Rocket Jockey

Rocket Jockey (1996)

by Rocket Science Games, SegaSoft
Genres:Sport, Racing
Themes:Action
Game modes:Single player, Multiplayer
Story:Rocket Jockey is a sports-action game with different modes, all involving the player jetting at high speed on a rocket-powered, always-on sled.
user avatarAdded by @RagingInside
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.
67
Trailers and screenshots
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Stories about this game (8)
What’s your memory of Rocket Jockey?Share your favorite moments and see what others remember about this game.
user avatar@placeholder

Make sure to follow our Guidelines when adding new Stories.

If not sure what to write:
  • What made this game unforgettable?
  • Who did you play this game with?
  • What made it fun or challenging?
  • Why do you want this game on GOG?
11 year old me played this gem over and over on a PC magazine demo disk. Tethering another racer at high speeds was super satisfying. I was never able to find and buy the game with my allowance but I've always wanted to revisit my nostalgia and experience the full title.
user avatar@jiltedoneuser avatar@jiltedone
January 29, 2025
Found this game via shareware disc my friend had lent me, i may have spent more than a few more hours than i should on the game. Since i live in a country that rarely gets games unless we try to import them or get them through a relative i missed this game.
user avatar@Foggenuser avatar@Foggen
January 29, 2025
Great surf rock music, some of the most fun physics-driven grappling hook gameplay I've ever experienced, and a lot of creativity in tying things together. I forget the name of it but the combat mode was the key. Everything was fast and chaotic, and there was a lot of room for mastery in just getting around. I love this game so much
user avatar@jthyselluser avatar@jthysell
January 31, 2025
I absolutely loved this game, but it was about 6-10 years ahead of its time. It came out right at the dawn of multi-player gaming, but it was not ready to be played via LAN or online. They did release a patch to add networking multi-player, but it didn't work very well, and it was already a failed game at that point. But if this game had come out a few years later for the Dreamcast or the OG Xbox, it would have been a smash hit. I enjoyed the single player aspect of this game. The idea of riding a rocket that shoots grappling hooks to turn was innovative gameplay at the time. And the fact that you could grapple other riders and rip them off of their rockets made it all even better. You could tell that the game was designed to be played with many rocket jockeys in the arena, but the internet and networking was simply not ready yet for home users.
user avatar@Lord_Ingouser avatar@Lord_Ingo
January 29, 2025
there is an improved graphics remake out there called Rocket Jockey's that gives you almost the whole game. Its missing some characters and most important, LAN play. Big problem with the original is that it appeared to use clock cycles from the CPU for timing. I remember trying to run it up on faster processors and the game play would be ridiculously fast to be unplayable. Sadly, Sega released it originally without LAN play, which is the best part. You could download it eventually. I think it would have been an instant hit with LAN included. but the delay was too long and peeps moved on.
user avatar@ByDefaultuser avatar@ByDefault
March 21, 2025
I got this with an early 3D accelerator card and didn’t play it until years later. It has a surprising amount of depth and would be great fun with a controller and some friends.
user avatar@tgsid2001user avatar@tgsid2001
April 03, 2025
I remember having so much fun playing this game's demo that I got with some other software. 3 game modes: Racing, Arena and Soccer! The premise of this game is simple. You're a rocket jockey (self explanatory) and you flew around a smallish arena at high speed with limited ability to turn natively. That's why each rocket had grappling hook launchers equipped to each side, so you could corner amazingly fast if you grappled to any of the many poles in the arena. Hilariously, you could also grapple the opponent's rocket, or body if you were accurate enough! The graphics were rough, but the controls were easy to use in practice but took a while to truly master. I loved both the combat and soccer modes! Learning the timing and controls required to grapple a soccer ball and wing it into a net for a goal was an amazing feeling. Not to mention I spent WAY too long grappling other jockeys off their rockets, dragging them behind me and flinging them away from their own rockets to buy myself time and points. (When a jockey was dismounted, they had to run back to their rocket and get flying again). I remember doubling over with laughter at the hilarious sounds of their surprised yells and grumbling. Whoever came up with the combat mechanics and sound effects for the jockeys was an utter genius! Being able to grapple opponents (or be grappled) and having to get back to your rocket (or get knocked unconscious during a collision) added a level of depth and realism that I still think about all these years later. Your rocket's handling even changed as stabilizer fins and parts were yanked off during combat. Truly amazing attention to detail for such an old, demo, let along a full game. Would love to play this game in real multiplayer with updated graphics and physics. Try googling 'Rocket Jockey' and 'Rocket Jockey First' for more info!
