- Blow On The Cartridge
- Posts
- Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
A beloved DS cult classic returns to the spotlight
In partnership with
PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
How do you explain Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime to someone? This is something I’ve always struggled with.
It’s brilliant, charming, utterly delightful, and yet no one I know has ever heard of it, let alone played it.
But what kind of game is it, exactly?
Try this: It's an action-adventure where you play as a bouncy slime, stretching and ricocheting around to defeat enemies and collect... Well, everything. You gather up defeated foes, random items, and treasure, then fire them back to your town via a pneumatic train system. And then? You defend that same town in epic tank battles against Godzilla-sized war machines, loading your cannons with all the weird stuff you collected while bouncing around as a blob.
See the problem? It sounds absolutely ridiculous when you try to describe it and that's exactly why it's so special to me.
Square Enix handed the beloved blue slime mascot his own starring role, complete with puns that would make even dad joke enthusiasts like me groan. The result is a game that feels so unique and timeless, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Meet Rocket, the hero of the game.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime follows a blue slime named Rocket as he explores the kingdom of Slimenia to rescue his captured friends.
The gameplay splits into two distinct phases: traditional adventure stages where you bounce around collecting items and solving puzzles in a top down view that will remind you of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, followed by epic tank battles that utilize both of the DS's screens simultaneously.
The adventure stages feel like a mix of platformer and puzzle game, where Rocket uses his elastic body to stretch, bounce, and carry objects on his head. The physics are surprisingly satisfying, with Rocket's stretchy movements feeling responsive and fun to control.
Looks like His Royal Wobbliness’s valuables are in a bit of a sticky slime-uation. I’m sorry for this joke, don’t unsubscribe.
You'll spend time exploring colorful environments, rescuing slime citizens, unlocking new paths and collecting various items that become ammunition for the tank battles. The DS stylus remains tucked away for most of the experience, with the developers wisely focusing on traditional button controls that feel natural and precise.
The tank battles represent the game's true innovation. These sequences use both DS screens to show the interior and exterior of your massive Schleiman Tank simultaneously.
You'll load ammunition into cannons, manage your crew of rescued slimes, and engage in strategic combat that feels like a real-time strategy game mixed with an arcade shooter.
Somebody’s gonna need a bigger garage after this.
Each slime crew member has unique abilities, and you can even launch them into enemy tanks to sabotage from within. The dual-screen setup creates a genuine sense of commanding a war machine, with shells flying across both displays as you coordinate attacks and repairs.
Defense plays just as crucial a role. The enemy is constantly launching their own barrage of rockets and projectiles at you. You're constantly weighing whether to keep up your offensive or pivot to shooting down their incoming attacks. It creates a wonderful tactical balance, and somehow these battles never felt old or repetitive to me.
When in doubt, just throw everything you own at the problem.
Visually, the game embraces a bright, cartoon aesthetic that makes excellent use of the DS's capabilities. The character animations are smooth and expressive, with Rocket's bouncy movements feeling appropriately elastic. This is one of my favorite looking games on the system and the pixel art is nothing short of beautiful.
The tank battle scenes are particularly impressive, with detailed mechanical environments and satisfying explosion effects. The audio design features catchy music that balances adventurous melodies with appropriately dramatic tank battle themes, though some may find the repeated sound effects during extended bouncing sessions slightly repetitive.
You call it lazy, I call it energy conservation.
Transform Your Bedroom Fun With Legal THC Gummies
Imagine feeling every touch magnified, every kiss electrified, and every encounter intensified beyond what you ever thought possible.
Every. Single. Time.
Made from 100% federally legal THC and delivered quickly and discreetly to your door within days, Mood’s strawberries & cream flavored Sexual Euphoria THC gummies can help ignite your bedroom fun starting in just 15 minutes flat…
Because they’re made with nano-emulsion (rapid-onset) technology, they “kick in” within 15 minutes – transforming ordinary encounters into extraordinary sensual adventures.
The secret? A pleasure-amplifying combination of THC and time-tested botanicals designed to work for ALL bodies (not just men).
“These do what they claim! Ask my hubby. I don’t think he will let me run out of these gems. And they taste really good.” – Deanne D.
Best of all, they arrive in unmarked packaging that won't raise eyebrows – your under-the-sheets activity remains your delicious secret (unless you choose to share it).
WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet for tracking this down.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $35
Complete: $55
New/Sealed: $90
GAME INFORMATION
|  |
Cover Art
 North America |  Japan |
Game Audio
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime - Cutscene - Flying Clawtress
RETRO NEWS
Here’s a quick roundup of the latest retro gaming news we’ve dug up.
Final Fantasy Tactics’ Legendary Strategy Returns in Style
The PS1 classic makes a triumphant comeback with its remake.
Read more at MetacriticNES Endings Compendium Vol. 2 Explores 1990’s Closers
This massive archive continues its quest to document NES game endings.
Read more at Time ExtensionDeus Ex Remaster Brings Cyberpunk Classic Back
The iconic immersive sim is being remastered.
Read more at Blue’s NewsBitmap Books Prepares Definitive SNES RPG Tome
A deep dive book chronicling the history, artistry, and legacy of SNES role playing games.
Read more at Time ExtensionFFVII Remake Sparks Debate Over Key Card System
The director wants Nintendo fans to accept the game’s futuristic key card mechanic as part of the culture when the Switch 2 eventually arrives.
Read more at IGN
GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime deserves some recognition and for me, is one of the DS’ most creative and entertaining exclusives. While it never received the widespread attention of other DS classics, it offers genuine innovation in how it uses the dual-screen format for gameplay rather than just convenience.
The true boss battle: allergy season.
The game has earned cult classic status for its inventive tank battles and delightful humor. The community considers it one of the DS's true hidden gems, and it genuinely holds up today. It’s simple, charming, and timelessly fun despite its easy difficulty. The pun-filled translation remains as endearing as ever, cementing this beloved oddity's place as a game that deserves far more recognition.
When I started this newsletter, this was one of the first games that came to mind to feature. The game is wonderfully strange and one of those concepts you'd never imagine anyone pitching, let alone getting the green light to actually make. But I’m very thankful they did.
Game Over for now, but nostalgia always has a save file.
SUPPORT
This is a free passion project and just by opening and engaging with the emails supports in a huge way. If you would like to help contribute more, you can click below to help keep the pixels on!
We post daily under the following social media links. Retro game ads and magazines, updates, behind the scenes work on the newsletter, photos and more! Feel free to share the site and the socials with any friends you think would like to join us.
Amazon Affiliate Links
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Clicking these links helps support the newsletter and keeps the pixels glowing. It’s very much appreciated and I thank you in advance!
Why do you read Blow on the Cartridge? |
Reply