is a 1999 action puzzle game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast. The objective is for the player to place arrows on a board to lead mice into escape rockets while avoiding cats. The game features single-player modes in which a player must save all the mice on a board, and a multiplayer mode in which players battle to collect the most mice.
Directed and produced by Yuji Naka, ChuChu Rocket! was developed to test the Dreamcast's processing power by displaying many characters at once, and also to test the online functionality of the Dreamcast and Sega's servers, as it was the first Dreamcast game designed to make use of online. The knowledge gained from the network portion of the project helped Sonic Team in their development of Phantasy Star Online (2000). When it arrived in the United States, Sega held an online tournament where players could battle against Sega and Sonic Team employees. In PAL regions, it was given free to subscribers of Sega's online gaming service Dreamarena. Although Sega's online services have long shut down, the game can still be played online via private servers.
ChuChu Rocket! was a commercial and critical success. Critics praised the chaotic and addictive multiplayer and the simple and cute Japanese aesthetic. Sega's network gaming service received some criticism for lag. ChuChu Rocket! was ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2001 as a launch game, and gathered interest as the first game published by Sega for Nintendo hardware. It was later ported to iOS and Android; both of these versions were delisted from their storefronts in 2015.
Gameplay
thumb|left|Competitive four-player gameplay. Players place arrows to direct mice towards their rocket, and cats towards their opponents'.
ChuChu Rocket! is an action puzzle game.
Development
ChuChu Rocket! was developed by Sonic Team.
| rev1 = Arcade
| rev1Score = 4/5
The Dreamcast version of ChuChu Rocket! received positive reviews. Critics highlighted the multiplayer modes as being great fun and addictive.
The Game Boy Advance port of ChuChu Rocket! also received generally favorable reviews.
Legacy
A follow-up to ChuChu Rocket!, Dee Dee Planet, was in development and scheduled for release on the Dreamcast in 2001. The game similarly focused on online multiplayer with gameplay similar to the Worms series. It was reportedly cancelled due to the bugs and problems with its network play. In 2021, a near-complete beta copy of the game was obtained and leaked onto the internet. Fans eventually fixed the bugs, making it completely playable online the following year.
In the GameCube versions of Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (2002) and Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003), a limited version of the Game Boy Advance port can be unlocked and played via the GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable. Minigames inspired by ChuChu Rocket! were included in Sega Superstars (2004) and Sega Superstars Tennis (2008). ChuBei, Chuih, ChuPea, and ChuBach are also playable characters in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing and Sega Heroes.
ChuChu Rocket! Universe
A sequel, ChuChu Rocket! Universe, developed by Hardlight, was released on September 19, 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS as a launch game for Apple Arcade. It was removed in September 2022 without warning.
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