user avatar@T4r0user avatar@T4r0
June 08, 2025
Unique physics and controls, had a blast when I first discovered this gem! A kind of game that changed your way of thinking! Fierce competition and great laughs caused by mayhem and chaos that emerged from fantastic gameplay!
Those games also need your vote!
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of the Clans
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of the ClansA stand alone addition to the truck RPG/Racing game Hard Truck Apocalypse.
Action
Science fiction
Action
Science fiction
28
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of Clans
Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of ClansHard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of Clans - is an addon to a vehicular Action/RPG set in an alternate future. New heroes and mysteries await you in the vistas of a post-apocalyptic North America. Special customization features, new types of weapons, and hi-tech bosses will immerse you even deeper into the ruthless world of Apocalypse, and your extreme driving skills will serve you well in its new multiplayer mode.
Action
Action
39
Hard Truck Apocalypse / Ex Machina
Hard Truck Apocalypse / Ex MachinaIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland of diesel and dust, bandits and mobsters rule the last remaining cities, controlling all vital trade routes and destroying any hope of a return to a lawful world.
Action
Action
80
2
Hard Truck: Apocalypse
Hard Truck: ApocalypseHard Truck: Apocalypse (Ex Machina) is a vehicular combat post-apocalyptic science fiction video game developed by Russian game developer Targem Games. It is a Privateer-like game on vehicles instead of spaceships set in a post-apocalyptic Europe. The player controls an armored truck and roams between settlements trading with locals, completing quests and fighting numerous enemies to upgrade his truck and acquire better weapons to progress through the main storyline.
Action
Action
51
Poker Night 2
Poker Night 2Poker Night 2 is a poker video game developed by Telltale Games. It is the sequel to Poker Night at the Inventory and, like its predecessor, features crossover characters from different franchises.
Comedy
Comedy
194
1
Poker Night at the Inventory
Poker Night at the InventoryPrepare for a different kind of poker night in a very different kind of club. In Poker Night at the Inventory, you'll deal with Penny Arcade's clever, cunning Tycho, Team Fortress 2's hulking Heavy, Homestar Runner's self-proclaimed "awesome icon" Strong Bad and the hyperkinetic "rabbity-thing" from Sam & Max. These characters come together in ways some never thought possible, in a setting few would have predicted. Unlock new TF2 items by beating The Heavy, Max, Tycho, or Strong Bad at high stakes games of poker.
Comedy
Party
Comedy
Party
193
1
Lemmings 2: The Tribes
Lemmings 2: The TribesBy now, you'll probably be aware of the horrible plight the Lemmings face. Not only do they have to leave their lovely little hovels for good,but they also have to escape their island before they perish in the Darkness that's coming. Your objective therefore is to save as many Lemmings as possible from each tribe and help them escape the Island. The DOS version has a different sounding soundtrack due to the different sound card, but is otherwise identical.
Historical
Comedy
Science fiction
Historical
Comedy
Science fiction
7 337
3
AM
AMHop into the driver's seat and prepare for anything as you navigate a vast network of rural roads in search of salvation. AM is a high-speed horror game that keeps you on the edge of your seat—and your foot on the gas—as you race to leave the nightmares of an abandoned world in your rearview.
New
Action
Horror
Survival
New
Action
Horror
Survival
3
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
NASCAR Racing 2003 SeasonThe latest release from this series since 1999. 23 real-life tracks (including the new versions of New Hampshire International Speedway and Infineon Raceway) are included. The game has been reworked with an improved graphics and physics engine, developed in partnership with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Jasper Motorsports. Tutorials will bring the player up to speed quickly, while driving aids will help them compete against NASCAR pros. An adaptive AI will keep the game challenging at all skill levels. Multiplayer supports up to 42 players online in the same race.
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
347
11
HyperBowl: Arcade Edition
HyperBowl: Arcade EditionHyperBowl scores just like conventional bowling, but the style of play is entirely unique. In this virtual bowling game, you can steer the ball all the way to the pins! Sound too easy? Not really -- you must dodge trolley cars in San Francisco 2099, leap buses on the streets of Tokyo, navigate across a pitching ship on the High Seas, and avoid whatever other obstacles are thrown your way. Players seeking more predictable play can always fine tune their skills in a Classic bowling alley or bowl through a peaceful Yosemite forest.
Action
Action
56