky & Rocky games. Compared to the SNES games I thought the graphics were a little bland in this port, and I also thought that the gameplay was a bit too ‘safe’ for my liking too. Little or nothing (other than the multiplayer link-up mode) has been added to this game to differentiate it from the rest.

A modern retro version of Pocky & Rocky followed in 2022, as Pocky & Rocky Reshrined.

More: Pocky & Rocky with Becky on Wikipedia
Steam: Pocky & Rocky Reshrined on Steam