Rocky is a boxing video game developed and published by Sega in 1987 for the Sega Master System. Based on the popular Rocky film series starring Sylvester Stallone, the game allows players to step into the role of Rocky Balboa and fight through some of his most iconic opponents from the movies. Released exclusively for the Master System, Rocky was one of the early sports games to feature licensed movie content and character likenesses, although its presentation was limited by the hardware capabilities of the time.
Rocky (Sega Master System)
The gameplay in Rocky follows a traditional one-on-one boxing format. Players control Rocky Balboa as he fights three of his most famous opponents: Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, and Ivan Drago. Each fight consists of up to 15 rounds, and the player must either knock out the opponent or win by points. The control scheme allows Rocky to perform a variety of punches, including jabs, hooks, and uppercuts, as well as defend and dodge. Before each match, players go through a training session in which they can improve Rocky's speed, power, and stamina by completing mini-games, such as punching bags or skipping rope. These training sequences have a direct effect on Rocky's performance in the ring.
Visually, Rocky was considered impressive for its time, showcasing large, well-animated sprites and detailed backgrounds that reflected the arenas from the movies. The boxers are distinctively designed, and the animations for different punches and movements were relatively smooth for an 8-bit system. However, the game has been criticized for its repetitive gameplay and lack of depth. Despite offering three different opponents, the core mechanics remain largely the same throughout, and the limited roster reduces long-term replay value.
Critical reception of Rocky was mixed upon release. Some reviewers praised the graphics and faithful adaptation of the Rocky character and atmosphere, while others found the gameplay shallow and lacking variety. Publications such as The Games Machine and Sega Power highlighted the game's visual appeal and accessible controls but noted that it did not offer a deep boxing simulation. The absence of a two-player mode was also cited as a drawback, limiting the game to a single-player experience against AI opponents only.
Despite its limitations, Rocky holds a nostalgic place among Sega Master System fans and remains notable as one of the earliest examples of a movie-licensed boxing game. While not as refined as later boxing titles, it successfully brought the excitement of the Rocky films to home consoles at a time when few sports games managed to blend cinematic inspiration with interactive gameplay.
More details about this game can be found on Wikipedia.org.
This version of Rocky was designed for the Sega Master System (SMS), which was an 8-bit video game console manufactured by Sega in the years 1985 - 1992. It was a direct competitor to the much more successful NES console and the predecessor of the much beter console Sega Genesis. The unit price of Master System was approximately $ 200 and worldwide only 13 million units of this console were sold. More information about Sega Master System can be found here.
Recommended Game Controllers:
You can control this game easily by using the keyboard of your PC (see the table next to the game). However, for maximum gaming enjoyment, we strongly recommend using a USB gamepad that you simply plug into the USB port of your computer. If you do not have a gamepad, buy a suitable USB controller on Amazon or AliExpress or in some of your favorite online stores.
Available online emulators:
4 different online emulators are available for Rocky. These emulators differ not only in the technology they use to emulate old games, but also in of various game controllers, multiplayer mode, mobile phone touchscreen, emulation speed, absence or presence of embedded ads and in many other parameters. For maximum gaming enjoyment, it's important to choose the right emulator, because on each PC and in different Internet browsers, the individual emulators behave differently. The basic features of each emulator available for this game Rocky are summarized in the following table:
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This version of Rocky was designed for the Sega Master System (SMS), which was an 8-bit video game console manufactured by Sega in the years 1985 - 1992. It was a direct competitor to the much more successful NES console and the predecessor of the much beter console Sega Genesis. The unit price of Master System was approximately $ 200 and worldwide only 13 million units of this console were sold. More information about Sega Master System can be found 
