A nostalgic trip into the world of Cobra—is it truly awakening?
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is developed by French studio Magic Pockets, a team with over 25 years of experience in the industry, known for quirky titles such as Fourmiz Extreme Racing, Harry Potter 4, and The Sims Medieval on iOS.
Despite their experience, this project is clearly a passion play with a shoestring budget, and it shows in both the creativity and the rough edges of the game. So, what is Cobra? Let’s start at the beginning, because many players are too young to know.
Cobra is a manga series created in 1978 by the late Buichi Terasawa, which evolved into an anime series, a movie, and multiple video games across several decades. Its hero was inspired by Jean-Paul Belmondo. The game we’re looking at today is adapted from the first twelve episodes of the animated series, out of a total of thirty-one.
For fans, this game serves as a love letter to the early episodes of the series, but for newcomers, it’s also an introduction to a world of adventure, cheesy one-liners, and a dapper hero whose aura permeates the screen. Cobra, the famous blonde hero with the red jumpsuit and his trusty psycho gun, and his partner, Lady Armoroid, are followed as they fight intergalactic threats throughout the game.
The narrative seamlessly blends the best of both worlds, combining action and lighthearted banter, with a cast of both lovable and over-the-top characters. Even villains like the hilariously named Crystal Bowie leave a lasting impression, while the occasional nod to classic cinema, such as trophies named after Jean-Paul Belmondo movies, adds to the charm.
At its core, Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a 2D action game with a mix of run-and-gun mechanics and light puzzle-solving. Players navigate levels using Cobra’s arsenal: the psycho gun, explosive cigars, a grappling hook, melee attacks, and special moves like the Delta Ray.
The developers attempted to cram a multitude of actions into a single controller layout, but the decision occasionally reveals signs of misfiring, as the controls are functional but somewhat clumsy. Despite this, Cobra moves elegantly through the environment.
“Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Cobra,” is what you will be saying once you see him clinging to walls, sliding under obstacles, and leaping between platforms effortlessly. Levels feature branching paths and collectibles to encourage exploration, and the game’s fluid 60fps performance makes platforming enjoyable.
Combat in Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is straightforward but requires attention to enemy shields and positioning. Most of the levels incorporate environmental puzzles, ranging from guiding homing missiles to unlocking doors and navigating challenging platforming sequences. While the puzzles don’t require any sort of “1000 IQ” shenanigans, they do their job well in adding variety and occasional cleverness.
The combat works best when combining all of Cobra’s tools, but the crowded control scheme can make timing attacks or switching gadgets feel overwhelming. Boss fights are creative and often require strategy beyond your typical button-mashing, but some encounters can feel a little overcooked, often stretching levels to 20 minutes at times.
Combat and puzzles are competent but inconsistent overall in Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening; they’re fun when they work well but annoying when the control accuracy is off. This game handles XP gain more passively.
Collectibles and power-ups gradually enhance Cobra’s abilities, making later challenges less tedious. The progression system isn’t as overwhelming as combat may be; it adds a sense of satisfaction, as you see your hero get stronger as you rise through the ranks. It’s subtle but effective for pacing, ensuring that players feel rewarded for thorough exploration and strategic combat.
Visually, the game features a retro-inspired aesthetic that incorporates 3D elements. It is very reminiscent of Buichi Terasawa’s work, and, indeed, why would it not be? The game is literally built on the coattails of his successes.
The environments are decent, though not groundbreaking, and the camera often zooms out, making it hard to appreciate the detailed character models and animations. Thankfully, there are cinematic moments where the camera zooms in or switches perspectives, offering some of the most beautiful views in-game.
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening’s cutscenes from the anime are upscaled and nicely integrated into the game, offering a nostalgic walk down memory lane for any Cobra fan. Level variety is solid, thanks to a wide range of environments on offer, bringing back classic 2D platformers while keeping the adventure feeling fresh.
Where the audio design shines most is in the voice acting. The game is fully dubbed in French, English, and Japanese, with Cobra himself voiced to perfection. The dialogue preserves the humor of the original anime, and even minor characters contribute to the playful tone.
The soundtrack is quirky and jazzy, with tunes that match the game’s retro-futuristic vibe. The same enemy quips can get tiresome, but overall, the sound design works in the game’s favor, making combat and exploration more engaging while adding a lot of personality to the game world.
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a niche title with a lot of heart. It’s clearly designed for fans of the original anime, but newcomers who enjoy retro-style 2D action games with a side of cheesy humor will also find something to appreciate.
The gameplay can be a bit rough around the edges due to the controls and occasionally awkward combat system, but the platforming, puzzles, and boss fights are all pluses. The story, the presentation, and an onslaught of one-liners to make you hit the floor laughing—the game has it all.
Given Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening’s budget they have worked with, we can cut Magic Pockets some slack for some of the game’s shortcomings. The story campaign offers approximately twelve hours of content, with side missions and unlockables adding to its replay value.
A two-player mode exists, but it was not polished enough to our liking. So, the single-player experience is the primary way to enjoy the game. It’s a little rough, a little janky, but the charm of Cobra’s universe carries the experience. For fans of Cobra, the game is a perfect homage to a retro classic waiting for you to give it a shot.
